I think I will avoid all the muddy roads and sand fleas on Ko Samet. A real, REMOTE tropical island paradise trip, like to Ko Samui (or other islands down there) would be better spent with a certain fiancé in the future anyway…
Ayutthaya, Amphawa, Phetchaburi and Kanchanaburi are the contending choices for my weekend trip now. They are all close by (within 2.5 hours). All of them have lots of varying things to see and do which are more interesting and/or historical than beaches — like temple ruins, the Bridge Over River Kwai, waterfalls, and an orchid farm! I’ll get some advice from Thai co-workers by the end of the day about these places.
I’ll keep you posted.
