Mein Schiff Southeast Asia cruise: Day 4 – 52 km by bike across Koh Samui – 17:00 officially last tender boat – 18:00 raise anchor

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– italic lines as always from Daniel –

First of all: We couldn’t quite keep the departure time, there were still a few late guests who wanted to come along.

After a half sleepy day yesterday – woke up at 08:00 and dozed until 13:00 … – we could use a little exercise today. Even though all the bike excursions are set to “Fully Booked” in advance, there are still remaining spaces to be reserved on board. For us, it worked out for two and we got two Trenga mountain bikes from / to Nathong. So on the program was: “Bike Active Tour to Namuang Waterfall”. Translated: about 50 kilometers in the southwest of the island herumkurven, murmur at a pleasant little shower in between the mantra “we are not made of sugar” and then off to the waterfall. Up to there we had proud 25 kilometers and the e-bike group already left. Even if it was only 350 meters in total to climb, the heat hurt during the climb … Interestingly, we had not yet our passports back, nor was there a passport control when we entered – neither on Koh Samui nor in Bangkok.

Tip bike trip: I had borrowed a Polar heart rate monitor from the gym (5 euro rental fee for trips, free to use in the gym). The device not only gives the heart rate itself, but apparently determines the optimal pulse range based on inputs such as age, gender, weight, height. It was critical during the ascent, otherwise the part on my wrist always nicely confirmed that I feel good.

So I burned fat on about half of the total six-hour tour, the rest was in the cardio range. After all, 2,589 calories, which I may consume again tonight in the form of a multi-course meal and various cocktails. 🙂 – oh yes 🙂

We were very flattened at the end of the tour and grateful for the fast tender on board, but have taken a lot of authentic island experiences through the chosen route. About 2 million coconuts are harvested here per year – “some” of them below in pictures. Cockfights are also the order of the day, even if the custom rather did not please us. Just like the very touristy elephant riding directly at the Namuang waterfall. You can do it, but you don’t have to. The animals make from afar a not bad impression, but much more than a circus round in tropical scenery to turn is also not in it and from private or individual experience no trace..

Much nicer were the waterfall itself (along with the obligatory souvenir stands and food options) as well as the beach section after another 16-18 kilometers. There we spent one and a half hours to cool down in the sea and to have a Thai lunch before we went the remaining 10 kilometers back to Nathon. It was practical that credit cards were accepted there – if you loaded them up beforehand, so as not to pay a foreign fee. At the beginning of the tour, however, the group had also stopped at a money exchange office (with ATM/ cash machine next door), so that everyone was supplied with foreign currency.

We were nine, including our guide Patrick and all together a fit troop – 24 km / h average are not wrong (except for the one or other rise perhaps). The same tour is also available on Mein Schiff in the e-bike version, but you have to be quick, because there are really not many of them left on board, because there are simply not more e-bikes available.