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Koh Samui

Destination: Koh Samui - Thailand

Destination: Koh Samui - Thailand

Visitors come from across the globe to experience the tropical beaches of Koh Samui, vast variety of marine life, world-class international cuisine, luxurious spas and so much more.  Away from the just as popular peaceful holiday locations of the north and west coast the main town of Chaweng is renowned for it's endless sandy beach and it's awesome nightlife and is complimented with some of the finest restaurants on the island.

Koh Samui is situated in the Gulf of Thailand and being 247sqkm in size is Thailand's 3rd largest island

The island was discovered as an idyllic destination by backpackers in the mid 70’s and it is now evolved into one of South East Asia’s top vacation destinations having a broad appeal attracting a multinational melting pot of backpackers, budget travellers and an ever increasing number of the world's wealthiest guests looking to stay in luxury beachfront holiday rental villas and upmarket hotels. It is a very much a choose-your-own-adventure island that strives to grant every visitor their ultimate holiday wish, with an abundance of activities on the water or land-based.

 

 

 

About Koh Samui

Koh Samui is situated in the Gulf of Thailand and being 247sqkm in size is Thailand's 3rd largest island

Koh Samui, one of the newest Thailand holiday resorts having been discovered by backpackers in the mid 70’s is now one of South East Asia’s top vacation destinations and is very much a choose-your-own-adventure island that strives to grant every visitor their ultimate holiday wish.

Every year visitors are drawn to marvel at the unspoilt beauty and relax in a sun-drenched embrace.

Koh Samui is a pearl in the Gulf of Siam. This beautiful island epitomizes the idyllic simplicity of a tropical hideaway. It is characterised by beaches of soft white pearlescent sand, azure crystal clear waters and bright clear sunshine.

Taking over from the original industries of fishing and coconut farming, Koh Samui executes its thriving tourism industry with panache. The island provides the best in hospitality and you can experience international standard vacationing with 5 star luxury beach hotels and luxury beach villas established to carefully blend in with the tropical palmed beaches.

The inner mountains and forests areas are densely populated with coconut trees and lush jungle and is mostly uninhabitable, therefore life generally revolves round the beautiful white sand beaches. The perfect location to unwind.

As the accommodation on Koh Samui has become more sophisticated, so have the opportunities for dining out. There are fantastic restaurants and fine dining opportunities all over Koh Samui. 

Where is Koh Samui?

Located in the Gulf of Siam south east of Bangkok, Koh Samui (Koh meaning island) is just 12km from it's neighbouring island Koh Phangan and 35km from the nearest mainland point where access to the island can be by sea. Samui boasts a picturesque mountain ridge that runs east to west with lush tropical landscapes swooping down to the palm fringed sandy shores.

How to get to Koh Samui

By far the simplest way to travel to Koh Samui from the Thailand mainland is by air with a flight of 45 minutes from the capital Bangkok.
Koh Samui has an award winning boutique International airport operated by Bangkok Airways who have the majority of flights into Koh Samui.
Other domestic arrivals can be made from Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Pattaya with direct international flights from Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

If you think arriving at Koh Samui Airport is fun the departure experience is just as enchanting

Alternatively several ferries run from Surat Thani or Donsak. The mainland is only 35km away and is a pleasant slow journey to take in, once there it is very easy to connect with bus or train services. Please note however, that ferry times change frequently and long waits are common so a degree of patience is necessary. Boats also connect the neighbouring islands of Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.

The management of our Koh Samui villas will arrange for transportation to your villa as there are no taxis at the airport.

Located in the Gulf of Siam south east of Bangkok, Koh Samui (Koh meaning island) is just 12km from it's neighbouring island Koh Phangan and 35km from the nearest mainland point where access to the island can be by sea. Samui boasts a picturesque mountain ridge that runs east to west with lush tropical landscapes swooping down to the palm fringed sandy shores.

Koh Samui has a coastline made up of good number of various size beaches and secluded coves separated by headlands and connected by spur roads from the main Koh Samui road.

There are no private beaches on Koh Samui but some hotels or resorts have taken up some of the more remote beach coves and the only access is through the properties or by sea with kayak, jet ski etc.

The most famous of beaches and the most popular is the 5km Chaweng Beach. This busy beach commercialised beach stretches down the east coast to the southern tip and has the whitetist sand and calm waves and lined with hotels and small resorts. This is in quite a contrast to the palm fringed quieter beaches of the north, south and west coasts of the island.

