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 1½ 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.

With one flight going out and none yet coming in, Samui is still pretty sleepy at this time of the morning. Combined with friendly, helpful staff and a new terminal designed to handle a few flights’ worth of passengers, check-in is usually efficient with just 10-15 minutes’ wait. A 5-minute stroll to passport control, sawasdee khrap to the immigration officials, and suddenly you’re at the gate, where you can sample some complimentary refreshments courtesy of the good people at Bangkok Airways.

Transit time?

• 7 minutes from our villa in Choeng Mon
• 10 minutes from Chaweng and Bophut
• 15 minutes from Maenam

The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes, but we certainly wouldn’t recommend strolling up that late! Instead, we tend to leave for the airport about an hour before departure. This leaves us a comfortable 50 minutes and plenty of time for a bite to eat at the gate.

As with all experiences, your mileage may vary. Since you’ll no doubt be coming back to Samui, we recommend giving yourselves a little longer the first time, and of course - as much time as you need to be cool and comfortable when flying.

Related:

• Bangkok Airways to Koh Samui - how to make the best of great airline
• Ready to roll? Check out our Thailand packing list
• Flying with children? Printable games, colouring pages and more! (You’re welcome)
• In-flight reading: the top 100 beach books

Flickr Creative Commons photo: jetalone

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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Honestly, we can’t wait for June. Though grown adults, we associate the month (still) with the end of school, endless days of swimming, and practically living on popsicles and ice cream. Remember the days?

June on Samui

Happily, Koh Samui in June will easily accommodate all three activities - and pretty much anything else you need from a perfect summer break. Check out a few of Samui’s June events:

Samui Regatta

(Ongoing to June 5)

If you’re coming to Samui in the first week of the month, you’ll still manage to catch a few days of sailing at the regatta. With regatta events at night, by day find a stretch of beach to watch the sailing offshore.

World Cup

(June 11 - July 11)

Don’t fret - there are more than enough island bar stools from which to cheer on your team at the World Cup. Land in any of Samui’s towns and just follow the flags - you’ll find your fellow countrymen soon enough.

June wedding or honeymoon

June remains a popular wedding month on Samui. Whether you’re getting married on Samui yourself, coming as a happy honeymooner or will be attending a wedding here as a lucky guest - you’re assured to see the sun.

We’ve got some  Koh Samui food suggestions for memorable meals, as well as romantic ideas and activities. Congrats!

Samui weather in June

Samui June weather = sunshine and lots of it.

Typically the heat begins to subside a little from the ‘hot season’. A short, sharp tropical shower isn’t unusual - a great excuse to cool off under an umbrella or on a deck with a good book (try a book about Thailand) and a cold Thai beer.

If you’ve never experienced rain in the tropics - it’s pretty special.

It’s a great time to visit Koh Samui!

Flickr Creative Commons photo: Tom@HK

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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Why stay on Choeng Mon beach?

Because there’s lots to love. Here’s our totally impartial answer.

1. The sand on Choeng Mon is the softest, whitest and sugariest of anywhere on Samui.
2. Charming, casual beach bungalows and restaurants make up most of the beach-front, unlike the wall-to-wall brand resorts found elsewhere.
3. It’s just a ten-minute walk (downhill) from our Choeng Mon villa - not a bad morning commute?
4. Spending time on Choeng Mon Beach still feels like you know a really good secret.
5. It draws a well-heeled crowd of all ages - both families and couples alike. The Full Moon and party set tends to stick to livelier (rowdier) Chaweng.
6. There’s a choice of fine dining at both ends of the beach (the Peninsula - haven’t tried it, Sala Samui - delicious), and casual breakfast and lunches in between.
7. Choeng Mon Beach is long enough to make a lovely stroll at sunset.

What else is good about Choeng Mon?

1. It’s small enough to walk everywhere
2. Choeng Mon’s a proper town - with all the services you could need: laundry, banks, Samui car hires, pharmacies
3. There’s a quiet main road, but is close to the ring road - just a short drive in either direction to larger Chaweng and delightful Fisherman’s Village.
4. It’s home to Garland Restaurant - Samui’s best Massaman curry (argue with us on this & you’ll get a smack).

11 reasons to give Choeng Mon beach a try. Any questions?

