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Gentlemen, as our parents told us, accept solid advice when it is given and hear out to what our resident Lost Beaches Travel’ite,  Ola, has to say regarding fashion on the boats and the beach.

SUNSCREEN

This is a given. nobody likes a lobster face.

SWIMWEAR

Come on gentlemen, swimwear doesn’t have to be a trial – there are plenty of great European brands doing tasteful swimmers for men these days. Take the ultra baggy Billabong boardies and lycra to the charity shop and check out Vilebrequin, Orlebar Brown and Paul Smith for a selection of cotton swim-shorts in various tan-enhancing pastel hues and stripes.

SHIRTS

Tank tops will do – it is hot out here.

BEACH TOYS

Break the ice with an inflatable beach swan, a big-time frisbee or a classic  football. Use them for beach games  – note: Likelyhood of losing beach frisbee = 90%.

DON’T PACK THIS..

Approach the following articles with EXTREME GENTLEMENS CAUTION:

  • South of the mason-dixon line style Wife-beaters
  • Jesus-style Sandals
  • Ultra Deep V-necks (How low can ya go?)
  • Excessively thick/dark bodily hair. (This counts as a shirt if thick enough)
  • Boring sunglasses (Colour, style all factor in on a hot pair of shades)
  • You might love your latest iCrap or tech’d up techno camera like a newborn child,, but King Poseidons’ great underworld world doesn’t have a lost and found box. Just don’t lose them!
  • Nobody cares how much you spent on that super shiny pair of ultra sexy shades, leather silk european carry-case or velvet shoes. Leave your ego in the past and your judgement at home– Lost Beaches Travel is a place to relax and escape from the nasty pressures at home.

 

NOTE: Any/all of the above can work for the  right person. If in doubt, just avoid. In all seriousness, wear whatever the hell you want.

After watching the sun set on 2013 back home with friends and family, I’m back in Thailand for a Long Beach sunset on Koh Phi Phi. Though I’m travelling with a motley but friendly crew of Thailand-lifers, I’m the only member of the LBT team here this week. As a part of the Lost Beaches prep for the 2014 tour dates, I’m dropping in on some of our accommodation and activity partners to lock everything up tight for those party rockers arriving in the coming months. And seeing as I’m LBT through and through I definitely couldn’t turn down the chance to drag some close peeps along with me for the ride. #bestjobever

When I first visited Thailand back in 2008, Phi Phi was the first non-mainland location my group shacked up on (specifically the island of Koh Phi Phi Don, the same place Lost Beaches visits today). My favourite memory from that first island day was the Viewpoint hike, to check out, from high above, where the water nearly meets at the ‘skinny’ part of the island. Despite the solid sweat it took to trek up the several hundred concrete steps, the moment I saw those two lagoons of crystal-blue water surrounded by lush, green forested mountains, I knew I had come to somewhere special.

And to be honest, the amazing experiences didn’t, and don’t, stop there. Many of the activities that Lost Beaches has again committed to in 2014 have become customer favourites, including the half-day boat cruise to Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Leh, and Maya Beach. Outside of the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, the best beach parties in Thailand are on Koh Phi Phi, and they are always some of the high points on every LBT tour. Every night there are 7 or 8 restaurants serving dinner and cocktail hour, while you are entertaining by local fire dancers. And then right before your slightly inebriated eyes the same restaurants convert to dance clubs and party bars, each offering something slightly different. People have a great time well into the early hours of the morning, and as the dance floors spill out onto the adjacent beaches, the courageous join the locals on the fire jump rope!

There is just so much energy here all the time. Sometimes I tell myself that I’m going to take a slow day, enjoy a walk on the beach, and then this happens: monkey

For those Lost Beaches travellers looking to break away for a few hours during their time in KPP, there are bicycles for rent that be used to travel around the island. If pointed in the right direction there are loads of secluded beaches, mountain tops, and hiking paths that are not scheduled as a group activity.

During the day the beaches are happening spots for group-travellers and mainland day-trippers alike, whether you’re down for beach play, swimming, or lazy hammocks. Lots and lots of places to enjoy a midday booze bucket too – check out this bucket selfie!

The air and landscape is amazingly pristine, helped by a local ban on motorized vehicles and a 20 baht island entrance fee that is used to preserve the local environment. The lack of formal roads and gasoline helps keep the island running at a staggeringly relaxing pace (often referred to as “Thai Time” by us travellers), despite the wave of tourists these islands have experienced since the ‘The Beach’ was famously filmed on Phi Phi Lei. The main town on Phi Phi Don features an Irish pub, pool table bars, a wide selection of Europeanand Thai restaurants, and some of the only pizza-by-the-slice in Thailand – thankfully served late into the night.

These two islands hold a special place in my heart not only because it was my first mind-blowing island experience in Southeast Asia, but also because so much of what makes this corner of the world special is on display here! For that reason, as well as the countless others you’re sure to discover here, we always make sure that all of our 23 and 35 day travellers make it here no matter what!  #LIVEFREE #THAIHARD

We’ve all been there: a late night filled with great times and great friends, at your favourite party spot. But then it hits you in the morning like a water-logged beach volleyball – a throbbing hangover headache, Thailand-style. The end result of a few too many adult beverages, a few too many party buckets. Luckily things are a little different in Southeast Asia and there are some special cures available for those groggy mornings. Aside from the warm, cure-all sun that showers down on Thailand all-year round, there are some unique food and drink choices that can further help you out.

1. SPICY NOODLE SOUP

Almost every adventure-traveller knows the secret hangover-curing powers of Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles). This amazing local dish is a favourite throughout the country, and though the Thai people often prefer their Pad Kee Mao while drinking, they acknowledge the morning jump start it can give any reckless wanderer. The dish is prepared in several varieties, though the most popular is with broad rice noodles. To add some protein and an extra shot in the arm, most Westerners will also add delicious Thai-seasoned beef or chicken to a dish of spicy noodles.

Why Does It Help My Hangover?  To answer this question we have to delve a little deeper into the mind of the Thai people. Local chefs contend that the unique (and tasty!) extra spiciness in Thai soups will helps the body freshen up by sweating out the troublesome alcohol toxins. The added benefit of these hearty soups is that they’ll satisfy the hunger in the pit of your stomach without forcing you to consume too much solid food at those ‘critical’ times for both your stomach and head.

Extreme-Traveller Note: At most restaurants and food stands you can add your own additional spices. If you’re not faint of heart, look around and check out the spices the locals use, and then follow suit. Big Extreme-Traveller points.

I know what you’re thinking – “I’m a little uneasy on my feet and delicate in the head right now. I don’t know if a wild, spicy soup is the best idea. Where is the nearest Mcdonalds breakfast sandwich?” Don’t fret my friend because this is exactly what you and your weary body need before another big day of jungle wandering, ocean swimming, and beach relaxing. Back on your feet soldier, the Thailand party experience won’t wait around forever for you to recover! (Okay, it probably will, but still..)

2. COCONUT WATER

Refreshing, electrolyte-rich and sweet to the tongue, coconut water is Thailand’s go-to hangover cure. This delicious nectar is nature’s gatorade and there’s no reason not to take full advantage of what mother nature giveth.

Coconut water is the clear liquid from young green coconuts, not the creamier slurry that is a staple ingredient in Thai curries. That would be rather too rich for a post-revelry beverage. If only the exotic flavour wasn’t so reminiscent of the party drinks that got you into your hungover predicament!

ctetur est.