South East Coastal
Koh Samui
This beautiful 247-square-kilometre island is one of the most famous attractions of Thailand. A 51-Kilometre ring road encircles the island, which has numerous lovely beaches and bays, and is almost literally an island of coconuts and forested hills. Samui's best beaches line the northern and eastern coasts. The most popular are Haad Chaweng and Haad Lamai where, generally, attractive accommodation can be found.
Besides marvelous beaches, other interesting attractions include the Samui Butterfly Park; the Monkey Center; the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls; the phallic rock formations at the southern end of Lamai Bay, and a massive seated Buddha image on Ko Fan. There is also elephant trekking on the island and many parks and natural attractions which include the coral beds at Laem Sed and Tong Takien, the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls. The island's major sea front settlement is at Nathon where shops, restaurants and tour agents are located.
Koh Samui is just 21 kilometers at its widest point and 25 at its longest. Its hinterland consists of Forest Hills of limestone and granite, and the shoreline is made up of countless palm-fringed beaches and bays.
The best (and most developed) beaches are at Chaweng and Lamai on the East Coast, where you can now find a very wide range of accommodation, and both restaurants and night-spots to suit every taste. Bophut and Maenam, on the calmer north coast facing Koh Phangan, are also popular beaches offering a quieter, gentler holiday experience.
Koh Phangan (world famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties) is just 20 minutes away by Catamaran from Maenam beach. Koh Tao is two hours and Ang Thong National Marine Park -a compact archipelago of small and virtually untouched islands which are best explored by sea kayak is available for daytrips.
The Ang Thong National Park comprises some 40 islands northwest of Koh Samui and covers an area of 250 square kilometers of which 50 square kilometers is landmass. Most islands comprise limestone masses reaching heights of up to 400 metres and fringed by beaches and tropical rainforest. The park office is located on Koh Wua Ta Lap. Popular attractions include a high viewpoint, secluded beaches, Tham Bua Bok - a beautiful cave with spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations, and an emerald saltwater lake known as Tale Nai on Koh Mae Ko, which entails a strenuous climb. Another popular venue is Koh Sam Sao where an extensive span of coral reef and huge rock arch offers scenic views. A one-day tour package to Mu Koh Ang Thong is organised by many travel agents on Koh Samui and the majority of tours depart from Nathon early every morning.
Koh Samui can be reached by boat from Surat Thani town or by ferry either from Don Sak - some 7 kms from Surat Thani town. There are direct flights into the island which has its own international airport.
Koh Tao
This little island offers the accessible low key Thailand option. Koh Tao or turtle island is an international destination for divers as the crystal clear waters give fantastic visibility in the high season. Koh Tao has few roads and is very laid back and out of the way. There is accommodation available to suit all budgets. For the divers many dive centres offer accommodation with the course making it very cost effective. New first class resorts are springing up all the time making the island an ideal destination. Not all tourists are divers as there is much for all in terms of peace and relaxation. Some of the beaches are simply stunning and run for miles.
The ferries and speedboats drop off at the main pier and extension of the town's primary paved road. The little town offers all of the backpacker treats, including internet cafes, several food stops/bars, dirt bike rentals, a clinic with an English speaking nurse, an excellent pastry shop and place to read the paper, several general stores and more than a few beachside restaurants. The joy of this island is that it also offers a chance to get away from all of that. Several of the bungalow operations are only guaranteed accessible by boat or by foot. The sand and gravel roads leading to the out of the way spots tend to wash out early in the rainy season and stay washed out until well into the dry season. Even the courageous on large dirtbikes will find some of the roads unrideable. Hence, the challenge.
Some of Thailand’s best snorkelling can be had in Koh Tao. Some snorkel tour operators bait the fish for a good show. Sometimes the fish show their appreciation by taking a little nip of the farangs -foreigners. These bites tend to be more startling than actually dangerous. Still, keep an eye out for triggerfish.
Getting to Koh Tao is quite simple from either Koh Samui through the Catamaran service from Maenam beach. The flight to Koh Samui from Bangkok takes just 60 minutes. If travelling via Surat Thani the ferry terminal is located at Don Sak just 45 minutes outside of Surat Thani. These are slower than the Catamaran service and take about 5 hours. From Surat Thani town there is a night boat operating from the river in the town centre.
Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan is a beautiful island on the East Coast of Thailand just over two hours by boat from Surat Thani town on the mainland. Koh Phangan used to be a back packer's destination as party people from all over the world flocked to the full moon party. These days we see couples, families and many different types of tourists enjoying their stay – a trend which is intensifying each year. The island offers something for everybody with calm tranquil beaches to the north, west and north-east to the “rave on” beaches located in the south. Much of the island is unspoilt and the jungle seems to go on forever.
Koh Samui is located just south of Koh Phangan and is just a twenty-minute catamaran ride away. The international airport is then ten minutes from the catamaran ferry terminal by minibus. There are also several ferry lines between these two great islands and the airport at Surat Thani can be reached by boat and bus.
Thong Sala is the main town and the major community of the island and it is here the ferry landing and major shopping are located. In addition to white sandy beaches, there are also two beautiful waterfalls: Namtok Phang and Namtok Than Sadet, 4 kms. and 30 kms. from Thong Sala, respectively.
Moving north from Thong Sala along the West Coast the road climbs the headland where there are stunning views out to small islands and a sand bar which is visible at low tide. The bay here is called Ao Hin Kong and Ao Wok Tum and is divided by a stream that feeds the sea – hence the two names.
As the road descends there is beach front land which runs for a couple of miles along the coast. Here the water at low tide is marshy, the view very photogenic and the land behind the beach flat and spacious. We pass the headland beaches of Haad Chao Phao and Ao Si Thanu and the road climbs to Haad Son and then down to Haad Yao where you will find a beautiful and busy golden beach.
There is a major road north from Thong Sala that skirts the island and there is an amazing sense of nature driving through the trees and fields. The island road is safe if a bit winding and the views are spectacular – particularly coming over the hill and first seeing the mountains surrounding the Chalok Lam bay area at the very north of the island. From Chalok Lam a boat can take you to the hidden Bottle Beach which is in accessible by road or drive through to Haad Khom a smaller beach location just over the headland from the bay.
There is a Chinese and a Thai temple set in the hillside surroundings on the approach to Chalok Lam from yet another road that comes from Thong Sala. This road is shorter but is covered in holes and is therefore much more dangerous. There is an Elephant Safari located very close to the two temples.
From Thong Sala south there is a thirty-minute drive to the party beach of Haad Rin the location of the Full Moon Party. There are several great beaches along this stretch - Baan Tai, Baan Kai. Haad Rin Nok and Haad Rin Nai with miles and miles of sandy beach, bungalows and resorts spread throughout. From this stretch of coast the island of Koh Samui is fully visible - fantastic views and brilliant sunsets. The road from Thong Sala to Haad Rin is a main thoroughfare- the busiest road on the island with shops, bars and many businesses springing up on a daily basis including very high class hotels, spas and restaurants.
Just off the main road you will find two temples – one with great views of the island and the other which enjoys festival at various times of the year. As Baan Kai is approached the terrain becomes hillier on the left and the road from Baan Kai to Haad Rin is steep, winding and care is needed to traverse it.
Haad Rin itself is a thriving resort that has grown hugely over the past twenty years. The main bay is simply stunning with resorts backing onto the beach. Often criticised for over development Land is at a premium here.
Other beautiful resorts on the east of the island such as Tong Nai Pan take some ninety minutes to reach by jeep from Thong Sala but are well worth the trek. Hidden resorts such as Than Sadet feature beautiful waterfalls and have the Kings initials carved upon the rocks. There are also many beautiful coves only reachable by boat – Haad Yao (not to be confused with its namesake on the opposite coast), Haad Wai Nam, Haad Thian and Haad Yuan.
As the sea is reached there are beautiful bays such as Thong Noi Pan which is promoted as a family retreat – a trend that is now seen all over the island.
To get to Koh Phangan by air is easiest from Koh Samui – a one hour flight followed with a 20 minute Catamaran journey from Maenam beach which is just ten minutes from the airport. Flights also land in Surat Thani and then there is a one hour journey by bus to the Don Sak port and a three hour ferry ride. A night boat leaves Surat Thani town centre from the river just behind the Seatrans office. If travelling by train from Bangkok this is a 12 hour journey and then a one-hour bus ride to Don Sak pier to catch the ferry. The bus from Bangkok takes some 12 hours to reach Surat Thani.
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