Beaches
Hat
Chaweng
Situated on Samui's east coast, this is
Samui's longest and most beautiful beach, a 6 km
strip of powder-soft sand fronted by crystal clear
water. It also has the island's largest
concentration of accommodation, ranging from
five-star resorts to simple bamboo
bungalows. Hat Chaweng is the center for
watersport activities like windsurfing and
jetskiing in the day, and it has a great social
scene at night, when the dance halls pulsate to
the latest rhythms.
Hat
Lamai
Also on the east coast, just south of Jat
Chaweng, Hat Lamai attracts surfers to its playfl
waters, which run a little deeper than at Hat
Chaweng. Behind the beach there are several spas,
where visitors can trat themselves to an herbal
sauna, a relaxing Thai massage, or even a mud
facial.
Hat
Maenam, Hat Bophut and Hat Bank Rak
These are all located along the north coast,
and ideal places for those who want to get away
from it all. Bank Rak is often called 'Big
Buddha Beach' because of the huge Buddha image the
eastern end of the beach that looks particularly
impressive at sunset.
South
and West Coast Beaches
Even more isolated than the north coast
beaches, those on the south and west coasts are
not linked by the island's ring road, though
access is easy enough for anyone curious to take a
look. At Laem Set in the south, the sea is
too shallow for swimming, but the huge smooth
boulders on the beach and coconut palms leaning
over at impossible angles give it a special
feel. In the island's south-west, Hat Taling
Ngam may not be quite as perfect as Hat Shaweng,
but has a long strip of sand that is often
deserted and makes an ideal spot for a beach
ramble. At the northern end of the bay, the
luxurious Ban Taling Ngam Resort has several
swimming pools and villas set on a hill with great
views of the beach.
Sports
With
such clear waters and an abundance of marine life,
water sports are very popular on Samui, and the
king of these sports is diving. Around a
dozen dive companies based on the island offer a
chance for experience divers to join them and for
beginners to learn how to dive which can be
arranged through the hotels and guest
houses. If diving sounds a bit too much of a
challenge, then snorkeling is a good second
best. Join a trip to one of the nearby coral
reefs, put on a mask, a snorkel and fins, then
float above the reefs and marvel at the varied
shapes and colors of the fish. If you'd
rather keep your head above water, then maybe sea
kayaking is the sport for you. Once you've
mastered how to propel this small light craft, you
can explore the shoreline in perfect peace.
For a bit more of a thrill, try windsurfing,
jetskiing or paragliding, and feel the tropical
breeze in your hair. Hotel and guest house
owners can give you more information about your
chosen sport. If you're water shy, just hang
around the beach in the evening and join in one of
the spontaneous games of beach volleyball that are
so popular, or even 'Takro' a Thai game of skill
that is something like playing volleyball with the
feet. If exploring the islands interior
sounds like fun, hire a 4WD vehicle and try your
hand at off-road driving on the bumpy trails
leading to the highlands.
Other
Attractions
Namtok
Na Mueang
There are two levels to this attractive waterfall,
which tumbles down out of the highlands. The
nearest one to the road has about a 20-meter drop
and a refreshing pool to cool off in. A
steel side road leads to the higher level, which
is even more impressive, and where elephant treks
are also possible.
Na
Thon
This is the island's main town and port,
situated on the west coast, and is constantly
bustling with visitors arriving and
departing. It is the place to go shopping
for beach gear, extending visas or just watch the
port activities from a street cafe.
Samui
Butterfly Garden
Set on a gentle slope in the southeast corner
of the island, the garden contains a wide range of
bright and unusual flowers, above which flit
hundreds of butterflies, creating a captivating
environment beneath meshed nets. The garden
also features a display of insects, moths and some
beehives.
Snake
Shows
For anyone fascinated by snakes, a visit to
one of the island's snake shows is a must.
The fearless handlers play with deadly species,
and offer visitors the chance to get up close and
touch their slithery skin.
Monkey
Shows
The monkeys' famed ability as coconut
collectors once formed the bases of Samui's
economy, and at the shows their skills are
displayed for all to see.
Shopping
There
are plenty of shops behind Hat Chaweng where you
can buy beachwear, and tailors will measure you
and make up a suit or dress while you relax on the
beach. If you're looking for souvenirs,
there are plenty of options, ranging from colorful
carved soaps to chopsticks and coasters made from
local coconut wood. There are also several
art shops selling reproductions of famous works of
art at very reasonable prices.
