As is customary in Thailand you leave Bangkok
as quickly as possible and get down to the Islands in the South.
Well I did anyway. The trains are very respectable, with clean
sleeping bunks and meals provided. The views (see left) can be
good from the train with the early morning mist rising from the
mountains. 
The first stop was Ko Phi Phi where the
film The Beach was filmed. We stayed in a hut by the beech you
can see on the right, which would have been paradise accept for
the sewage plant and smoke billowing out next to us. Still, it
was cheap! Kho Phi Phi was full of tourists though, there is
a little town between the two main beaches whic
h had
internet cafes, night clubs and whatever else a tourist resort
should have. Some German couple recommended Kho Lanta which,
while a larger island, was much quieter so we headed off on the
ferry for there. The cliffs rise impressively from the water
as seen on the left.
We stayed on a hill over looking a 
beach on Kho Lanta which was beautiful. Here
I met some interesting people. One person hanging around looked
suspiciously like Richard Gere, but he had left before we had
any chance to investigate. The view in the morning of the 'Longtail'
sailing boats can be seen on the right.