Introduction
Koh Samui is Thailand's third largest island and blanketing its 247 sq kms is a forest of coconut trees believed to have been planted by Chinese traders for whom this island was a popular rest stop on their way down south.

From its humble beginnings as a coconut plantation and fishing centre, Samui has become a thriving international tourist destination a 1 hour flight from Bangkok. Its progression has been slow compared to Phuket and it has not yet completely lost its charm to overbearing developments. The 2 hour drive from one end of the island to the other passes through peaceful villages and sandy beaches along the way. The scenery changes from the laidback villages of Mae Nam and Bo Phut to the vibrant Lamai and the nonstop buzz of Chaweng.

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Beaches and Attractions
The island of Samui is certainly less dynamic than Phuket and choices of peaceful beaches are endless. There are over 20 to choose from throughout the island. The longest beach is Chaweng which has a lively ambience throughout the year. The beaches in Lamai, Mae Nam, Bo Phut and Cheong Mon remain peaceful and only really come alive during the high season.

Chaweng beach is the centre of attraction and the heartbeat of Samui. The beach is known for its clean, powdery white sand and deep blue waters, and it is the place to be for water activities like banana boating and jet skiing. It also has the highest concentration of resorts ranging from 3 to 5 stars lined up on the beachfront, but they are not all squashed together and there is plenty of sand and sea for everyone. If you are looking for traces of village life here though you will be hard pressed to find any. Instead the all too familiar Starbucks caf and McDonald's are interspersed alongside local restaurants, shops, bars and discos.

Chaweng beach

Just a little farther south is Chaweng Noi. The beach here is smaller and just as pretty as Chaweng. There are only a few resorts and the area is a peaceful option that is not too far from the bustle of Chaweng.

Lamai beach is recognised as the second most popular beach. The sand is not as powdery but the sea is deep enough to swim in and the surroundings are blissfully quiet. The village has more bars than anything else whilst the resorts are relatively unsophisticated.

Mae Nam and Bo Phut are next to one another on the north of the island with few well spread out resorts. If one were being fussy, the sea is not as clear and the beach is average but worth it for its seclusion. Another quiet pick is the charming Choeng Mon beach situated in an area of rural beauty on the northeast peninsula.

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Other attractions
Apart from soaking up the sun and enjoying the beach during the day, the night of the full moon brings about some serious partying till the wee hours of the morning. These full moon beach parties are held once every month on Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan, 30 minutes north of Samui. Organized by resorts, restaurants and discos in Samui, there is plenty of food, drink and music. Getting there is easy as tour agencies offer roundtrip hotel and boat transfers for about 300 Baht per person. The party can grow to over 4000 people and although there is security to keep things in order and hem in on drug pushers, do be careful and watch out for your belongings. It is a wild party that seems to relive Woodstock so be prepared for anything.

Two of the most photographed sights in Samui are Hin Ta and Hin Yai or Grandmother and Grandfather stone. These two stones happen to take the form of male and female genitals. You can not miss Grandpa as he is clearly visible but Grandma is a little harder to spot and requires a bit of maneuvering down a slippery slope right at the edge of the water into what appears to be just a hole in the rock. No modesty or imagination needed.

The Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo is disappointing as there are not that many species of fish and the place is not well-maintained. But go just to support the tiger show as without an audience the fate of these incredible animals is questionable.

Chaweng Noi beach front

The Mummified Monk, the preserved body of Laung Phaw Daeng, at Wat Khunaram is rather an odd spectacle and probably should remain a place sacred for Buddhist worshippers who come to pay respects, rather than become a tourist attraction. Likewise the Big Buddha seems to have more tourists than worshippers. If you are in the area drop by.

One of the island's most outstanding viewpoints is in northern Samui near Bang Po. Aptly named Best Mountain View Point, the road up is a bumpy roller coaster ride but some have endeavored and made it with their motorbikes. At the top, the views of the islands surrounding Samui and the verdant greenery are truly magical. The small hut serving drinks and local food makes a good stopover before going back down the beaten track.

If you are looking for a golf course there is not one on Samui yet, but plans are underway to build one that might be ready late 2003. What is available is the 18-hole mini golf in Chaweng. A little run-down and neglected, it offers a snooker table as well. The games are inexpensive and provide some good fun and are a cheap way to while away the time. A better choice would be the Living Bowl Centre also in Chaweng just above McDonald's. It is more like a disco than a bowling alley with its loud music but the place is fairly new and games reasonably priced.

