Tourism is an integral part of any country. Not only does it facilitate cultural and social interaction but it also forwards mutual harmony and adds to the income and popularity of the place. Koh Samui has attained the reputation of a famous holiday destination on account of these factors. Koh Samui has adjusted and molded itself beautifully to the modern world which can be conspicuously gauged from its ever increasing favorability as a holiday destination.

Since tourism is an important part of Koh Samui it also facilitates a number of hotels to ensure a pleasurable stay to all its tourists and visitors. The hotels are located and spread throughout Koh Samui. Its hotels offer beach views, hillside views and natural green views along with comforts and luxuries. Among the famous beach locations are the Lamai beach, chewing beach, Bo Phut beach, Choeng Mon beach and Maenam beach. These beaches impart serenity and pleasure. The six sense hideaway hotels, Impania hotel, Hotel Koh Samui are among the famous beach view hotels. The hillside hotels offer exclusive scenery and views.

Most of the hotels promise an overview of luscious green trees and plants as Koh Samui is abundant in natural beauty. The hotels like paradise, Kanak buri, Pavilion Samui hotel, Baan Taling hotel and easy time hotel are among the known hotels in Koh Samui which have provided a great experience to many tourists and visitors with its impeccable views as well as service.

The hotels range from economy class to five star hotels suiting every ones pocket, be it a wealthy businessman to an ordinary salesman. The approachability and beauty of the place are remarkable leaving no doubt about the popularity of the place.

Ko Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand, approximately 84 kilometers east of Surat Thani Province, or approximately 700 kilometers south of Bangkok. Known as the Coconut Island, Ko Samui is one of the most famous and popular attractions of Thailand. With an area of 247 square kilometers, Ko Samui is the third largest island of Thailand after Phuket and Ko Chang (of Trat Province). The topography of the island is that of a plain with a mountain range in the middle and 7 important streams. In addition, there is a 50-kilometer paved road that encircles the island. Moreover, the area of the island stretches to a group of 48 surrounding islets.

Despite the fast pace of development, Ko Samui has been able to maintain its charm its classical image of a tropical beach resort fringed by coconut trees. Travelers to the island can enjoy a mixed blessing of vibrant day and nightlife along side with tranquility which can easily be found across different parts of Ko Samui as the archipelago is a peaceful home for fishermen and a natural den for seagulls and other rare birds.

Hat Chaweng and Hat Lamai are Ko Samuis most beautiful and most popular beaches. Both have a huge selection of accommodations suitable for every budget. Please note that room rates increase during the high season, from December to July, when Samui sparkles. The nightlife of each beach is different: Hat Chaweng is better for couples, women and families, while single men are drawn to the beer bar culture of Hat Lamai. These resorts, as well as Na Thon (Samui’s main town), have communications, exchange and car/motorcycle hire facilities. Other beaches include Hat Choeng Mon, Hat Mae Nam in the north and Hat Na Thon, the island’s major seafront settlement where shops, restaurants and tour agencies are concentrated.

Apart from its many lovely beaches and tranquil bays, Ko Samui is also noted for its high quality coconuts that grow densely everywhere. The best time to visit Ko Samui is from February to April when the sea is calm. The Southern dialect and the standard Thai language are spoken while English is widely understood in tourist areas.

From Surat Thani to Ko Samui

1.Express boat

1.1 An express ferry boat of Songserm Travel departs from Tha Thong Pier in Surat Thani at 8.00 a.m. and arrives at Na Thon Pier in Samui at 10.30 a.m. every day. For the return trip, the boat leaves Na Thon Pier at 2.00 p.m. and reaches Tha Thong at 4.30 p.m.

1.2 Express boats of Seatran Express operate three times a day between Ban Don and Ko Samui. Departure times are 7.00 a.m., 12.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. The trip takes two hours.

2. Ferry Boats of Seatran

Seatran Ferry, which can accommodate 60 cars and 400 passengers, operates several trips per day between Don Sak (Surat Thani) and Ko Samui, from 5.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. The trip takes about 1.30 hours.

3. Night ferry

A slow night ferry leaves Ban Don Pier nightly at 11 p.m. and reaches Na Thon Pier at Samui around 5 a.m. (6 hours). For the return trip, the boat leaves Na Thon Pier at 9.00 p.m. and arrives at Ban Don Pier at 4.00 a.m. (7 hours).

