Holidays to Koh Samui

Just one hours flight from Bangkok, off the east coast of Thailand lays this beautiful island. Not as lively as some of the other Thai resorts, Koh Samui is an ideal island for a peaceful and relaxing holiday.

On holidays to Koh Samui the glorious beaches and clear waters are ideal for swimming and there are a lot of superb bars and local restaurants as well. Combine your beach holidays to Koh Samui with a stay in the bustling city of Bangkok or relax on another Thai beach.

The third-largest island in the Gulf of Thailand, Ko Samui dominates an idyllic 80-isle archipelago. On holidays to Koh Samui, although the irresistible tide of tourism has rolled in, the alluring expanses of soft white sand beaches still beckon.

On holidays to Koh Samui, inland, as far as the eye can see, graceful coconut palms take the sun like forests of slightly swaying green parasols. Coconuts fall from the sky here-mind your head!-and keep the economy ticking over. Ko Samui's coconuts, according to experts, are Thailand's best, and some two million of them are shipped to the mainland every month (Aside from food and drink, the bountiful palms provide thatch for roofing, fibre for rope or matting, and coconut oil for candles, soap and food products.)

You will see when on your holidays to Koh Samui when the islanders are not harvesting the coconuts, they're busy cultivating rice in the paddies, out at sea fishing or-more likely nowadays-exploiting the tourist business.

Ko Samui was "discovered" belatedly because of its relative remoteness. It lies some 560 km (350 miles) south of Bangkok, and about 80 km (50 miles) east of the provincial capital of Surat Thani. It's closer to Malaysia than to Bangkok. When they built the island's airport, the distance from the metropolis suddenly became manageable and the curtain rose on the era of mainline tourism. Holidays to Koh Samui are becoming more and more popular with people returning year after year.

On your holidays to Koh Samui you will find that Thai food can be so spicy that it's tempting to gulp a glass of cold water to put out the fire. Resist that urge! A few mouthfuls of plain boiled rice will prove much more effective. Actually, chilli peppers are only one of the ingredients that characterize Thai cuisine; the others are as varied and original as lemon grass, coconut milk, garlic, ginger and mint.

On your holidays to Koh Samui Island, cuisine is often built in all the succulent seafood. Some restaurants specializing in foreign cuisine - French, Italian, Spanish or all-purpose cleaner "international". stalls are full of delightful surprises, like fresh fruit, exotic and familiar.

To travel on holiday on the island of Koh Samui, why not move? Only 14 km (9 miles) north of Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan island has some perfect beaches and refreshing waterfalls. Thong Sala is the main gate, but many excursion boats go toVillage Hat Rin, on the southeast coast, which is known for its wild party atmosphere. Even on holiday on the island of Koh Samui, Koh Tao visit, still an unspoilt island with spectacular coral reefs. This is a two-hour drive from Ko Pha Ngan by speedboat.

The most striking monuments are under the umbrella of the Ang Thong Marine National Park protected. These 40 islands northwest of Ko Samui, are all ingredients of dreamscapes-tropical lakes, crescentThe beaches, coral reefs, rain forests, caves and limestone formations. Day trips from Ko Samui to meet the high spots, and you should increase or stay forever.