Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui is Thailand 's third largest island and is located on the east coast in the middle of the southern gulf area and is part of the archipelago containing
Koh Tao and Koh Pha-Ngan.

The first settlers here were from Hainan, an island which is now part of China . These settlers became coconut farmers and Koh Samui's many palm trees still give a large crop of coconuts. However the inhabitants of the island now make far more money from tourism than they could ever hope to make from coconut farming. The population of the island refer to themselves as chao Samui rather than Thais and have a different culture and cuisine from the other islands.

Koh Samui started becoming popular with Western traveller from the 1980s onwards and is now quite crowded in high season (December to February and July to August). Koh Samui may be affected by the rain from July to October but the weather will still be mainly fine. There can be heavy winds from October to January. It can be hard to get accommodation at these times. Koh Samui still has a traveller air about it and it is more laid-back than other developed tourist resorts in Thailand . Koh Samui has many beaches, some are more developed than others and it is still possible to find quieter parts of the island.

With the influx of visitors, environmental issues are becoming a concern. Buildings are restricted in height to being no taller than the palm trees and policies are being formulated to deal with the increased amount of noise and rubbish on the island.

If you are bored of the beaches, there are plenty of other things to do. There are several temples worth visiting on the islands. Meditation courses are occasionally held for Westerners (farang) at Wat Pang Bua and there is a mummified monk on display at Wat Khunaram. Wat Phra Yai at the northern end has a large Buddha and Wat Samret has a marble sitting Buddha.

There are two waterfalls: Nam Tok Hin Lat accessible from Na Thon and Nam Tok Na Muang in the middle of the island. The latter has a pool large enough for swimming at the lower part of the falls.

Koh Samui has an airport. There are ferries from Surat Thani or the nearby islands of Kao Tao and Koh Pha-Ngan. Package deals are available to travel to Samui from Bangkok by train, bus and boat. These can be booked through travel agents . Travel around the island is by songthaews which are pickups with two benches which follow set routes, picking up and dropping off passengers on the way, or there are a few air-con taxis. It is possible to hire motorcycles but the roads aren't great and accidents are frequent.


Samui Beaches
Chaweng Beach / Chaweng Noi
Chaweng beach is the biggest one with very smooth sand and clear water. With discotheques, bars and shops, it is the main tourist center. There are many hotels and resorts located at Chaweng beach. The area is too large for walking. You need a taxi from the north end to the south. Chaweng Noi is the southern part of Chaweng.

Lamai Beach / Hinta Hinyai
Lamai beach is the second big tourist center. The beach is a little bit more rough and the water is deeper. It's an excellent location for swimming and has a well-known nightlife. Lamai can be discovered by walking, as the area is not as large as Chaweng. Hinta Hinyai is a famous rock formation at the southern end of Lamai Beach..

Big Buddha Beach / Bang Po Beach / Bophut Beach / Maenam Beach
located in the north of Samui has smooth sand and good swimming preferences.
These areas are more quiet than the big tourist centers Chaweng and Lamai.

Choengmon Beach / Hua Thanon / Coral Cove / West coast /Thong Tanote
Chengmon beach in the north east, Coral Cove between Chaweng and Lamai, Hua Thanon in the south east and the West coast of the island are beautiful locations set amongst coconut plantations. These areas are quieter than the big tourist centers Chaweng and Lamai.

Weather on Koh Samui, Thailand
Rainy Season
Koh Samui is a tropical island. Inland parts of the island are a dense tropical forest, expect some rain at anytime in any month on Koh Samui. The time of heavier and more consistent rain is October through to mid December.

Dry Season
When the rains stop and the plants grow wild and beautiful is the Dry Season, or as the Thais call it, winter. Winter on Koh Samui is usually 30C / 85F and sunny. This season is typically mid December through March.

Hot Season
When the ground has dried from a lack of rain and sand dusts the road, the Hot Season has started. The over-head tropical sun is brighter and hotter than usual. Many tropical fruits ripen during this season. This season starts in April and lasts until the cooling rain, which begins in September / October.