Koh Samui is a beautiful island, located in the Gulf of Thailand, amidst azure blue water and an archipelago of small green islands ringed by white sand. Traditionally more of a European haunt, Koh Samui’s allure is its relaxed lifestyle. Buildings are no higher than the palm trees and bars and restaurants are often small and personal. Aside from lying on the beach and the usual water activities, a visit to the monkey school – where monkeys are trained to collect coconuts from the tall palm trees - is always fun.

The markets along the main Chaweng Beach are a must, offering great value as well as a good way to meet the locals. Koh Samui is Thailand's third largest island at 247 sq. km., and during the last decade it has become one of Southeast Asia's premier tourist destinations.

Samui sits snugly in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by other island gems like Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao, and is located 84 km. east of Surat Thani, the provincial capital on the mainland. With soft-sand beaches shaded by towering palms, delicious fresh seafood and a vibrant nightlife, Samui has a magical formula that seems to cast its spell on everyone. Many visitors are content to laze their days away on the beach, soaking up the sun and cooling off in the turquoise waters, but for action enthusiasts there are plenty of choices like diving and snorkelling, windsurfing and paragliding, beach volleyball, off-road driving, and other similar activities.

One of the island's most appealing features is the loop road, which makes a 50 km. circuit around the island, giving a glimpse of superb beaches on the north, east and west coasts. It runs past sleepy fishing villages and through seas of coconut palms, passing Samui's most impressive waterfall and tempting turn-offs into the highlands along the way. Other attractions on or near the road include a butterfly garden, a snake show, a monkey-training centre, and health spas dedicated to pampering the body.

There is plenty on Samui to keep even the most jaded traveller happy for a week or two, but for anyone spending even a few days here, an opportunity not to be missed is a trip to the emerald islands of the Mu Ko Angthong Marine National Park, which offers another perspective of a tropical paradise.

Famous for:

• White sandy beaches, friendly locals and fantastic views and accessibility to Ang Thong National Marine Park
• Impressive resorts and health spas
• Full moon parties        

Climate:

Season	Months	Aveg Temp (Celcius)
Cool	Dec - Jan	21
Hot	Feb - Aug	33
Green	Sep - Nov	25

• By air – in high season, Bangkok Airways flies from Bangkok to Koh Samui 14 times daily, which takes 1 hr 20 minutes. There are also several flights a day direct from Singapore also with Bangkok Airways. There are also twice daily flights from Phuket to Koh Samui, which takes 50 minutes. THAI flies four times a day from Bangkok to Surat Thani (on the mainland), where a ferry is available to take you directly to Koh Samui.

• By bus & boat – buses from Bangkok take around 11 hours for the bus journey, followed by between 1h 20 minutes to 2½ hrs to the island, depending on the type of ferry you take.

• By train & boat – it takes 11½ hours to travel from Bangkok to Phunpin Station in Surat Thani. A boat will then need to be taken from the pier to Koh Samui as per the information above.

There are so many wonderful things to do in Koh Samui - here are a few suggestions to get you started!

Beaches & Resorts You don’t have to be staying in a resort to lie on one of Koh Samui’s world-class beaches, but if you would like to be served a colourful cocktail and be waited on hand and foot while you are, then a resort is for you.	Le Meridien Baan Taling Ngam
Ang Thong Marine Park – 40 islands make up this archipelago. If picture-perfect scenery, blue waters, white sandy beaches & hidden lagoons are your thing, then island-hopping is for you!
Diving – Many operators have opened on Koh Samui and offer competitive packages. The most highly recommended dive spot is Koh Tao (Turtle Island) and its immediate surrounding. This island can be accessed from other nearby islands or from Chumphon, on the mainland.
Temples – the Temple of the Big Buddha is a site worth seeing, especially at sunset. It was built in 1972 on a small rocky island, joined to the north of Samui by a causeway. The 12 metre structure is surrounded by meditation huts, which can be used by visitors for this purpose.
Koh Pha-ngan and Full Moon Parties – 20 km north of Samui is a mountainous island, made famous by the monthly full moon parties. Every month on the night of the full moon, thousands of visitors dance from dusk till dawn on the beach.  You can buy tickets for your boat ride and party entry in Koh Samui or Bangkok. For more details, go to www.kohphangan.com
Santiburi Golf Course One of the most stunning courses in all of Thailand, this difficult 18-hole course is not to be missed.  For non-golfers, the clubhouse restaurant offers gorgeous views over the outer islands.
Waterfall – if you have the inclination and feel like climbing 1.5km to the top of Samui Island, you will be rewarded with a three-tiered waterfall, Na Muang Falls, as well as fantastic views to the sea.
Open-air discos, markets and bars – set back a little from Chaweng Beach is a line of market stalls, bars and restaurants. At night, an area converts into an open-air disco, where you can enjoy the holiday party atmosphere and dance the night away, whilst staring at the blue-green water and white beaches.
Elephant Trek - This two-and-a-half-hour tour includes a visit to an elephant camp, to learn about them as well as elephant conservation. Then take a short and unforgettable experience trekking on elephant-back. Also see how monkeys can be trained to pick coconuts from a tree. www.wts-thailand.com
Snake shows - For anyone fascinated by snakes, a visit to one of the island's snake shows is a must. The fearless handlers play with deadly species, and offer visitors the chance to get up close and touch their slithery skin.
Monkey shows - The monkeys' famed ability as coconut collectors once formed the basis of Samui's economy. During the performance all their skills are shown to ludicrous effect.