Yoga in Koh Samui

There has always been an interest in studying yoga in Thailand. Although yoga belongs to the Indian tradition, Thai massage has a strong medical aspect that also deals with blocked energies like yoga. The cultural connections between India and Thailand are clear in religion and language. Names of places such as Srithanu in Koh Phangan are references to Lord Shiva.

From a tourist point of view, many people seek to do something more than merely sit on a beach in Koh Samui during their holiday. The notion for many of doing nothing on holiday has been superseded by the desire to experience as much as possible, to even start a learning journey or to experiment with new ways of living. One popular way to do this is to practice yoga or even undertake a yoga teacher training course in Koh Samui.

Below are some of the options for doing yoga in Koh Samui.

Vikasa Yoga Retreat

Vikasa Yoga Retreat is located just south of Chaweng Beach. They have ocean front yoga salas. They offer drop in classes, yoga retreats and packages that include accommodation. They also run yoga teacher training courses that allow you to join the Yoga Alliance and become a registered and certified yoga teacher.

There is a restaurant and pool on the grounds of the resort. Naturally the restaurant serves healthy and vegetarian options.

www.vikasayoga.com

The Yogarden Samui

The Yogarden Samui is located in trendy Bophut / Fisherman's Village. They offer Iyengar, Pilates, Hatha and Ashtanga yoga. There is a pleasant covered yoga sala. It is a decent size and set in a quiet garden location.

They also do detox programs. They have a cafe full of yummy healthy food as well as a shop. They also offer Yin Yang Yoga teacher training.

www.theyogardensamui.com

Samahita Retreat

This yoga place is located on the quieter southern beach of Bang Kao Bay. It is a resort that offers a range of eco-friendly accommodation that is comfortable. They have good yoga facilities. They run fixed date yoga retreats, flexi date yoga programs and fixed date yoga training. They don't seem to have drop in classes as they want people to commit to at least a 3-day package.

Yoga styles include self-practice Mysore. They also incorporate cardio and specific strength training.

www.samahitaretreat.com

Kamalaya

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa is a 5 star resort offering a range of wellness packages and spa packages. This is a very well equipped resort that focuses on wellness programs to detox, rejuvenate and to touch on the spiritual.

At present they don't offer drop in yoga classes. Instead they have one-to-one tuition  in a program called 'yoga synergy'. The package includes accommodation, Thai massage, soft drinks and access to daily holistic fitness activities. A 3 night package starts at around 61,000 Thai Baht.

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic is located on Laem Set beach on the southern coast of Koh Samui.

www.kamalaya.com

Absolute Sanctuary

Absolute Sanctuary describes itself as a Moroccan-inspired boutique wellness resort. I think the Moroccan part refers to the soft furnishings and the design of the resort rather than to any particular style of yoga.

The resort is located in Cheong Mon. The resort features 2 yoga studios. Their teachers use a variety of yoga styles: hot yoga, Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga and hot flow. They also do breathing exercises and meditation.

Absolute Sanctuary offers drop in classes as well as bundles of lessons. A lesson starts at 750 Thai Baht. They also offer programs, wellness programs and detox programs. They don't do teacher training programs but they rent their yoga studios to those wanting to organise yoga retreats.

The onsite restaurant, the Love Kitchen, has plenty of vegetarian and healthy options on the menu.

The resort also has a communal pool.

http://www.absolutesanctuary.com/

Car Bomb in Koh Samui

On Friday 10th April, 2015 a car bomb exploded in Koh Samui. Although no one was killed an Italian girl and six Thais were injured. Police are investigating the bombing and are reticent to draw any conclusions.

The bomb went off in a Mazda pick-up truck late on Friday night. The car was parked in Central Festive Mall on the Chaweng Beach Road.

The attack clearly shows the intention of impacting the busy tourist trade on the island. Central Festive Mall describes itself as 'the most complete and largest lifestyle shopping complex in Samui’. It covers 90,000 square meters of retail space. It draws a large number of tourists as well as Thais. It is located in the biggest tourist center in Koh Samui.

You expect a bomb that explodes in such a location is intended to send out a clear message of shock and terror, and to effect the local economy which is heavily reliant on tourism in Chaweng.

Police have found the vehicle where the bomb was planted. It was registered in Yala Province in the south near the Malaysian border. It is an area that has seen a long time insurgency by Muslim separatists. Over the years they have set off bombs in southern Thailand as part of their insurgency.

Bomb deposal experts and forensic staff have covered the area. So far the police are refusing to commit to any definitive explanation of the event or mention any possible suspects. Since the world media scrutiny over the case of the double murder in nearby Koh Tao of two British tourists last year Thai police are keen to stick to following due process to avoid any more criticism.

Read Guardian report - http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/koh-samui-car-bomb-seven-people-hurt-on-thai-tourist-island

New Online Booking for Koh Samui

For those enjoying just a few days holiday in Koh Samui planning is essential to make travelling as stress free as possible. The biggest change in travel in Thailand has been the internet. People have access to lots of information about travel routes. And now 12go.asia has opened up some routes for online booking; these include the bus and ferry route between Koh Samui and Bangkok.

It used to be that you had to take time out of your holiday to get down to a travel agent to book tickets in advance for your journey in Thailand. I invariably got stuck in Khao San for the night because the Lomprayah coach and ferry was always sold out by the time we cleared international customs and got to their office in Khao San. Those days of having to either arrive on the day and take pot luck on getting tickets or having to go out of your way to organise tickets in advance are slowly disappearing.

