Koh Samui

                      Koh Samui  is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, some 700km south of Bangkok and about 80km from the eastern coastline of Southern Thailand.
                      Koh Samui is all in all a fairly big island. The most popular and commercialised beaches are Chaweng and Lamai, while the northern beaches and their adjacent villages of Mae Nam, Bophut, Bang Rak (Big Buddha) and Choeng Mon are more peaceful choices, and the west coast beaches are still (comparatively) quiet. Clockwise from Nathon on the west coast, the main

beaches are:

• Nathon — Samui's port and administrative centre, but with little to attract the tourist 
• Laem Yai — set on the North West tip of the island, a secluded beach overlooking the islands of Angthong 
• Mae Nam — a quiet and beautiful beach on the northern coast 
• Bophut — known for its Fisherman's Village, laid-back but growing fast 
• Bang Rak — at the northeastern tip, home of the Big Buddha 
• Choeng Mon — quiet North shore beach 
• Chaweng — the largest and most-developed beach, with a curious mix of luxury hotels and backpacker guesthouses and a hopping nightlife 
• Lamai — Samui's "second" beach south of Chaweng, more backpackery than Chaweng 
• Samui South Coast — the small beaches of Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Set, Bang Kao and Thong Krut

                    Samui's weather patterns are a little different from the rest of Thailand. In April through September, when most of the country has its monsoon, Samui stays fairly dry, but from October to December, it's wet in Samui and drier elsewhere. The driest season of all, though, is January through March.

Get in By plane
         
               Koh Samui Airport (USM) is a private airport originally built by Bangkok Airways,which is still the main operator and was for a long time the only airline with services to Koh Samui from Thailand until Thai Airways started in April 2008 to operate some flights between Bangkok and Ko Samui. They have near-hourly departures to/from Bangkok and tickets are expensive by Thai standards, with advance bookings costing 3000-4500 baht one-way, while a walk-in booking may be twice as much. There are also daily flights to/from Phuket for 2000-3000 baht, Pattaya, Singapore and Hong Kong; two daily flights from Chiang Mai (but only one direct flight in the opposite direction). A feature of the International Departure Gate is a courtesy corner which provides food and drinks for all passengers in a cosy sitting area. Awaiting boarding becomes rather comfortable with food, drinks and wifi provided. In addition to Bangkok Air, Koh Samui is served by two flights a day from Bangkok with Thai Airways as well as by Berjaya Air and Firefly from Subang airport (a small city airport 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur city center) and Penang International Airport in Malaysia. Soon, Silk Airways will operate on a codeshare basis with Bangkok Airways as announced in July 2011. Visa-on-Arrival and Visa-Free entry is available at Samui Airport for some nationalities - see Thailand for more information. Ground transportation from the airport is readily available. A seat in a minibus for the 20-minute ride to Chaweng costing 120 baht/person; a faster taxi will cost 300-500 baht. Be sure to negotiate the rate to your destination before you get into the taxi since many drivers refuse to use their meters. If you're a couple or a family, you'll probably be approached by some young women holding up signs of some of the higher-end hotels - they will ask you where you're staying, and based on the answer, offer you a free taxi ride if you promise to attend a presentation for their hotel's timeshare during your stay. A cheaper but less convenient option is to fly to Surat Thani by Thai Airways and low cost airlines by Air Asia and Nok Air (Depart from Donmuang Airport )and connect by road and then ferry.Or fly to Nakhonsithammarat by Nok Air then take bus and catamaran boat by Lompayah

