Great Beyond Episode 11

Atlant Media

13 hours ago

Transcript

00:00Hi, guys. My name is Maria Kandus. I love to travel so much.

00:17Maria Hondras is a well-known Ukrainian traveler and hitchhiker.

00:21Over the past five years, she has visited 50 countries and 300 towns.

00:32And in 2015, she even hitchhiked around the world.

00:38During her journey, she flagged down more than 1,000 cars, two ferries, a yacht, and even an airplane.

00:47Today, Maria has decided to pack her rucksack once again and embark on an unforgettable journey across Southeast Asia

00:56to explore the region's authentic cultural traditions, visit exotic places, and meet local people.

01:07Something no guidebook or conventional tour can ever provide.

01:12So stay with us. We're going beyond.

01:18Let's continue our exploration of the Kingdom of Thailand.

01:48Today, we're going to leave the hustle and bustle of Bangkok

01:52and take refuge in the peaceful retreat of Koh Chang.

02:00A famous island resort and one closest to the capital.

02:06We'll find out why this destination is so popular with bona fide tourists.

02:11Visit a local leisure park.

02:19I'm scared. I'm so scared.

02:21And fly among the trees.

02:23Woo!

02:26We'll learn what elephants and Thai state officials have in common.

02:31We'll also bathe and feed the elephants.

02:34This leg is bigger than me.

02:36We'll meet face-to-face with a Thai boxer.

02:41I feel like in the real ring.

02:44I'm sweating. I'm tired.

02:46We'll also attend a culinary workshop run by a Thai chef

02:50who will teach us how to mix seemingly incompatible ingredients.

02:53Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.

02:57Ooh, yeah.

02:59Yeah.

02:59The Kingdom of Thailand is home to more than 250 islands

03:25ranging from small uninhabited rocks in the ocean to highly populated resorts

03:31teeming with luxurious hotels.

03:40We found a middle ground, the island of Koh Chang.

03:44Even though this place is well known among tourists,

03:48it somehow managed to preserve its identity.

03:55In fact, Koh Chang is an archipelago consisting of more than 50 islands,

04:03all of them included in the National Park area.

04:07The main island is one of the third largest in Thailand,

04:11with 30 kilometers in length and approximately 14 kilometers at its widest point.

04:18Koh Chang is a unique place to visit, and soon you will know why.

04:25Bangkok and Koh Chang are almost 300 kilometers apart.

04:39As the island doesn't have an airport,

04:41the best way to get to Koh Chang from Bangkok is by bus and a ferry.

04:46The bus will take you to Thrak, which is a six-hour journey, by the way.

04:51And once you get there, you must board a ferry.

05:03However, to reach Thrak, we decided to take a ride on a song field.

05:10Adapted from a pickup truck, a tuk-tuk, as the Thais call it,

05:14is probably the most popular means of transport in the country.

05:17And now we're boarding a ferry.

05:24It takes about half an hour to cross the Gulf of Thailand to reach the island of Koh Chang.

05:31I'm going to see one of the biggest and the wildest islands in the east of Thailand, Koh Chang.

05:38It means the island of the elephants, maybe because the form looks like elephants.

05:43It's very far from the big cities and very close to Cambodia, so it should be less heuristic.

05:49So let's see how true is that.

05:54The silhouette of the island does indeed look like an elephant's head.

05:58Well, at least that's what the sea pirates and the fishermen once discovered the island thought,

06:05thus lending the island its name.

06:09Upon the middle of the last century, this land attracted very little interest.

06:14Yet, with the growth of tourism, Koh Chang saw the emergence of hotels.

06:18Today, the island is visited by foreigners and locals.

06:30After the hustle and bustle of modern Bangkok,

06:51where the glass and concrete replaced the green of the jungle,

06:55at first glance, Koh Chang looks like a godforsaken place.

07:00Often, it's quite true.

07:02National park status hinders almost any progress,

07:05and Mother Nature resists as well.

07:09Koh Chang is a mountainous island.

07:11Its larger area is covered with hills, cliffs, dense forests, and steep serpentine roads.

07:18That's why the most populated part of the island is its coastal areas.

07:22Kho Chang is a tropical island with a mild climate.

07:46There are three seasons here.

07:49When it's hot, when it's rainy, and when it's chilly.

07:52There are no large industries or factories on the island.

07:57In fact, the word large, by the way, would not fit here at all.

08:01On the other hand, you can eat fresh, organic fruits all year round.

08:11About 5,000 people live quiet, unhurried lives on the island.

08:15And it'd be hard not to be envious of it.

08:25I always wanted to live by the sea or by the ocean.

08:30The water brings me so much energy.

08:33I immediately started to dream, to create, and getting inspired.

08:41But let's descend from heaven to earth, shall we?

08:44At first, we must find some place to stay.

08:47So let's head towards the main road of the island.

08:51With the arrival of tourists, most roads in Kho Chang have been paved and are suitable for traffic.

08:58However, there isn't much in the way of a transportation system here.

09:03The most popular means of transport on the island is the motorbike.

09:09The rental option is not expensive at all.

09:14Nevertheless, we'll stick to a better plan.

09:17I've never been in Kho Chang before.

09:19And in my opinion, the best way to get to know in a new place is to start hitchhiking.

09:25First, you get free rides.

09:26Second, you can ask driver anything you want to know.

09:29So I will show you how it works.

09:31Of course, you can always book a hotel, even before getting here.

09:37You can also take locals' advice, or those who know the island inside and out anyway,

09:43and most likely find some good logic.

09:46In Kho Chang, you may often meet foreigners who spend up to several months on the island

09:52just to get away from home, maybe to avoid winter, or as a way to prolong their vacations.

09:59Hi, can you help me?

10:05Do you know where the cheapest place to stay here?

10:08Yep, I know one.

10:09Get in.

10:10Oh, thank you very much.

10:13Yeah.

10:15Okay, let's go.

10:16Thank you very much, guys.

10:27You're welcome.

10:27And, um, by the way, where we are going now?

10:30So, I know this, uh, cute small house nearby.

10:33Uh, it's five minutes drive from here.

10:35It's just across the sea, and it's another trip.

10:38Oh, it was perfect for me.

10:40So, um, my name is Maria, by the way, I'm from Ukraine.

10:43What about you?

10:44Uh, my name is Mark.

10:46And I'm Julia, we're from Germany.

10:48Is it your first time here?

10:50Yeah, I've been in Thailand before, but I've never been in this island.

10:54Oh, you'll like it.

10:55Look how easy we found good people who can show us around, and it's completely free.

11:25Uh, my name is Mark.

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