Just when we thought that the party was ending, the good times had been had and that it would be impossible to find people as wonderful as those we had spent time with on Koh Pha Ngan, fate blessed us again with another round of incredible people and unforgettable experiences during our stay on Koh Tao.

Famed as one of the most affordable scuba dive destinations in the world, Koh Tao is much smaller and quieter than Koh Pha Ngan, but seduces the spirit with cool, laid-back vibrations and an easy going style that speaks volumes of Thailand’s irresistible island charms.

Upon arrival, our energy level was off the hook. Still going strong from our two weeks on Koh Pha Ngan, we immediately made waves on the local social scene and found beautiful new friends. Adding to the experience, we also reunited with some old friends from other islands. People like Ruben, Jordan, Nathan, Chris, Elaina and Siobhan were back on our wavelength, sharing the same road and joining the ever-growing circle of compatible energy.

We came for four days, stayed for eight and again, we had the time of our lives. Our beachfront bungalow may have been expensive by Thai standards (around $50 a night), but it offered a dreamlike setting for taking in our captivating surrounds and also delivered the best neighbors we could have ever hoped for – Yoshi, Ken and their crew: Jack, Ayako and Naoko.

With the sand at our doorstep and unobstructed views of the turquoise horizon, paradise was easy to find on Koh Tao.

A single pedestrian road runs the length of Sairee Beach and bustles with beautiful sun-kissed travelers and buzzing motor scooters that seem to speed by a little too fast and furious for such a mellow island. A poor substitute for speed bumps, halved palm trees and thick ropes are laid across the road to slow the bikes down, but seem to slow pedestrians more as they stump their toes in the shadows or trip ungracefully across them.

At one end of the beach is a funky little strip of a town loaded with Internet cafes, travel agencies, shops, restaurants, Thai-style CD stores and pharmacies. The road is always wet from afternoon monsoon showers, dozens of flip flops crowd every storefront entry (in Thailand, it’s customary to remove your shoes before entering any store or restaurant), and food vendors cook up crepes and Pad Thai in front of the 7-11 (by the way, 7-11 is huge in the main tourist spots in Thailand). At the other end of the beach is a run of beach bungalows, scuba dive centers and chilled out nightclubs. For those not waking early for a morning dive, finding happening nightlife is easy and every night, the clubs take turns at being the place to be.

Of course, our bungalow was a great starting point for a night on the town and with Yoshi and Ken always eager to get the party started, our beachfront abode was likely the most happening spot for early evening festivities. Simply put, we loved to “make it a party."

Ruben was quick to catch on and it was easy to love his similar humor and easy going style. Another regular around our place, Boaz (not sure of the spelling) would sometimes pop in and grace us with his chilled out Thai style and down-home stories about his island. With rockin’ dancehall jams in the background (complements of Emilie’s ingenious iPod speakers), it seemed like we’d been here for months, living the dream of a Thai island paradise and rolling with a crew of what felt like lifelong friends.

After a few rounds of Singhas (the local brew of choice) at our place, the nights would play out down the road at Pure before we made our way for the AC Bar. Since dancing was always the main objective as well as our favorite nighttime activity, we could easily be found working the most likely happening spot, sharing in the groove with beautiful people like Elaina, Siobhan, Jordan and anyone else who loved celebrating the joys of Thailand.

Good vibes were our specialty and almost every moment seemed so precious (even the famous blow outs) that the experience could easily live forever in our hearts and minds.

Out of all the islands we visited on our tour of Thailand, Koh Tao is easily my favorite. If it wasn't for the monthly visa run to Myanmar (a regular inconvenience for ex-pats living here) and lack of solid job opportunities, I would love to trade my coroporate existence back home for a life of sun-soaked days and simple island pleasures.

July 29, 2006