Photo: Ko Phangan

There are few things as blissful as a hammock tied to the porch of a $5/night bungalow, a slight breeze rustling through palm fronds and your eyes resting on an ocean view.

This photograph was taken from my bungalow porch on the Thai island of Ko Phangan. The travelers in the water were from Israel, and for more than two hours they talked while sitting in the shallows. The island in the distance is Ko Samui.