The Gulf of Thailand’s best diving playground

Imagine a tiny tropical and exotic island destination with some awesome scuba diving and snorkelling, a lush green jungle and surrounded by peacefully calm, palm tree-laced beach areas, and you’ll have an idea about what Koh Tao has to offer. Positioned off the southern coast, this gorgeous small island is not far away from the extremely popular holiday destination of Koh Samui.

Stretching more than one mile along the western coast, Sairee is a superb white sandy beach, interrupted by a couple of huge boulders only. From here Mae Haad beach can be reached within less than a 15-minute walk. Mae Haad provides tourist facilities that include: currency exchange service, health centre, government office and a post office, while most dive schools operate an agency here as well.

On the southern coast visitors will find Koh Tao’s third biggest beach, facing Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. This bay is tinier than Sairee, but it provides a similar range of lodging options, nightlife entertainment and eateries. Located on Koh Tao’s north-eastern coast is Hin Wong Bay. This stunning bay is home to abundant untouched coral reefs. Hin Wong Bay represents one diving agency as well as four little hillside resorts.

Koh Tao travel guide
 

Koh Samui’s flourishing community of expatriates

There’s a rapid expanding expatriate community thriving on Samui, with many European residents and from beyond choosing the exotic life and today living on Koh Samui permanently. The Kingdom of Thailand is one of the world’s most welcoming nations and Samui Island has adapted and developed over the pat five years to provide all the conveniences of home in a tropical setting.

As an expatriate, life on Koh Samui is laid-back; the popular boutique island now boasts some outstanding shopping locations, including western mega supermarkets, and now and then you may get the feeling that you’re not living within a Thai society. Development on Samui continues. New entertainment zones and shopping malls are already being constructed, including the island destination’s first movie theatre. Over recent years several Western treats that expatriates might have once missed have become reality.

When living on Koh Samui, there’s a wealth of choice for the finest dining & wining as well.  Thai cuisine obviously abounds, but also available here are numerous restaurants that serve excellent international dishes. In addition, there are plenty of Western style clubs and bars, which serve exotic cocktails and national beers as well as your most beloved international brand.

Koh Samui’s West Coast

Koh Samui’s beautiful south western coast stretches from Nathon town down to the tranquil Lipa Noi beach, followed by the area known as Taling Ngam.

This part of Koh Samui has, within the past six years, hardly changed while this extremely popular holiday island’s north and east coast dramatically changed. Here holidaymakers will still find value for money and the beach areas are the most ideal spots on Koh Samui from which to experience a jaw-dropping sunset.

If calmness and tranquillity is what you are looking for together with that desire of escaping the pressures of daily life for a while then you certainly won’t be disappointed!

This area is also a popular beach wedding location with outstanding accommodation opportunities for honeymooners including Lipa Lodge Resort and Kanok Buri Beach Resort. Western Weddings on Koh Samui

Gorgeous Koh Samui

It was only about 40 years ago that the first group of hippie-backpackers navigating on a coconut boat reached the shore of Koh Samui. For years the island remained its authentic atmosphere and there were only some bungalows providing accommodation to the trickle of foreign visitors.

However, things rapidly changed when in the beginning of the 1990s, boats fully-loaded with tourists started to arrive, and since that time Koh Samet’s popularity as a travel destination only increased and today it is even Thailand’s second most favoured holiday island after Phuket.
Samet Island is blessed with unbeatable natural beauty, which includes: paradisiacal lagoons, dazzling underwater scenery, waving coconut trees, refreshing waterfalls and inviting sparkling blue waters. Koh Samui online tourist resource

Due to Samui having become one of the country’s most popular international holiday destinations Lamai and Chaweng are unfortunately as overcrowded likewise the most commercial beaches on the Spanish Costa-del-Sol. However, Koh Samet may be a great destination for those looking for relaxation and tranquility as this boutique island still offers some peaceful and laid-back beach areas.   
 