Photo credit: Koh Samui Sunset - all rights reserved

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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Which Thai beer is the best?

“Singha beer, please!”

“Large one small one?”

“Large one, please!”

“Ka…”

Few things beat lounging on the beach or in the pool, enjoying a Thai 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), 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…

Singha

Singha is probably the best known Thai beer outside of Thailand. Sponsoring Manchester City Football Club in the UK has helped to raise its profile, but equally, so have its distinctive flavour and relatively high alcohol content.

• Singha is characterised by a strong malty flavour which makes it a perfect drinking companion with something like a massaman curry.
• It complements salty and heavily seasoned dishes, but also happens to be the most drinkable Thai beer when had by itself too.

At some point during your stay in Thailand, you’ll probably hear an old hand sagely informing you that no one “in-the-know” drinks Singha because it ‘contains formaldehyde’. Tiger, they’ll assure you, is a safer bet. As it turns out, this is probably just a myth. We certainly don’t much store in it.

One last thing you should know about Singha: it’s a very strong lager. While it’s been reduced from a sturdy 6% ABV to a slightly more common 5%, this is still much stronger than the 3-4% lagers seen elsewhere in the world.

Chang

As common as Singha in Thailand is Chang Beer.

• Chang is comparable to Singha in terms of strength, but it’s characterised by a much more traditional lager taste, akin to Tiger, Budweiser and Tsingdao.
• This can make it more refreshing than Singha when tackling a particularly spicy dish, and probably also makes it more suitable to fish and other sea food, where you don’t want to overpower the flavour of the food with the flavour of the beer.

For some reason, we’ve found that several restaurants only stock Chang in the large bottles, and not Singha, so chances are you’ll find yourself trying it at some point even if, like us, you prefer Singha.

Leo

Leo is generously described as “non-premium”, and perhaps more frequently, “swill”. Try it if you must, but don’t fear that you’ll be missing out if you don’t!

Other Regional Beers

There are some other great beers in South East Asia which can be much harder to come across but which, if you do, you simply must try.

• Beer Lao is brewed in Vientiane, in neighbouring Laos. It’s similar to Singha with its malty flavour, and a dark variety is available too.
• Vietnam has some excellent beers as well, of which Beer Larue consistently stands out.
• Angkor Beer is probably Cambodia’s best offering, and not to be confused with Anchor Beer, an inferior brew.

Let the taste testing begin

• Of course, if you’re in the country for a few days, you should try as many as you can (except possibly for Leo). You might find a new favourite.
• It’s also good to keep in mind Thailand’s hot climate and the speed with which you can dehydrate during the course of the day.
• Always have a bottle of water to hand, and most importantly - drink responsibly, and never drink and drive. That’s what Songthaews are for!

Photo credit: Koh Samui Sunset - all rights reserved

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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What’s the Thai dress code?

A question of culture. The typical (and by typical we preclude all Bangkok bar girls) Thai will dress modestly, often keeping knees and shoulders covered. A huge emphasis is placed on appearance - it’s nice to look nice.

Tip. Modest Mouse. You’ll never see Thais baring it all. To assuage the bad name of dirty backpackers Western tourists - stick to your more modest summer set. Shorts or dresses that tend towards the knees and not-so-low cut tops.

Samui’s dress code differs from the rest of Thailand - it’s a resort island, after all.

Still, if you can look nice, stay cool, and leave your naughty bits put away - that’s 3/3.

What to wear in Thailand?

There’s a question with a lot of nuance: “Thailand! What to wear?”

The biggest consideration perhaps between packing in your country (say, the UK or the States) - is Thailand’s heat. By hot we mean properly hot - 30 degrees and rising.

You’re not coming on holiday to play “sweaty bush pig”, are you?

Tip. Forever in Blue Jeans. Leave the jeans at home! You’ll see Thais wearing jeans no matter the temperature. We can only assume this is a skill acquired after a lifetime of heat-aclimation. Your average Johhny Foreigner will just combust.

What to wear on Koh Samui?

Samui’s a casual, resort island. That said, it is common to dress more nicely for dinner.

Tip. Kool and the Gang. Clothing in cotton and jersey fabrics are the absolute best for staying cool. White or light clothes are preferable.