Get in By boat

                From Surat Thani train station and Surat Thani Airport (URT), there are combined bus/ferry services to Koh Samui cost 200-300 baht - some entail a 60 minute bus ride to Donsak pier followed by a 90 minute ferry crossing, others a 30 minute bus ride but the ferry takes extra time. Tickets are sold by numerous agents that meet each train and airport. Should cost certainly less than 300 baht even if bought this way (return combo boat+bus ticket on more comfortable Seatran ferry bought on the Na Thon pier on Samui officially costs 230 baht). From Donsak pier, there are 2 ferry companies (departures every 30-60 mins) who terminate at Na Thon pier: Songserm Travel and Seatran,the website is mostly in Thai, however). The first one is what you more often get if booking via the travel agency. It's a rather small ferry with two decks, often very crowded so you can't get the seat on the lower one if you come late (and the upper, while air-conditioned, costs extra, so you may end up sitting around the pile of backpacks on the back of the boat under the sun, if you do not want to pay). There is a small onboard shop on the lower desk but the prices are grossly inflated (instant noodles cup, which costs 15 baht in 7-eleven, was sold for 50 there), so if you still choose this boat - better bring you own snacks. The people aboard Songserm ferry are mostly, if not all, foreigners. Seatran ferry is much bigger, has several decks (entrance to most of the those, including air-conditioned areas, is free), much less packed just because of size (still can be at peak times of high season), equipped with numerous TV's (Thai channels), has a big cafeteria (with much friendlier prices, such as 20 baht for the same cup of noodles), and the passengers are mostly Thai, as well as some expats and tourists. Their schedule can be found here(the first list is departures from Donsak to Samui, the second is return). Raja Ferry Port operates services between Donsak pier and Lipa Noi pier on the western side of Samui (several kilometers south of Na Thon). It includes a free air conditioned deck and several comfortable seats. This ferry also transport cars, so can be used should you decide to come with your own transport. Without a car, however, there are less options for a transportation there, and songthaew/taxi drivers may be more reluctant to bargain. Songthaew transfer from the pier at Lipa Noi on Samui to either Chaweng or Lamai will cost 100 baht per person. Taxis will be more expensive, with initial asking prices of up to 500 baht. Numerous ferry services are direct from mainland Surat Thani including an express boat (3 departures daily, taking around 3 hours and costing 150 baht) and slow night boats (taking 6-7 hours). Call operator Songserm Travel (252 9654 in Bangkok)for the latest schedules, which varies according to the season. Lomprayah offers a combined bus/high speed catamaran ferry service from Bangkok to Ko Samui which takes about 11 hours (5.5 of them by boat) and costs around 1250 baht (1000 baht in the opposite direction). The bus pauses in Hua Hin and then stops at Chumphon, where it connects with the ferry, which calls at Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan on its way to Koh Samui. While the route may be more scenic (as includes the long boat trip via 2 islands), and the ferry itself is comparable to Seatran, the entire way to Samui will take more time, and will cost more too. Lomprayah, however, is a good (if not exactly cheap) option to get to Samui from Ko Tao or Koh Phangan, as well as a reasonable one to get to those islands from Bangkok. There are also regular speedboats and ferries of other operators.

Attractions.

The major reason why people come to Samui is, quite simply, to enjoy the beaches. Even though the two main beaches of Chaweng and Lamai have generally suffered due to mass development over the past decade they are still relatively impressive. Development has been thwarted slightly because of the island’s regulation governing height restriction. Other than lying on the beach with a cold beer in hand and ogling at the babes and hunks sauntering past, there isn't all that much to see on the island. A certain pair of rocks on Lamai amuses some visitors, Bang Rak has a large but nondescript Buddha statue, and there are some waterfalls (notably Na Muang) of minor interest.

