Koh Samui Sunset. As the sun drops, the islands of Angthong Marine Park appear in the silhouette of the horizon. Monks chant from the nearby temples of Big Buddha. Sound good? There’s plenty to love on Koh Samui. Subscribe now or get email updates.
Jan 152012
Over 60 million people speak Thai (six times more than speak Swedish). While you can enjoy your Samui holiday speaking only English, you’ll be infinitely rewarded for learning just a few words in Thai. Unlike in many parts of Asia, Thais will expect you learn at least hello and thank you in their language. It’s the least you can do for a perfect vacation, right? Any efforts will pay off &, again, unlike many parts of Asia, Thais will be far happier to teach you their language than pester for English tips.
So how does the Thai language work? There’s no standard method to write Thai words in the Latin alphabet. (Whereas Chinese has ‘pinyin’, for example). So you might see ‘sawasdee’ (hello) written any number of ways. Continue reading »
For the most part, Koh Samui weather is hot and sunny – just what you want for a perfect beach holiday. There are exceptions, though – notably when it’s HOT and sunny, and rainy season. Here are our best answers to the question:
“I’m coming in [month]. What will the weather be?”
Samui weather, month by month. (We both caution and cover our rears with this caveat: there’s no guarantee and this is a crazy world). Continue reading »
Songkran – the water festival – will be among the most memorable festivals you ever experience. Only in Thailand do cheerfulness and cheekiness collide – in full litres and gallons – with such spontaneous celebration. Though there’s much more to the Thai new year, its full day of water fights can’t be missed.
How and why to join in? April in Samui is the hottest time of year and it’s all done in good fun – you might quite like to get wet. Continue reading »
Jan 232012
“Singha beer, please!” “Large one small one?” “Large one, please!” “Ka…” Few things beat lounging on the beach or in the pool, enjoying a Samui sunset with a chilled beer in hand. We’re sure many of you will agree with that sentiment. But a far more difficult question seems to be, which Thai beer is the best?
The Easy Answer. The easy answer is any of them. You’ve already got your feet up (proverbially, of course – learn why not to do this in Thailand), and you’ve got your sunset. It would take far more than an average beer to wipe that smile from your face. Of course, when there’s the luxury of choice, and there often is, the choosing isn’t nearly so simple… Continue reading »
Koh Samui might call to mind beaches and spas – but its coconuts are of particular acclaim. Local growers will tell you they’re the best in Thailand. You might equate coconut with a sickly Bounty bar or other fake confection – but that’s set to change.
2 coconut treats to try: Continue reading »
Jan 222012
Bangkok Airways check-in times? You’ll be glad to know that departing from Samui is almost as stress-free as arriving. A common question we get asked is, when should I arrive at Samui airport for check-in? For pretty boring legal reasons, we’re obliged to tell you that you should make sure you arrive at USM in enough time to check in 2 hours before your departure. But, with a heaping dose of caveat emptor, we’ve found this can be flexible.
An early start? Many flights returning to Europe from Bangkok leave in the late morning or early afternoon, so, depending on where you’re heading, there’s a chance you’ll be on an early hop from Samui. The earliest flight out of Samui departs at 6 am, and the next, depending on the day of the week, tends to leave around 7.45 am. If you’re on the 6 am flight, you’ll find the streets of Samui more or less empty. Continue reading »
While Koh Samui is the ideal destination for doing little more than laying by the pool and occasionally raising a cold drink to your lips, the sporty types are well catered for, too. If you’re exercising outside, just remember plenty of sunscreen and a big bottle of cold water!
Golf. Santiburi Samui Country Club, high up in the hills above (and with an incredible view of) Samui’s north coast, is Samui’s top golf course, which offers full cart and caddy service. Shoes and clubs are available for rent, and other golfing paraphernalia is available at the pro shop. After a round, relax with a light lunch and refreshing drink in Santiburi’s breezy patio restaurant. A dress code is in place (add it to your Thailand packing list) and reservations are necessary. (Green fees are 3,350 THB plus cart/caddy charges). 12/15 Moo 4 Tambol Maenam. Continue reading »
Jan 202012
If you’re lucky, your 2012 holiday might coincide with a memorable Koh Samui event or Thai festival – like the Samui Regatta or Songkran on Samui. What’s happening this year? Here’s our perpetually updated Samui calendar – we’d never want you to miss anything.
January
- 01 New Year’s Day
- 08 Full Moon
- 23 Chinese New Year Continue reading »
With a prevalence of peanuts and cashews in Thai cooking, we’d imagine that food allergies could be hard to navigate in Thailand. A few very broad tips if allergies will be part of your Koh Samui trip preparations….
Eating out. A printable Thai-language list of food allergies might help. (Disclaimer: Koh Samui Sunset is not responsible for this content and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the translation).
Self-catering holiday.
- Stock up. Should you prefer to supply your own food, the Koh Samui Tesco is very well stocked and you shouldn’t need to bring anything from home. All manner of fresh tropical Thai fruits and vegetables can be found, with lots of packaged brand name products from the west, as well. Continue reading »
Want a Thailand reading list? Go beyond Lonely Planet, with these wonderful books about Thailand. We’ve read them all personally, and wouldn’t recommend anything we hadn’t pushed (vehemently) into the hands of our own mother. They’re good, you’ll like them… and you might even learn something.
Bangkok 8 – fiction. A plot “[infused] with enough suspense, detail, and dry Asian insight to keep readers rapt as the story careens about the bars and brothels of Thailand’s flesh trade, through its cut-rate plastic surgery parlors, and ends in a climax with a fittingly Buddhist twist.” (Get a copy at Amazon UK).
