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Koh Samui General Information | Where
to Stay in Koh Samui | Beaches of Samui
| Attractions of Samui | Getting
to Koh Samui | Getting around Ko Samui
| Getting to nearby Islands from Samui
Koh Samui General Information
Ko Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand, approximately 84 kilometers
east of Surat Thani Province, or approximately 700 kilometers south
of Bangkok. Known as the Coconut Island, Ko Samui is one of the
most famous and popular attractions of Thailand. With an area of
247 square kilometers, Ko Samui is the third largest island of Thailand
after Phuket and Ko Chang (of Trat Province). The topography of
the island is that of a plain with a mountain range in the middle
and 7 important streams. In addition, there is a 50-kilometer paved
road that encircles the island. Moreover, the area of the island
stretches to a group of 48 surrounding islets.
 Despite
the fast pace of development, Ko Samui has been able to maintain
its charm its classical image of a tropical beach resort fringed
by coconut trees. Travelers to the island can enjoy a mixed blessing
of vibrant day and nightlife along side with tranquility which can
easily be found across different parts of Ko Samui as the archipelago
is a peaceful home for fishermen and a natural den for seagulls
and other rare birds.
Hat Chaweng and Hat Lamai are Ko Samuis most beautiful and most
popular beaches. Both have a huge selection of accommodations suitable
for every budget. Please note that room rates increase during the
high season, from December to July, when Samui sparkles. The nightlife
of each beach is different: Hat Chaweng is better for couples, women
and families, while single men are drawn to the beer bar culture
of Hat Lamai. These resorts, as well as Na Thon (Samui's main town),
have communications, exchange and car/motorcycle hire facilities.
Other beaches include Hat Choeng Mon, Hat Mae Nam in the north and
Hat Na Thon, the island's major seafront settlement where shops,
restaurants and tour agencies are concentrated.
Apart from its many lovely beaches and tranquil bays, Ko Samui
is also noted for its high quality coconuts that grow densely everywhere.
The best time to visit Ko Samui is from February to April when the
sea is calm. The Southern dialect and the standard Thai language
are spoken while English is widely understood in tourist areas.
BEACH OF KOH SAMUI
 Pha
Ngan
Pha Ngan is easily accessed by daily ferry boats from Surat Thani,
or from Maenam and Bophut piers in Samui. These boats call at Thong
Sala and Haad Rin from where many resorts are accessed by pickup
truck over rough tracks. A few can only be reached by small boat.
Koh Pha Ngan is particularly beautiful, being high and rugged, wiitht
rocky headlands of huge granite boulders separating the many tropical
beaches set in coves lined with coconut palms.
Koh Tao
 Koh
Tao is the smallest and remotest of the three major islands. While
it takes most boats about three hours to get there from Samui, the
new speedboat service from Bophut and Na Thon can do it in under
two hours. But the most important access is that through Chumpon,
from where there are both speedboat and ferry service. The island
is similar in geography to its bigger brothers to the south, Samui
and Pha Ngan. Here again are many rocky headlands piled high withhuge
granite boulders. There are fewer beaches, though those few are
particularly beautiful.
Koh Tao's real fame the underwater realm surrounding the island
that has established its reputation. There is a thriving dive industry
on the island, and for those who have never dived before, Koh Tao
offers ideal conditions in which to learn.
Chaweng
This is the most popular and developed of Samui's beaches. Despite
the recent development ,Chaweng maintains the classic image of a
tropical beach fringed by coconut palms.
With the new popular bars and quality restaurants along the back
road, Chaweng is 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.
 Lamai
This second- most popular of Samui's beaches. Visitors are charmed
by the open market and the old monastery, which includes a local
museum. Take a walk or ride a mountain bike just back of the beach
road and you'll discover peaceful coconut and fruit groves.
Beachside attractions include health and meditation centres, dive
shops and a Thai boxing school. The Grandfather and Grandmother
rocks at Lamai are worth a visit.
North Coast
This part of the island is less developed than the east coast beaches
of Chaweng and Lamai, and may afford a greater sense of having got
away from it all. This is one of the best beaches on the island
for windsurfing or sailing dinghies and catamarans.
The Big Buddha, a huge Buddha image presiding over a popular shrine
is a prime attraction for visitors. Bophut is also one place to
get boats across to Koh Pha Ngan, to the north.
West Coast
Many visitors never see much of this side of the island beyond the
pier. There is much to reward the explorer, however, often right
in town. There's a fascinating fresh food market and some back streets
with old houses displaying very traditional lifestyles.
Just beyond town there are scenic walks up to waterfalls high in
the hills, and rustic herbal medicine centres. Some of the island's
best know temples are found along the west coast, as well, and make
for a relaxing morning's excursion.
ATTRACTIONS OF KOH SAMUI
Nang Yuan Island
A 4 hours by ferry from Samui or 4 hours ( 2 hours by speedboat
) from Chumpon, this island is already a fine and remote refuge.
This tiny island of Nang Yuan, lying off the northwestern end of
Koh Tao, is more of a getaway.
 The
Big Buddha
On the north coast of Samui you'll find this popular shrine and
meditation centre.
The gaudy bazaar within the temple grounds offers souvenirs both
secular and religious- everything from T- shirts and hats to protective
amulets.
