The island paradise of Samui, in The Gulf of Thailand, is just a 90
minutes express boat ride from the village of Don Sak, near Surat Thani. It is
the countries third largest island and the jewel of an archipelago comprising 80
islands, of which only six others are inhabited. Most residents of Samui island
are either fisherman or coconut farmers.
Though the island was originally discovered in 1981-82 by the backpacking crowd,
transportation improvements in recent years have made access easier and
increased it appeal among travelers who are accustomed to a little more comfort.
The main attraction in Samui is its scenic charm enjoying stretches of
un-crowded beach, soaking up the sun and revelling in the clear blue waters.
Sightseeing is rather limited. The islands perimeter road is 58 km., fully
asphalted but a bit narrow.
With an area of 247 sq. km, Samui Island is gifted with such an incredibly
rich variety of beaches and bays, capes and coves. Here visitors can enjoy the
tranquil peace and serene island, which offers a full range of accommodation and
dinning possibilities. Days can be easily spent by relaxing at the resort nested
in a shady coconut grove, taking a stroll along the miles of beautiful beach,
enjoy the water sport activities or visiting other attractions around Samui such
as Hin Ta- Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks), monkey show. At night
visitors can sample some of the fresh local seafood and visit various kinds of
entertainment venues. Koh Pha-ngan, a near-by island, is famous for its full
moon party. There are several islands around Samui where visitors can reach by
renting a boat or taking ferryboats. For example, Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan are
the ideal place for snorkelling and diving because of the perfect visibility,
the wide variety of coral formations and the rich aquatic life.
The most popular and developed beach of Samui is Chaweng Beach. Despite the
recent development, Chaweng maintains the classic image of a tropical beach
fringed by coconut palms and today here are the new popular bars and quality
restaurants along the back road which lead this beach to be the nightlife centre
of the island.
Right on the beach itself, a selection of quiet bars and restaurants, together
with a superb view of the Gulf. Chaweng has the greatest number of dive shops on
Samui. A couple of them organize night dives right off the beach.
Another important place that you could visit is an Ancient House, a house
made of teakwood without any nails at Ban Thale is the oldest house on the
island. It was built approximately 150 years ago, is constructed of teak planks
and shows off many beautiful woodcarvings. Other famous point like Hin Ta Hin
Yai, the strangely shaped rocks at south Lamai. The Big Buddha, sitting 15
meters tall was built in 1972 by the local society to give visitors a place to
pay respect to The Lord Buddha.