"Koh Samui" a Ko Samui Travel Page by w3ndes

Now w/ Koh Samui...I loved it!! Was so much fun !! I was there for 4 nights w/ Linda, and though it was flooded, we still had fun. Wet season was abnormally late by like 6 weeks. We flew w/ Bangkok Airways ( www.bangkokair.com) from Bangkok and they were great! I suggest signing up for their newsletter they send out since then you can be informed of sales they're having...We flew return from

Bangkok>Koh Samui...Koh Samui>Phuket for 11800THB including tax for 2 person...so 5900 for 1 person...I think thats about 200$AUD if I'm dividing correctly by 30? I think we got it on sale so worth keeping an eye out for the sale emails..

From Phuket, we took AirAsia to KL because I think BAir doesn't fly to KL.

Note:- there is a departure tax @ Koh Samui airport when you depart they collect @ check in but omg the airport is so cute !! you'll see =P oh I think tax was 300THB? 10$AUD

We stayed @ Samui Natien Resort www.samuinatienresort.com. Was decent and the satff were real nice...standard 2 twin bedroom, balcony, good bathroom, nothing fancy for 9400THB (4 nights but stay 5 nights special)...oh most places have good discounts for non-peak season and peak season starts about 15th Dec I believe...so this was about 320$ for 2 persons for 5 nights...so 30$ per person per night but keeping in mind cuz we got special discount..

So you can find good accomodation for like 30-50$ per person per night. Our brekkie was included so I'd say for that price, you'd get that too. Anything cheaper, you're looking @ hostels w/ festy british backpackers so a no no hehe

I looked @ some resorts and omg they are soo gorgeous omg !!! Idyllic island holiday !!
http://www.rockyresort.com/ - this place I was real keen on but sad to say >budget dammit !!! Say for about 70-80$ upwards per person per night you can get a standard room (the cheapest) but get all the facilities of the resort someone paying much more and having a private hut on the beach gets too!! These resorts are usually on quieter parts of Koh Samui but still good.

I'd suggest staying on Chaweng Beach, the main tourist part of the island. I rode around the whole island, and it's true when they say it's the most developed which also means lots of tourists. Lots of resorts, hotels, right on the beach and it's a matter of what your budget is like...Try www.kohsamui.org I used this to research all the accomodation, read reviews so was good...

Should hire a motorbike and go around the whole island..we didn't because it was flooded and so more dangerous for us never having rode a bike before...but being sunny, gorgeous weather you'd be right..otherwise you'd get around the island by Song Taos (trucks you flag down, hop in the back), like buses..private taxies (not worth it + less fun) or motorbike taxis.

Spa you have to have a spa !!! Linda and I went to one (I have to find the site but I've included some pics) .. I had a 2.5 hrs treatment I think? Had sauna (was sooo good) and bath in this square tub filled w/ water, oils, rose petals, right on the beach (omg I could hear people and I was lowering myself down in case they saw me omg ) but was so relaxing hearing the water too crash onto the beach..then in for a body scrub, massage and moisturiser and the fingers/hands on the lady omg worked a wonder !!! Truly luxurious. We had this in a hotel that was a few resorts down from one we were staying at. Went in one day, booked it for the next day and that was is. Cost about 120$ for my treatment but so worth it..thats was probably mid-range price. Of course other places have cheaper and more expensive but that I'd say would be median and great to do w/ gfs.

ooooHH we also took a thai cooking class !!! and that was heaps fun !!! I'll give you details if you're interested but this guy and his wife run it from their home, they advertise @ all the tourist cafes , etc and we booked through one internet cafe...Can't remember how much..<50 AUD$ but... So the guy picks us up from our place, drives us to this local market to buy food...explains to us all the ingredients, etc, get to his place where we're set up in his house and we pick food to cook from a selection (Tom Yum soup, chicken in banana leaf, curry chicken), and he teaches us how to cook (der! hehe), we get to eat, and he's just real fun, then he drove us back home..I think it went for about 3 hrs? Well worth it though!!!

Food around the whole island is cheap !!! You can eat for like <10$ a meal, even <5$ @ some places and they are real good servings !!! So you can splurge on other things like accomodation and save $$ eating out !! Shopping is the usual tourist fare and you have to bargain surely !!! Getting around too is pretty cheap !! Few $$'s here and there...and they have good attractions..Big Buddha, 2 natural rock formations shaped like a *** and the ladies equivalent hehe, elephant trekking, Natien (the island's capital) - worth a look because you can see how the people live on the island and go about their business...it's a fishing viallge really...I'll send pictures (I've been so lazy)

Full moon party on Koh Phangan only a ferry ride away..but just crazy brits on drugs and alc eecky !! we didn't go. It's every month on night of full moon.