Sea Canoeing
Ang Thong Marine National Park, just to the north of Samui, is a
group of lovely steep- side limestone islands fringed with forest,
an ideal cruising ground for yachts and a sometimes destination
for divers.
Butterfly Farm
The Butterflies on the Samui farm flit about naturally amid tropical
foliage. Besides observing at close range some of the region's most
beautiful butterflies, you can witness the breeding cycle of some
species that are taised on the spot. The farm is set up on a hillside
overlooking the ocean on the southeast corner of the island.
GETTING TO KOH SAMUI
From Bangkok
By air
Bangkok Airways flies from Bangkok to Ko Samui 13 times daily. The
flight takes about one hour and 10 minutes. It also offers daily
flights between Phuket and Samui. For more information, call its
Bangkok office, 0 2229 3456, 0 2229 3434, Samui office, 0 7742 2512
- 9 or Samui Airport Office 0 7724 5601-8.
By bus
Air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok's Southern
Bus Terminal for Surat Thani several times daily. The trip takes
about 11 hours. For further information, call 0 2435 1199, 0 2435
1200 (air-con), 0 2434 5557 - 8 (non-air-con).
By car
From Bangkok, take Highway 4 (Buddha Monthon Road) through Phetchaburi
and Chumphon Provinces and then drive on to Highways 41 and 401
to Surat Thani Province. From Surat Thani, visitors can take their
cars to Ko Samui through a vehicle ferry at Donsak Pier. The trip
takes 1.30 hours.
By rail
Several trains leave Bangkok's Hualamphong Station for Surat Thani
daily. The trip takes about 12 hours. Train / bus / ferry combination
tickets are also available. For more information, call Hualamphong
Railway Station, 0 2223 7010, 0 2223 7020.
From Surat Thani to Ko Samui
1.Express boat
1.1 An express ferry boat of Songserm Travel departs from Tha
Thong Pier in Surat Thani at 8.00 a.m. and arrives at Na Thon Pier
in Samui at 10.30 a.m. every day. For the return trip, the boat
leaves Na Thon Pier at 2.00 p.m. and reaches Tha Thong at 4.30 p.m.
1.2 Express boats of Seatran Express operate three times a day
between Ban Don and Ko Samui. Departure times are 7.00 a.m., 12.30
p.m. and 2.30 p.m. The trip takes two hours.
2. Ferry Boats of Seatran
Seatran Ferry, which can accommodate 60 cars and 400 passengers,
operates several trips per day between Don Sak (Surat Thani) and
Ko Samui, from 5.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. The trip takes about 1.30
hours.
3. Night ferry
A slow night ferry leaves Ban Don Pier nightly at 11 p.m. and reaches
Na Thon Pier at Samui around 5 a.m. (6 hours). For the return trip,
the boat leaves Na Thon Pier at 9.00 p.m. and arrives at Ban Don
Pier at 4.00 a.m. (7 hours).
GETTING AROUND KOH SAMUI
Samui is an explorer's dream to discover something new. Offering
a wealth of diversity of landscape, vistas, flora and fauna, and
yet small enough to seek adventure in its many out-of-the-way places,
Samui is best seen by taking songthaews (red local bus) which operate
around the island. The fare starts at 20 baht, depending on the
distance of the destination.
By Taxi
For many reasons, the least suitable for exploring, but the
safest and easiest way to get to the destination is to go by taxi.
The official taxi service time is until 9.00 p.m. Visitors are recommended
to negotiate strongly for the fare and keep in mind that negotiation
should always be dome before boarding. Note that the fare at night
will be escalated.
By a rented Jeep
Rented Jeep, 4WD, is available from many family-owned agencies
and some well known large companies. The vehicle will serve as the
basic means of transportation taking visitors around many hillside
natural and man-made attractions which are easily accessible from
the ring road. Some of these vehicles come with insurance, but the
coverage is limited. Always ask for details first. The minimum price
is from 800 baht.
By Motorcycle
A more flexible way to get around the island, rented motorcycle
costs approximately 200 baht / day. Beware, as roads other than
the main roads on Ko Samui are quite rough in some parts.
GETTING TO NERAR BY ISLANDS FROM SAMUI
1. Ko Pha-ngan
1.1 Na Thon Pier (Ko Samui) -- Thong Sala Pier (Ko Pha-ngan)
Songserm Travel Co. operates ferry boats and express boats between
Na Thon Pier on Ko Samui and Thong Sala Pier on Ko Pha-ngan, four
times a day. The trip takes about 45 minutes for express boats,
and one hour for ordinary ferry boats.
1.2 Bo Phut (Ko Samui) -- Hat Rin (Ko Pha-ngan)
There is a ferry boat leaving Bo Phut for Ko Pha-ngan twice daily
at 9.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. The return trips depart Hat Rin on Ko
Pha-ngan at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.
2. Ang Thong Islands
Visitors can hire a boat on Ko Samui to Ang Thong. The charge
depends on the boat size and number of passengers. The trip takes
1.30 hours. It is also possible to join a full-day excursion organized
by tour operators in Ko Samui.
3. Ko Tao
Boat services for Ko Tao are available at Na Thon Pier of Ko
Samui.
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