Animal lovers might want to visit the Dog Rescue Centre where German couple Brigitte Gomm and husband keep around a hundred dogs - most in the backyard, a few inside the house, and a couple in the kitchen - along with several cats for good measure! The Gomms and fellow animal lovers dismayed by the conditions of stray dogs in Samui founded the centre in 1999. Intended to provide general health care to the dogs, the centre is always happy to welcome volunteers and others who can contribute in any small way. Note: the dogs will be moved to proper shelter by 2003 and if you wish to help you can contact the centre at samuidog@hotmail.com.

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Spas
Samui has some of the most delightful spas at prices that do not break the bank. Most hotels have their own but one that will keep you coming back for more is the Tamarind Retreat. Nestled in a verdant forest of coconut palms, the setting is enchanting - like a page out of a fairy tale book. All of nature's bequests are kept intact and nothing has been removed, including the huge boulder beside which the spa owners built the steam room. The treatments are excellent and very affordable.

A less inspirational spa but one which is more focused in keeping mind over matter - or rather food - is the somewhat new age Health Oasis. Cleansing and liver flush fasts are just some of the diet programs to keep you away from the sad reminder that you are what you eat. They are also known for their blind masseuses who give the best massages as they feel rather than see the problem. It is not a fancy spa but it is located by the beach and has a simple and basic set-up that is very effective and inexpensive.

Another charming spa located near Bo Phut beach is Baan Sabai which is built in traditional Thai wooden architecture. There are a few pavilions by the beach and the wooden treatment house is unique. The choices of treatments are endless and the 4 hour packages go for a song.

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Entertainment and Eating Out

Samui's Big Buddha

In Samui you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food. Most of the restaurants are located along Chaweng but the hotels offer a good selection as well.

An excellent choice is the small but tantalising Betelnut located across the street from Central Samui Beach Hotel down an inconspicuous lane. If you cannot find the place, the hotel security guard will be able to point you to the right direction. It is well worth getting lost to finally sit and enjoy the well-presented East-meets-West fusion created by Jeffery Lord. The menu is not big but has catchy names like 'Paella for the blind' served in good portions.

Along the same street is a Spanish tapas bar called the Adalauz, also one of Jeffrey's establishments. It has a colourful and lively setting in keeping with Spanish traditions. The menu is small but everything is good. The food is mostly bite-size starters rather than meals - a great way to start with some drinks before heading off somewhere else for main course.

The Poppies Resort has a restaurant, by the beach or by the pool, with a good spread of Thai and international menu. The ambience by the beach is wonderful and service and prices are good. The Italian restaurant Toto along Chaweng is frequented by many locals, a good sign. The food is nothing special but it is a nice and affordable place to stop for a bite.

It is not surprising to see many tourists venture into hole-in-the-wall-type local restaurants. What better way to sample the delights of local fare that is not only cheap but also delicious? A simple seafood restaurant popular with the locals is Nakorn. It does not look like much from the outside, and, while the seafood BBQ is questionable, the Thai food is the real in-your-face spicy stuff. The Will Wait restaurants seems to be a small Thai franchise. There are a couple along Chaweng and others spread out in Samui. The menu is big with decent, inexpensive Thai and international food. Note: most local restaurants will only take cash.

More appetising seafood restaurants found on Chaweng are Pices '99 - the price is a little more expensive and tourists seem to be the main clientele. A restaurant with a refreshing sea breeze and beautiful sunset is Big John's Seafood located west of Chaweng in Tong Yang. The restaurant is not only recommended for its views, the prices are reasonable and food is superb.

Party time in Samui starts around 11pm and the main open-air discos on Chaweng are the Full Circle and Green Mango. They are within walking distance from each other and of the two, the Green Mango is more unique for its rustic and hut-like look. Everyone's favorite is the Reggae Club located inside a rather secluded lane off the main street of Chaweng. Spread out into a few sections, it is the largest and is slightly more sophisticated than the other two. The local band at the Reggae Club does not quite sing the same tunes as Bob Marley but is good enough to rouse the crowds into swaying and singing along.