Getting to nearby Islands from Samui

1. Ko Pha-ngan

1.1 Na Thon Pier (Ko Samui) — Thong Sala Pier (Ko Pha-ngan)

Songserm Travel Co. operates ferry boats and express boats between Na Thon Pier on Ko Samui and Thong Sala Pier on Ko Pha-ngan, four times a day. The trip takes about 45 minutes for express boats, and one hour for ordinary ferry boats.

1.2 Bo Phut (Ko Samui) — Hat Rin (Ko Pha-ngan)

There is a ferry boat leaving Bo Phut for Ko Pha-ngan twice daily at 9.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. The return trips depart Hat Rin on Ko Pha-ngan at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

2. Ang Thong Islands

Visitors can hire a boat on Ko Samui to Ang Thong. The charge depends on the boat size and number of passengers. The trip takes 1.30 hours. It is also possible to join a full-day excursion organized by tour operators in Ko Samui.

3. Ko Tao

Boat services for Ko Tao are available at Na Thon Pier of Ko Samui.

Ko Samui – Animal Farms and Shows

Phang Ka Snake Farm

at Tambon Taling Ngam, has daily shows at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 250 baht per person, Tel: 0-7742-3247.

Samui Buffalo Village

At Tambon Na Mueang, has daily shows at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., 350 baht per person, Tel: 0-7741-8680.

Butterfly Garden and Honey Farm

In the south of the island, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 120 baht per person, Tel: 0-7742-4020-21.

Monkey Training Center

At Tambon Bo Phut, has daily shows at 10.30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., 150 baht per person, Tel: 0-7724 -5140.

Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo

At Ao Laem Set, opens daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 250 baht per person, Tel: 0-7742-4017-8.

Crocodile Farm

Near Na Mueang Waterfall, daily shows at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 250 baht per person.

Buffalo fighting

This is an exciting bout that attracts a huge crowd, both local residents and tourists. Held monthly, it serves as a traditional festival on the island.

Monkey & Elephant Shows

At the show, it is actually possible to see how monkeys collect coconuts and present their other exceptional abilities. In addition, visitors will be impressed by the intelligence and loveliness of elephants that can perform many lovely tricks, or even play football.

On Ko Samui, the coconut island, the monkey is considered man’s best friend. Local people have used monkeys to climb up and pick the ripe coconuts for centuries. At present, monkeys are not just good at picking coconuts, they are also good at entertaining.

Snake show

A stunning show that is not suitable for a people with heart diseases. The show offers a thrilling experience especially when the poisonous reptiles are skillfully caught by a handler with bare hands. Shows feature snakes indigenous to Ko Samui as well as centipedes, scorpion and **** fighting shows.

Samui Crocodile Farm

Siam crocodiles, Caimans, Saltwater crocodiles, snakes, lizards, monkeys and many others are gathered here for entertainment.

Samui Aquarium

Located at Laem Set Bay, the Aquarium features a wide variety of tropical fish and marine fauna.

Samui Go Kart

Looking for fast-paced action? Visit this site in Bophut, on the ring road opposite the Samui Euphoria Resort, and enjoy circling the track at over 100 kilometers. Call 077 425097 for more information.

Samui Golf & Country Club

Ko Samui offers an absolutely overwhelming experience for golfers. This par 72 course was jointly designed by Edward Theile and Pirapon Namartra. The challenge is its relentless, tumbling diversity and its degree of difficulty. The par-3s range from 155 to 214 yards, highlighted by the shortest (the audacious 6th, with a vertical drop and waterfall). The 10 par-4s are whimsical and attenuated and querulous and lengthy. The par-5s start at 458 and end at the signature 17th with 622 yards of downhill travel. The fairways are tilted and the greens are uniformly gyroscopic.

Samui Nightlife

Its never ending. Koh Samui offers spectacular evening entertainment for all ages. This includes traditional beach bars (popular with families), western-style pubs, which feature music, videos and satellite television, and free to enter nightclubs, which are more active after midnight and usually continue through the pre-dawn hours. Bars, cabarets shows and discos are mainly located in Chaweng and Lamai. Green Mango, Raggae Pub, Full Circle and Bauhaus are the main discotheques, some open until sunrise.

