# Ko Samui Island - experiences?



## kildarebuild (9 Jun 2006)

Hi - 

Trying to plan a honeymoon, does anyone have any experiences of the ko samui island?? 

Plan to head out on the 19th september. Probably stopover in bangkok for maybe 2 nights. Then on to the island. I was hoping similiar people had experiences on this island. Its a honeymoon - it will have to be great place one to remember for years to come. 

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards

KildareBuild


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## Sunster (9 Jun 2006)

*Re: Ko Samui Island?? Experiences?*

We did that at the same time last year. Beaches on Koh Samui were beautiful expecially where our hotel was. We stayed at the Imperial Boathouse which was lovely. Beaches stunning, and we were lucky with the weather considering it should be the 'rainy season' in south east asia. We went on a few day boat trips to do some diving, and did the tour of the island as well. 
Bangkok in comparision is one hell of a busy city in comparision. My wife and I are big tennis fans and were lucky that the Thai Open was on (won by Federer )....we ended up just watching tennis most of the time rather than do Bangkok. Having said that my wife really enjoyed the weekend market there...chatachuk market...a must as a tourist...thousands...yes really thousands of stalls selling everything you can imagine. I'd recommend an early start if you gonna go to this. Feel free to ask anything


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## Sol28 (9 Jun 2006)

*Re: Ko Samui Island?? Experiences?*

I would recommend hitting the islands first - then do bangkok on the way home - The city is fascinating - but if its your first experience of an Asian city it can be a bit overpowering compared to western cities. After time down in the islands you are more adept to the thai lifestyle (which is fab) and i think you could enjoy the city more.

Maybe dont just stay on the one island - take a trip out to spend a few nights on Koh Pangang or Koh Tao. As you go further out the islands are less developed and more relaxing.


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## ciara_gmail (9 Jun 2006)

*Re: Ko Samui Island?? Experiences?*

Koh Samui is amazing...I have been there the last 2 years on holidays. Although we didnt stay in fancy hotels while in Samui, there are amazing hotels to be found especially on Chaweng Beach and Lamai - one in particular on Lamai which we stayed for a couple of nights was called the Rocky Resort - pure bliss. Take a look at this site for accomadation and more info... www.sawadee.com 

On this site, you will find a place called the Jungle Club - i must say its the most romantic location I have ever stayed...its right up in the mountains in Koh Samui, best view you will get other than flying into Koh Samui..its at the end of Chawend Noi, you will need to phone them on arrival to collect you as they use a 4*4 to navigate the steep hills! The swimming pool is built into the cliff edge and is beautiful, they also do amazing food. Best part is you can choose from a hut, bungalow or a house. For the sake of experience we stayed in the huts..€9 per night total, the hut is just a double bed with mosquito net, stone bathroom with no running water altho they were getting it plumbed while we were there. 

There are some gorgeous restaurants on Samui aswell, Poppys, Zicos, Eat Sense and much cheaper ones along the main road. 

As per previous posts, I would defo recommend Bangkok on the way back...its total heaven to have it to look forward to. We stayed in the Amari Atrium and the Westin...Westin is by far the better and is on the main Sukhumvit Road..take a trip to the Patpong markets, stalls are right in the middle of the red light district..wouldnt recommend going into any of the bars - you will know yourself which ones are dodgy as they have a curtain over the door in!!

Well thats my tuppence worth...enjoy its an amazing place!


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## car (9 Jun 2006)

*Re: Ko Samui Island?? Experiences?*

we went on HM up north to chiang mai for 5 days, bankgkok 4 days, and koh samui 7 days.
chiang mai was lovely, real touristy, tuktuks everywhere, sightseeing all day, hotels arent the best standard but youre not there very often.  Thats where the best elephant treks and temples are as youre up near the golden circle.  Dont buy any souvenirs there as you'll get them all cheaper in bangkok.   We took a 2 hr elephant trip to a village and they churned out the locals in their traditional dress who tried to sell us trinkets but we got the feeling there was an M50 type road the other side of the hill.  restaraunts are very nice in chaing mai. 
Down to bangkok, your feet will be tired.  Do the 1-2 of the big temples and the shopping centres. the MBK is the main one, 7 floors and at elast an hour on each (we got 4 done).  take the sky train around for a tour.  Hit the patpong market at night and get all you souvenirs and clothes there as its the cheapest.  4 days was well enough for there was we were knackered out and just ready for the week on the islands.
Koh samui is amazing, its the quintessential tropical island.  Wooden huts as the airports.  Big double room opening on to quiet beach.   Poppys restaraunt best I was ever in.  wife agrees.  40e for 2 of plus drink.  wine is expensive, beer is cheap, food is for nothing.   take the tour to the national water park where you go suba diving with the tropical fish.  but take the tour with speed boat rather then the big boat as theres 3 hours diff in travel time.  go to a thai boxing night, highlight of the trip for me.   
all in all, we were both agreed that chiang mai/bangkok before the relaxing islands  was the way to go and get all souvenirs down the patpong ( oh memories of that place I cant go into here).
HTH...


