Day One: Relax

Arrive on the island that dreams are made of. Really, try to imagine the most magical scene by the beach, a place dreams are made of; open your eyes, and suddenly you are there. Exhausted from a long trip, settle for an easy day. Get a Thai Massage, which is like a mixture of yoga and massage—let bones you didn’t even know you had crack under the weight of a tiny Thai woman. Go to Thong Sala Night Market, and eat all the pad thai you can eat without breaking the bank. And then some coconut ice cream or maybe freshly rolled ice cream. Return to your hostel and sleep early.

Day Two: Heal

Get a head start. Wake up at 6 AM, the time party people are somberly sauntering to bed. Shake the tired from your head and head to Secret Beach (AKA Haad Son Beach). Bring a yoga mat, some nuts, and water. Practice yoga and meditation—get there early enough to be completely and absolutely alone. Revel in the silence albeit the dang caterpillars, cheerfully chirping in the branches.

Head to the nearby resort restaurant about five minutes north (it is a little beyond the mermaid statue). Buy a strawberry and sweet mango smoothie, whip out your current book and, much like your hearty smoothie in summer’s smoldering heat, melt into a homey hammock for hours.

Try something new: my something new was a reiki healing and emotional release session. Koh Phagnan is well known for her abundance of yoga, aerial yoga, meditation studios, and even cooking classes. Even if it’s not your thing, surprise yourself in how much delight can be extracted in learning something new. After, go to the meditation point on the beach, on the west side of the island, and find hippies jamming, creating music. Walk a little farther down and discover a nude beach. Get naked and regret nothing.

Eat vegan. Go to Amsterdam Bar to catch the sunset and some healing greens. Find yourself in conversations with the sea of strangers. Eat at your hostel, be tempted to party with newfound friends, but sleep early anyways (find out later it started pouring about 2 hours in and everyone came home early!).

Day Three: Play

Make friends at your hostel. Eat breakfast with them and then decide to spend the day with them. Face your fears (of eating shit on a motorbike again) and get on the back of your new friend’s bike. Go beach hopping. Mailbu Beach is a stunner. Feel a sense of belonging in this group of new friends after being alone for a couple of days. Bond with beautiful souls. Go to a beach bar. Get high on life and watch the sunset. Go back to Thong Sala because it’s cheap and delicious. Get ready for a night (to forget). Get Wet (with paint). Attend the infamous Full Moon Party and celebrate the moon with thousands of other souls from around the world. Jump in that fire jump rope because you’re drunk and you think you won’t fall (You will. You will definitely fall. Your burns will still hurt and be healing as you write a post about it a month later [so actually, jump in at your own risk]). Find gratitude and be conscious of every single moment. Because this is literal paradise and as soon as you have came and loved and lived, you will have to leave it all behind.

I came, I healed, I loved, I danced the night away, and I was blissfully happy, everyday. The rest is history.