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Ko Samui (เกาะสมุย), often called just Samui (สมุย) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, about 700 km south of Bangkok and 80 km from the eastern coastline of Southern Thailand.
Ko Samui is, all in all, a fairly big island, the second biggest in Thailand after Phuket. The most popular and commercialized beaches are Chaweng and Lamai, while the northern beaches and their adjacent villages of Mae Nam, Bophut, Bang Rak (Big Buddha) and Choeng Mon are more peaceful choices, and the west coast beaches are still (comparatively) quiet.
Clockwise from Nathon on the west coast, the main beaches are:
Ko Samui (เกาะสมุย), often called just Samui (สมุย) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, about 700 km south of Bangkok and 80 km from the eastern coastline of Southern Thailand.
Ko Samui is, all in all, a fairly big island, the second biggest in Thailand after Phuket. The most popular and commercialized beaches are Chaweng and Lamai, while the northern beaches and their adjacent villages of Mae Nam, Bophut, Bang Rak (Big Buddha) and Choeng Mon are more peaceful choices, and the west coast beaches are still (comparatively) quiet.
Clockwise from Nathon on the west coast, the main beaches are:
An island of great natural beauty and variety, Samui is home to some 50,000 full-time inhabitants, 90% of whom are Buddhist. The palm-fringed shoreline and coconut and fruit cultivation of the coastal lowlands rise to a central granite massif, the slopes of which are cloaked in virgin rainforest.
At 247 km², Samui is the second largest island in Thailand and the largest island in an archipelago of over 80 (mostly uninhabited) islands which form the Ang Thong National Marine Park, a kayaking and snorkeling paradise. At 25 km long and 21 km wide, Samui is big enough for serious exploration by the adventurous and fit but can be circumnavigated in just a couple of hours by motorbike or car.
The island was probably first inhabited about 15 centuries ago, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and south China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name Pulo Cornam. The name Samui is mysterious in itself. Perhaps it is an extension of the name of one of the native trees, mui, or it is a corruption of the Chinese word Saboey, meaning "safe haven".
Until the late 20th century, Samui was an isolated self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was even without roads until the early 1970s, and the 15 km journey from one side of the island to the other involved a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles.
In the early 1970s, the first backpackers traveling on the back of a coconut boat arrived on Ko Samui. For years after that, the island just had a few bungalows and a trickle of travelers. Things started to change in the early 1990s when tourists started arriving in full boats and since then the place has grown substantially. Samui is now the second most popular island destination in Thailand (Phuket is first). Ko Samui may not be the country’s most beautiful island but it is still an oasis of natural beauty with its white sandy beaches, dazzling coral, luscious lagoons, picturesque waterfalls, swaying coconut trees, and crystal clear water. The water at Bophut Beach, though, is often murky, especially around December.
Unfortunately, development on Ko Samui is starting to take its toll and the beaches of Chaweng and Lamai are overcrowded in the high season.
As on many islands in Thailand, small motorbikes are available for rental. Compared to other nearby islands, Samui's road system is very developed and there are plenty of taxis cruising about, although it's a challenge to get them to use their meters.
By day, Ko Samui's public transport is provided by songthaew, pick-up trucks with two rows of seats. They drive fixed routes at fixed prices per person until 18:00. After 18:00, songthaews serve as normal taxis and prices must be negotiated first. Even if you pay for a trip, however, the songthaew may stop and pick-up more passengers on the way. Metered taxi service is operated by private taxi companies. The drivers, however, are very reluctant to use their meters, and, especially on popular beaches or entry points to the island, tend to ask foreigners much more than the normal fare.
Pickup trucks/public passenger pick-up vehicles (songthaews) also serve as group taxis.
If you want to go to a particular place, then you hire a taxi or songthaew and negotiate the price with them first.
Motorbikes can be rented virtually anywhere on Ko Samui. It is recommended though, to hire only from a reputable company as there have been reports of scams. Some places have been known to steal bikes that they have rented out. Also, rental motorbikes are not insured. If they tell you they have insurance, it's not true. If something happens, you can't claim for it. Read the rental agreement extra carefully, as too many (it's not typical for other parts of Thailand e.g. Chiang Mai) will state that you may not replace any broken/damaged parts yourself. This is a scam, as instead they will replace it for you for a price several times higher (sometimes also stated in the agreement) than it actually costs. They will check any old scratches and/or serial numbers, if noted in the agreement, and demand that price even if you have already replaced that part yourself! For the same reason, inspect the motorbike carefully and be sure any existing scratches/damages are written in the agreement before you have taken the motorbike. Take photographs of the bike.
Motorbike shops will likely want you to leave your passport as collateral. This is a common practice in Thailand, and, by itself, shouldn't raise much concern, however, most government travel advisory services advise against leaving your passport anywhere as a deposit for obvious reasons. Combined with the scams and bad practices mentioned above, however, it may lead to a situation where your passport is held as a hostage until you pay what they want. For this reason, it's unwise to return your motorbike just before your departure. Leave at least several hours, or perhaps a day, to settle any problems if they arise. If the shop's demands are clearly illegitimate (the agreement you have signed does not contain any silly conditions and prices, the price they ask for damages is unreasonable, or the damage was clearly done before you rented the motorbike) - call Tourist Police. They 'will' help your cause, although shop owners will try to convince you otherwise.
