Planning a visit to the more famous islands in Thailand can be a bit daunting. When to visit? Where to stay? Which ones are just filled with young partying backpackers? What is there to do besides the beach? Don’t the rains fall at different times on different islands? Is it expensive? And the biggest question- which one should I visit?
Enter- Koh Samui. One of the favourites, it’s easy to see why. There is a real mix of people here. Yes there are some who come to party especially when the infamous full moon party is on on neighbouring Koh Phangan. But mostly it’s full of families and others who just want a fun island escape.
Getting here is easy from Bangkok, or even from Pattaya! I flew directly from the latter. And the airport is possibly one of the cutest you’ll ever see. It’s all outdoors, covered by roofs and the chairs are rattan, there are flowers everywhere… it puts you in the island mood the minute you land. And you can be at your hotel in less than ten minutes from the airport too. One of the nicest beaches is just a short ride away, and there are lots of hotels along it. Mine, Baan Had Ngam was perfect with spacious rooms and a nice pool, restaurant on the beach and located on the far end of the beach, so it was always peaceful.
The sea was so calm you could just float for hours, and in the middle of the day, walk out far, almost reaching abandoned beaches on mysterious uninhabited islands. It was so clear you could see every ripple far below, silvery fish, and the sea grass swaying as you passed it.
And beyond the beach? Koh Samui is made for exploring. Koh Samui is actually called coconut island in Thai and as you drive around it is easy to see why. Long and thin, swaying in the breeze, there are coconut trees everywhere, lending the whole place a decidedly sleepy, tropical vibe. We did a ride around the island one day, stopping at different beaches and viewpoints, and temple complexes. My favourite was the red temple; the whole thing really is ruby red.
And we also drive to the other side of the island , across windy hill roads where the sea would sparkle blue on the horizon. And we took a long tail boat from there across the sea, small islands appearing as we went, all shrouded in a morning mist. We stopped at Pig Island, a vanilla colored speck of sand in the sea. The beaches were almost empty, and so beautiful they were dreamlike, and the water so clear and warm. And the best bit? Piggies! Lots of cute black pigs who call this place home, and coexist here with a lot of dogs. Very unique. From there the boat man took us to another uninhabited island and stopped offshore for snorkelling. It was like swimming in a fish tank; hundreds of rainbow colored fish and beyond the aquamarine sea and the lush green of the jungle tumbling onto the abandoned bone white beaches.
There are lots of local places to eat near the hotel, and the vibe is relaxed and the food is nice and cheap. It’s a good place to sit at the end of the day, sunburnt and tired, but content, and plan your next trip to this special little island.
Practical stuff
Getting here- as I said, you can fly here from Bangkok or a lot of other cities in Asia, too.
Getting around- Grab doesn’t work very well here, so best to ask your hotel to arrange transport.
Where to stay- my hotel was great especially since it was so close to the airport and had access to a lovely beach.
What to do- definitely do a trip to Pig Island for the unique experience to hang out with piggies. The snorkelling nearby that is included is also amazing. I booked the trip with Get your guide and it was really good. Also hire a driver for the day to see all the sights around the island.
When to visit- Koh Samui is one of the drier islands, but still try to avoid the monsoons from June to October, if you can. We visited in May (shoulder season), and the weather was nice.