What to wear on Koh Samui - for girls

• dresses - can’t beat a good sun dress
• cotton button-down blouses - both as a shirt and a beach cover-up
• khaki or cotton shorts or capris
• sun hat
• comfy flip-flops, maybe with a dressier pair of sandals and some running shoes for the gym or hiking
• cotton t-shirts or tank tops

What to wear on Koh Samui - for boys

In typically male fashion, we polled our men and got back this brief report:

• shorts
• t-shirts
• flip-flops
• a polo shirt

What to wear on Koh Samui - for rainy season

When are you coming? Certainly the island does have cooler (note - never cold, just “less hot”) days during rainy season and its shoulder months - figure that from late October through January you might meet with such a day. Might.

During these times, a cardigan, sweater or light wind breaker might be of use - particularly at night.

Questions? We’d love to answer any other reader FAQs.

Related:

• What not to wear
• Thailand packing tips
• Buyer beware: the Koh Samui tailor

Flickr Creative Commons photo: anne.oeldorfhirsch

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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TripAdvisor’s 2010 Travelers’ Choice awards!

How did Koh Samui stack up?

A sweep - we’d say! Look where it popped up in all sorts of categories:

• #2 - Best for Relaxation & Spa, Asia
• #6 - Best for Beach & Sun, Asia
• #7 - Best for Romance, Asia

Surat Thani’s win

We should also mention Koh Samui’s mainland neighbour, Surat Thani. It won:

• #10 - Best Outdoor & Adventure, Asia

It’s easy to tack a visit to Surat Thani on to your holiday; its beautiful national parks are definitely on our to-do list.

Check out Samui’s worthy opponents:

• TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice 2010

Related:

• Koh Samui in the press
• Koh Samui romantic ideas
• Koh Samui spas and relaxation

Flickr Creative Commons photo: e_calamar

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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It’s May already? We can’t even believe it. For those of you lucky enough to be hitting Samui’s sunny shores this month - you’ve got a few treats in store.

Koh Samui in May

Thailand has a healthy dose of public holidays - at least 14 by our count [compared to the UK's meagre 8] - and May has a good few.

• First, on May 1st, was Labour Day. As this was a Saturday, it’s observed today on May 3rd. Expect banks & many shops to be closed.
• Next, on May 5th, is Coronation Day. This year is particularly special as it’s the 60th anniversary of the King’s reign. He’s the longest reigning head of state worldwide! Coronation celebrations actually last for 3 days, May 3 through 5.

Samui Regatta

From May 31st to June 5 enjoy racing by day and parties by night.

Though not a public holiday, another big event of this month will find the island buzzing for the 9th annual Koh Samui Regatta.

If not sailing yourself, you can watch the action from many of the island’s beaches - Chaweng, Bophut and Maenam are said to be the best. This year, even more events have been added:

• a golf tournament
• jazz fest
• and a boot camp for the masochistic crowd

To add a ‘green’ element to your holiday, on Thursday June 3 is a community Samui beach clean-up in conjunction with a local international school.

Samui weather in May

As for the weather? Glad you asked.

Koh Samui in May is (typically) still the hot, dry season. Expect temperatures anywhere between 28-35 degrees Celsius - perhaps with the occasional shower. May on Samui gets an average of 215 hours of sun. That’s almost 7 hours a day - sound good? We think so.

It’s a great time to visit Koh Samui!

(Flickr Creative Commons photo: Gesal)

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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Don’t expose yourself on the beach!

New country, new customs - so many ways you can embarrass yourself and others.

Thais are very used to foreigners - especially so on Koh Samui. While they’re a forgiving lot, you’ll do yourself (and your country’s good name) a big favour to learn basic Thai cultural ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’.

We’ve taken these tips from Kenny Yee’s helpful book of the same name. Commit them to memory and you’ll feel more comfortable and confident in your new surroundings. World peace will prosper.

DO

• Keep your patience and stay calm, no matter what - this is the land of happy, go lucky.
• Dress properly when visiting temples - shoulders and knees covered for both sexes. The more formal your clothes, the better. (Flip flops are advised against).
• Extend great respect to the monarchy.
• Take off your shoes when entering homes and some shops. (Look for a pile of flip-flops outside if you’re unsure).

