Koh
Samui is Thailand 's third largest island and is located on
the east coast in the middle of the southern gulf area and
is part of the archipelago containing Koh Tao and Koh Pha-Ngan.
The first settlers here were from Hainan, an island which
is now part of China . These settlers became coconut farmers
and Koh Samui's many palm trees still give a large crop
of coconuts. However the inhabitants of the island now make
far more money from tourism than they could ever hope to
make from coconut farming. The population of the island
refer to themselves as chao samui rather than Thais and
have a different culture and cuisine from the other islands.
Koh Samui started becoming popular with Western traveller
from the 1980s onwards and is now quite crowded in high
season (December to February and July to August). Koh Samui
may be affected by the rain from July to October but the
weather will still be mainly fine. There can be heavy winds
from October to January. It can be hard to get accommodation
at these times. Koh Samui still has a traveller air about
it and it is more laid-back than other developed tourist
resorts in Thailand . Koh Samui has many beaches, some are
more developed than others and it is still possible to find
quieter parts of the island.
With the influx of visitors, environmental issues are becoming
a concern. Buildings are restricted in height to being no
taller than the palm trees and policies are being formulated
to deal with the increased amount of noise and rubbish on
the island.
If you are bored of the beaches, there are plenty of other
things to do. There are several temples worth visiting on
the islands. Meditation courses are occasionally held for
Westerners (farang) at Wat Pang Bua and there is a mummified
monk on display at Wat Khunaram. Wat Phra Yai at the northern
end has a large Buddha and Wat Samret has a marble sitting
Buddha.
There are two waterfalls: Nam Tok Hin Lat accessible from
Na Thon and Nam Tok Na Muang in the middle of the island.
The latter has a pool large enough for swimming at the lower
part of the falls.
Koh Samui has an airport. There are ferries from Surat
Thani or the nearby islands of Kao Tao and Koh Pha-Ngan.
Package deals are available to travel to Samui from Bangkok
by train, bus and boat. These can be booked through travel
agents . Travel around the island is by songthaews which
are pickups with two benches which follow set routes, picking
up and dropping off passengers on the way, or there are
a few air-con taxis. It is possible to hire motorcycles
but the roads aren't great and accidents are frequent.
Samui Beaches
Chaweng Beach / Chaweng Noi
Chaweng beach is the biggest one with very smooth sand and
clear water. With discotheques, bars and shops, it is the
main tourist center. There are many hotels and resorts located
at Chaweng beach. The area is too large for walking. You
need a taxi from the north end to the south. Chaweng Noi
is the southern part of Chaweng.
Lamai Beach / Hinta Hinyai
Lamai beach is the second big tourist center. The beach
is a little bit more rough and the water is deeper. It's
an excellent location for swimming and has a well-known
nightlife. Lamai can be discovered by walking, as the area
is not as large as Chaweng. Hinta Hinyai is a famous rock
formation at the southern end of Lamai Beach.
Big Buddha Beach / Bang Po Beach / Bophut Beach / Maenam
Beach
located in the north of Samui has smooth sand and good swimming
preferences. These areas are more quiet than the big tourist
centers Chaweng and Lamai.
Choengmon Beach / Hua Thanon / Coral Cove / West coast
/Thong Tanote
Chengmon beach in the north east, Coral Cove between Chaweng
and Lamai, Hua Thanon in the south east and the West coast
of the island are beautiful locations set amongst coconut
plantations. These areas are quieter than the big tourist
centers Chaweng and Lamai.
Weather on Koh Samui, Thailand
Rainy Season
Koh Samui is a tropical island. Inland parts of the island
are a dense tropical forest, expect some rain at anytime
in any month on Koh Samui. The time of heavier and more
consistent rain is October through to mid December.
Dry Season
When the rains stop and the plants grow wild and beautiful
is the Dry Season, or as the Thais call it, winter. Winter
on Koh Samui is usually 30C / 85F and sunny. This season
is typically mid December through March.
Hot Season
When the ground has dried from a lack of rain and sand dusts
the road, the Hot Season has started. The over-head tropical
sun is brighter and hotter than usual. Many tropical fruits
ripen during this season. This season starts in April and
lasts until the cooling rain, which begins in September
/ October.
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