If hiring a motorbike doesn't appeal to you, then there are motorbike-taxis willing to take you around for a (negotiable in advance, as foreigners are commonly asked an exorbitant price) fee, as well as other modes of transportation.
Bicycles can be hired very cheaply on Ko Samui.
There are many car hire options on Ko Samui, including the local arms of international companies such as Budget and Avis. Prices are fairly expensive, but the convenience of a small, air-conditioned car may be worth it. You can pick up and drop off at the airport or some other locations. Driving is easy on the island as long as you are not in a hurry and having a car gives you easy access to almost all areas of the island. An international driving license is required nominally, although they will accept any valid driver’s license. But you may have issues in case of an accident without the international license.
The major reason people come to Samui is, quite simply, to enjoy the beaches. Even though the two main beaches of Chaweng and Lamai have generally suffered due to mass development over the past decade they are still relatively impressive. Development has been thwarted slightly because of the island’s regulation governing height restriction, although it can be argued that this has caused sprawl.
Other than lying on the beach with a cold beer in hand and ogling at the babes and hunks sauntering past, there isn't all that much to see on the island. A certain pair of rocks on Lamai amuses some visitors, Bang Rak has a large but nondescript Buddha statue, and there are some waterfalls (notably Na Muang) of minor interest.
The usual panoply of water sports are available, including plenty of dive shops, but most diving is done either in the nearby Ang Thong National Marine Park or Ko Tao as the visibility around Samui's sandy beaches tends to be poor. You can book diving day trips at dive shops, most of which are based in Chaweng. The dive boats tend to leave from the pier at Bophut and Bang Rak.
Without a doubt, the south of Thailand is home to some of the finest and most beautiful beaches and islands in the world, surrounded by crystal clear water and stunning coral. And that is the main reason why the number of divers coming to Thailand has escalated over the past decade or so. Even though the best time year of the year to dive in the Ko Samui is between Jun-Aug, it is still perfectly possible to dive virtually all year round. As Thailand is considered one of the safest destinations for diving and snorkeling in the world, it is perfect for novices. Undersea visibility in some places around Ko Samui is very good (distances of up to 10–30 m). One can enjoy splendid sights of underwater mountains, coral gardens, undersea rock formations, hard and soft coral, and whale sharks in season.
Ko Kra & Ko Losin: These two small islands to the southeast of Samui don't get too many divers due to their remoteness. Blacktip sharks, manta rays and hard to find loggerhead turtles can be seen.Samui is well known for its coconuts, which are available everywhere and quite tasty. Being an island, seafood is generally a good choice although in high season demand often exceeds local supply. The larger beaches have a number of international restaurants as well (often run by Thai-farang couples) with Bophut having a particularly good reputation. Southern Thai food is renowned for its spiciness. Much of the cuisine has its origins in Malay, Indonesian, and Indian food. Favorite dishes from the south include Indian-style Muslim curry (massaman), rice noodles in fish curry sauce (khanom jeen) and chicken birayani. Popular local foods are salted eggs and rambutan.
Dual pricing is common: some restaurants have two menus, one for tourists and the other for Thai people, at about a quarter of the tourist prices. Always check prices and menu first so you don't have to argue when the bill is served.
There are innumerable options for a drink, ranging from the loud and brash tourist pubs and girlie bars of Chaweng to the candle-lit romantic bars of Bophut.
Chaweng Beach is famous for its beer bars staffed by pretty hostesses. Buy them a 'girlie drink' and you'll be in entertaining company. Beer bars can be found all over Chaweng. The bars offer pool, Connect4 and other popular bar games. Since the nightlife on Chaweng can devolve into serious debauchery at times, the local law enforcers are strict in regards to closing times. The official closing time in "entertainment zones" is 01:00, that on practice is usually somewhere between 01:00 and 02:00.
There is a distillery that brews 5 flavors of rum on one of the side roads on the South Coast of the island, which offers tours during the sugar cane season and free samples any time. The flavors are natural (sugar cane), lemon, orange, pineapple, and coconut. Natural and coconut are quite tasty, lemon has a very strong pleasant citrus flavor, and you won't miss anything if you don't try the other two. They also have a delicious mixer to serve with consisting of lime juice, cinnamon, and other spices. Worth heading to if you're in the area or just for the novelty of sampling authentic Thai rum. Very friendly staff.
LOCAL TIME
5:40 pm
May 19, 2022
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Let's continue our tour of Koh Samui (Koh Samui. Thailand. P.1)! Samui has lots of beautiful beaches. One Thai recommended me the restaurant called "Honey Cottages". Tables are 20 meters from the water, next to the fishing boats. The island has many similar places. There is one of... |
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