Thailand and Travel

Finding Quietness and Silence in Thailand

Hammocks, hidden bays, and the sound of the ocean

Thailand is a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world. Especially among backpackers and solo travelers. The country is easy to explore and has a vast range of city life, mountains and rainforests, and island vibes to offer.

Thinking back at the time when my partner brought up Thailand the first time I remember my reaction. I didn’t want to go there. I didn’t want to be among thousands of other tourists.

I like the quietness. I love being in nature and travel off the beaten track. And I thought I won’t find any of that in Thailand. How wrong I have been back then. I do know better now. After an initial two week holiday to the country and a full year of living there I know how diverse Thailand is.

I found quietness in various landscapes, new activities I picked up, and in doing nothing but listening to the sounds of nature.

Waterfalls

Wherever you go to in Thailand you’ll always find them. Signs leading you to some waterfall. Anywhere in the country. Even a few islands have waterfalls. Some very small ones. Other quite impressive ones.

It’s not about going to a waterfall, taking the best picture for Instagram, and leaving again. I’m talking about sitting down next to a waterfall. Listening to the roaring sound of the water. Feeling the driblets on your skin. And simply being silent for a few minutes.

Not hearing any conversations. Your mind is set free and you can let go. Let go of the stress you were carrying with you.

One of the waterfalls I visited in Thailand required a half an hour hike from the parking lot. Through the dense forest, the trail was leading up the river. On the lower pools, people were having lunch and playing in the water. Only Thais. We didn’t meet any foreigners here.

Far off the beaten track, we struggled to find this hidden waterfall but it was worth all the effort. Eventually, we found ourselves swimming among fish in the pool just underneath the waterfall. Butterflies buzzing around us.

A peaceful place.

Tropical islands

Thailand is known for its paradise-like islands. But most of them are overrun by us. Humans. Too many people visiting the same islands. The same beaches. Lying one next to the other in the sand.

But if you do some research you’ll find the forgotten islands. They are usually more difficult to get to. Or further away from the main tourist attractions. Or just didn’t get the attention from the online network other islands did.

Which is great! Because I spent hours on the internet finding those tropical islands. And more hours getting to them. But then I spent days doing nothing but embracing the solitude.

Lying in bed while overlooking a bay. Tasting the salt in the air and hearing the ocean in front of my door. This is the type of quietness I crave for. I’m an outdoor lover. I live for the senses of nature. The sounds. The smells. The tastes. The feelings of being in and next to the ocean.

Hidden bays

There is this one specific bay I have to think of. Koh Samet is quite a popular island for tourists. It’s not far from Bangkok and easy to reach. Yet only the northern part of it is explored by foreigners.

The southern part of the island is left as it is. Wild. Natural.

The coastline is split up between small sandy beaches and rocky cliffs leading into the ocean. The rest of the island is covered in forest. Making it home to lots of birds.

And there is this one specific bay. I went there twice. Because I loved it so much the first time. Tiny wooden chalets are built onto the rocks. Hidden in between trees. Just behind a tiny sandy beach.

A hammock is hanging in the bushes. The water is gently moving back and forth underneath it. Tiny crabs are running around between some rocks. The wind is blowing in the treetops.

I spent hours lying in the hammock on the terrace of our chalet. Lying there reading. Writing. Or taking a nap. While listening to the sound of the waves. After months of hard work, this getaway was what I needed.

I craved the quietness. The silence. The peaceful environment of this place is what made me come back there a few months later.

Kayaking

On our first trip to Thailand, we went to the Khao Sok National Park. A lake, lots of islands, and steep limestone cliffs are making up the area. At first, we were surprised by the number of tourists exploring this park as I thought it was off the main tourist tracks.

But then we quickly embraced the life on the lake. One of my favorite activities on the lake was taking a kayak from our houseboat and paddling into some hidden bays. Following narrow channels, we quickly escaped the mass tourism and were left alone.

Not seeing or hearing anyone. Monkeys. That’s what we could hear. And see. High up in the trees. And birds. Lots of them. It was quite loud. The forest surrounding the lake. The forest was full of life.

Yet I felt that peace. The peace that makes your heartbeat slow down. The calm lake surrounded by the dense jungle was mesmerizing. Slowly paddling along the coast to catch a glimpse of life in the rain forest.

Hammocks

When googling Thailand you’ll probably stumble upon several pictures of hammocks. Hammocks and swings. Right on the beach. Over the sea. Palm trees in the background.

Yes, hammocks are part of the beach life in Thailand. And I love hammocks. As a travel writer, I spend lots of time on the beach writing. With a pillow for my neck and a hammock in the shade between the trees, I am occupied for hours.

Listening to the sound of the ocean, looking at palm trees and islands off the coast I get inspired to write. About the ocean. About the beach. And about life. Because my mind is set free.

I have a hammock. So if there’s no hammock where we stay I just set up my own. Wherever I like it. Preferably right on the water. Because that is where I find my peace.

Finding peace in the sound of the ocean

Listening to the sound of the waves is what I can do for hours. I can easily fall asleep to the sound. But I can also be very efficient. Getting things done. Writing several articles. Postcards. Or reading books.

Preferably it’s somewhere with little to no people. So that I forget about civilization. And problems of overpopulation. Somewhere where I am surrounded by nature. No boats, no trains, no cars to be heard. Just the ocean.

Then I relax. And recharge.

In the quiet spots in Thailand. Where I found peace with my new lifestyle. And where I escaped the hassle and bustle of the cities. And pollution. Between the trees, I inhaled the fresh ocean breeze.

Final words

It all comes down to the water. Water is the center of life. And that is probably why I chose it as a meditating element. Finding places away from civilization but surrounded by water.

That is where I found my silence in Thailand. Off the beaten track. On the beach. In the jungle. On the lake. Under the waterfall. In my hammock.

Wherever you are in the world. Just look around a bit more and you’ll find those spots in your immediate surroundings too. Those places of peace. Where your breath slows down and calms your mind.

“I have seen the sea when it is storm and wild; when it is quiet and serene; when it is dark and moody. And in all these moods, I see myself.” — Martin Buxbaum

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Anne Bonfert is a traveler. Photographer. Writer. Teacher. Skydiving instructor. Adventure enthusiast. Nature lover. And fell in love with the African continent.

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