Tattoo and body piercing on Koh Samui

Koh Samui represents several professional tattoo and body piercing shops that offer services at very reasonable rates. One of the most reputed establishments is Mr. Khon. He has tattooed numerous people for many years. Khon and his wife from Norway run a studio, which is located near the Weekender Resort on Lamai beach’s centre opposite the Magic Resort. Their tattoo and body piercing studio is opened daily from noon until 22:00. Khon has also been tattooing as a popular artist in Europe during several summer festivals.

Another professional tattooist is known as Mr. Phakdee. His studio can be found on Lamai as well. You can ask Phakdee to create a custom design or select a tattoo from the huge selection his studio has on offer.  The studio is positioned in the heart of Lamai next to the Thai boxing stadium opposite the R-Bar.

Another satisfied customer…

For more than seven years Reds Tattoo operates two studios on Samui. Red has been a tattoo artist for 10 years. Both his air-conditioned studios are fully facilitated with British hallmarked inks and equipments. His studios are opened from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 until late and are located on Bang Rak beach opposite the Big Buddha pier, and on Choeng Mon beach near the bungalows.

Samui’s most popular beaches

Maenam,
the serenity of this beach attracts those travellers in search of a peaceful environment. Maenam has retained most of its authentic ambience and is visited by wealthy guests as well as backpackers. Some of Koh Samui’s priciest new first-class resort facilities can be found here along with many outstanding local restaurants and spa & health centres.

Bophut Beach
Located nearby the epitomising Big Buddha statue is Bophut Beach, boasting more than a mile of sandy coastline fringed by waving coconut palms – providing a great spot to chill out. Bophut is also home to the idyllic Fisherman’s Village, housing historic wooden houses, trendy little shops and laid-back restaurants.

Choeng Mon Beach
Much more upmarket compared to neighbouring Big Buddha Beach, Choeng Mon is mostly popular for its formations of bays on the island’s north-western tip that are dominated by some three and five-star rated resorts.

Chaweng Beach
Koh Samui’s busiest beach area is compressed into about four miles of some of this island destination’s best surfing options together with a wide range of lodging establishments that will suit all styles and budgets. Chaweng also boasts the most vibrant nightlife scene.
 
Lamai Beach
Lamai is Samui’s second most popular beach and is wonderfully located on the island’s southern part. Tinier and a bit more relaxed than Chaweng Beach, while strolling around the town in the evening visitors will find a nice selection of entertainment establishments and restaurants. Some travellers say that Lamai’s swimming options are better than those provided by Chaweng Beach. Lamai Beach is considered to be the best on Samui.

Lipa Noi Beach
Lipa Noi Beach is one of Koh Samui’s most ideal locations to see a stunning sunset, particularly on the weekends. Lipa Noi’s white sands and shallow waters draw many local day trippers and kids. It is extremely quiet here during week days. A few restaurants and bungalows are available within a short distance from the beach.

Guide to Samui attractions
 

Koh Samui sailing

When it comes to boating, there’s nothing that can beat the sense of adventure and freedom navigating onboard a private yacht. It is definitely one of the most rewarding opportunities to explore more than 60 islands by one of the charter vessels and discover the majestic, exotic white-sandy beach areas, fringed with waving coconut trees and dense vegetation growing on the limestone hills.

Sailing around Koh Samui’s waters has become a more and more popular recreational activity among visitors. This island is blessed with ideal weather conditions for boating with a refreshing year-round breeze, which is solid to the northeast from December to April, while from May to November there’s a more strong and westerly wind with occasional challenging gusts.

Ships that offer day tours feature catamarans and yachts. There’s a wide range of different sailing courses offered on Koh Samui. Boats may be hired at daily or hourly rates. In addition, sailing safari adventures can be customised to personal needs and tastes.

Participants will sail their own catamaran on a typical safari trip, accompanied by a safety yacht that carries supplies and luggage, stopping at various accommodation facilities on the nearby islands for staying overnight. The price for a sailing safari will be around 6,000 baht per day and includes accommodation and meals.

