Highlights
Beaches
Koh Samui is surrounded by shimmering, mother-of-pearl beaches – around forty or so in number. They vary from long swathes draped with tourists, such as Chaweng and Lamai, to pocket-sized, off-radar bays like Choeng Mon, and a pristine scoop called Taling Ngam, overlooking the islands of Ang Thong National Marine Park. Some are famous for full moon festivities and lively beach parties, others for massage and meditation, and others for their utter tranquillity. Common characteristics include silky, talc-white sands, nodding coconut trees and breathtakingly azure seas, providing a tropical backdrop for blissful relaxation.
Scuba Diving
Crystal-clear seas, colourful corals and incredible marine-life make Koh Samui a great choice for scuba enthusiasts, whether beginner or experienced – recognised courses are widely available at a selection of dive shops. Expect to see tuna, snapper, mackerel and barracuda, as well as giant grouper, yellowtails and whale sharks. Some sites are located just offshore, whilst others are further afield, but well worth the journey; experience sensational underwater adventures at Ang Thong National Marine Park and Sail Rock, featuring an amazing, naturally-formed dive wall.
Adventure
Discover Koh Samui’s best bits on a 4WD tour, passing striking waterfalls, fruit orchards, rubber plantations, secret gardens and the extraordinary mummified monk. For an adventure on sea, a big game fishing trip promises excitement, scenery and a delicious, fresh-from-the-water lunch. Explore the Ang Thong Marine National Park, a region of immense natural beauty that boasts wonky, limestone outcrops, translucent waters and jungle-fringed beaches. Whether above and below the water, adventure is guaranteed; so take your pick from scuba, snorkel or sea kayak. Another sea-based highlight is a snorkelling trip to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, two island gems just a scenic hour away by speedboat.
National Parks
No Koh Samui adventure is complete without a trip to the Ang Thong National Marine Park, a stunning archipelago of 42 islands floating off the island’s clear, turquoise shores. Whiz over by speedboat, before drifting around a fairy-tale land of crooked limestone pillars zooming out of the sea, mingled with icing-sugar beaches, dense jungle greenery, fertile mangroves, tumbling waterfalls and hidden lakes. Thankfully, the area is protected and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Pootle about in a kayak, laze on a beach or don masks and flippers and soak up the exotic, undersea scenery.
Culture
Koh Samui’s lush landscape is peppered with cultural attractions, including a snake farm, aquarium, butterfly garden and traditional coconut plantations, at which you can sample sweet morsels of island delights freshly plucked by monkeys. The island is home to old Chinese shrines and Buddhist temples, including two standout landmarks: the Samui Big Buddha, sitting on a small, rocky island off Koh Samui’s north-eastern coast, and Wat Plai Laem, featuring a distinctive, 18-arm statue of a religious goddess. For an utterly unique experience, Wat Khunaram houses a mummified monk in a glass case – considered disturbing to many Western visitors, the monk is hugely sacred and worshipped by the Thai people.