Ban Tai Beach (Bang Por)

North - Separated from Maenam beach by a headland this "out of a holiday brochure" type quiet palm fringed beach is lined with small hotels, bungalows and small villa projects. Swimming is limited to the shore due to an offshore reef

Bang Po Beach

North - Continuing on from Ban Tai beach this palm fringed beach is close to the Samui ring road at the western end where only a line of rustic restaurants separate the beach from the road. Thai style villa projects occupy other parts of the beach.

Bang Rak Beach

North East – At one time known as the ‘Residents’ beach as many of the expats have settled in this area on arrival. There is a hive of water activity as the main tourist piers to Koh Tao and Koh Phangan are located on this beach. Soft white sand and a great swimming beach all year round

Bophut Beach

North - Located between Big Buddha and Maenam beaches and occupied mostly by the Fisherman's Village, Hotels and Resorts. The sand is grittier than some of the other Koh Samui beaches with the central area being best for swimming being rocky and muddy either end.

Chaweng Beach

East – The most popular beach on Koh Samui which is 5km long and suitable for swimming most of the year is located on the east side of the island. this beautiful sandy beach is lined with hotels and restaurants with a road running parallel with vibrant nightlife and shopping available.

Chaweng Noi Beach

East - A quiet and more or less an exclusive beach to the 5 upmarket hotels that are located here. This beautiful beach has wide sands and the sea is swimmable most of the year. Individual good value restaurants sit at one end of the beach

Choeng Mon Beach

North East - A beautiful sandy bay that could easily be missed when driving round the island. This is an ideal family beach lined with small bamboo restaurants, sun loungers and umbrellas and can be reached through short tracks from the main village.

Coral Cove

South East - Steep steps lead down to this beach through a bungalow resort located close to Crystal beach on the Chaweng- Lamai ring road. Bordered by large boulders this small beach is a private paradise with the boulders creating other smaller beach coves.

Crystal Beach

South East -also known as Thongthakian Beach on the road from Chaweng to Lamai this quiet sandy cove is ideal for families as there is shallow clear water and rounded boulders for the kiddies to play on. Shade is provided by the overhanging trees - no sun loungers or umbrellas.

Laem Noi Beach

North West - There are two parts to Laem Noi beach separated by a rocky headland. West of the headland the beach is bordered by villas against the main ring road whereas the beach around the headland is more remote. Both beaches having stunning views.

Laem Set Beach

South - An unspoilt sandy beach with rounded boulders that separate the beach into small coves at one end. The rest of this quiet beach is a wide expanse of sand most of the year due to the low tides where other activities and beautiful scenery can be enjoyed.

Laem Sor Beach

South - A very quiet unspoiled sandy palm fringed beach protected by a coral reef so swimming is not possible at certain times due to the low tide but opens up to a wide expanse of sand for other activities. The beach is rockier towards the western end.

Lamai Beach

South East - The second most popular beach after Chaweng beach which is 3km long with white sands, clear water. The best part for swimming is the south end where it has the widest strip. The centre and south end of the beach has a good choice of restaurants.

Lipa Noi Beach

West - A beautiful sandy 3km long beach located to the north of a headland and is swimming almost all year round and a great jogging beach. This amazingly quiet beach experiences beautiful sunsets is lined with small resorts and an up market beach club at one end.

Maenam beach

North - A beautiful long soft white sandy all year round swimming beach which is amazingly quiet and lined with a few hotels, private homes, luxury villas and some remaining backpacker bungalow resorts and rustic Thai style restaurants.

Nathon Beach

West - As this is a commercial area the beaches are mainly used by the fishermen and their long tail boats and there are very low tides. To the south of the main town however the large expanse of sand does provide for other activities on the beach such as kiteboarding.

Natien Beach

South East - Protected by a coral reef, swimming and snorkeling is only possible beyond that at certain times of the year. Mostly occupied by resorts the wide expanse of sand the rest of the year provides for plenty of other activities such as kiteboarding and volleyball.

Plai Laem Beach

North East - A peaceful palm fringed beach easily missed on a tour around Koh Samui. There is a very low tide so it is not swimmable for most of the year but has soft white sands and a stunning view over to Koh Phangan and great sunsets.

