THE PROS & CONS OF A 1* BEACH HUT

4.15am:
We write this from beneath the mosquito net. Or ‘the net of fear’ if you will. We don’t ever want to mislead in our blog and so we’ll be straight with you, we’re wimps. We are not hardened to cockroaches and the bats whose home we have invaded by entering this hut. It’s the middle of the night and we are anxious. The mosquitos are circling like hungry sharks, we know they’re aware we’re under here, they are a rare breed of super mosquito that show no fear of deet or beatings. The net provided had gaping holes through which we could fit our head and we rightly assumed that a mosquito could do the same. We therefore had to fashion a contraption…

We wanted a remote beach on the island of Phi Phi. No concrete hotels and hassling tour agents – and that’s exactly what we’ve got. A stunning little wooden hut on stilts, overlooking an empty white beach and turquoise twinkling sea.

Our first impressions were that our hut was basic, but fine. The bamboo floor partially gave way underneath us upon entering, but we’re not fussy, we’ll just stand only where the stilts support it from underneath. We’re problem solvers. “Ooh, it’s like a tree house”, we laughed. You even have to do a bit of rock climbing to reach the door. “Does our insurance cover these extreme sports?” we wondered. The wall in the bathroom doesn’t meet the ceiling – fear not, we’re sociable. There’s also a suspicious looking alcove in the roof, “Ooh storage space.” This hut is the business.

We went for the most delicious Thai green curry on the beach and found a tree-swing perfectly sized for two. After rocking away to the sound of the ocean, our bellies full and the cooling breeze in our hair, we retired to our hut satisfied, for a deep and peaceful sleep.

Whilst rock climbing to our door, a bat happened to pass by our faces. ‘A bat! Did you just see that bat? Was that a bat by my face?!’ we questioned. “Quick, get inside.”

Inside the hut, we became acquainted with our other neighbours when Mr Cockroach scurried past our feet. Fortunately we had created an imaginative rope-hanging device by which to hold our own mosquito net, as the ceiling is too high for us to reach. We grabbed our valuables (did we suspect the cockroach would take them?) and set up camp together under the collapsed net construction. “What’s that noise? It sounds like crumpling paper.” Oh of course, that would be the nest of bats in the alcove above our bed. “Do you think they can fit through those big holes?” “Yes, I think they can fit.”

The bats have squawked and flapped animatedly together for a good three hours now, whilst a couple of stray cats are loudly settling their issues outside the hut next to us. We are delirious and are mistaking moths for giant flesh eating mosquitos, whilst singing gently to cover the scuttling sounds in the bathroom. Will we make it til dawn?

8am:
We are alive of course, we made it, and are off to sleep on a hammock. The huts are brilliant they’re just basic and we’re babies. Even to us, opening the door and seeing this from our terrace, it’s completely worth it…

Charlotte & Sarah