Koh Samui Travel Guide
Travel guide to Koh Samui , Thailand with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Koh Samui sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Koh Samui Overview
With its idyllic beaches and inviting blue waters, the tropical island of Koh Samui was once an off the beaten track retreat for hippies and back-packers. Now, as more and more luxury hotels open, and with the ongoing yet ecologically sympathetic development, Koh Samui is fast becoming the Far East island destination of choice for the discerning traveller looking for a beautiful place to unwind and relax.
Only about an hour by air from Bangkok, and surrounded by the inviting waters of the South China Sea, Koh Samui is the perfect place to simply lie back on the beach. Regarded as a quiet paradise, the island appeals to all ages and has some great bars and nightlife to enjoy by Chaweng Beach, where the bustling village is the best place to go on the island for entertainment or eating out.
Koh Samui hotels are generally of a high standard, and provide good value accommodation and facilities that are on a par with anywhere else. There is plenty to see and do on the island, whether you want to relax on a beach, or enjoy trekking through the jungle to find one of the many beautiful temples.
Koh Samui's gentle laid-back atmosphere coupled with the livelier side of life attracts many honeymooners, and the island is certainly a romantic place to spend a special holiday and ideal for couples.
Top Koh Samui Attractions
The biggest attraction of Koh Samui is its reputation as a little piece of paradise on earth. With beautiful beaches, stunning weather and beautiful clear seas, not to mention the friendly locals and a reputation for maintaining a more traditional Thai outlook that the more heavily commercialised destinations in the country, it isn't hard to see why so many people return year after year.
If lying on the beach gets to be too much, then why not trek through the jungle interior of the island, or visit the famous big Buddha temple - a real must see attraction.
If you fancy a particularly rewarding day, make the 3-mile trek through the jungle from Nathon Town to the Hin Lad Waterfall, where a dip in the cool water comes as a huge relief after the sweltering walk.
Shopping in Koh Samui
Beyond a few market stalls and some small shopping malls in the main towns, there is not much of an opportunity to splurge during your time on Koh Samui. The chances are that if you are visiting Koh Samui, you will be passing through Bangkok on the way, so take the opportunity of visiting the Thai capital to stop off for a couple of days shopping and sight seeing before enjoying a relaxing break on the island's beaches.
Koh Samui Sporting Events
With such beautiful clear water and reefs around the island, SCUBA diving is very popular with visitors to Koh Samui. Make sure your travel insurance covers you, find a reputable instructor, and take to the water to see some of Thailand's most beautiful scenery.
If you prefer to stick to dry land, you could go trekking through the jungle, or ride a bike along the coastline to find your own private beach to sunbathe on away from the crowds.