Nearby
Islands
Mu
Ko Angthong Marine National Park
Situated about 35 km west of
Samui, this
archipelago of 42 islands fits everyone's image of
a tropical paradise, with huge limestone rocks
covered in virgin rainforest rising out of the
aquamarine waters. Most people come here on
a daytrip tour from Ko Samui, which is easy to
organize. There is a fantastic viewpoint on
Ko Wua Talap, just above the park headquarters,
looking out over the uninhabited, pristine
islands. Trips around the park usually include a
visit to a delightful concealed lagoon on Ko Mae
Ko, as well as the opportunity to paddle a sea
kayak around the strange limestone
formations. For more information, contact
the National
Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department
- tel: 0 2562 0760 or Mu Ko Angthong Marine
National Park - tel: 07728 6025, 0 7728 6588, 0
7728 0222.
Ko
Pha-Ngan
Just 20 km north of Ko Samui and a short boat
trip away. Ko Pha-ngan is a mountainous
island ringed by secluded bays that offer ideal
getaways. Its only town of any size, Thong
Sala, has a bank, a post office, supermarket and
shops selling beach equipment and souvenirs.
Many of its beautiful beaches are accessible only
by boat, though pick-up trucks and motorbikes also
ply the island's rough roads. Its most
famous beach is Hat Rin, in the southeast corner
of the island, which is the location for the world
famous full moon parties that attract thousands of
visitors each month to dance the night away on the
beach. The island's most picturesque beach
is Thong Nai Pan, a double bay in the northeast of
the island, which has good swimming, and
snorkeling sport, as well as the island's most
comfortable accommodation. A little south of
Thong Nai Pan is Than Sadet, the island's most
impressive waterfall, which was once a favorite
place of King Chulalongkorn.
Ko
Tao
'Tao' means turtle, and the island is named
for it's shape when seem from out in the waters of
the gulf. Smaller than Samui and Pha-ngan,
Ko Tao lies about 40 km northwest of Ko Pha-ngan,
and is also easily accessible from Chumphon,
directly west on the mainland. The island is
particularly popular among divers, and has a
reputation for some of the most exciting dive
sites in the entire gulf. Several dive
companies based a Mae Hat, the island's only town,
can arrange dives for beginners and experienced
divers. There are many peaceful and idyllic
beaches on the island such as Hat Sai Ri, the
island's longest beach on its west boast, Hat
Chalok Ban Kao and Hat Sai Daeng on the south
coast. There is also a unique geological
phenomenon at Ko Nang Yuan, a tiny cluster of
islets just off the northwest coast of Ko Tao,
where stunning causeways of sand join the islands,
offering visitors the choice of two seas to swim
in.
Getting
There
By
Air
Bangkok
Airways
operates 15 flights a day between Bangkok and Ko
Samui, which is by far the easiest way to get to
the island. Flights take just 1 hour 20
minutes. Tel: 0 2265 5555 (Bangkok Office)
By
Rail
Eleven
trains a day leave from Hua Lamphong Railway
Station in Bangkok to Surat Thani, from where it
is necessary to take a bus to Don Sak Pier and
then a ferry across to the islands. Railway
Station Hotline: 1690 or Hua Lamphong
Railway Station Tel: 0 2220 4334, 0 2223 7010,
02223 7020, Surat Thani Railway Station Tel:
0 7731 1213.
By
Bus
Buses
from Bangkok leave frequently for Ko Samui, but
the fare does not include the ticket for the
ferry. The journey time is around 14
hours. Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal Tel:
0 2435 1199 or Surat Thani Bus Terminal Tel:
0 7720 0032
By
Boat
To Ko Samui - Both passenger and
car ferries run 15 times a day from Don Sak Pier,
taking about 1 hour 30 minutes. The first
ferry departs at 5:00 and the last one departs at
19:00. An express boat leaves Surat Thani
every morning and takes 2 hours 30 minutes.
There is also an overnight boat that departs Ban
Don Pier in Surat Thani at 23:00 and arrive Ko
Samui at dawn around 5:00. The overnight
boat departs Ko Samui at 21:00 and arrives back to
Surat Thani around 4:00.
To Ko Pha-ngan - Direct boats from Don Sak
Pier to Ko Pha-ngan leave 15 times a day and take
2 hours 30 minutes, while regular ferries from Na
Thon on Ko Samui take just one hour. The
first ferry departs at 7:00 and the last one
departs at 17:30. There is also a daily
overnight boat from Ban Don Pier, Surat Thani to
Ko Pha-ngan, departing at 23:00 and arriving at
6:00.
To Ko Tao - Daily boats between Ko Pha-ngan
and Ko Tao take about |