DON’T

• Put your feet up. On anything. Feet = dirty. Keep them on the floor. (What if you’re sitting on the floor? Tuck them beneath you or beside you, away from those nearby).
• Touch anyone’s head - not even children. It’s the most important part of the body.
• Point. Gesture to something, if necessary, with all four fingers extended and the thumb flat against the palm.
• Expose yourself or sunbathe topless. Soooo not ok.

Why not pick up your own copy of Dos and Don’ts in Thailand on Amazon? It teaches exactly how, when and why to wai - with ease.

Related:

• Check out other titles we recommend: books about Thailand
• The top 100 beach books
• Interesting tidbits from Culture Shock! Thailand

(Flickr Creative Commons photo: Spiros2004)

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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“Hello boss, nice to meet you.”

Another day at the office? No, this is a street in Koh Samui and an Indian tailor has just identified you as a potential customer. He’s eager to get you looking your very best in one of his creations.

A familiar approach, “Armani suit for you, my friend?”, occurs all over and ranges from affable to obseqious, at various levels of tenacity.

With dozens of tailors around Samui, you’re bound to encounter one during your stay. Their shop-fronts (found on the beach, along high streets and in towns) suggest direct access to designs and fabrics from the big names in fashion, at very low prices.

Should you do it? We don’t have strong feelings, just a general distaste for persistent salesmen who get in the way and want to shake hands to celebrate our blossoming friendship.

Ever students of science, we undertook a trial transaction. Here we’ll relate our single experience of such enterprise.

Our date with the Indian tailor

We were on holiday in Phuket, our first trip to Thailand. The prices and catalogues impressed us, so we ordered a suit in Armani fabric and a dress in blue silk. We confirmed that both could be completed before our departure date, paid a substantial deposit and went back to the pool.

That was the plan - it actually became a series of fittings and re-fittings, corrections and re-makes, missed deadlines and phone calls leading to a last-minute delivery by motorcycle on the morning of our departure.

Not the stress-free holiday we had in mind.

Were we finally satisfied, when the dust settled?

Not at all.

In the rush, the suit was somehow transformed from Armani fabric to a very cheap material that wouldn’t have looked good even if it fitted correctly. Which it didn’t.

The dress emerged from the bag as badly made as the first attempt.

Back home, we gave these experiments away without ever wearing them, and classified the whole thing as a learning experience.

Understand the rules and risks

Do we classify all Samui tailors as incompetents and crooks? No, but if you’re going to deal with them you need to understand the rules and the risks.

• After you’ve paid the deposit and told the tailor your departure date, they hold all the cards.
• You must accept that, no matter what happens, you are not going to get any money back - ever!
• If you’re not satisfied, they’ll keep trying until you run out of patience or time.
• The best outcome will be that you go home well satisfied, with well-made clothes that fit like a dream.
• Or, like us, you could get nothing usable in return for your investment.
• Probably most transactions fall somewhere between these extremes.

What’s your holiday worth?

Our conclusion was that, factoring in the risk and the amount of precious holiday time spent hanging around for fitting, re-fitting, deliveries, more fitting…we would not do it again. You, as a responsible consumer, should make your own judgment.

(Flickr Creative Commons photo: Kevin N. Murphy)

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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Koh Samui’s 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

Why you might like to get wet - it’s the hottest time of year and it’s all done in good fun.

What you need - a bucket, bottle or water pistol

Rules of combat - deliver your H20 cache to the unsuspecting, with a cheeky smile. There’s no viciousness in Songkran and standard rules of playing nicely apply. If it didn’t fly on a grade school playground, don’t do it.

Immunity - afforded to uniformed police and the elderly. Road safety can become an issue when those driving scooters or motorbikes get a faceful of water.

Best water temperature - chilled to near-freezing, for extra shock value

Creative additions - don’t be surprised to see soaps suds, flour and talcum powder - even Tiger Balm - sometimes mixed into the water.

What not to wear - white

Sitting ducks - dry people

In your pockets - Ziplock bags. Keep your camera, mobile and other electronics safe.

What to watch for - Drunk drivers. Alcohol sale times will be strictly monitored throughout Songkran in efforts to keep the (very wet) roads safe. Just like New Years Eve in your home country, be sure to stay safe.

Related:

• Flickr images: Various Songkran photos
• Songkran and the Thai New Year: a primer

(Flickr Creative Commons photo: nunnui ™)

With love,
  Koh Samui Sunset

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