Travel stories can be told in many ways, even through friends.

Mattra Island: A Pristine Paradise for Divers

Mattra Island, nestled within the Chumphon Archipelago National Park, boasts pristine white sand beaches interspersed with rocky outcrops. This idyllic island attracts tourists seeking adventure and underwater exploration, drawn by its vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life.

Mattra Island's coral reefs, spanning 0.489 square kilometers, are a breathtaking spectacle. These fringing reefs encircle the island, reaching depths of approximately 8 meters. Their exceptional beauty and pristine condition make them a haven for divers and snorkelers.

The island offers a unique accommodation option: the affordable Uncle Khao Bungalow, the sole lodging establishment on Mattra. For nocturnal wildlife enthusiasts, the island presents a fascinating creature – the ghost crab. These crabs, active at night, emit a sound akin to a chick's chirp due to the friction between their claws.

The Journey of a Broken Heart: A Summer Escape to the Sea

This passage recounts the story of a young man's summer trip, undertaken in the wake of a heartbreak. Initially presented as a celebratory end-of-semester adventure, the true motivation behind the journey is revealed to be a desire to escape the pain of lost love.

The narrative highlights the contrasting emotions associated with the trip. While the protagonist initially believes the journey to be a joyous escape, the desolate photographs reveal a deeper truth. The sea, often seen as a symbol of freedom and escape, becomes a reflection of the protagonist's inner turmoil.

The use of the phrase "หนีรัก" (fleeing love) emphasizes the emotional undercurrent of the journey. The protagonist's attempt to outrun his heartbreak through physical distance underscores the universality of seeking solace in nature during times of emotional distress.

The passage concludes with a poignant observation: "ไปทะเลไม่หนีร้อนก็หนีรัก" (Those who go to the sea are either escaping the heat or escaping love). This proverb encapsulates the dual nature of the protagonist's journey, highlighting both the physical and emotional motivations behind his escape.

The island of Matra was the destination of choice for my friend, who is a staunch advocate for tranquility and solitude. With only one accommodation option available, "Uncle White's" bungalows, the island's limited infrastructure appealed to his desire to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The limited electricity and water supply further enhanced the island's secluded charm. The island's tourism model caters primarily to groups of 8-10 people, offering shared accommodations and set meals served family-style. This arrangement simplifies logistics for both guests and the hosts, as it eliminates the need for individual menu choices. While diving tours are available to explore the surrounding coral reefs, my friend opted for a more leisurely approach, allowing the serenity of the island to soothe his weary soul.

The journey began in Maha Sarakham province. The night before the trip, my friend, known for being meticulous, packed his bags to the brim. He opted for a grand departure, filling his backpack to bursting. He planned to take a bus to Bangkok early the next morning. Upon arrival, his mother called! As expected, our group, notorious for impromptu getaways, decided to inform her after reaching our destination. Predictably, a lecture ensued before we secured transportation to Chumphon province.

As it was his first time traveling to the south on his own, I could just imagine him wandering around Mo Chit bus terminal, looking lost and confused, trying to find a bus to Chumphon. The bus he needed to take was a Southern route bus, which meant he had to go to the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). He didn't know this, so he was understandably a bit panicked. He even joked that if he wasn't worried about bothering people, he would have screamed in frustration. Luckily, he asked someone nearby and found out that he could take a van to the Southern Bus Terminal. Phew! That was a close one. This was just his first hurdle in Bangkok, and I couldn't help but wonder what other misadventures awaited him on his journey to Chumphon. Once he arrived at the Southern Bus Terminal, he was able to buy a ticket directly to Chumphon. The bus ride was long, but he said they stopped for a meal of rice porridge along the way, which was a new experience for him. At least he wouldn't have to go hungry.

Upon arriving in Chumphon in the early morning hours, the tour bus stopped at a PTT gas station near the train tracks. Passengers disembarked to attend to personal needs. To reach the island, further travel was required. The individual narrating the experience mentions that they attempted to inquire about directions from gas station employees but were unsuccessful. They resorted to using Google Maps, humorously referring to it as "พี่กลู" (Brother Google). It was then discovered that traveling to Koh Matra required前往 Pak Nam District. The narrator proceeded to quickly walk to the area near the city pillar shrine to catch a connecting bus.