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## Hanners (12 Jun 2006)

For an excellent hotel try the Amari Palm reef, amazing service and very relaxed. Dining on the rocks for that special dinner, only about 5/6 tables on cliff top, dark except for candles and moonlight, amazing experience and very exclusive. Poppys, eat sence great restraunts. Pick up the dining guide to KS when you arrive in the "airport" another unique experience. Couldnt recomend the national park enough, trully amazing. In bangkok try Amari Atrium. Talk to Twohigs, used them twice and they were excellent.


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## sun_sparks (12 Jun 2006)

Sorry guys, but I hated Koh Samui. Loved all other areas of Thailand, but KS really turned us off - it's everything we hated, MacDonald's, English bars, red fat tourists. Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao were much much nicer and more authentic tbh.

If you want a fab thai beach, try Railay beach off Krabi on the west coast. It was one of the most beautiful places on earth.

PS: We were backpacking, so that might influence whether you take my opinion or not!


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## gramlab (13 Jun 2006)

> the Amari Palm reef, amazing service and very relaxed. Dining on the rocks for that special dinner, only about 5/6 tables on cliff top


 
Was there an earthquake in samui?
Palm Reef was on the beach when I stayed there.
Go to the regee bar(behind the main street) about 1 or 2am -- good lively spot. Rent a scooter as well - its an experience driving over there. If you dont get killed , youv'e had an experience.


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## sun_sparks (13 Jun 2006)

Earthquake hit the west coast. No earthquake on the east coast. (If you were there, do you not already know that??)


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## kildarebuild (13 Jun 2006)

Would you try booking your own trip to koh samui or just trust a travel agent to arrange it all for you. 

I believe in saving a few hundred if possible. Why get travel agent to do it when you can do it yourself? And if so where would the best places be to do this concerning flights??

found great website here www.asiarooms.com for hotels but not for flights. Would anyone say that travel agents are a bunch of you know.


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## car (13 Jun 2006)

We booked everything ourselves and found afterwards it would have cost nearly to the penny the same if we'd booked with a travel agent.  Having said that, the agent was based in london, if we'd booked with twohigs we'd have paid  over a grand more per person for the same, found them very expensive on everything I asked them.   shop around is the lesson.   
I found some excellent deals on the utv teletext holidays page, I was able to view this online at the time but cant seem to find it now.  Maybe someone else will link.


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## ciara_gmail (13 Jun 2006)

First year we booked thru Trailfinders which we found quite reasonable - all accom we organised ourselves besides our first couple of nights in Bangkok. 

Also check on www.ebookers.ie and  we thought to avail of go4less, you need to be under 26 but not the case with some of their flights. Also try www.travelpaths.com, - we found a really good deal going thru Istanbul last year to go to Bangkok - if you're flexible with dates, this site is very handy.

For accom, try www.sawadee.com we booked all our accom on this site - its excellent from anything such as €5 a night huts up to €300 or more luxury.


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## jake108 (13 Jun 2006)

sun_sparks said:
			
		

> Sorry guys, but I hated Koh Samui. Loved all other areas of Thailand, but KS really turned us off - it's everything we hated, MacDonald's, English bars, red fat tourists. Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao were much much nicer and more authentic tbh.
> 
> If you want a fab thai beach, try Railay beach off Krabi on the west coast. It was one of the most beautiful places on earth.
> 
> PS: We were backpacking, so that might influence whether you take my opinion or not!


 
I have to say I agree with sun-sparks. It was my least favourite place in Thailand. sun_sparks summed it up very well in their description. I also had more people try to rip me off in KS than anywhere else I visited. (Including a Buddhist monk who wanted me to haggle over a lucky charm!) I planned on staying a week and left after 4 days. In saying that I can't speak for everywhere on the island. I stayed in Lamai and went for a meal one night to chill out and couldn't hear myself think with the motorbikes tearing by and the level of the music. Hated it! Krabi is really nice but my favourite place was Phi Phi. A beautiful, peaceful, chilled out island. Even the nightlife was pretty laid back. Fantastic place. I'm not too sure what resorts are open after the tsunami though.


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## RobC (13 Jun 2006)

I was on Ko Samui 2 years ago and didn't like it at all.  Had planned to stay for a week but left after 2 days.  Koh Tao is much nicer and not as busy.  If you are in to Scuba Diving or want to try it Ko Tao is the place as well.


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## eimear25 (14 Jun 2006)

I loved Ko Samui but if you can't peace and quiet, don't stay in the centre of Chaweng.  It's full of pubs, nightclubs, takeaways etc. etc.  
That said I had many a good night out there!!  We stayed just outside Chaweng (Chaweng Noi) and we were walking distance to all the nightlife yet far away to have a peaceful night in if we wanted.   A great honeymoon hotel in Samui is Sala Samui on Choeng Mon beach.  Check it out!  www.salasamui.com (I dream of going there one day!!)


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## CN624 (14 Jun 2006)

For a honeymoon I think Phi Phi would be much better. Beautiful island and very quiet. (They don't have roads for cars) 


If you want pubs and niteclubs then Samui provides that but its very very commercial.


