THE PARADISE ISLAND: KOH SAMUI

Koh Samui is a round island located in the Gulf of Thailand south of the Kra Isthmus, in the Province of Surat Thani. Approximately 25 km from the coast, it has a surface of 228 km² and a population of around 50 000 inhabitants. The center of a small archipelago of 85 islands, 6 of which inhabited, it has a massive and very mountainous shape –which guarantees superb views, the highest peak reaching 656 metres. The traditional activity is fishing and the exploitation of some 4 million coconut trees for the production of copra. 

Nicknamed The Pearl of the China Sea because of the beauty of its sites, the island has been only recently developed. Until the arrival of the first tourists in the Eighties, it was populated mainly by fishermen of Chinese origin and had only dirt roads. Its magnificent beaches have attracted more and more tourists, originally Hippies when the communications with the Mainland were difficult. The construction of an airport by Bangkok Airways –which still has the monopoly of the flights to the island- in 1988 has accelerated the movement, but the island is large enough for the new constructions not to resemble the “Concrete Jungle” of Phuket, which Koh Samui will never be, the law prohibiting to build on more than 10% of the island. As a matter of fact, the great majority of the hotels being made of bungalows among tropical gardens, the private villas being beautifully designed with their roof of red tiles, and the beach restaurants –numerous and excellent- being mostly cabanas, the island has kept a definite charm.  

THE CLIMATE

Like the rest of Thailand, the region of Koh Samui has a tropical climate. The average temperature is about 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). There are basically 3 seasons: dry, hot, rainy.

• Dry Season (December – February) : Very little rain and a permanent refreshing sea breeze makes it the favorite Tourist Season, with temperatures of around 31C during the day and 24 at night.

• Hot Season (March – August) : The weather is still dry, but rather hot (30-35 degrees). There may be some scattered rain in May, but nothing to worry about.

• Rainy Season (September – November) : Though it is also known as “The Monsoon Season”, do not expect rain storms like in Bengal or South Vietnam. When it rains –and it is not every day- it is usually for a short time, and mainly at night. Consequently, it should not be a deterrent for tourists, all the more so that hotel prices are largely discounted.
  

WHERE TO STAY AND TO BUY

The large surface of the island allows endless possibilities, from complete solitude to a rather crowded large village. The most beautiful beaches –white sand and clear waters- are on the east coast. The others are less attractive.

Maenam and Bophut, on the north coast, boast larges beaches lined with coconut trees and calm waters ideal for swimming. Both are mainly family resorts.

Chaweng, the first beach on the east coast, a few kilometres from the airport, is the largest village, nearly a town. Its white sand beach, over 4 kilometres long, attracts numerous tourists and the area is more and more congested.

Lamai is –definitely and rightly- the favorite of “Those who Kow”. Its wilder, magnificent beaches –many scattered with awesome black granite boulders- are much quieter than in Chaweng, there are no high rise building anywhere, and its extremely relaxed atmosphere gives it a very pleasant “boom town” atmosphere.

Hua Thanon is the largest anchorage for the island fishing boats. It is a delightful  Hainese-style fishing village populated by the descendants of Chinese immigrants from the Island of Hainan, with a colorful small Muslim community on the south of the beach. The great charm of the area –and the beauty of its beach- has recently made it the most sought-after property area of Koh Samui.

Laem Set is a small rocky cape at the south tip of the island. Very quiet –it lies 3 kilometres from the main road, it is a perfect resort for the solitude lovers. Those will also find others small beach villages around the island, or even the ultimate quietness in the vast island coconut grove which covers the entire interior.
Nathon is the island capital, home to the main Post Office, Police and Tourist Police Stations, Immigration Office, and major banks. Apart from a large night food market, there is not much to attract tourists.

Contrary to its recent reputation, one can live very well in Koh Samui with little money. There is an abundance of charming inns at 400 Baht a night –but if you prefer to spend 4000, or even 14 000 plus, there are plenty of those also! Same with the restaurants which, thanks to the cosmopolitism of the island, offer a choice ranging from Thai, French and Italian to Chinese, Indian, Middle East, or whatever you like. As for the night entertainment, it starts around 8 pm and stops at dawn.

Transportation in the island is very easy, between the public Tuk-tuk –the ubiquitous small lorry for 10 people- and the rental cars and limousines. Most visitors and residents use a 125cc motorbike –helmet not mandatory, which is a pleasant surprise in Thailand. At 150 Baht a day rental, it is by far the most practical and pleasant.