Naturally you can book airline tickets online. Thai Air tickets are easily purchased online through their website. For a while you could use the Thai Rail site to reserve sleeper tickets. That only lasted a few months before the IT collapsed.

Luckily a private company has stepped into the breach. 12go.asia offers online booking for various journeys in Thailand. It is a modern looking website that is easy to understand. It clearly shows the prices and the times of departure and arrival. You just type in the route you are interested in along with the date of travel and the site lists available tickets for sale. You can buy tickets by credit card or by PayPal.

It is still early days for 12go.asia. Many journeys are not available. In many cases the website lists transport options but do not offer online booking. You can book a train from Bangkok to Suratthani City or Suratthani Airport but not the reverse journey. The best coverage is from Bangkok to various places in Thailand.

One of the problems with offering universal travel booking in Thailand is that there are so many small service providers. For example the Haad Rin Queen is not going to join anytime soon or the Thong Nai Pan Express.

I guess if they can improve the coverage for train journeys in Thailand and internal flights then that would be a massive step in the right direction. It allows holiday makers to reserve seats in advance so that they don’t have to worry about missing their flight back home or having to spend half a day booking tickets in advance.

Here is a brief list of links for booking travel tickets:

Book Lomprayah and Bus Koh Samui to Bangkok
Book Lomprayah and Bus Bangkok to Koh Samui

Koh Samui Meter Taxis

 First time visitors to Koh Samui are frequently left with a nasty impression of Koh Samui as soon as they decide to flag down a taxi. People generally accept that taxis from airports are an exception, but when they discover that island-wide taxis are a total rip off they ask themselves, "Why do the taxis have a big sign on their roof saying 'meter' when they refuse to go on the meter?"


It is a question that everybody has asked. The answer appears to be that the taxis on the island are run by mafia cartels. The high fares are fixed; market forces are not allowed to apply. Any driver using the meter would soon be out of a job. It thus came as some surprise that in 2014 the NCPO (National Council of Peace and Order) announced that Koh Samui taxis must go on the meter. They would be allowed to start at 50 THB and also add a final 50 THB to the final meter charge, but that must use the meter or...


Or else? While the military junta has shown its executive teeth in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, it seems that their edicts are ignored by the Koh Samui police force. It is easy to draw conclusions about why this is. Some points of consideration. Firstly, there are too many taxis on Koh Samui. Supply completely outstrips demand. This balance could be changed by setting up a license system just for Koh Samui that worked to a quota. Moreover, cheaper taxis (on meters) would soon encourage lots of visitors and ex-pats to use taxis instead of private cars, bikes and songthaews.


Another point of consideration is that most drivers don't own their own vehicles. They have to do as their employers tell them. While they risk being fined or having their license revoked for not using the meter, they risk losing their job if their employer get wind of them using the meter. The pricing fix will only work if no taxis break the monopoly.


There is a telephone line that unhappy customers can use to report taxis in Koh Samui charging too much. There are no official figures for how many calls they have received. At present a journey that would cost 100 Thai Baht in Bangkok costs 400 or more Baht in Koh Samui.


While costs are slightly higher for fuel etc. on Koh Samui this represents bad consumer value. The issue of low cost short journeys on a relatively small island penalises drivers that take customers short distances. The airport is privately owned and has done a deal with certain transport providers. They have another fixed price scheme that is also poor value for private taxis.


Thailand has always attracted people because of its air of freedom. It is a country that is famous for its gentle Buddhist manners and lack of regulation. The downside of this is that unscrupulous elements can embed themselves in seemingly secure positions in the ‘white’ economy. The new rulers in Bangkok are finding it difficult to overturn this state of affairs – making pronouncements and getting things changed are two entirely different matters.

On Street Bar

This is the name of a bar that is not surprisingly on the street in Chaweng, next to the Buri Rasa Resort. There is absolutely nothing new about this type of bar in either Koh Samui or in Thailand. After having been to this bar I am nearly totally ignorant as to why Trip Advisor rates the place as the number one bar in Koh Samui.

If you are starting up a small bar in Thailand with very little capital the best way to keep costs low is to use outdoor space with cheap tables and chairs. Beach bars in Koh Phangan, and once in Koh Samui, all followed this model. They were often made of driftwood and local materials. Most of the construction was the bar itself. Patrons had to sit outside on cushions or in a hammock. Decoration would be odd bits and pieces and of course rasta colours. Bars like this include Rolling Stone Bar in Mae Haad. They are fun, geared towards backpackers and sell cheap bottled beer.

Perhaps Koh Samui and Chaweng have insisted on re-inventing itself  for high-end tourists  so much that basic street bars now seem a novelty, and hence the unexpected favour which reviewers have bestowed On Street Bar.

The popularity of the bar seems to rest on the hospitality of the owners – Jim and More – who make guests feel at home. Many establishments in Koh Samui tend to take their customers for granted. Moreover, the late night venues in Chaweng have seen more than their fair share of drunken fools starting fights, not paying for their drinks and revealing their body parts. The staff and management are jaded with such types (but not the money they bring in). It is thus  refreshing to encounter friendly bar staff and owners who join in the festivities.

Another factor for On Street Bar’s success is its drinks list. It has some impressive items on the menu such as passion fruit and strawberry mojito. These drinks are cheaper than in the bars of the main resorts. No doubt lots of tourists decide the Buri Rasa bar drink prices are a bit on the steep side and then stumble upon On Street Bar just outside the resort that has a better atmosphere and better prices. The contrast is considerable and a good incentive to make the effort to write a Trip Advisor review.

