Ruminations upon Wednesday April 9, 2025 until Thursday April 10, 2025 in transit from Luang Prabang, Laos to Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand
Every so often on this journey, someone we meet says something that quietly redirects the course of our next few weeks. That’s what happened in Pushkar, India, when two lovely women we met at the local Chabad casually suggested we spend Passover on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand. Chaim and I discussed it for a while. It became one of several possibilities before us. But over the next few weeks, the thought kept resurfacing. Eventually, we decided to follow their recommendation.
It turned out to be one of those decisions that reminds you how small encounters can shape an entire chapter of your story.
From Laos to Thailand: Planes, Boats, and Bumpy Starts
Getting from Luang Prabang, Laos to Koh Pha Ngan was its own mini-expedition. Two planes and a speedboat, with some exciting memories in between.
Our first flight, Luang Prabang to Bangkok, was a nauseating start, but the kids handled it. After a long layover, we boarded a second flight to Koh Samui, choosing to stay overnight rather than attempt a nighttime speedboat crossing. There are enough news stories about small Thai boats capsizing in rough waves; doing that in the dark felt unnecessarily daring. And let’s be honest, borderline idiotic.
Kosher Paradise on Koh Samui
When we landed in Koh Samui, it was already dark. A quick taxi ride brought us to a hotel just two minutes from Chabad and, shockingly, multiple kosher restaurants. More kosher restaurants, in fact, than in our own Jewish neighborhood back home. And not just plentiful, but exceptional: elevated décor, warm atmosphere, and food so good it caught all of us off guard.
The boys begged for pizza immediately. We’ve learned over time not to over-order because there are always leftovers. Not this time. Each child cheerfully devoured an entire 12-inch personal pie. They even ate the salad. Travel miracle.
Back in the hotel, we made a four-person room work for a family of six. Everyone bunked with a buddy, lights were out by 10:00PM—everyone except Chaim, who still had late-night work meetings. (The blessing and curse of remote work in multiple time zones.)
Haircuts, Laundry, and High-Speed Thrills
The next morning, we surprised the boys with a go kart day at EasyKart on Samui island. But, first we dropped off laundry at the laundromat next door, chowed down on a filling kosher breakfast, and got long-overdue haircuts. With logistical family necessities taken care of, we made our way to EasyKart.
It was so hot. The kind of humid heat that wraps around you like a heavy blanket. By the end, Chaim was drenched. Thankfully he received a go-kart t-shirt as part of the package deal, which immediately became necessary wardrobe.
The boys loved every minute, though the twins were sorely disappointed by the requirement to ride with a parent. Both informed me I drove “too slowly,” which is hilarious considering I was simply trying to keep us alive. They have a charming habit of jerking the wheel at the very last second.
Chaim, meanwhile, kept eyeing the bigger track. I encouraged him to go for it. He came off smiling despite the bruises on his back, slightly frustrated by a curve that kept spinning him out, but happy he had given himself the treat. The boys cheered him on between ice cream breaks and pool table rounds.
Not all moments were carefree. At one point a 15-year-old girl crashed into the barrier, which fell on her. She looked stunned, pale, shaky, and scraped up. Her family seemed unsure what to do, so I offered first aid supplies from our kit and let them know there was an urgent care clinic just a few doors down from our hotel. They were tremendously grateful. I hope she recovered quickly.
After go-karts, we wandered back to the center of town and grabbed a quick bite at yet another kosher spot. Just enough to keep the kids going until we could reach the pizza place a few blocks away.
We picked up our laundry and luggage, headed to the pier, and caught a speedboat to Koh Pha Ngan. With the ferries stopped for the night, the price jumped (lesson learned), but the ride itself was only twenty minutes. The real adventure began when we disembarked at an unexpected pier on the opposite side of the island… in absolute pitch black.
A tuk tuk driver agreed to take us across the island, got lost one minute from the villa, and eventually, finally, delivered us to what would be our home for the next week and a half.
We walked in, dropped our bags, exhaled, and settled into the quiet of a new place. Travel days can be physically and emotionally exhausting, but they’re always memorable – especially when go karts are added!
