Category: Thailand

Koh Samui is

Thialands second largest island.

Koh Samui is famed for its lovely beaches, moonlit parties and its Buddhist temples.

Travelling to Koh Samui

We travelled to Koh Samui in December for the New Year from Bangkok. We flew with Thia Airline which was probably one of the longest planes we have ever seen. The plane was only about half full so we had plenty of room.

Accommodation

We originally booked into the Hacia Leisure Resort in the Lamai area of Koh Samui. When we arrived it was late so we did not unpack and ventured out of the hotel to get something to eat and drink. The next day we were appalled by the hotel. The sink had pubic hair in it and the there was a door leading out to an outside area which could have been nice if it had been looked after but it hadn’t and was very overgrown. Also we wandered around the hotel to take a look as to how clean it was. Our original thought was maybe the room had been a bit overlooked and the rest of the hotel would compensate. We hoped that we would just request for the room to be cleaned properly. On looking around the pool area it was clear this hotel was dirty everywhere.

Discussions with owner of hotel

Firstly we contacted Booking.com who advised that we should only pay for the night we had stayed and find alternative accommodation. Although we tried to do this but the hotel manager refused to give back our passport unless we paid for the full 5 nights stay. Due to how dirty the hotel was we refused and the manager got the owner of the hotel to deal with the situation. We explained to him that we were not happy with the cleanliness of the hotel. He said that there had been a bit of a storm the day before we arrived and that they had not had chance to clear this up. I advised that the storm had not been in the room and that the room was dirty. After a long discussion he agreed to take half of the money for payment.

Fortunately we then found a lovely hotel which was in a better location than the Hacia and was actually cheaper. It was very clean and well located. Throughout our discussions with the owner Booking.com refused to help any further.

The Aumpai Luxury

The Aumpai Luxury was located just off the main road. It was a quiet location but within easy reach to everywhere. The rooms were traditionally decorated and very spacious with a separate kitchen and dinning area. The rooms were cleaned to a good standard everyday. The pool area was small but lovely and met our needs. This is not 5 star accommodation but the price is not too. It cost £200 for 5 nights which was extremely good value. On an evening whilst walking on the outside corridor to our room there were lots of gecko’s/ small lizards on the ceilings and walls. We loved to watch them.

Bars and Restaurants

Koh Samui has so many bars, restaurants and shops to choose from. We found a nice little bar called “The Dolphin”. The cocktails and drinks were very cheap. It had evening entertainment every night. The staff at the Dolphin bar were very friendly and helpful. We also got talking to the owner of the bar who always gave us special attention as there wasn’t many English going to the bar. The bars on the beach are lovely and you can get some amazing cocktails. Although they are not as cheap as the Dolphin bar they are very reasonably priced.

New Years Eve

We were in Koh Samui for the new year. We spent time in the Dolphin bar before heading to the beach for cocktails and to see the New Year in. The party atmosphere on the beach was amazing with everyone drinking, dancing and singing. There was also spectacular fireworks lighting up the sky. This was the best New Years we both have experienced. We stayed on the beach until the early hours

Full Day Excursion

We booked a tour with a tour operator on the main street. The cost of the tour was around £50 for two. We got picked up at around 8am via a Jeep along with other people from other hotels. We took a rucksack with food, drink, mosquito spray, Sunscreen and wipes in it as we did not know the full itinerary and if we would be able to get food and drink along the way. The tour consisted of Wat Plai Laem Temples, Big Buddah, Elephant Trekking, Mumified Monk and Lad Koh Viewpoint.

The day was approximately 9 hours long. Although it was quite a long day it was definitely worth it. We got to see a lot more of the island and its many attractions. At each of the attractions you have a lot of time to wander around by yourselves which is great for photo’s etc. The temples and the Big Buddah are spectacular and worthy of many photo’s. We were dropped off back at our hotel around 5.30pm.

Summary

Koh Samui is a lovely place to visit it has something for everyone of all ages and expectations of a holiday. One of our regrets was that we did not do the full moon party which would have been a great experience (your never too old for fun).

Thailand is a wonderful place and there is so much to see and do. We intend to revisit Thailand in the near future to experience different islands and locations. Thailand is always good value for money. The people in Thailand are some of the warmest and friendliest people we have met. Cant wait to go back soon.

Images

Things to do

• Visit the Big Buddha
• Visit the temple at Wat Plai Laem
• Visit Lamai Beach
• May be go to a full moon party if this is your thing
• Try the local cuisine

Top tips

• Check out reviews of hotel before booking
• Check out location of hotel
• Book excursion.
• Ensure you have Sunscreen, mosquito spray, toilet tissue, hand sanitizer, food and drink if going on excursion.
• Dolphin Bar is great fun and very cheap for drinks.
• Bars on the beach are lovely to watch the sun set.
• Check out table below for best time to visit Koh Samui
• Check out other destination we have visited in Thailand Bangkok
• Check out government safety advice before travelling to Koh Samui https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security