Clearly people rate more highly cheap drink prices, fun atmosphere and friendly staff more than beachfront location, leather sofas and expensive wine.

Ladyboy Shows in Koh Samui

One of the most fascinating parts of Thai culture for the foreigner remains the phenomenon of the ‘ladyboy’. Although, most other countries where gay people are not persecuted have their own transsexual scene, it seems no other country has such a flamboyant and visible transsexual culture as Thailand. In Thai they have a cover-all phrase ‘katoey’ to refer to gays, lesbians, transsexuals and transvestites. The phrase seems imprecise not from lack of interest to distinguish but because there is a deep-seated acceptance of the third sex in Thailand. All those who are neither straight men nor women are in one way or another ‘katoey’. One of the oldest running jokes in Thailand remains the situation where an unsuspecting foreign man sleeps with a ladyboy mistakenly thinking it was a woman. The movie Hangover 3 re-ran this joke, and it never appears to go stale. If such gags tickle your fancy it might be worth your while checking out of one of the ladyboy cabarets in Koh Samui. If you watch the audience you are more than likely to spot a drunken young Westerner who is lapping up the attention of a ladyboy. It seems unlikely the young man is gay but it seems likely he is about to have a ‘gay’ experience. Women on holiday are often drawn to the ladyboy cabarets. They invariably mention how wonderful the performers’ costumes are, and how beautiful the ladyboys look. There seems an element of voyeurism and rivalry in the way foreign women relish a ladyboy show. There are 3 main ladyboy shows in Koh Samui.

Starz Cabaret

This place is on the Chaweng Beach Road. There is a cover charge to enter and drinks cost slightly more than in a normal bar. There are performances at 8pm and 10pm every evening except Sunday. It is a popular show with an element of interaction: the ‘girls’ will tease each other, and sometimes they find a willing member of the audience to take the piss out of. It is all good-humoured fun of the gay variety.

Christy’s Cabaret

This ladyboy show is in central Chaweng on the beach road. The main show is at 10pm but the club opens at 8pm. There is an entry fee. For this fee you get ‘girls’ in glamorous and outrageous costumes singing along to gay anthems. As with all the ladyboy shows in Thailand, the performers and their entourage mingle with the audience and are happy to lavish attention on drunk, young and handsome men.

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge is the only free ladyboy cabaret in Koh Samui. They make up the short-fall in revenue by increasing the price of the drinks. The shows are at 8pm, 9.30pm and 11pm. The nightclub is on the Chaweng Beach Road close to the burger king. The show is big and spectacular and features musical and burlesque elements and extravagant costumes. If you just want to have a look at what all the fuss is about Moulin Rouge is the place to go. Be sure to buy at least 1 drink or you will attract unwanted attention. A ladyboy cabaret is one of those must-do things when visiting the South of Thailand, like going to the Full Moon Party. I leave it up to the reader to decide whether they want to fall in line with received wisdom.

Bophut and Chaloklum

Bophut is one of the most interesting places to visit in Koh Samui. It retains a lot of the original wooden, Chinese style fisherman’s houses in the aptly named “Fisherman’s Village” at the entrance to Bophut. In Koh Phangan the northern village of Chaloklum is similar. In many ways these two villages and tourist destinations are similar.

Bophut

For many visitors to Koh Samui Bophut is the ideal location for a beach holiday. It has a long stretch of white sand beach lined with resorts. Most of the places to stay are in the mid-range and could be considered 3 or 4 star (not that the star system has any standard application). There is Sandy with pool, restaurant and air-con bungalows starting at 600 Thai Baht. There are a few budget places set back from the beach. There is the boutique styled Zazen and the branded Anantara Bophut Resort and Spa with excellent facilities, private pool villas and definitely worthy of 5 stars. In short there is a great choice of accommodation suiting all budgets. Many of the resorts back on to the beach. This means guests don’t have to deal with roads or noisy traffic.

Chaloklum

Chaloklum doesn’t have the same range of resorts or indeed any big hotels, but you can stay in relative comfort in places like Buri Tara Resort and Spa and Chaloklum Bay Resort. Outside of Thong Nai Pan Noi, Chaloklum has some of the nicest places to stay on Koh Phangan.  The village of Chaloklum is the centre of the small fishing industry in Koh Phangan. You can see old houses, longtail boats, bigger fishing boats and the men repairing their nets. Recently they have created a seafood area with a few great places to eat fresh BBQ fish as well as traditional southern Thai fish dishes.

As with Bophut, Chaloklum has a boutique feel to it with stylish bars and restaurants to enjoy such as the Mandalay.

Being Koh Phangan, it is not all up-market. There is still a strong backpacker presence. There is the Omega Bar with regular open mic nights. There is also the nearby beach of Haad Khom that is off the main electricity grid and has cheap and basic bungalows that can be got on a monthly rate.

There is plenty to do in Chaloklum such as archery, elephant trekking, and during the windy months, kiteboarding. There is sometimes a party at the nearby Paradise Waterfall. Yet, it remains a relaxed and peaceful spot far from the excesses of Haad Rin and the Full Moon Party; similar in a way to Bophut that has plenty of great bars but doesn’t have any pick up bars.

