Koh Samui Island

The most popular beaches are Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut and Maenam beach. Inside Samui is a tropical jungle and hills up to 600 meters high.

Hin Taa

Hin Yaay

Hin Yaay Grandmother Stone

Namuang Waterfall

Hin Taa Grandfather Stone

North of Samui "Laem Sam Rong"

Yagg, temple guard of Big Buddha

Coral Buddha

Getting down to Koh Samui is easier now than when it was a haven for backpackers, but the one airline that serves it direct from the capital, the Thai Air Force's poor relation, Bangkok Airways, is a ramshackle outfit offering more aerial adventure than is generally desirable. Prudent flyers should think seriously about flying Thai Airways International to the port of Surat Thani and taking the three-hour boat journey across. See also : From and to Bangkok

Getting Around
If you have a sense of adventure, by all means rent a moped. It's a great way to get around and take in the beauty of the island. But know the risks, from those who have dared before. More tourists leave the island with burns, scrapes, and fractures than not.

Tourist Information
An information center has recently opened on the island, on Taveerajpak Road in Tambol Angthong (66-77-420-504). The head office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is on Bamrung Muang Road in Bangkok (66-02-226-0060).

The weather
December to February (main season) it is up to 30?C (86?F). Sometimes a short tropical rain, mostly in December. This is the best season for European people, because it is not too hot.
March to June it becomes very hot, up to 40?C (114F), are rarely raining. You will enjoy to have a bungalow with air condition !
July to September (main season) is hot, but some days its raining. August is called the Italian season (you can guess why).
June, October, November are rainy seasons. But its not raining every day. In contrast to other regions of Thailand, Samui not really have a raining season. But sometimes there are sunless periods of 2 or 3 days.

You haven't done Samui until you've
- Explore the Anthong National Marine Park.
- Visited the Butterfly Garden.
- Photographed the two graphically genital geological formations. "The Grandfather Stone" and "Grandmother Stone".
- Leisurely driven around to the "Big Six" most popular beaches.
- Driven to the highlands and enjoyed the panoramic view.
- Enjoyed the delicious local seafood.
- Paid respects to the Big Buddha who sits serenely on a hilltop shrine.
- Take a bath under the Namuang Waterfall.
- Visit the Sawadee Internet Cafe at Lamai mainroad.

The beaches

Chaweng Beach

Chaweng Beach

Chaweng Noi Beach

Chaweng Noi Beach

Chaweng beach
Samui's most popular and lively beach. Along the seven kilometer stretch can be found some of the island's best hotels, together with and endless number of bungalows, beach bars restaurants, discos and shops. The strip splits naturally into three sections, with the resort town located in the central area. In recent years it has blossomed into the island's second largest town, and is a magnet for visitors from all over the island. all the attractions are easily accessed by the road which runs parallel the beach Central Chaweng Beach has the greatest concentration of venues, and most of the nightlife attractions are located here.

Sunset Chaweng Beach

A good choice of music venues ranges from traditional Thai to jazz, rock to reggae, and many of them keep going until dawn. For a quieter evening there are plenty of bars and restaurants right on the beach, offering a dreamy view of the Gulf. Food lovers can find just about anything, whether it be Thai or western, and there are some very good seafood restaurants. Chaweng has the greatest number of dive shops on Samui, many of which organize night dives off the beach. Despite all the activity, however, Chaweng still maintains the classic image of a palm-fringed tropical beach.

Lamai beach
Samui's second most popular beach, Lamai is a little quieter, a little looser, and a little cheaper than Chaweng. There is something distinctly boom-town about the main strip, which is generally referred to as Lamai Gulch, with its bars, diners and shops crammed together along the roadside and down the dusty sidelanes. Ride or walk to the back of the beach road and you're in the heart of banana groves and coconut plantations, and you can take a mountain bike ride up the hilltracks and into the rugged interior. Or follow the road down past the headland where the famed Grandfather and Grandmother rocks attract picnicking Thais. There is a charming old monastery with a tiny museum, and a number of local gyms where you can take Thai boxing lessons. Also a choice of dive shops and? even a couple of meditation centers. After dark Lamai Gulch changes its sleepy daytime persona and becomes a jumping nightspot. There are some real home-style alfresco places with Thai and western food, the saloons offer live bands, video features and a variety of food styles, and there are several discos which start swinging at about midnight. Central Lamai has a broad selection of bungalow type accommodation, ranging from the budget end of the scale to the magnificent, the latter with landscaped gardens, swimming pool and seclusion.

Lipa Noi & Taling Ngam Beach
Ta-Ling Ngam Beach is a quiet and remote enclave, far from the crowds, with almost the only building being the luxury resort built here.

Maenam Beach
Maenam Beach is some two kilometers to the west of Bophut. There is a largish village here with several small restaurants and some dive and windsurf centers. Maenam has a smooth white beach running for four kilometers along the calm, scenic day. This is a pleasant, secluded spot for swimming and sunbathing, and attracts families and honeymooner. For nightlife you need to travel.

Big Buddha Island

Big Buddha

Pier at Big Buddha Beach

Pier at Big Buddha Beach

Big Buddha Stairs

Big Buddha

Big Buddha Beach
Big Buddha Beach is to the east of Bophut and takes its name from the twelve meter tall statue sitting out on an islet connected to Samui by causeway. This is part of the Koh Fan temple, which is the focal point of this area; there is no town as such, although there are plenty of little shops and restaurants around the temple. The beach itself is very quiet and peaceful and the waters are calm.

