Travel in Ko Samui
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Informations on Ko Samui: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Ko Samui
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Ko Samui is an island off the eastern Gulf coastline of Thailand.
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Districts
Ko Samui is Thailand's third largest island and all in all a fairly big place. Clockwise from Nathon on the west coast, the main beaches are:
- Nathon — Samui's port and administrative center, but with little to attract the tourist
- Mae_Nam — a quiet and beautiful beach on the northern coast
- Bophut — known for its Fisherman's Village, laid-back but growing fast
- Bang_Ruk — at the northeastern tip, home of the Big Buddha
- 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
- South Coast — the small beaches of Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Set, Bang Kao and Thong Krut.
Get in
As an island, Ko Samui can only be reached by plane or boat.
By plane
Bangkok Airways (http://www.bangkokair.com) has a monopoly on flights to the privately owned Ko Samui Airport (USM) and charges accordingly, with near-hourly departures to/from Bangkok priced at B3500 one way (although some advance booking discounts are available). There are also daily flights to/from Phuket, U-Tapao, and Singapore; four direct flights a week from Chiang Mai (but no direct flights in the opposite direction); and twice weekly flights to/from Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur (Berjaya Air) (http://www.berjaya-air.com/flightschedule.htm).
Visa-on-Arrival is available at Samui Airport for passport holders of 14 nations, see Thailand for more about entry.
The airline maintains a monopoly on transport from the airport, with a seat in a minibus for the 20-minute ride to Chaweng costing B100 per head. You also can use a faster taxi for B250 - B300. Note that a steep B500 (international) or B300 (domestic e.g. Bangkok) departure tax (not included in your ticket) is also charged.
A cheaper but less convenient option is to fly to Surat Thani and connect to the ferry.
By boat
Ferries arrive from the mainland. By express boat (3 departures daily), the trip takes around 3 hours and costs B150, while slow night boats take 6-7 hours for the same trip. Call operator Songserm Travel (252 9654 in Bangkok) for the latest schedules, which vary according to the season.
There is also a combined bus/high speed ferry service from Bankok to Ko Samui which takes about 11 hours. The bus stops in Hua Hin and connects with the ferry at Chumporn. The ferry stops at Ko Tao and Ko Pangan on its way to Ko Samui. It costs about 1250 baht and the return about 1050 baht. The buses and ferry are air con and comfortable. The operator is Lomprayah. http://www.lomprayah.com/E/route.html
There are also regular speedboats and ferries to Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao.
Get around
As on many islands in Thailand, small motorbikes are available for rental. Compared to other nearby islands, Samui's road systems is very developed and there are plenty of taxis cruising about, although it's a challenge to get them to use their meters.
Pickup trucks also serve as group taxis. Hail one on any major road with a wave or yell, negotiate a fare, and sit down on the bench in the back.
See
The reason why people come to Samui is, quite simply, the beaches which remain stunning after decades of development, helped in no small part by a height restriction on new buildings.
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.
Do
The usual panoply of watersports are available, including plenty of dive shops, but most diving is done either in the nearby Angthong Marine National Park or Ko Tao as the visibility around Samui's sandy beaches tends to be poor. Most dive shops are based in Chaweng.
Eat
Samui is well known for its coconuts, which are available everywhere and quite tasty. Being an island, seafood is generally a good choice, although in high season demand often exceeds local supply. The larger beaches have a number of international restaurants as well (often run by Thai-farang couples), with Bophut having a particularly good reputation.
Dual pricing is regrettably common: some restaurants have two menus, one for farangs and the other for Thai people, at about 1/4 of the farang prices. Main courses in a standard, low-key Thai restaurant should be under 100B (except some seafood dishes), so if prices seem unreasonably steep, head elsewhere.
Drink
There are innumerable options for a drink, ranging from the load and brash backpacker pubs and girlie bars of Chaweng to the candle-lit romantic bars of Bophut. Figure on B60 for a beer.
Sleep
With an estimated 60,000 rooms accommodation is basically not a problem, and the largest decision will be picking a suitable beach. Head for Chaweng or Lamai if you want nightlife, Mae_Nam or the South Coast for a quieter beach experience, or Bophut for a good compromise.
Buy
- Tailor-made suit for next-to-nothing (60EUR+, for good quality).
- Sarongs and other tropical souvenirs.
Stay safe
On Samui, nobody cares about driving licenses, helmet or alcohol consumption, which leads to the highest vehicle accident rate in Thailand. Motorbikes are particularly risky. You might want to be careful yourself though, and use the local bus system when drunk.
Get out
- Ko Pha Ngan, home of the infamous Full Moon Party
- Ko Tao, among the best places in Thailand to learn to dive
External links
- The Tourism Association of Ko Samui (http://www.samuitourism.com)