Since Bophut has its own ferry pier, as well the nearby Big Buddha, it is easy to jump on a boat to either Thongsala or Haad Rin. From there it is a 30 minute taxi ride to Chaloklum. If you are spending a bit of time on the islands it is worth checking out both places.

For more information about the best things to do on Koh Phangan click on this link and it will take you through to www.kohphanganhotelreviews.com. It is by far the best review site dedicated to Koh Phangan.

Samui Latin and Jazz Week

This year the Samui Jazz festival has been slightly changed – it is now to celebrate both jazz and latin music. This is not such a big departure since the two genres often cross over.

The festival will be held between 28th September and 6th October. Profits from the events go to the Green Island Foundation who support community projects.

The festival will be held at a number of locations around the island. The main stage is the beachfront at Amari Palm Reef.

Tickets to event cost 500 Thai Baht a person. There are a couple of free concerts on the main stage.

Here is the program:

Sunday 29 Sept: Fair House Villas & Spa in Maenam

20.00 Preview Concert Deborah Brown

21.00 Dina Medina & Cabo Cuba Jazz

Monday 30 Sept: Rocky's Boutique Resort in Lamai

20.00 Trio Peter Beets 'Tribute to Peterson'

21.00 Judith Nijland & the Beets Brothers

Tuesday 1 Oct: The Drink Gallery/ The Library in Chaweng

20.00 - 22.00 Saskia Laroo with 'Jazzkia'

Wednesday 2 Oct: The Passage Samui in Laem Yai

20.00 - 22.00 Miquel Rodriques feat. Nadia Basurto

Thursday 3 Oct: Centara Grand Beach Resort in Chaweng

20.00 - 22.00 Salsa Night with Nando Vanin

Concerts are with an entrance fee of 500 THB/ ticket. Tickets can be booked at the venues, via the website or at info@samuilatinandjazzweek.com

Main Stage

Friday 4 Oct + Saturday 5 Oct: Main Stage at the Beachfront of Amari Palm Reef in Chaweng

2 days of Free Concerts starting at 18.30 until midnight.

Expect an exciting line-up and fun evening with: Deborah Brown, Kho Mr. Saxman, Buntita, Changton, Cabo Cuba Jazz, Koran Daniels, Amik Guerra, Nils Fischer, Fabio Deldongo, Rolf Delfos, Alexander Beets and many more

Sunday 6 Oct: After Party at Secret Garden in Bang Rak

Koh Mudsum for Sale

It is a brag like no other to say you own a tropical island. Johnny Depp has his own private island, as does Richard Branson. Having your own island says you have really made it; more so than owning your own luxury yacht. For those interested, Koh Mudsum just off the south coast of Koh Samui, is up for sale.

There are two types of people who are likely to buy an island: rich people who want to develop the area and make money (usually from high-end tourism); and those who just want their own island.

When I read on the internet that Koh Mudsum was for sale I was shocked: Thailand has a strong official line that land is not sale to foreigners. Thailand is for Thai people. It is a slogan that Thaksin used very successfully during his last election.

How then could the authorities allow a foreigner to buy an entire island, even if it is a small and uninhabited island? The answer is that they don’t. Koh Mudsum is only available on a leasehold. That means you can rent it for 30 years. The cost is 8 million Thai Baht per rai. A rai is a parcel of land that is 40 meters by 40 meters.

A further caveat is that you cannot buy (or lease) the entire island: rather it comes in two parcels of land – one parcel is 44 rai and the other is 46 rai.

So Koh Mudsum is not for sale. Rather those who own the land wish to get rich quick, and then get the land back 30 years later! You would have to be very rich to even consider such a poor deal. However, all status symbols are ludicrous to some extent, and the more they cost the more ludicrous they seem.

You can catch a boat to Koh Mudsum from Baan Bang Kao. There are some boat tours that include snorkeling off the coast of Koh Mudsum.

If you want to 'buy' Koh Mudsum here is where you can start: http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/koh-mudsum

Difference between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan

Rasananda, Thong Nai Pan Noi, Koh Phangan

Just a few years ago tourists would instinctively, it seemed, know which island was for them – Koh Samui or Koh Phangan. It is no doubt a matter of expectations. Those who wanted high quality service, family activities, good roads, big shops and the safety of a mainstream tourist location chose Koh Samui. And those who wanted a less developed place with cheap accommodation, parties and more of a free atmosphere chose Koh Phangan.

The difference between the two islands is slowly becoming less clear. Koh Phangan is developing better infrastructure – the roads are being upgraded. The electricity supply has been modernized. There is now a Tesco Lotus in Thongsala. In 2012 a new reservoir was built near Thong Nai Pan that will do a lot to stop water shortages in the dry season. In 2013 they will start laying a telecommunications underwater line so that Koh Phangan will be connected to the mainland rather than going via Samui.

And of course, as most people now know, Koh Phangan Airport is being built. Many of the things you can find on Koh Samui you can now find on Koh Phangan – good hotels, villas with swimming pools, car rental, scuba diving, kiteboarding, ‘Western’ supermarkets etc. The things yet to come are big shopping malls, cinemas and activities such as indoor bowling, go carting, golf and visiting the zoo.

Despite these ‘deficiencies’ Koh Phangan has one ace up its sleeve in the game to attract visitors – its unique partying atmospheres, typified by the Full Moon Party.

Thong Nai Pan Noi in Koh Phangan has become a small beach that resembles a Koh Samui beach in that it is lined with high quality resort accommodation such as Rasananda, Santhiya, Panviman and Buri Rasa.

