The journey to Koh Lanta was a true adventure, bumping along the Andaman Sea with all the bags in the front of the boat untied and uncovered. Fortunately, we & our belongings arrived dry. We were excited for this leg of our journey as it marked the start of our long-awaited trip with our friends Melody & Ryan.

We snagged a two-bedroom jungle bungalow with sweeping views of Kantiang Bay. Our days involved admiring the limestone cliffs, swimming, and beach hopping. On Christmas, we took a boat tour around the Phi Phi islands and watched fireworks from a holiday beach party. We met several adorable bar cats, had awful mai tais from an over-enthusiastic restaurant owner, and one of the best from a small bar tucked away in the shade.