Samrong Bay

North East - On the east side of the north east peninsular of Koh Samui this small bay is shared by 2 hotels and a villa resort. The only access is through the resorts where there are security gates however all beaches on Koh Samui are public.

Taling Ngam Beach

South West - A relatively unspoiled quiet beach with quite narrow sands bordered with a few high end resorts and private luxury villas. Ideal for those looking for peace and quiet and experience stunning sunsets over the famous Five Islands

Thong Krut Beach

South - The west end of Thong Krut Bay is the only soft sand beach area bordered by palm trees and fronts a few luxury villas.and some of the restaurants in the village. Due to a low tide and the fact that it is a fishing village swimming is restricted to high tide during a few months in front of the villas.

Thongson Beach

North East - A short distance north of popular Choeng Mon this picturesque beach is quite hard to find. Shared only by a hotel, a few bungalows and a Thai style restaurant the beach is ideal to relax on and enjoy the view after a spot of lunch

Tong Yang Beach

West - A white sands palm fringed beach to the south of the naval base peninsula at Lipa Noi.There is an offshore reef and swimming is limited at certain times of the year.Tong Yang beach is also home to some of our finest Koh Samui fully staffed luxury beachfront villas.

Koh Samui has so many choices when it comes to getting out there and really enjoying yourself with the various activities on offer.

The islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and the stunning Angthong Marine Park make up what is known as the Koh Samui archipelago.  The waters surrounding these islands are perfect for exploring the vivid sub aquatic life and there are a number of tour operators offering boat trips for diving, snorkelling, kayaking and sight seeing.

There are now a number of Watersports Centres around the island offering offshore activities, such as jet ski tours, kiteboarding and wind surfing and wave boarding.

Alternatively you can have free reign tearing around the go-kart track, join a jeep safari trip through the jungle of inner Koh Samui, a must see cultural trip visiting temples like the golden Big Buddha, or enlist on a Thai cooking class and learn the secrets of the amazing local cuisine.

Koh Samui Spa and Wellness

Long before wellness tourism became mainstream, Samui lured those in search of healing, new-age therapies and Asian beauty secrets. Today, the island is the Spa capital of Thailand with several dedicated holistic health, weight loss, detox and yoga resorts such as Kamalaya and Absolute Sanctuary offering all-inclusive packages to stimulate mind, body and soul.

There is also a great selection of stand-alone day spas, such as the award-winning Tamarind Springs while top-end resort spas such as Banyan Tree's hydrothermal The Rainforest also welcome out-of-house guests.

There are activities and something to do for everyone on Koh Samui - if you can tear yourselves away from lazing around the private pool at your Koh Samui villa.   

Watersports and Sea Tours

Water ski

The busier beaches of Chaweng and Lamai will have speed boats offering the traditional water ski trips and lessons and some will also offer wakeboarding, paragliding and banana boat rides.

Windsurf and Paddleboard

Windsurfing and Paddleboard rental is available on Lamai beach as well as lessons for both kiddies and adults. Maenam beach also a windsurfing facility as well as other sail boats.

Kayaking

Kayaks can be hired on most of the beaches around Koh Samui either through hotels or concessions for paddling around locally.

Diving and Snorkelling

Koh Samui does not have much in the way of coral and therefore very little marine life. Many dive companies operate diving and snorkeling trips to other dive sites as well as PADI dive courses.

Deep Sea Fishing Trips

The waters surrounding Koh Samui are teaming with fish and there are many day or night-time game fishing tours available, catering for beginners and experts with all equipment provided.

Sight Seeing Boat Trips

One of the most popular is to the stunning islands of the Angthong National Marine Park Optional snorkelling and kayaking is usually available with equipment provided and lunch. A private speedboat trip around Koh Samui's coast exploring secret beaches is another option.

Kiteboarding

Kiteboarding is availabel on Koh Samui at two locations at different times of the year on the south and west coasts when the water is shallow and has ideal conditons

Cocosplash

An adventrure playground for  great day out for the family with fun for kids of all ages and the adults! Swimming pools, waterslides, boating, bungee trapeezing, mini go karts, mini golf course, tree to tree rope bridge course (2 levels), inflatable bouncey castle.

Sailing Charters

A great way to see the coastline of Koh Samui for a few hours or have an overnight stay visiting other islands is to charter a sailing boat. Different size boats all for a romantic sunset cruise for two or to have fun with a large group of family or friends.