The two islands have always been intimately linked in their history and culture. Moreover, they both have a similar geography and ecology. Before tourism both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan made their money from coconuts and fishing. They were both inhabited since possibly the Stone Age.

You can very much feel the difference between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan when you visit at present (2013); however, it is likely that this feeling will diminish in time. We should be happy that currently we do have the choice. Enjoy both island paradises!

Fine Eating Options in Chaweng

There are a lot of restaurants to choose from in Chaweng. If you are looking for a fine dining experience rather than a cheap bowl of noodles or a quick burger and fries in Chaweng then the following list might help you decide where to have lunch or dinner.

Noori India

There are 2 Noori India restaurants along the Chaweng Beach Road – one opposite Chaweng Buri Resort and one next to Poppies Restaurant. If you like Indian cuisine these are the places to head for. The menu has favorite Indian and Mughalai dishes as well as some interesting Thai-Indian fusion dishes.

Sample Prices:

Samosas  60 – 180 THB
Tandoori snapper  350 THB
Chicken tikka masala 210 THB
Goan seafood curry  200 THB

Open from 11am to 11.30pm
They also have Indian cooking classes in the afternoon.

Poppies

Poppies is a stylish restaurant in Chaweng on the Chaweng Beach Road. Poppies has a great sea view spot for those who like to take in the natural scenery while eating.

The menu includes such Thai classics as:

Tom yum gong
Yam talay
Som tam with sticky rice
Gaeng phed pet yang (roast duck in red curry with grapes and pineapple)
Poo pad pong karee (sautéed crab in yellow curry)

Price:

Expect to pay about 800 THB a head

Open from 5.30pm to 11.30pm
On Saturday night there is traditional Thai music and dancing

Red Snapper Restaurant and Bar

The Red Snapper Restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Koh Samui. The restaurant is beach front next to Chaweng Resort. It can be accessed from Chaweng Beach Road opposite Starbucks.

The restaurant offers Mediterranean fusion dishes by a French chef. Food is served in relaxed surroundings. The restaurant is quite often full. Every night except Sunday diners are treated to live jazz.

Sample prices:

Grilled chicken on marinated bamboo in Moroccan spices 190 THB
Pan fried Hokkaido scallops and tiger prawns 390 THB
Red snapper fillet in herbs crust 520 THB

Open every day from 5pm to 1am. Free wifi in the restaurant

The Page (part of the Library)

The stylish minimal luxury resort called The Library has an equally stylish restaurant called The Page. It is a beachfront restaurant in Chaweng accessed from the Chaweng Beach Road. The Page offers Thai and Western fusion dishes.

Sample prices:

Ox cheek massaman curry with potatoes 420 THB
Grilled snow fish with 5 Asian flavors 650 THB
Tenderloin of Wagyu beef 2,500 THB
15 petit dinner – set of 15 signature dishes 1,500 THB per person

Open for dinner from 7pm to 11.30pm

Spirit House

Spirit House in Chaweng is often regarded as the place to get the best authentic Thai food in Koh Samui. It is located on the Chaweng Beach Road opposite Banana Fan Sea Hotel. The restaurant has attractive traditional Thai architecture featuring original walls and chedi from a former temple.

Recommended dishes include:

Phad Thai goonk
Laab salad
Tamarind prawn
Red duck curry

Open from 12pm to 10.30pm
They also have Thai cooking lessons

Wat Samret

Wat Samret is one of the lesser known gems of Koh Samui. It is located near Hua Thanon Village on the 4169 road between Lamai and Laem Set beaches on the east coast. Wat Samret is a fairly small and unassuming temple from the inside. It, however, has a small chapel, that the monks will open up on request. If not you can see inside from window slats.

Inside this chapel there is a large collection of stone Buddha statues all crowded together in a small space. As is tradition in Thailand these statues are draped in saffron robes in similar style to Thai monks.

The most prominent statues are a large seated Buddha and a large reclining Buddha. All the Buddha statues are guardians for the ancient White Marble Buddha in the chapel that is meant to have come all the way from India.

Other things worthy of note about Wat Samret is that it has one of the largest trees on the island behind. In the grounds there is a packed grave yard that is worth a look. It contains the grave of one foreigner.

As with Wat Khunaram a trip to Wat Samret offers something different for the visitor. For those bored of gold wats with tall roofs both these places will be of interest.

Taxis in Koh Samui

There is a certain knack to catching taxis in Thailand. The trick is to know the correct way to proceed. In Bangkok there are of course taxis around Khao San Road that refuse to use the meter. From the street around the corner this is not the case. Knowing these types of things in Thailand saves you both money and stress.

It is not always the case that the taxi driver is being greedy or obstinate. Some journeys require toll fees to be paid. Some passengers will complain that are being cheated if this additional fee is added on to the meter price. Other times it is because the traffic is very bad or there is a one-way street that means a driver would have to go several miles out of his way.

In Koh Samui all the taxis say meter taxi but to a car none of them will do so. There is very little room to negotiate prices. The main advice is to know what the price should be for a journey and make sure you pay a similar amount. You can ask any number of people about this. It is always worth checking if you come back a year later as the prices change frequently. On Koh Samui many ex-pat residents use their own transport or the songthaew system which is like a ‘bus’ system.

For short journeys an alternative form of public transport is ‘mototaxis’. These are men with yellow vests that often mill around in groups on road corners. You negotiate in advance a fee and jump on the back of a small motorbike. If you have little baggage and find a friendly motorbike taxi driver this can be a relatively cheap way to make short trips.