ATTRACTIONS

You will not have enough of a lifetime to enjoy all the attractions of Koh Samui: all water sports of course, with spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling, especially in the small neighbor islands of Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, exploring the jungle canopy by gliding along cables from tree house to tree house, elephant rides, bungee jumping, Go Kart, the Samui Aquarium, which offers birds and Bengal tiger show every afternoon, a magnificent butterfly garden, a snake garden, - Football Golf (same as golf, but you play a football with your feet, so the holes are much bigger!). For real golf afficionados, there is a superb 18-hole course with a driving range and a pro shop. And once a month, from December to May, as already told, here comes the famous Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan!

EXCURSIONS

There are many possible excursions in Koh Samui, from a spectacular tour of the island to jungle and mountains safari tours –either trekking or on the back of an elephant, swimming under the waterfalls, a visit -with tasting- of a rum distillery, a 12-m Golden Buddha statue, Buddhist temples, fishing villages (especially Hua Thanon), and many others. Most foreigners enjoy a full-day visit of the nearby islands, especially Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, all this very well organized by the many travel agencies of Koh Samui.

SCHOOLS

For the future residents with children, no problems! There are many schools in Koh Samui, from nursery (Stéphane himself put his 21-month old daughter in one of them) to a branch of the famous Cambridge School for pre-university studies.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Thailand is becoming world famous for its outstanding medical facilities, with ultra-modern hospitals attracting hundreds of thousands of foreigners from all countries in the world. Like everything else in the country, medical services are at least 10 times less expensive than in Western countries. One of the very best hospitals in the country, Bangkok Hospital Samui has recently opened in the island, managed by a Medical Company which was awarded the coveted ISO 9001 and 14001 International Quality Standards. It offers a full range of treatments, from a 24-hour Trauma and Emergency Department to Surgery Clinics, Intensive Care Units and even a hyperbaric chamber. Its International and Tourist Medical Center, which counts a multi-lingual staff, insures ambulance and evacuation systems.

HOW TO GO TO KOH SAMUI

By Plane

Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying to the island since it built a charming airport with a 2100m strip in 1988. Very well managed, the company got many awards, both for its airport (Asia Architectural Design Award in 1998, 4th Best Asia Airport Smart Travel Asia Award in 2006) and for the quality of its services (2006 Airline Excellence Award from Skytrax, 2006 Best Regional Airline Award from World Airline, and 2006 Regional Airline of the Year from the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation). In addition to a superb Thai food restaurant, the airport, a delightful "village" of Thai-style open wooden houses, even has its own "Soul to Sole" Spa. Bangkok Airways modern fleet counts 8 ATR 72-500, 4 Boeing 717-200 (120 seats), and 3 Airbus 320 (162 seats).

From Bangkok, the airline operates, depending on the season, around 20 flights a day (21 during the high season, 19 during the low one). Including the Airport Tax, the fare is around 8000 Baht roundtrip. For those who want to save money, the first flight (6am) and the last one (10pm) are discounted at around 5000. Bangkok Airways also operates one daily flight from Chiang Mai and Krabi, 3 from Pattaya, and 2 from Phuket. All children airfares are discounted 50% and babies fly for free.

Bangkok Airways also offers a daily direct flight from Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.

Thai Airways flies twice a day (11:00 and 17:00) from Bangkok to Surat Thani. After a night rest in this typical Southern Thailand town, passengers then board the 8:00 boat to the island, which arrives in Nathon at 10:45.

By train from Bangkok to Surat Thani

For budget travellers, 10 trains leave Bangkok Hualam Phong train station between 7:45 and 22:50. The best is the 19:15 one. It arrives at 6:40, a bus takes the passengers to the harbor on time for the 8:00 boat. The fares (560 Baht for a cabin with fan, 730 air-conditioned, and 1300 for a private air-con cabin) include the train, the bus to the pier, and the boat ride to Nathon (make sure to ask for the full package).

By bus from Bangkok to Surat Thani

Many night buses leave to Surat Thani (10-hour ride). The most convenient are the VIP buses (leave Bangkok at 19:00 and 19:20) and the deluxe (air con and toilets) which leaves Bangkok at 19:00. Fares are between 500 and 800 Baht depending on the bus. de). The most convenient are the VIP buses (leave Bangkok at 19:00 and 19:20) and the deluxe (air con and toilets) which leaves Bangkok at 19:00. Fares are between 500 and 800 Baht depending on the bus.

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