The most vibrant nightlife activities can be found around the beaches of Chaweng and Lamai. Resorts also provide magnificent entertainment such as dinner cabarets, where professional singers and dancers display their talents in stylish surroundings.

Samui Paintball

A non-water based activity worth trying, Samui paintball offers a unique opportunity to take a shot at families and friends without having to go to jail.

Scuba Diving

There are many scuba diving schools located around Ko Samui, offering a wide range of dive facilities. There are also tours available for snorkeling, fishing and excursions. The area of Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Pha-ngan and Angthong Marine National Park are very famous dive places.

Spa experience at Samui

Samui now boasts many excellent, world-class spas set in a truly Samui ambience. From aromatic floral baths, steaming and body masque with Thai herbs, to face and body massage, reflexology, and other well-being therapy, Samui has everything that caters to your needs rejuvenating, pampering and relaxing in utmost luxury and comfort.

For more detail or recommendations, visit http://thailand-vacation-info.blogspot.com

This Weeks Top Stories: Bar Owner Dies in Lamai Hit and Runs Leaving People Dying Scooter Makes Miracle Escape Big Joe Moves To New Location Super Star Dj. Lighted up Mints Night Editorial: Campaigning Against Drunk Driving

Hubby dearest and I had started getting on each other’s nerves a little too often. Reason? Vacation addicts need their regular shots of vacation breaks (no matter how small), but our work schedules had kept us to the grindstone for more than a year and a half. So we decided to lighten our mood with a well-earned holiday.  Romantically, we decided on our honeymoon country – Thailand.  Phuket was a common destination, so we decided to give it a miss. We wanted someplace different, away from the maddening tourist crowd, maybe a bit funky.  Then we stumbled upon Koh Samui on the internet – I fell in love with the name instantaneously- it had a wine-like quality to it when it rolled off your tongue.  Koh Samui.  Some more research revealed some interesting facts – that it is the third largest island of Thailand, located at the Gulf of Thailand, and is surrounded by sixty other islands.  Photographs of white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, corals, swaying coconut trees (coconuts were the main cash crop) had me drooling.

Koh Samui boasts of many tourist attractions include Angthong National Marine Park, also known as the Golden Basin, where we could also indulge in snorkeling. The Samui Aquarium is a popular undersea world, while the Tiger Zoo Ko Samui is the proud host of Bengal tigers and leopards.  Wat Khunaram Ko Samui is the island’s famous temple where devotees throng to pay respects to the mummified former abbot of the temple, a meditation master.  Another important shrine on Ko Samui is the Laem Sor Pagoda Ko Samui whose yellow tiles give a golden glow to the shrine.  Koh Samui is also home to the Big Buddha, a 12-metre-high statue of the Budha at the Wat Phra Yai.

Apart from sight seeing, we could also take dance in the Full Moon Party, which is supposed to (according to the internet) the coolest and the hippest dance party ever.

Our search is over, and we are flying there next week, to get our batteries recharged.  Ciao

“Live music.” That common saying may contain some truth, but these days the word “live” is having less and less to do with music. For many people, a dj is their form of live music. Despite what dj’s would like to have you believe, musicians make excellent entertainment.

In the first place, people enjoy human performance. Many musicians like great athletes are multi-talented. They will croon on the tenor saxophone right to your soul, then turn around and chunk out a funky rhythm on a Fender Stratocaster. Can a dj play a turntable behind his head or with his teeth? Professional musicians love to sing and groove on just about any style of music from a Frank Sinatra to Outkast. They especially enjoy playing when the audience is responding to their performance.

In the second place, musicians are students of the arts. Musicians do not merely “push buttons.” They’ve had years of practice in their homes, and they do their thing on stage. Unlike dj’s musicians do not try to sing over or add other loud or strange noises to program music. Once a song starts it flows to the end and in the unfortunate event of a power shortage musicians can continue to entertain acoustically until power is restored. Even non-professional musicians usually understand “the show must go on” concept.