Choeng Mon Beach
Choeng Mon Beach is eastwards past Big Buddha. A remote and quiet part of the island it has several smaller capes and bays, some of which have been developed into self-contained resorts. Owing to the geography of Choeng Mon there is no central village: this really is where you can get away from it all.

Information
- All regular services stop around the island at 21.00 hours. There are 24 Hour services from the centers of Lamai and Chaweng but be prepared to negotiate depending on the distance and the number of people.
- Stores and shops all close at 19.00 in Nathon.
- Exchange counters close at 19.00 in Nathon.
- Make sure you reconfirm your flight at least 72 hours before your departure.
- Beware of touts and guides selling interior goods at high prices on the beach and in town.
- Drugs are illegal in Koh Samui and Thailand imposes stiff sentences for possession.
- Do not leave your valuables in the car or unguarded on the beach.
- The sea is tough during the monsoon season.

Around the island

Bang Po Bay
Bang Po Bay is fringed with coral reefs and with its calm sea is one of the better places for snorkeling. There is some attractive bungalow style accommodation to be had here.

Thong Krut Bay
Thong Krut Bay is at the south side of the island. There is a tiny village here and some inexpensive accommodation. This is also a jumping-off point for Koh Taen, also known as Island of No Dog, and an unscheduled boat service will ferry you across the three kilometer stretch of water where those wishing to stay overnight can find bungalow accommodation.

Nathon
Until the recent popularity and growth of Chaweng, had been the busiest town on the island. Here can still be found all the government offices including the immigration department, plus the general post office, main police station, and the major banks. There are some antique wooden houses in the town, and a few hotels. A sight worth seeing is the catch landed by the fishermen on the seafront every evening for sale on the beach road. Nathon has some superb sunsets.

Hua Thanon
Hua Thanon is the biggest anchorage for fishing boats on the island. A charming Hainanese style fishing village straddles the main road, while there is a Moslem fishing community on the south side of the beach, noted for its colorful boats. Some lovely old houses can be seen in the coconut groves.

Baan Bo Phut

Baan Bo Phut

Bophut
Bophut is one of Samui's oldest settlements and remains a quaint little fishing village, with several of the seafront shop houses converted into restaurants. The beach itself is some two kilometers of white sand, and the tranquility of the bay makes this a popular spot for water skiing. At night there is a charming, romantic atmosphere, and Bophut is perfect for a little privacy.

Namuang Waterfall

Namuang Waterfall

Na Muang water fall
Na Muang Waterfall is located 10 km south from Nathon at Ban Thurian. There are 2 waterfalls. Na Muang one is 18 meter high and can be reached by vehicle. Na Muang two is about 80 meters high and can only be reached by a 30 minute walk. The waterfalls are the most scenic on the island.

Dive Exotic Thailand

Thailand has much to offer the visiting diver and snorkeller. There is a vast range of exhilarating sites of many different kinds, providing something for everyone, regardless of their qualification levels of experience. With over 2000km of coastline and hundreds of offshore islands the variety is phenomenal, encompassing everything from extensive fringing reefs to deep drop-offs, dramatic granite walls, caves and tunnels, coral-covered pinnacles, and sea-mounts in open ocean. Spectacular hard and soft corals abound, and the marine life is prolific, ranging from minute and colorful reef dwellers to Manta Rays, sharks and pelacig visitor such as Giant Barracuda, tuna, trevally and the mighty Whale Shark.

With the Andaman Sea to the west and the Gulf of Siam to the east, Thailand is unique in that it borders two distinct oceanic zones, each with their own peculiarities and marine life. Each side has its own distinct diving season.

Andaman Sea

Extending from Myanmar down past the west coast of Thailand to beyond the Malaysian border, the Andaman Sea forms part of the Indian Ocean. Many of the 155 islands in the Andaman Sea are uninhabited, and are crowned by lush primary vegetation tumbling down to a shoreline punctuated by idyllic sandy beaches. Most of the diving in this region is organized from Koh Phuket, the wellknown holiday island. The best time for diving is between October and May.

Towards the northern end of the Thai coastline, a series of grantic outcrops lie in deep, clear water with reefs descending to 28-30m and beyond in depth.

Further south the dive sites feature pristine corals and spectacular fringing reefs in potentially excellent visibility. Some of the finest dive sites are located here.

Gulf of Siam

The Gulf of Siam coast, at 1840km well over twice as long as the Andaman Sea coastline, follows a great parabola from border with Malaysia on the south coast around to Kampuchea and the southwest tip of Vietnam. The Gulf itself is a vast, shallow depression - generally less than 60m. There are 112 islands in the offshore waters of the Gulf, many with fringing reefs in interspersed with rocks and soft seabed. The best diving in the Gulf can be found in the Samui Archipelago. Most people use the tropical hideaway Koh Samui, the biggest of 80 islands as a convenient base for diving activities towards the northern part of the archipelago, mainly the Koh Tao area.

Sheer wall dives around submerged pinnacles, pelagics, tunnels and archways carpeted with irisdescent soft corals are just some of the highlights in this region. The best time for diving is between May and October.