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## Hanners (14 Jun 2006)

FYI May-October is wet season on the west coast, Phi Phi, Phuket etc. Other alternative is to try Malaysia, Tiomon Islands, Pangor Laut, Borneo


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## muzaway (14 Jun 2006)

I'd vote for Koh Tao. Spent a week there including Christmas a couple of years ago. Very relaxed island with some great places to stay and great restaurants - we found one on the main street called Cafe del Sol particularly good.

Lovely for snorkelling and diving - most people go there for the diving, though we didn't - as well as walks and bike/ moped trips around the island.

A lot less developed than Samui though not quite as accessible as either Koh Phi Phi or Samui, you need to get a ferry from the mainland or from Koh Samui...hence the lesser commercialisation. Be aware though, that in stormy weather you can get delayed getting on or off the island as the ferries can stop running.

Was in Phi Phi a couple of years ago too, and it is absolutely georgous and easily accessible from the (also lovely) Krabi, or Phuket. Both of these have airports which are well connected with Bangkok.

One other thing you may want to consider is the weather in September - I believe it may be rainy about that time, so you may want to look into it. On the other hand, it's probably not peak season so you'll have your pick of the accommodation.

http://www.travelfish.org/thailand_weather.php

Now that I'm thinking about it I'd love to be going back. Enjoy!


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## Muzzy (15 Jun 2006)

Hi,

it is 9 years since I was in Koh samui but we had a fabulous time. wehn you arrive, there are guys very keen to drive you around to different places to stay, no doubt the owners are friends of theirs. we endud up getting out and walking around ourselves. we came across a place which was expensive in comparison to other accommodation but it was fabulous. it was run by a french guy. You had your own private accommoation which was newly built, had a large bedroom, bathroom, and an area to chill which included a fridge. there was also remote control aircon.  you sat in an open air structre to have your breakfast. there was a swimming pool there also but if you got bored with it, you just walked out the back of the place straight onto the beach. It was amazing. Loads of restaurants on the beach so you could eat and watch the sunset. It was all very romantic and I would recommend it. I mean nine years on and I still remember it all! Best of luck with the wedding and the honeymoon plans.

Muzzy.


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## emmt (22 Jun 2006)

didnt get to post a reply to this because i was on hols - in Koh Samui! And i loved it. We stayed on Lamai beach in the Thai Ayodyha villas and got a great deal for the flight. We booked it on Mon June 5th and flew out June 10th and got the return trip from London to BKK for STG400 per person on [broken link removed]. We booked separate flights from DUB to LON and from BKK to Koh Samui.
Ate in restaurants along the beach and the food is fab. Also ate at Rockys resort and the view from the tables perched on the rocks is second to none.

If you are booking your accommodation online check carefully cos we got rates from EUR102 to as low as EUR40 for the same room on the same dates. By far the cheapest we found for our accommodation was at http://www.kohsamui.org/

We also did some snorkelling and if you are not a great swimmer - like my friend - check that they provide flippers otherwise you will be forever getting back to the boat. Seems like a small thing but I dont think my friend will be going snorkelling anytime soon as she got a little freaked as she was getting nowhere fast.
This is the low season in Samui but the weather was really nice. There were  lightening storms but they were only to be seen on the far horizon and provided a fab display as you ate on the beach. There was one night of rain out of 7 days but that didnt last long. The great thing about the low season is that you get the best seats in the house and there is still activity in the centre of town.

ENjoy enjoy enjoy


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## Lorz (23 Jun 2006)

We're also off to Koh Samui in September for our honeymoon!  We've booked.... No other info - just what I've read. Sorry!

[broken link removed]  Looks fab though!


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## bilbob (30 Jun 2006)

Kao pha nang- stayed in the stunning hat salad resort, after a year travelling the world it was a stunning place to stay, wouldn’t recomment ko samui its become too commercial, hit the islands further out


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## gordongekko (1 Jul 2006)

I was in koh samui in January and it was great if you stay towards the end of chaweng beach you can stay away from any noise. Lamai seemed to be a backpacker beach so if you are on a honeymoon stay around chaweng beach. I think the name of the hotel we stayed in was chaweng cove it was near poppies it was very expensive but we all said we would go back to it. If you stay there look for a vip card you will get a discount and haggle for everything Its expected. Make sure and check the weather from memory September will be Rainey witch is not ideal for a honeymoon.


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## IrishGunner (27 Aug 2007)

Looking to go out to one of the Islands on our tour
 bearing in mind we have to get back to Hong Kong. So looking to spend 3-4 days here.I was looking at Ko Samui looking at Mae Nam beach just to chill 

Any good places to stay here

Looking at [broken link removed] and the beach houses are reasonale

Was looking at Chaweng but sounds like the costa del sol

Bangkok airlines seem to be the only airline that go here

Any other suggestions


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## Nige (28 Aug 2007)

I stayed in Mae Nam a few years ago and it was lovely. It's just a short (and cheap) drive to Chaweng and then it's lovely to return to the quiet and relatively empty beach at Mae Nam. We stayed in a beach huts in a place called Cleopatra's (I think) and it was wonderful.


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