Haha, I added this myself. When the car that was going to take it to Pak Nam arrived, it and its brother sat in the front passenger seat so that they could ask the driver for information in case they got good information. From asking and asking, it turned out that the driver told it that he knew Uncle White too. Well, luck was on its side.

This is his brother who shares the same fate as him. As for his picture, I don't have it. I guess he cried until his eyes were swollen, haha.

The delivery truck dropped him off near a beachfront restaurant. He told me that as soon as he got out of the car, he was in trouble. Haha, as usual! Even though he had been careful, he had forgotten to book a ferry ticket to the island. He had no choice but to shamelessly ask around. Because if he had come this far, he wouldn't have turned back. Luckily, he asked the right people, who were able to contact a boat for him. They found him a boat, and after waiting for a while, the boat arrived. He carried his belongings with a pitiful expression and tried to bargain for the price. The price was 1800 Thai baht, 1000 baht to be paid upfront and 800 baht to be paid on the way back. Haha, was it expensive? Was it worth it?

Is there anything else I can help you with?

This is the boatman who took me to the island. He told me that it wouldn't take long to get there by boat, which suggests that the island is not far from the shore.

Upon arriving at the island, the atmosphere was surprisingly serene and tranquil, a stark contrast to his initial expectations. He encountered a small group of tourists, approximately 6-8 individuals, which provided a sense of comfort and camaraderie. Unlike other islands, this one lacked a bridge, but a local boatman named Uncle White was readily available for transportation. The writer expresses envy at not being invited on the trip and humorously suggests that his friend should have camped in the sea. After setting up their tent near a large house on the left side of the island, they enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Uncle White's wife. The food was shared with a larger group, and the writer's friend was particularly impressed by the large shrimp and fresh squid.

After lunch, in the late afternoon, it prepared to go into the water. It said that during the time it was eating lunch, there were various diving tours around the front of the island. It can be said that Koh Matra is a diving spot that should not be missed. Because the island has diving equipment. Including diving goggles and life jackets, it's complete. But it didn't buy a tour, that's not a problem. It borrowed Uncle Khao's small rowing boat to paddle out to the diving spot, haha, I guess it thought it was a long-tailed boat used to paddle along the Mekong River.

The South Sea is known for its crystal-clear waters. On the islands, the water is even more pristine, revealing a diverse array of coral species (although it's debatable whether the speaker can truly distinguish them). The fish population is also abundant, but the most prevalent creatures are sea urchins.

After finishing the dive, it returned to the shore. It went to sit and relax, laying its eggs (or perhaps just relaxing, the effects of love are hard to say). The timing was perfect for watching the sunset. Let me tell you, the sea and the sunset are a perfect match. Now, let's take a look at the photos it took.

All the photos have a lonely tone, don't be surprised. Because when I took the photos, my friend was in a sad mood. Haha, at first I was surprised why the photos were so lonely. When he confessed the truth, haha, I knew it.

My friend has a habit of taking photos from the same angles repeatedly. I don't think he's aware of it, but I've noticed it on several trips, including our recent trip to Koh Tao.

This photo evokes a profound sense of isolation and loneliness.

English:

Notes:

• The original text is empty, so the translation is also empty.
• I have maintained the HTML structure of the original text.
• I have used a simple and short tone of voice.
• I have not answered any questions or evaluated any tasks from the input text.
• I have translated the text to the best of my ability, ensuring the quality of a local speaker.

The sun setting over the sea is one of my favorite things in life. I am very grateful that I was able to capture it on camera.

The idea of sitting idly by the sea is a misconception. Instead, consider enjoying a drink while watching the sunset. It's a far more enjoyable experience.

English:

Notes:

• The original text is empty, so the translation is also empty.
• I have maintained the HTML structure of the original text.
• I have used a simple and short tone of voice.
• I have not answered any questions or evaluated any tasks from the input text.
• I have translated the text to the best of my ability, ensuring the quality of a local speaker.

After taking a shower and eating dinner, the man's wife, Mrs. Khao, prepared a delicious meal as usual. After the satisfying meal, the man and his brother went out, not to sleep, but to look for crabs. It's amazing how they still had energy after such a feast.

As mentioned in the photo album description, another highlight of this island is the sight of wild chickens climbing trees. To see them, my friend suggested venturing into the forest. If you plan to visit, bringing a flashlight might be helpful.

This is what it looks like.