Other Activities

Namuang Safari Park

Tours include 20min ATV Quad bikes fun , elephant trekking and show and a cable ride which includes one ride for 6 - 11yearolds.

Go Karts

There are three Go Kart tracks now on Koh Samui and provides a fun time for all the family. There are both single and double karts should you wish to drive wth younger kids.

Football Golf

Get family and friends playing, laughing and enjoying this fun game of kicking the football into 18 holes on a tropical course with a cold drink provided.

Muay Thai Boxing

The national sport of Thailand with venues to spectate or partake in professional Muay Thai are found in Chaweng and Lamai.

Golf

There is a PGA International championship 18 hole par 72 golf course and two 9 hole courses all with stunning views. There are also two driving ranges.

Temple Visits

There are many temples in and around Koh Samui representing the history and the different cultures of the Thai residents all well worth a visit some of which have amazing views.

Shopping

There is ample souvenir and fashion shopping in the popular coastal towns with Koh Samui’s biggest shopping "mall" Central Festival located right in the centre of Chaweng. There are also the "Walking Street" markets in different places every night of the week

Walking Street Markets

There is a "walking Street" market in one of the towns and villages on everyday of the week - the most popular being the "Od Fisheman's Village" at Bophut which takes place on a Friday night from around 4pm until 10 - 11pm.

4 W/D Jeep Jungle Tour and Waterfall

Enjoy an exhilarating trip on the back of a jeep through Koh Samui's jungle and across rivers reaching the highest point on the island experiencing amazing view.

Cinema and Ten Pin Bowling

There is just one cinema at the present time located at the Tesco Lotus Supermarket and shopping mall alongside a small bowling alley. Another bowling alley is located in the centre of Chaweng.

Thai Cookery School

SITCA is the original Thai cookery school on Koh Samui based in Chaweng and has both morning and afternoon sessions to learn all about the ingredients and preparation. The manager of your luxury Koh Samui villa will be able to assist with recommending other cookery schools nearby.

Eating out in Koh Samui

Koh Samui has developed into a gourmet paradise with an amazing choice of restaurants with menus created by top international chefs who have settled here to serve the travellers in the luxury tourism sector brought about by  the number of Koh Samui luxury villa rentals available and the high end hotels chains that have moved in. Naturally the delicious freshly made Thai food can also be enjoyed whether you choose to eat from the roadside stalls or dine in style with cutural and traditional surroundings accompanied by a 5 star service.

The main town of Chaweng beach has a high concentration of internationally acclaimed restaurants as well as the resort restaurants on the beach and more recenty the sophisticated Beach Clubs serving top class food and beverages for "Sunday Brunch"  around the poolside accompanied by music and entertainment.

The new tropical style open air shopping experience - Central Festival - has a good choice of contemporary style al fresco dining on both floors as well as the normal family favourites such as KFC and Dairy Queen and both Chaweng and Lamai have a MacDonalds. They have solved the parking problem with a large underground car park entered from the "lake road".

At the ‘Old Fisherman’s Village’ of Bophut and you will find high quality reasonably priced Thai food in a mega choice of restaurants on either side of the villa streets with those on the ocean-side offering fine international cuisine as well as romantic candelight dining on the beach

From aromatic Thai food to international 5 star cuisines, Koh Samui caters for every taste with an extensive choice of places to eat.

Koh Samui Nightlife

When the sun goes down, Chaweng and Lamai come to life and offers spectacular evening entertainment for all ages in the form of beach bars, western style pubs most of which feature in live music and large screen TV and of the course the all night clubs starting at midnight.

In Chaweng centre particularly, the noise and loud music cannot be avoided after 8.30pm at night and will continue on into the early hours of the morning in certain areas on the beach and along the beach roads.

Resorts also provide magnificent entertainment such as dinner cabarets, where professional singers and dancers display their talents in stylish surroundings. Sophisticated Beach Clubs are also being established such as Nikki Beach at Lipa Noi that put on special party events.

Other areas of Koh Samui that have any form of nightlife at all do not stay open much after midnight at all and is more subdued in places such as the Old Fisherman's Village at Bophut which although has two or three pub bars really focuses on fine dining and the bistro scene.

The Big Buddha/Bang Rak area is frequented mostly by residents rather than tourists and there are hostess bars and sports bars that do get noisy at times however they are concentrated in one area and many close before the early hours.

Googlemap of all Koh Samui villas


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