At the airport there is a taxi limousine service. That is pre-paid. It isn’t any cheaper than the normal price, but it is a stress free system. Cheaper is a mini bus system that is also pre-paid at the airport. However, if there are more than three people traveling together taxis can be a better option than paying per person.

Many resorts will offer a transfer service. This is a convenient way to get picked up the airport but is usually a 100 Thai Baht more expensive than regular yellow taxis in Koh Samui.

The best advice about taxis in Koh Samui is not to get angry. Your frustration will not bring about change. Complaining on the help line numbers will also bear no fruit. Just accept the situation and always remain polite. Shouting and swearing is regarded as serious escalation in Thailand and is sometimes met with similar or greater emotion.

Tongsai Bay

There are not many resorts in Koh Samui or even in the Samui archipelago that can boast that it has its own private beach. Off the top of my head, there is the Santhiya  Resort and Spa that has a small (and mostly unused) beach next to Thong Nai Pan Noi’s main stretch of sand. And there is Charm Churee Village in Koh Tao that has a private beach just south of Sairee beach. Add to this list the Tongsai Bay. It is a resort that names itself after the beach where it is placed. The hotel is eponymous.

However, both the Tongsai BayResort and the beach at Tongsai are of an equally high standard thus the two deserve to be treated together. The beach is fine white sand flanked by rocks at both sides. Behind the beach the land gently inclines and is covered in coconut palms and tropical vegetation. It is one of the most picturesque beaches in Koh Samui.

One of the major attractions of the beach is that it is very peaceful. There is no traffic noise; there are not hundreds of sun loungers lining the beach. There aren’t any beach vendors patrolling the sands; there isn’t a row of bars competing with each other by turning up their sound systems. It is just tranquil.

The Tongsai Bay is set in 25 acres of tropical land. At the front of the resort, next to the beach is a large free form swimming pool with little islands of shade. Behind is a hotel accommodation block and spread out to either side are individual villas.

In total there are 83 rooms in the resort all with sea views. Each room features air-con, hot water, satellite TV, mini bar and private balcony. There are cottage suites and beachfront suites with baths with views over the bay. At the top end are private pool villas.

The Tongsai Bay has 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a fitness center and a spa. There is also a tennis court. Guests are given unlimited free drinking water and have access to babysitting services. The resort is very much self-contained. There is even free golf buggy transport within the resort.

One of the secrets of the Tongsai Bay is that the management are also the owners. In this way they keep their eyes firmly on the ball and try to ensure customer satisfaction. They even host a free cocktail party twice a week.

Tongsai Bay and the Tongsai Bay Resort are located just north of Choeng Mon beach in the north east corner of Koh Samui.

Thong Tanote and Phangka

These are two of the least visited beaches in Koh Samui. They are situated on the south-west peninsula in an area that has escaped the uncontrolled development that has marred the beauty of places such as Chaweng and Lamai. Both Thong Tanote and Phangka are in a region where you can still see the traditional wooden houses of fishermen used as such not turned into expensive boutique shops (as is the case in Bophut).

There are few bars in this area. The restaurants are small local affairs where you can sample authentic island food at prices far below those on the menus in other parts of the island.

Thong Tanote

Thong Tanote is a small secluded beach with palm trees leaning towards the water. It is a narrow beach behind which is plenty of open space. The sea here recedes quite far at low tide. At high tide it is suitable for swimming. The sand is not the finest on Koh Samui, however this is made up for the fact that if you stay at Thong Tanote there is a good chance that you will be the only person around when you venture down to the beach. Thong Tanote offers idyllic seclusion.

There are few accommodation choices at Thong Tanote. At the cheaper end of the accommodation spectrum is Jinta Beach Bungalows that offers fan or air-con huts that start at 600 THB in the low season. Jinta Beach Bungalows is run by a local family. The resort includes a small pool and a restaurant.

The best place to stay in Thong Tanote is Coconut Villa Resort and Spa. It has hotel style rooms and has a pool with swim up bar, free wifi access, a restaurant and a spa.

Phangka

Just around the headland and facing west is Phangka beach. It is also called the Emerald Bay. It is without doubt one of the most remote spots on the island. At Phangka there is a small fishing village where you can still witness traditional island life. Here you can hire a longtail boat to take you out to the two small islands just off the coast called Koh Mutsum and Koh Tan. These deserted islands are surrounded by coral reefs that are great for snorkeling.

The resorts at Phangka are fairly well self-contained as there are few facilities in the area. The stand out place is Elements Boutique Resort and Spa. It features private pool villas with direct access to the beach. It is a very stylish place where the staff pampers the guests with luxury. Check out their promo video below.

Finally, it should be mentioned that Phangka has probably the best sunset on Koh Samui. It is an ideal spot for honeymooners who want privacy and a beach to themselves.

Coral Cove Bay

Coral Cove Bay is interesting in that it is sandwiched between the very popular beaches of Chaweng and Lamai and yet it is a quiet and peaceful beach that gets very few visitors. Many of the people who do book a resort in Coral Cove Bay are slightly mislead. They read the address of the resort as ‘Chaweng Road’ and erroneously conclude that the resort must be on the edge of Chaweng.

These people should not be disappointed. Coral Cove Bay is a gem of a beach. It is the perfect spot to relax and escape the crowds of Chaweng to the north and Lamai to the south. The beach at Coral Cove Bay has just as good sand as its more famous neighbors. It is also just as good for swimming.

