Please excuse this brief excursion from Samui’s shores

Apr 082013
 

Bringing politics to a dinner party? Dubious! How about dragging them to an island paradise? Well… just this once.

See, we love us some elephants. Some live (in captivity) on Koh Samui, you might see one on a quiet road or decide to go elephant trekking. While Thailand’s Asian elephants were traditionally used for agriculture, they’re today more commonly employed in tourist treks (especially up north in Chiang Mai – pictured), ceremonies and photo ops. Certainly this is the closest we’ve ever come to an elephant – magnificent creatures we could have watched all day.

This has what to do with gruesome politics? This week, while doing some website maintenance (rooting around in its delicates drawer, so to speak) we came across some upsetting information. The company with which we previously hosted our website, GoDaddy, has a founder/ex-CEO/executive chairman with African elephant blood-lust.

To our minds, killing any animal for sport is inexcusable. Yet it was Mr. Parson’s crass choice to publish the videoed aftermath (set to AC/DC) that left us scrambling for the exit door. We missed the story when it broke two years ago, but were determined to immediately revoke our vote and move elsewhere, to the land of ex-GoDaddy customers.

We starting looking further – and hit another snag: our plan B choice of hosting company has a corporate policy of discriminating against nice people who love each other. Guys, it’s 2013 – that’s just not nice.

A moment’s thumb-twiddling, another bout of Googling: we finally found DreamHost. Guess what? They’re carbon neutral. (Check out the new button in our footer – we love it!) No dead elephants and no entitled censorship. Guess what else? Instead of spending suitcases of cash on sexed-up Superbowl ads, DreamHost donates to charity. Novel concept.

Our site was down for over 72 hours this week – we hit eject quickly and finally emerged the better for it. (If not extremely caffeinated). So welcome to our new, three-times-faster, non-discriminating, green, elephant-loving website. We’re happy, you’re happy. Right – all that politics, it must be time for a holiday!

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Photo credit to Darren Johnson, TheLizardQueen and Karl Baron via Flickr Creative Commons

New this April: Samui’s Jellyfish Petting Zoo

Apr 012013
 

Marvel at their ethereal glow. Wonder at their rhythmic undulations. Flee their excruciating grasp.

There’s nothing quite like the silky caress of a jellyfish, but up until now, high insurance premiums have been a real obstacle to getting nature’s most gelatinous animal in real, controlled, commercial contact with paying holiday makers. Finally, Koh Samui has become home to the world’s first (as far as we know) Jellyfish Petting Zoo.

Jellyfish petting zoo exhibit

Come with the children in tow, and leave with a healthy respect for nature. Among the jellyfish represented are the Portuguese Man O’ War with its boyish good looks, the charmingly named Flower Hat jellyfish (which would make a great flower but a very painful hat), and the mostly white Purple Striped jellyfish.

The Jelly Fish Petting Zoo is certainly a welcome addition to Samui, and we would like to extend a tentacle of congratulations to the hard-working team behind it who finally got their dream off the ground!

The Petting Zoo also features a small gift shop selling souvenirs and anti-inflammatories for treating the otherworldy pain. Open year round except between 2 April and 31 March.

[Update: April Fools!]

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Photo credit to ajcreencia and NBphotostream via Flickr Creative Commons

Our top holiday books: 15 favourites for your travels

Feb 062013
 

Ten years ago this summer, we spent our very first family holiday on Koh Samui. On subsequent visits we’ve returned with Tom Sawyer, John Lennon and even Lee Harvey Oswald. Recalling favourite holiday memories, beach books have been a big part of our enjoyment.

Top books for a holiday

So which ones stand out from 2003 to now? The top 15 books we’ve loved reading on Koh Samui holidays:

Our 15 top holiday books

To cap off a decade of sunny Samui trips, here are our 15 top holiday books – ones we’ve loved, read for the entire million-hour flight, dropped in the pool and stayed up all night to finish. Lesser paperbacks get left behind in the hotel – these ones, we hope, will come home with you and your tan. Most – if not all – have Kindle versions, expanding your mind and lightening your luggage!

Our top holiday fiction books

Our top holiday non-fiction books

As ever, we’re ready with your pre-flight homework: our 2013 Koh Samui Guide will get you there, perfectly packed and ready for a stack of beach books!

Koh Samui travel guide 2013

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Photo credit (from left to right) to: Mingo Hagen and Simon Cocks via Flickr Creative Commons

Guess what we got! Koh Samui Guide: 2013 edition

Feb 012013
 

2013 Koh Samui Guide in pdf and kindle versions

Are we good to you or what? While the rest of the world exercises off the holidays (and other noble resolutions), we’ve been eating and eating… “island research” to totally update our Koh Samui Guide for 2013. Our shorts don’t fit – but we’re certain it’s worth it.

New for 2013: Our second-edition Samui guide book now clocks in at 91 pages – 15% longer than last year – and it’s more colourful than ever. What’s changed?

Even more research! Seat-belted and with a suitable soundtrack, we’ve explored Samui even further; filled an entire notebook, 2 SD cards and the glovebox with new discoveries, brochures, polarised photos and sticky fingerprints (‘nam prik pao’ sauce will do that to you).

We’ve given you twice the restaurant recommendations as before – plus new tips and packing notes, updated hotels and beach detail, a totally overhauled nightlife section, and even more things to do (with your spouse, children, friends or family).

You’ll learn – at long last – where to buy Berocca and brownies, and what to put in your pockets when you go out Friday night.

Koh Samui Guide 2013 with maps

Plus – a total labour of love – we slogged it out with PhotoShop to bring you 5 new and totally original island maps (thumbnail versions above).

In sum? New in the guide book for 2013:

  • 5 new Samui maps: get from A to B with easy navigation markers (“Turn at the 7-11!”)
  • 15% more content: 0% filler
  • 50 new photos: Showing you Samui exactly as you’ll find it.

Of course, there’s all the good stuff from last year too – and it’s still exactly the same price.

  • $10 (US/CAD) or approximately £6.
  • Instantly download it to your iPad, phone, tablet or computer (PDF version)
  • Or, if you’re a Kindle creature, get it on Amazon instead!

Then what? Read some reviews of our 2012 book (at right) or even more detail. Or – you can pin it!

Koh Samui Guide for 2013 on iPad and Kindle

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