A new day, a new island. The final leg of our time in Thailand was spent in Koh Samui. With island exploration on our mind we used local taxis to get around thus beginning to conquer one side of the island at a time. Read more to know about the beaches you must conquer
What/Where/How:
Beach bums:
We found two beaches on the island to be the finest and while the others may be charming, they certainly do not compare to the peaceful vibe at Choeng Mon Beach. The beach offers a few restaurants, mostly fancy villas and soft yellowish white sand and calm waters for swimming.
Our second favourite was Crystal bay & Coral Cove, between Chaweng and Lamai surrounded by large rocks, palm trees and the clearest blue water ever. Crowded? Of course, we are yet to find a beach in Thailand spotting fewer than 50 people.
Recommendation: Hire a bike and hit the island exploring one beach at a time.
Thai street shopping & restaurants:
Evenings in Koh Samui were spent at our villa watching the sun go down from our very own infinity pool. Post our “swim” we ventured out strolling the streets in search of souvernirs, hair braiding stalls, night markets and street food vendors.
Food cannot be forgotten. One of the best meals was consumed on the island of Koh Samui at our now favourite restaurant named “Phensiri Thai restaurant”. The menu is extensive to say the least so we may have visited twice in order to sample everything on the menu. For more, Thai Khaw Glong Thai Restaurant serves some unusual curries and seafood. Another noteworthy restaurant on the island is Coco Tam’s at Bophut casually flaunting its hipster vibe where the bar boasts swings as stools and beanbags for relaxation right on the beach making it ideal for sun-downers or post dinner cocktails.
Massage? Why the hell not.
One of the top reasons to visit Thailand – Massages right on the beach listening to the sound of the ocean. No day was complete without a massage on the beach and each one was better than the next. Skillful women spend their day toiling in the hot weather providing massages to those looking for a few moments of peace be it on a busy street in Patong or remote little island section of Koh Samui.
Cost: INR 600 – INR 900 (worth every penny)
Muay Thai boxing night:
Possibly the highlight of our time spent on the islands was a Muay Thai game we attended at random at Thai Petch Buncha Samui Stadium. Muay Thai is a combat sport of Thailand that combines physical and mental prowess to defeat the opponent. Boxers from all over the world come to Thailand to train and often participate in matches against locals from all over Thailand. An original experience where you get to sit amidst locals, cheer your favourite player along and watch a true game of the “Art of Eight limbs”.
Cost: Prices vary as per the popularity of the game on a particular fight night.
Island hopping:
Koh Samui is surrounded by various little islands, which you can visit for the day. For instance, we had two options for our day trip – Ang Thong Marine National Park and Koh Tao + Ko Nang Yuan islands.
We picked the latter for more time to laze in the sun and trek to the view Point of Ko Nang Island. While the boat journey to these islands was far from delightful, the beaches and views we were greeted by well made up for the inconvenience. Pristine beaches, soft sand, tranquil blue waters and coconut water in hand was just what we needed after a busy few days exploring a crazy new country. However, what stole the show was the mini trek up to Nang Yuan viewpoint offering an expansive view of the three islands connected by a sand bar below. The trek up is fairly simple and can be done in flip-flops keeping in mind you do have to pull off some acrobatic moves to climb the last stretch comprising of only boulders. Worth it? 100% yes.
Where: Koh Samui
How: 1 stop flights to Koh Samui from Mumbai & other major cities OR direct flights from Bangkok.
When: Late November – May (expect mild showers throughout the year)
What: Beach, food, relaxation
Stay: Villa K, Big Buddha Pier booked via www.booking.com
Find our 3 part series on Thailand below.