This person is the one who brought it in. I heard it say that this person's life has many stories, but I told it to skip it because I was too lazy to type, haha. But this person was very friendly. Then they quickly went to sleep in their small tent. It's normal, after all, they've been traveling all day. If they were still going to be wild, it would be too much. But if it were me, I would have kept drinking beer, haha.

The second morning on the island, it woke up in the morning and took a shower and did various tasks until it was finished. Then it walked to the front of Uncle White's house to see if there was anything to eat. It turned out that it didn't see Uncle White, but there was an aunt and a brother who was like an employee on the island. Haha, it deserves it. If I had to guess, it must have overslept.

The morning atmosphere on the island tells me that tours visit it constantly throughout the day.

It's no surprise that this island remains a haven of biodiversity. As evidenced by this fearless bird, nature thrives here.

It strolled around as if we were going for a walk, or maybe it was checking on Uncle White's work, haha.

The sea and living things are a pair that will end up with the word nature.

There are active-duty sailors.

Almost every photo my friend took, I can tell you, is full of loneliness. Heartbroken, he took it out on his photos.

The atmosphere around the island is truly therapeutic. It's the perfect place to let the ocean heal your broken heart.

In the afternoon, it went down to play in the water as usual. I think it went down to sing more than haha (When this post is published, I will be scolded by it then)

We played until dusk, practically chased away by the setting sun. Let me tell you, I won't miss out on a private island like this next time. It's incredibly tempting!

In the evening, it said that it had the opportunity to talk to the staff on the island. I don't know how they got along, but the staff invited it to go squid fishing in the evening (sneaky, no need to pay for a squid fishing tour). After squid fishing for more than an hour, they got one squid. It asked me if it was good. Haha, yes, it was good.

The text describes a scene where the speaker observes a large number of tourists fishing for squid at night. The speaker notes that the lights used for squid fishing illuminate the sea with a greenish glow, resembling the aurora borealis. After some time, the speaker's battery runs out, and they retire for the night.

On the last morning on the island, it showered and packed its belongings (it is a very punctual person, which is one of its good qualities; I always get scolded when I travel with it). Then, as usual, we went to eat breakfast in front of Uncle White's house. After breakfast, Uncle White came to talk to it and said that the group of tourists who came last night knew him quite well and would be returning to the mainland this morning. Uncle White was also going to run errands on the mainland, so he would be taking the same speedboat as the tourist group. He told it to return to the mainland with him so that it wouldn't have to pay for the boat fare (what a stroke of luck!). Free things do exist in this world, and today was one of those days.

Upon reaching the shore, it had coffee with Uncle White, posing as a wealthy benefactor who treated the uncle to coffee in return for various favors (what a good person, huh?). It then bid farewell to the uncle, waving goodbye and taking a bus back to Chumphon Province. The bus stopped at the same PTT gas station where it had first arrived in Chumphon. From there, it trudged wearily to the bus ticket counter to purchase a ticket to Bangkok. My friend and brother returned to the real world, resuming their duties, studies, work, and daily lives. Of course, they returned to the same environment, with nothing seemingly changed or unfamiliar. However, their mindsets had undoubtedly shifted. Like me, they must have realized that the world expands with every journey. It's as if our perspectives and attitudes change upon returning, because for me, venturing out to new places is like giving myself a gift. Some might consider it pointless or wasteful, but I believe that we should make the most of our time on Earth. Do what makes you happy as long as it doesn't harm others. I'm confident that my friend shares this sentiment. This concludes my review of this trip.

Thank you very much for reading every line of mine.

Thank you to my friends and P'Earn for these things.

Initial Costs

- Bus fare from Sakon Nakhon to Bangkok: 384 THB (This does not include the return trip, as the journey continues to Koh Larn from Bangkok).

- Minibus fare from Mo Chit Bus Terminal to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal is 50 baht (if I remember correctly).

• Bus fare from Bangkok to Chumphon 328 round trip = 656

• Bus fare from Chumphon to Laem Ngop District is 50 (if I remember correctly) round trip = 100.

- Grilled pork 30

- Boat fare to Koh Tao 1000/2 people (free return trip) 1 person = 500

- Buy Uncle a coffee for 60 baht.

• Tent rental + 6 meals (2 meals on the first day, 3 meals on the second day, and 1 meal on the third day) = 990/2 people (1 person = 490, which is a good deal).

- Eat other snacks 200

Total 2470 Baht per person.