The one advantage that Coral Cove Bay has over its bigger and more famous neighbors is that it is better for snorkeling. There are numerous giant boulders in the sea that form a haven for corals to form. It is a very short swim out from the beach to find great snorkeling spots which hold a colorful profusion of fish and corals.

The beach at Coral Cove Bay is only 200 meters long so there are only a few beachfront places to stay at. More accommodation can be found at the edges of the beach set on dramatic cliff locations. One such example is the Kamala Samui. It is a luxury resort that boasts private pool villas with stunning sea views. The Kamala Samui has boutique interior design, a communal pool that features imported Balinese stone and a restaurant that serves fusion cuisine. The resort also has a private pier. They offer guests free fishing equipment, snorkeling equipment and kayak use. Guests at The Kamala Samui might initially be disappointed that they are not staying in Chaweng but on the Chaweng Road, but will soon come to appreciate the gorgeous scenery and luxury atmosphere of the Kamala Samui.

At the other end of the accommodation spectrum are Coral Cove Resort and Hi Coral Cove. These two resorts are also on hills. They have communal pools and offer both air-con and fan bungalows; the latter for as little as 500 Thai Baht a night.

If you are in Koh Samui and looking for something near the action of Chaweng but don’t really fancy staying on a beach with thousands of other people then Coral Cove Bay is a great option.

Coral Cove Bay is reached via the main ring road on the island. The turning for the beach is very easy to miss so drive slowly when you get south of Chaweng Noi.

Choeng Mon

 

Choeng Mon is the name of a beach on the northeast peninsula of Koh Samui. It is an area that is blessed with some of the best and most peaceful beaches on the island. It is also an area that is ideally located near a number of good beaches, transport hubs and shopping areas. It is no surprise therefore that some of the best hotels in Koh Samui are located in Choeng Mon.

The beach at Choeng Mon is wide and sweeps in a crescent around a bay on the peninsula. It is blessed with the same fine white sand that is found at Chaweng and Lamai. Unlike many of the beaches in Koh Samui, especially in the south and west, the sea bed is sandy and free of dead corals that can cut the feet of swimmers.

The atmosphere of Choeng Mon is very different from the nearby beaches of Bophut and Chaweng. Despite the high quality of the beach the area is free of an urban center. There a few shops and bars but nothing that really qualifies as nightlife. This is not an area where men prowl for sex workers or young people go to listen to dance music. The peace and quiet along with the great beach are the great draw cards for Choeng Mon. Residents at Choeng Mon have the option to make the short journey to Chaweng or Bophut if they want bars, live music and other night diversions.

The location of Choeng Mon is another noteworthy point about the beach. Not only is it close to Chaweng and Bophut it is also just 10 minutes from Samui Airport. Other transport hubs nearby are Big Buddha pier (ferries to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao) and Maenam pier (ferries and speed boats to Haad Rin and Thong Nai Pan in Koh Phangan). Luckily Choeng Mon is not under the flight paths from the airport, unlike Big Buddha beach.

Choeng Mon is also not far away from Big C supermarket and Tesco Lotus supermarket that have a wide variety of products for sale at very reasonable prices. Tesco Lotus also has a cheap food court with lots of Thai dishes on offer.

Also Choeng is very close to the iconic Big Buddha statue in Bang Rak. It is a 12 meter high golden Buddha statue at the top of a wide staircase that has become one of the strongest symbols for Koh Samui.

Cheong Mon accommodation is some of the best in Koh Samui. The best hotel is the Sala Samui Resort and Spa that features some of the most stunning architecture and interior design on the island. Sala Samui has taken the best of modern Thai design to make an exclusive resort that features pool villas with open air baths. The resort has 2 communal swimming pools, a boardroom, floating massage salas and 80 meters of private beachfront.

Not as architecturally successful but very ambitious is the Imperial Boat House Beach Resort. The theme is rice barges. All the accommodations are shaped as boats. The large central pool is also in a boat shape. The effect is like a fishing fleet that has been flung into the jungle by a tidal wave.

Q Signature Samui is perched on a hill near the beach. It brings a touch of boutique style to its aesthetic using Thai sloping roofs. It is located at the southern end of Choeng Mon Bay.

For those on a budget Choengmon Buri Hotel is a 1 minute walk from the beach and has air-con rooms with hot water, fridge and TV starting at 680 Thai Baht a night.

For convenience, for tranquility, for quality of beach, for stylish accommodation it is hard to find better on Koh Samui than Choeng Mon.

Lipa Noi

Lipa Noi is a beach on the quiet West coast of Koh Samui that makes a great holiday destination for those people looking to relax by a beautiful beach and escape the noise of cars and motorbikes. The banks, markets and other conveniences of Nathon are only a 10 minute car journey away from the tranquil beach of Lipa Noi.

The beach at Lipa Noi is one of the best on the West coast. Not only does it have a spectacular sunset over the sea it also has fine white sand that is free of dead coral. Many of the other beaches in Koh Samui have sea beds with pieces of coral that can cut the feet. This is not the case at Lipa Noi so it is a better spot for swimming. The sea gets deep gradually so the beach is good for people with children.

There are a few shops and local Thai restaurants in the Lipa Noi area. The best place to get food, however, remains the perennially popular Big John Seafood that serves up seafood that is both fresh and well presented.

