Lanta! (Part 2)

At the beginning of our five-day trip, we were disappointed by the conditions of the green season. The weather was very windy and wet, but it gradually changed for the better. Towards the end of our stay, we could go diving and see glorious sunset along the beaches. I even got a little sunburnt, not that I mind! The beautiful thing of the green season was, we had the perfect privacy: private beaches all to ourselves, private restaurants, and a private dive guide. And ohh...I paid the resort at almost three times lower than the high season rate.

Talking about the resort, we stayed at Ancient Realm Resort and Spa. All the raving reviews of Ancient Realm at TripAdvisor.com helped me made up my mind to book for this Lanta trip. It's a charming little boutique resort owned and run by a young couple Clinton (Australian) and Suki (Hong Konger). Unfortunately I couldn't meet Clint who was away at Bangkok. He was very helpful in our email exchanges prior to the trip. But we had the pleasure to meet Suki who provided great hospitality and great tips on the island.

Ancient Realm is located at the famous Klong Dao beach. This Thai-Balinese-Chinese styled eco-friendly resort is very affordable, probably the best value for money of its class. The rooms are fully equipped with all the needed amenities and more. It even has free WIFI access almost anywhere which is rare in Thailand, let alone Koh Lanta. I could use my PDA to surf the Net on my bed, the toilet bowl, the hammock at the garden and the beachfront. They even have cable TV, DVD player with hundreds of DVD titles to choose from. Oh, at the shower area in the bathroom, there's an opening where I could see the moon and stars at night!

Suki's a bartender extraordinaire. For Sherene's massage on the evening before we left, the masseur had forgotten to use the hot and cold stones. Suki was gracious enough to admit the Spa's fault and treated us to free cocktails that night at the resort's '360 Bar'. We contemplated whether to accept that offer, especially after a hearty western dinner that evening. We were glad we did. What a night it was! Sherene chose her usual favourite Margarita and I requested for Campari Orange. Unfortunately their Campari bottle was empty. Suki thought for a little while and said she'd make me a "surprise". Minutes later, she presented me The Zombie! Suki commented there were heavy mixtures of alcohol in it but they're well masked. She was right, I don't normally enjoy alcoholic drinks but The Zombie tasted just great! Suki then taught us and other guests (from Finland and Poland) how to play the drinking game called 'Bullsh*t'...something she brought from Hong Kong. Very simple game of probability, guessing and calling each other's bluffs, but so much fun. All of us absolutely loved it!

(To be continued with pictures and more)