• Chaweng Beach is the major beach on Ko Samui and one that has developed tremendously since the early 1990s. Just 20 years ago the beach was home to just a sprinkle of wooden bungalows but now the place is swamped with 4-5 star hotels, Italian pizza joints, Irish pubs and even go-go bars. Samui’s nightlife is becoming legendary but unfortunately not always attracting the best standard of tourist. Chaweng’s once ‘hippie’ only backpackers have given way to a lot of ‘lager louts’. Chaweng is the place to be if you are looking for a rowdy reckless party scene. 
• Lamai Beach Like Chaweng, Lamai has transformed from a ‘hippy’ hangout into a fun, party place packed out with bars and exciting nightlife. The beach though, is still in better condition than Chaweng and the place doesn’t get quite so crowded. If it’s a quiet relaxing location you are after, then Lamai won’t be the ideal place for you. At the southern end of Lamai, there are some odd-looking rock formations. 
• Maenam Beach This quiet beach, located in the north of the island is decent enough for swimming and sunbathing especially for families with children due to the shallow water. 
• Bophut Beach situated in the north of the island, is a popular starting point for diving tours. The place isn’t in any way as developed as Chaweng but there are still plenty of restaurants, shops and bars.
• Choengmon Beach is in the North-East of Samui just 10 minutes from Chaweng. Unlike the latter it is a perfect place for relaxing. 
• Big Buddha Beach Located in the north-east of Samui, Big Buddha offers visitors good swimming and lovely views. The area has developed a lot over the past few years and there are now a plentitude of restaurants, shops and bars. 
• Na Thon - The island's major seafront settlement where shops, restaurants and tour agencies are concentrated. 
• Namtok Hin Lat – This waterfall is easily accessible by car. Some of the numerous tiny levels have a large basin for swimmers. 
• Namtok Na Mueang – A local road leads to the Na Mueang 1 Waterfall. A walk of about 30 minutes ends up at the more scenic Na Mueang 2 Waterfall. Purple rocks surround the stream of water, which gushes in from an impressive height of around 79 meters. 
• Ban Lipa Yai – This village grows high quality fruits, including rambutan, durian, mangosteen and the famed langsat. 
• Old House – This Chinese-style house, aged almost 200 years, represents Samui’s cultural identity. Grandpa Si and Grandma Maen Hancharoen, the present owner, open the house to visitors. Other island attractions include coral beds at Laem Set and Thong Takhian; the nearby butterfly garden and aquarium; a snake farm; a monkey theatre at Bo Phut and a massive seated Buddha image on Fan isle. 
• Wat Khunaram Koh Samui This temple is the island’s most famous temple for its mummified monk on display. The mummy sits upright in a glass casket and devotees offer it flowers and incense. The mummy is in fact the body of a very revered former abbot of the temple who was also a meditation master that was able to predict his own death. 
• Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks These odd-looking rocks situated on Lamai beach bear a striking resemblance to male and female sexual organs and they have turned into one of the island’s biggest attractions. For those who would like to hear a legend or two surrounding the rocks, they need only ask a local. 
• Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo Koh Samui Located at Ban Harn beach, the Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo offer a fun day out for the family. The undersea world of the aquarium has an amazing collection of tropical fish and other vibrant aquatic animals such as turtles and colorful coral. The tiger zoo is home to Bengal tigers and leopards. For those who are daring enough, they can have their photograph taken with the awesome animals. The Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo are open daily from 9AM till 6PM. 
• Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai) Also known as the Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai), has a 15 meter tall statue of the Buddha. It was built in 1972 and is in the north of the island. 
• Laem Sor Pagoda Ko Samui This chedi (pagoda) situated at Laem Sor temple is one of the most important shrines on Koh Samui. The structure with its yellow tiles which gives off a golden aura is quite impressive. 
• Samui Butterful Garden / Insect Museum This butterfly garden can be found in the south-east of the island. There is a huge collection of different butterflies, some quarter of a meter wide. The visitor can also enter the insect museum nearby to see a variety of rare bugs and a bee house. 
• Secret Buddha Garden This beautiful garden was made by a 76 year-old Koh Samui fruit farmer in 1976. It is surrounded by lush jungle, rocky hills and is adorned with sculptures depicting both humans, in various poses, as well as various deities. Since the garden is the highest point on the island, there are also some awesome views to be had. Organized tours to the garden last for about 2 hours.
• Monkey Shows These shows can be enjoyed at the open-air theater on the main road behind Bophut beach. The entertainment also includes performing elephants. The capturing and training of otherwise wild animals is ethically questionable.