Along the beach there are a number of resorts to choose from. Places such as Viva Vacation Resort, Lipa Lodge Beach Resort, Rajapruek Samui Resort and The Lipa Lovely Resort all offer rooms with air-con, hot water, TV and fridge with a communal pool. There is also the luxury option of the Kanok Buri Resort and Spa that has private pool and Jacuzzi villas. The Kanok also has a fitness center and a spa.

Lipa Noi attracts families, couples and pensioners looking for a beach holiday away from the egregious behavior on display in Lamai and Chaweng. It is also a beach like Laem Set that draws those people wanting to detox and spiritually rejuvenate. Such people head for the Samui Dharma Healing Center. This is a place where guests undertake fasts to detox and study meditation.

Finally, in Lipa Noi there is the Samui Handcraft OTOP Place. This is a small shop and workshop that produces a variety of bowls, vases, condiment holders and other household products all made from coconut. It is a reminder of how the coconut used to be the mainstay of the Koh Samui economy, and how versatile the palm is.

If you have been to Koh Samui before and you are looking for a beach less hectic than Chaweng but still in touch with the amenities of the island then Lipa Noi is not a bad option.

Sailing in Koh Samui

 

Sailing is a sport that is growing in popularity all the time. There is a certain sense of freedom to be found on the open sea with nothing but the elements all around; the wind in your hair, the sound of the sails snapping; being the master of your own destiny. It costs a lot of money to buy your own yacht, more than it does to buy your own car, and that is why a yacht remains a potent status symbol of the rich and the jet set.

There is a fledgling yachting scene in Koh Samui. The best place if you want to experience yachting in Koh Samui is Saard’s Water sports Center. It is located in Bophut’s Fisherman’s Village next to the ferry pier.

Saard’s Watersports Center offers tour groups on 4 boats. There are tours to Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Angthong Marine Park. The Koh Phangan tour takes people snorkeling in Koh Ma off the coast of Koh Phangan then onto the beautiful beach of Thong Nai Pan then Than Sadet (place of a famous waterfall) and finally a short stop at Haad Rin. The Koh Tao tour takes in the famous triple islets of Nang Yuan. Ang Thong Marine Park is a collection of 40 uninhabited islands with many hidden beaches, sea caves, unusual rock formations, an inland lake and great snorkeling spots.

If you want something more private you can hire a boat by the day or the hour. The price includes a captain and a deckhand. There are 4 boats to choose from. The pick of the crop is ‘Kindred Spirit’. It is a catamaran with 3 double rooms. It is 13.1 meters in length and 9.6 meters wide. It has a speed under motor of 7 knots and 12 knots by sail. It is the perfect boat to take off on a journey to explore the nearby Gulf. The cost is 40,000 Thai Baht per day.

There are also 3 boats that can be hired by the day but are not suitable for overnight stays unless you camp on a beach. The fastest is ‘Sting’. It has two 300 HP engines and has a shallow bottom. It can seat 13 people in its air-con lounge.

‘Natalie’ is 38 feet in length can sit 25 people for day trips. It costs 9,000 THB an hour to privately charter. ‘Natalie’ has twin 250 HP motors.

The smallest boat in the fleet is ‘Panyawan’. It is 6.2 meters in length and can seat 5 people. The boat has twin 85 HP engines.

If you are interested in yachts or want to find out more about private boat hire then Saard’s is a good place to start. You can probably find cheaper speed boats for hire elsewhere in Koh Samui. What is special about Saard’s is the catamaran it has - surely, one of the most beautiful boats on the island.

Live Cheaply in Koh Samui

 

In the Past

There used to be lots of ex-pats living in Thailand, often on a very informal basis. Thailand is a country that has grown accustomed to over-charging tourists for everything from bottled water to Thai food to taxi journeys. Ex-pats have got around this problem by learning a few words of Thai and making local friends.

It used to be possible to get a series of tourist visas for Thailand by nipping over a border every 3 months. Foreigners worked in bars, dive shops and generally survived on a small budget in order to live next to a beach, in Bangkok or up in the north. Successive Thai governments have done a lot to clamp down on this. They have ordered their embassies in Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia to not renew tourist visas. They also made a few half-hearted efforts to raid dive shops.

Nowadays

Nowadays if you want to live in Thailand you have to marry a local, be sponsored by a company or get a pensioner visa. As a result many of the beaches in Koh Samui and Koh Phangan have lost many of their long term foreign residents.

Cheapest cost to live in Koh Samui

To live a basic life in Koh Samui you need a minimum of 15,000 Thai Baht. a month The cheapest rooms and bungalows have to be hunted out. They are normally privately owned places and can be had for between 3,000 and 5,000 Thai Baht a month.Most of these places are in the quieter south of the island. Don't expect to find them by searching on the internet!

As you can calculate, that leaves between 10,000 and 12,000 THB for living costs. The great thing about Koh Samui is that supermarkets such as Tesco Lotus make it possible to self-cater cheaply. The supermarkets charge everyone the same price.

If you have the funds to buy a moped (about $1,000) you can cut out most transport costs. Taxi drivers in Koh Samui never go on the meter. If you are on a budget they are out of the question.

On 15,000 THB a month it is still possible to go out occasionally to local bars and restaurants. Invaluable places for those on a tight budget are the numerous 7-11s on the island. They have cheap food, drinks and beer. They will also give you hot water if you want to eat a pot noodle.

Other than going to the beach most things in Chaweng and Lamai will be outside this budget.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Nathon has the best markets on the island. They are good places to shop for household goods and fresh produce.