Koh Samui offers one of Thailand’s finest spa & health centres

Not that long ago the only available relaxing treatment on the boutique island of Koh Samui was a simple massage on one of the gorgeous touristy beach areas. Fortunately, the island’s spa and beauty treatment facilities experienced a drastic expansion! 

Today, this exotic island represents numerous world-class spa amenities where professional masseuses may offer weary travellers revitalising treatments that come in various packages.

From herbal body-masques to aromatic steam baths, these health retreats and centres truly offer the utmost in rejuvenating beauty and body treatments – all in total comfort and luxury. Koh Samui Spa Guide

Those travellers looking for a stress-free holiday on Samui Island can choose from an extensive selection of health treatment services, including programs such as weight loss, colonic cleansing, detoxification and fasting. In addition, there are full skin beauty packages on offer along with facial treatments, body-wraps and foot-packs, all with revitalising results.
 

Koh Samui mini tourist guide

Although several islands located within close proximity of Samui have greater values and limited development, this popular holiday destination features quite a few attractions and recreational activities going for it. Koh Samui is a gorgeous tropical island that offers plentiful conveniences.

In addition, the stunning Angthong Marine National Park can easily be reached as it takes only a daytrip from Koh Samui. This beautiful natural environment is absolutely worthwhile visiting if you are staying in the area.

Increasing problems are caused by overdevelopment. The island’s largest part is populated, along with the side effects of garbage, cement and concrete. The beach areas are often overcrowded with both visiting holidaymakers and tourist attractions, which range from hot air balloons to noisy jet skis.

Inflation is another problem, something the locals often complain about. According to the result of several researches, Koh Samui has become more expensive than Thailand’s largest touristy island, Phuket. Once, Samui Island enjoyed the reputation for being Phuket’s less expensive alternative.

Koh Samui’s less spoiled parts still boasts fine white sandy beaches, sparkling blue waters, and even some good diving playgrounds. However, the majority of the available scuba diving tours will involve a rather lengthy sailing duration.

On nearby Phangan Island, world-famous for its booming full moon parties, travellers can find similar and even more appealing beaches. Koh Pha Ngan can be reached by a 60-minute ferry crossing to the north. The low-priced bungalow accommodation on the beaches along with the cheap food far outstrip Koh Samui, while offering a more authentic and serene tropical island ambience.

However, the tourist infrastructure on Koh Pha Ngan simply is not as convenient compared with the comprehensive facilities that are available on Samui, a significant factor if you can spend only three or four days on the islands.

Guide to Thailand’s tropical islands

Samui private sightseeing tours

A rewarding travel experience for tourists staying on Koh Samui is offered by a private tour on the island. There are several agencies that organise tailor-made personal trips. The flexibility of an individual itinerary also allows participants to explore stunning localities, which normally are not included in any of the regular sightseeing trips.

The tour operator gives travellers the option to choose what sites to visit in the order they prefer. Private tours are available at reasonable prices, depending on the number of participants. When renting a private chauffeured car with a local travel guide, there’s the possibility to arrange your own tour program and take as much time as you want to fully explore any of the island’s unique attractions.

In general, two types of cars operate these private tours. Transportation is provided by luxurious air-conditioned minibuses or by adventurous 4×4 off-road vehicles. The chauffeured minibuses offer room for a maximum of 10 persons and are suitable for those wishing to enjoy the most convenient and comfortable way of transport. However, the minivan tour doesn’t include certain attractions that are only accessible by driving off road.

This vehicle will bring you to some of Samui’s most stunning places

Space to a maximum of seven persons is provided by the private 4×4 off road vehicles. Travellers wanting to discover some of the island’s lush tropical forest via unmarked and unpaved tracks are recommended to join one of the 4×4 off road tours. Spectacular attractions including: the scenic five mountain-top (650 metres above sea level), as well as the magical garden can only be reached by the 4×4 trucks. 

Northern Thailand off road tours