Nothing to Write Home About

We normally like to showcase the most interesting, the most mind-boggling, or the most exciting facts and places on our blog. Rarely do we talk about areas which have no appeal to travelers what-so-ever. Places which might be considered boring. Fact is, I often fall in love with mid-size towns, functional cities, and transportation hubs with zero tourist attractions. Why? Because there is nothing going on other than just normal life. And, sometimes, that’s exactly what I crave.

Satun, our first stop in southern Thailand, is one of those places. Although it is near the jumping-off point to Ko Tarutao National Park, the coastal settlement seems almost devoid of tourists. This, of course, has several great side-effects. There are no annoying sightseeing scams, no over-priced meals, no cheesy souvenir stores. Satun is the most laid-back town I have seen in a while. And when I say laid-back, I mean it. Shop keepers and restaurant staff seem to take their siestas very seriously. When they are awake, however, they smile warmly and hand over ice-cold milk teas. I love it!

Even the nightly market is just a local affair. The focus is on food rather than on trinkets. And it suits me just fine. Call me crazy, but I will always choose sticky rice with mango over gyrating glow-in-the-dark hula monks. The market is also a great place to engage in conversations with locals, especially the short ones. The little girl in the picture was encouraged by her mom to inch in closer and practice her English: “Hello, hello, hello, hello …”

What’s not to love about this place?

By the way, the most exciting thing that’s happened was meeting the great niece (not niece, but great niece) of Jane Goodall, the famous primatologist. She just happens to run the guest house we are staying in. Wow, that’s what I call a laid-back town. Clearly, Satun is my new favorite “boring” place. What is yours?