Lastly, one of the most attractive features of bands as entertainment is the affinity between them and their audience. Watching a great drummer is never boring because they’re constantly moving…feeling. An animated solo violinist playing an old wooden Stradivarius violin has a much greater chance of reaching into your soul and stirring your emotions than a dj with an array of magnetic speakers and digital amplifiers no matter how great his system sounds. It’s an apple trying to be an orange. It’s the difference between human blood and electricity.

Contrary to popular opinion, bands can be affordable. Just like with a dj, finding a band well in advance and securing them with a low down payment, the price can be negotiated to avoid costly or inadequate entertainment. Bands will even throw in a free cocktail hour or an extra half hour at the end to secure a date! Many bands are now offering “dj time.” This is when the musician hat comes off and the dj hat is put on to play the Techno, House, Hip-Hop, etc…Genres of today. People who have small parties should appreciate these characteristics of bands. However, many people who have large parties opt to have bands because they love the musician personality. In many ways, musicians are the ideal entertainers.

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Hat Chaweng beach, the most beautifull on the island!

Not that long ago Samui island was a favorite destination for adventure seeking sun worshippers. These seasoned travelers visited Koh Samui Thailand long before it was in the guide books. Seaside bungalows were available for as little as 150 baht per night, and you could count on spending day after sunny day on the beach in near perfect tranquility. These visitors found there was an almost mesmerizingly restful and carefree feel to the island that often kept them here long after they intended to return home.

Those who have known and loved Samui Island since those early days may not agree about the current pace of development in some areas, but for the most part they do agree on one thing. The island retains its sleepy magic and Ko Samui is still a tropical paradise. These days’ luxury Samui villas are popping up throughout the island and Ko Samui seems intent on catching up with its Andaman counterpart, Phuket in terms of development, infrastructure and the choice of Samui villas.

However, much of Koh Samui Island, especially south coast, remains largely undeveloped. A day spent on a motorbike or in a jeep exploring this lush terrain is a day of sheer serendipity. With its spectacular and astonishingly diverse flora, and its dozy little neighborhoods peopled by some of the world’s most amiable islanders, this kind of exploration is sure to provide the delights you imagined when you planned your holiday.

Short direct flights here now on Samui Island depart several times a day from Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. You can also arrive by train, bus and boat.

The most obvious thing to do while holidaying on Koh Samui is to laze on one of the beautiful beaches, and swim or paddle in the warm tropical waters, but you will probably want to do other things as well, and there are lots and lots to do. Some of the more popular activities include Snorkeling. Snorkellers can accompany their diving companions on scuba dive trips, take a tour organized for snorkellers, a trip arranged by local fishermen to one of the many surrounding islands, or just snorkel from the beaches and rock formations dotted around the Island. Either way, the beauty of the coral and fish that can be seen through your mask is great.

Windsurfing equipment is available for rent from several water sport centers around the island. Lessons are available for beginner adults and children. Prices start from 300 baht per hour for equipment rental and from 500 baht for a one hour individual lesson (equipment included). The conditions for windsurfing are great, with good offshore winds throughout the year.

Scuba Diving is also very popular and the Gulf of Thailand offers a huge variety of dive sites suitable for all levels of diver. So whether you want to blow your very first bubbles underwater or you’re an experienced diver looking for something more challenging, there are plenty of options to choose from.

One of the things that makes Samui so appealing is the fact that you can still stop at a street cart for a 30 baht plate of Pad Thai or Fried Rice, while just around the corner a lavish buffet is being served on the beach. All the options are here, including several Thai vegetarian restaurants.

Entertainment Samui

There is lots of good entertainment in recent years an international community of entrepreneur restaurateurs have brought to Samui the cuisines of Japan, Italy, Germany, India, Brazilian, Switzerland, France, Sweden and Mexico, among others. Good Western cuisine can now be found in almost every village on the island. Need a “back home” style snack or a fast-food fix? There are excellent bakeries, ice cream parlours, McDonalds is in Chaweng and Lamai along with other well known pizza outlets.

If you stay long enough for your digestive system to begin to get acclimatized, you might try eating at one of the outdoor evening markets that locals frequent. Here you will find some of Samui’s most authentic (and spicy!) Thai food. The seating arrangements may be crude and the air filled with the noise of nearby locals relaxing after work with Karaoke, but the food will be hot, tasty and cheap.