The tuk-tuk driver missed a turning to Ko Yao Bay Pavilions because he thought we were going someplace else. That was just as well, because it gave us a chance to take in the views of the Ko Yao Beach area, so we could decide whether to go there during our stay on Ko Yao Noi.
Bee showed us to our room and sala, which we were very impressed with. We left our footwear outside and Bee expressed surprise at my Dopie flip-flops.
Straight to the hammock
After a cursory inspection of the bathroom and the bed, B ran straight to one of the two hammocks hanging by one the side of the sala, the side nearer the swimming pool. It would be a hard time getting her out of it, and then only to the deck chair by the pool.
We had a light meal at the restaurant, where we also had dinner and most of our other meals throughout our stay on the island. I tried the 'water-melon shake' (actually ice-blended watermelon juice) and thereafter had it with every meal.
The famous flip-flops
George, the Frenchman who ran Ko Yao Bay Pavilions, was always shirtless during the day. At dinnertime, he would drape on a half-buttoned linen shirt and come around to make small talk with the guests or ask if he could help with anything. He told us on the first night, "Anything you need, we can arrange it." I think he mentioned the word 'holistic' as well.
On the second night, he said, "Ah, the famous flip-flops." Apparently, my footwear had become the talk of the town.
Views and birdsong
Unusually for us, we spent a great deal of time on the grounds of the resort. This was easy to do as we had great views of the sea and the rock formations of Phang Nga Bay from our sala, and with the swimming pool just two steps away, there was no need to go anywhere else.
At sunrise and sunset the view was just perfect and in the morning before the sun was fully over the horizon you could still do some crab-spotting by the beach. There was no sense of time passing. Even watching the koi in the pond beside the restaurant, and the reflection of the reeds trembling in the wind, was pleasurable.
One morning we heard the fancy tune of my wake-up alarm after we've got out of bed. A bird somewhere had picked up the melody and imitated it. We think it was either the pair of magpies outside our sala, or somebody's bulbul, which can be found all over the island in beautiful, traditional birdcages.
We could have stayed another day, or another week or even a month. From what I've read and heard, I'm glad we didn't go to Phi Phi Island instead.
