Koh Samui wasnt that small an island I had on my mind. It is the third largest island in Thailand. More importantly, it is not just a tourist island. It is a quite self-sufficient island with tourism being a major commercial activity. That gives an unique flavour to Koh Samui – a tourist-friendly place, yet retains a local rural lifestyle and doesnt look made-up at all.
I regretted not planning for more time in Koh Samui. Koh Samui is for a mininum of 7-day trip to revel yourself in the local setting. An ideal trip to Koh Samui is when you go with your girl friend or wife, switch off your mobile phone and budget a minimum of 7 days. Commuting is easy locally with the truck-converted-to-taxi but it is advisable to rent a bike or a car. Renting a bike is real cheap and is fun too. Although, the roads are good, it is a little dangerous driving on the highway because of the traffic. So dont be surprised if you find bikers with their headlights on during the bright day; thats the only way that they can get the attention of the errant 4-wheel drivers.
There are a lot of beaches in Koh Samui:
- Chaweng – Its quite a long beach and is divided into north & south. You will find accommodation for all budgets along this beach. The boxing stadium is very close to this beach where the uniquely Thai ‘Muay Thai’ boxing matches are held.
- Lamai
- Laem Nan Beach
- Mae-nam – northern coast
- Bophut – fisher man village
There is much to Koh Samui than the visual treats. You can treat your culinary pleasures with the authentic Thai delights prepared from the fresh fruits and seafood from the island. I was pleasantly surprised to find excellent vegetarian fare when specially requested for.
Some not-to-miss activities
- Elephant Trekking
- Thai Boxing – Muay Thai
- Thai curry preparation
- Monkey, Elephant & Crocodile Shows
- Quad-bikeride through the forest
- Flying fox – Cable Ride adventure activity
- Jungle Walk
- National Marine Park & ’submarine ride’
There are quite a few places to see – Big Buddha, Waterfalls, Grandfather & Grandmother rocks, museum.
There are well organised tour companies with daily tours ranging from 1000 – 1500 bahts depending on the type of activity. We managed just a day’s trip which included Elephant safari, water falls, monkey show, Thai cuisine experience & diving.
Useful Reading
- http://www.kohsamui.org/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai
- http://wikitravel.org/en/Koh_Samui
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh_Samui
