Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta reminds us of Gower in some ways. This gem of a Thai island is 20 miles long and five miles wide. Like our little slice of heaven back in Wales - Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - it's a haven of tranquility, with off-the-beaten-track golden beaches and a green hinterland, though instead of sheep it's wild jungle monkeys you see on your travels here.
Lanta is a very different proposition to Koh Phi-Phi Don, our last port of call. Here there is little hustle and bustle. It's low-key and laidback - somewhere where you can wind down the pace and take life at a slow-burn meander.
An hour across the Andaman Sea by ferry from KPPD sees us arrive at the north tip of the island. We have heard that the best beaches are in the south, so that's where were headed.
On the ferry there are the usual touts, but none seem too pushy. Take a look at some leaflets before getting talking to a nice local Lanta lady who offers us beach accommodation at a decent price, with no obligation. She will take us there, and if we don't like it we can move on. Sounds fair enough.
Our 'taxi' is a 4x4 with an open back and luggage perched precariously on its roof. We clamber on board with some difficulty and are joined by two other couples - one Swedish, the other American - and a German lady travelling alone.
Quick introductions follow - the Swedes are a brother and sister who are staying on the island only a couple of nights, while Americans Kyle and Stacy and Monica, from Germany, are, like ourselves, planning on hanging around longer to see what Lanta has to offer.
Dropped off at the Coral Beach Resort. Bungalow just yards from a lovely stretch of sand is simple, but clean and with air-con. On the beach are traditional Thai shelters, and hammocks to relax in. There is also a nice bar with lanterns lit at nightime and a restaurant specialising in both Thai and international cuisine. It's a family-run resort, and both owners and staff appear extremely friendly.
The best way to see the island is by motorbike or scooter. Bit of a problem here - John hasn't ridden either for nearly 30 years. The last time was on our honeymoon in Crete back in September, 1981.
In for a penny, in for a pound, John decides to go for it, although the initial results are pretty hilarious. He takes off on a trial run looking distinctly wobbly. Easy Rider this is certainly not. Chris, very wisely, sits it out while he gets accustomed to his mean machine.
When he hasn't arrived back after 15 minutes Coral Beach owner Mr Phong sets out on his own bike to look for him. But somewhere along the road backing onto the resort they miss each other and John 'Born To Be Wild' Walters arrives back first in one piece, as does his bike. Relief all round.
Later over dinner and now in rather more confident mood, John informs Mr Phong that he thinks he has got the hang of riding on two wheels again, to which our Thai host, possibly more concerned about what state his bike would arrive back in than our intrepid traveller's fate on Lanta's rocky roads, casually remarks: ''Good for you, good for me.'' Quite.
Next day Chris plucks up the courage - and, boy, she needs it - to go pilion. A few sweaty and hair-raising moments along the way - mainly due to a couple of monkeys and a few hundred pot-holes in the road rather than John's erratic handling of the bike with a top speed of 40kmph - we arrive at a lovely, isolated beach unscathed for a cool down swim.
And that in a nutshell is how we continue to spend our days - scooter (motorbike) loopy riding towards the gorgeous beaches of Klong Nin and Kantiang (our favourite) in the mornings and afternoons, and chilling out in the evenings with our new friends Kyle, Stacy and Monica, who are all game for a laugh.
The five of us have heard that a three-day festival at Boh Lanta on the east coast of the island is supposed to be a fun event. Pile into the back of open-back taxi truck for rip-roaring trip along windy and twisty road to find that the festival is in full swing.
This side of the island is very different. Boh Lanta has a Chinese influence and timber-built homes, shops and restaurants sit on stilts. The coastline here differs too. Mangroves and mud replace the white sand and jade-coloured waters of the western side, but it is no less appealing for that. A walk out along the little town's long pier at dusk reveals a myriad of tiny islands dotted around the bay. The place has a very special charm of its own.
It's soon nightfall and the locals, some in colourful and traditional Thai costumes, are in serious party mood. The bars and restaurants are bouncing, the music is loud, the bass throbbing and the atmosphere genial. It's carnival time - a little taste of Rio on a remote island in Thailand.
There is some serious dancing in the streets going on, with locals and tourists letting it all (well nearly all in a couple of cases) hang out.
San Francisco-bound male nurse Kyle and his recently-graduated girlfriend Stacy - she is taking a few months off to travel before settling into a new job - can shake it on down a bit, as can Nuremberg resident Monica, who completed a week on a scuba dive boat before her arrival on Koh Lanta.
Oh well, if you can't beat them - and the beers we have consumed have certainly helped us lose any inhibitions we may have had earlier. Not a pretty sight, perhaps, the Walters dancing out in the open air way after the witching hour, but we go for it and actually have a blast.
It's been a late, late night (early hours actually) - and we return to resort eventually after a very slow journey by tuk-tuk, which regualrly runs out of steam up the steeper hills. Kyle and 'Papa' (tuk-tuk driver's name for John) have to get off on regular basis, so that the three-wheeled motor taxi can continue on its upwardly mobile path.
Five very weary and bleary-eyed (okay, tired and emotional) travellers bid each other goodnight (good morning would have been more appropriate) after what everyone agrees was a cracking time had by all. Chris has paced herself brilliantly, it must be said, which is just as well as she is off on a Thai cookery course first thing in the morning.
She joins three others - a Swedish mother and daughter and a girl from the Czech Republic. Aprons on, they learn how to prepare and recognise Thai herbs and spices - and then it's very much hands on, slicing, crushing and cooking their own creations under the watchful eye of their cooking guide.
On her return, Chris declares the course a big success, but proof of the pudding (actually three very different savoury Thai dishes) is in the eating. She has brought home the fruits of her labour and John, who has enjoyed a languid lie-in, is the guinea pig. Delicious is his verdict. Forget fish 'n' chips on a Friday night back home from now on. Must have been good.
Monica, meanwhile, is moving on and we bid her a fond farewell and good luck, while Michael, another American and Kyle's best friend, arrives at the Coral from China where has been teaching English.
He, like Kyle and Stacy, turns out to be top company too. Spend a smashing evening with them and some other new arrivals - German and Spanish - on the beach, watching the sun going down on the distant horizon behind the karstic island of Koh Ha.
Sadly it's our time to depart (Mr Pong is probably glad to see the back of us, although he is very gracious despite John's uncanny knack to look less competent every time he takes off on Mr P's prized bike).
Spend our last day at Kantiang. French toast with honey and coffee at Drunken Sailor first. This is a cool and hip little cafe, where you can lie in hammocks if you feel inclined. Chris does. John, deciding he will struggle to get back out of it, chickens out and plonks himself on a plastic seat instead. Coward.
Spend a last lazy afternoon on the powder-white beach at Kantiang, which also sports a funky and shady little beach bar named Same Same But Different. Fun place for a cool cocktail and cold Chang (beer).
It's time then to say our goodbyes (hugs and kisses all round) - to Kyle, Stacy and Michael, to another lovely couple, Kevin and Angie, from Essex, we made friends with a couple of days ago and to the Phong family, who have looked after us so well.
We have enjoyed a seriously chilled time at Koh Lanta - and made it without any motorbike mishaps. John feels very pleased with himself, particularly after learning from a brochure he has just picked up that statistically Thailand is one of the most dangerous places in the world to drive (or ride). Now if we had known that before ...
Next on our agenda is a three-hour sea crossing - change ferries at Koh Phi-Phi Don - to Phuket, commonly referred to as The Pearl of the Andaman. We are wondering whether it will live up to its star billing. Only one way to find out.