If you've missed the full moon party on Koh Phangan, there are occasional pre- and post- full moon parties held on beaches in Samui. Plenty of flyers for warnings so keep a look-out.

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Safari's in Koh Samui

Shopping
Samui is not a shopping paradise. The main shopping strip is on Chaweng, and while there are numerous outlets lined up on both sides of the street, they all sell the same things. There are plenty of obvious imitation handbags, sunglasses, T-shirts and overpriced souvenirs.

There are a few air-conditioned shops located in the same building as McDonald's that offer a decent selection of surf clothes and casual wear. Some 24 hour tailor shops seem promising but it's a risk to take so at least go to those that have big signs with pictures and statements from satisfied customers.

The Colonial Legend has some of the most beautiful furniture from around Asia, and some interesting curios as well. Worth a look.

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Getting From A to B
The main transportation in Samui are the red trucks that pick up passengers going the same way. Tourist will always be quoted double the fare of locals so haggle before hopping in. These trucks are common in the Chaweng and Lamai areas where there are a lot of hotels. But in Bo Phut, Natien and Maenam, it could be a long wait before one comes along.

Motorbike taxis are also common but they can only take one person at a time and are not the safest way of getting around.

Most hotels have a rental company and renting your own transport would be ideal. A motorcycle costs around 200 Baht a day and jeeps about 1800 Baht. Again bargaining skills are handy.

From Bangkok, Bangkok Airways is the only airline that flies to Samui. Flights are regular and take a short 1 hours. A cheaper but time-consuming option is taking the train from Bangkok to Surathani. The ticket costs less than 500 Baht per way and the trip is 9 hours plus a 30 minute ride to Don Sak pier to catch a 1 hour ferry ride to Samui.

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Tours

Snorkeling and Samui's unusual rock formations

There are not a lot of tours to choose from but the limited choices do offer some decent opportunities to explore some of Samui's neighboring islands.

The Angthong Marine Park is made up of a string of islands with spectacular rock formations and secret caves. The main island is Koh Mae, which when translated means Island Mother. Here hides one of nature's best kept secrets - right in the tummy of the hill is a saltwater lake called the Emerald Sea. The climb up to the top of the hill is an obstacle course. The steps start off sandy then squeeze between two rocks before moving along in a series of steep, narrow ladder-like steps. The scenery is magnificent, the green lagoon looks like a gigantic piece of jade - well worth it if you are up for the climb.

Trips offered by no-frills agents merely drop you off at the different islands and leave you there until it is time to go. A better choice is sea canoe providers like Sea Canoe International and Blue Stars Kayaking. They are little more expensive but offer experienced guides and a more leisurely trip canoeing around the islands. During the rainy season many of the caves are not accessible due to high tides.

Island Safari Tours offers full day Eco-nature excursions that cover most of Samui's attractions. The trip is a little too hurried but if you have not got much time these Safari trips are one of the best ways to see a lot of Samui in a day.

Alternatively you can rough it with Samui Cycle Safari that can tailor trips and provide overnight camping at their own campsite.

The nearby islands of Samui offer some exceptional underwater sceneries. One of the best diving spots is at Koh Tao about 2 hours from Samui. Easy Divers has been around Samui for over 10 years and they provide affordable day trips to Koh Tao for snorkelling and diving

Fishing is a big sport in Samui and Koh Masum and Koh Tan are popular spots to reel in all sorts of small to big fish like barracudas.

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Events
Better known as a “drinking club with a running problem” the rowdy bunch of Hash House Harriers get together at least twice every month in Samui. The day starts out with a three to six kilometer run and ends up with participants drinking themselves silly to celebrate the event.

The Koh Samui International Regatta is held usually in May. The colourful and magnificent event takes avid sailors around the islands of Samui and Koh Phangan with three days of ocean racing and two days course maneuvering.

The most popular festivals throughout Thailand are the refreshing Songkran or Thai New Year, where splashes of water are used to welcome the New Year, and the Loy Krathong or light festival. Although the latter is not a public holiday, the day is well celebrated with colourful leaf cups set afloat on the waterways.

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Cyber Samui
Samui is internet-friendly and many travel agents with internet facilities can be found mainly in Chaweng at an affordable rate of 1 Baht a minute. Some hotels provide the service as well. Overall connections are slow but tolerable.

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