Women’s Koh Samui Travel Advice

Gorgeous view from the ShaSa Resort pool. 

As a woman traveler considering going alone to the islands, you might be wondering where you can get some Koh Samui travel advice so you know what to expect. If so, then you have come to the right place!

Many women wonder if it’s safe to travel alone to Koh Samui. All I can say is, that yes it certainly is! And what’s more, it’s not only safe, but there are special benefits for women who go alone. The most obvious benefit is the social aspect. Koh Samui travel is all about meeting new people and having a good time, and if you travel alone, you’ll almost certainly meet new people easier. Travelling alone can open many doors that would otherwise stay closed if you were travelling in a group. You’re much more approachable, and so it’s much more likely that you’ll be invited to join other people on an adventure.

Solo Koh Samui travel also allows women to go wherever they want, and do whatever they want, without having to think about what somebody else wants. Koh Samui has many different options, some you will like, some you won’t like. When you’re alone, you can just stick to the things you like. Feel like a luxury massage at the all-star Sasha spa and resort? Then just go for it! No need to worry what anyone else thinks.

On the downside though, solo Koh Samui travel does require women to take some extra precautions.

Additional Koh Samui Travel Tips for Women:

·          Koh Samui is a tourist resort packed full of westerners, and so it isn’t really necessary to wear “culturally appropriate” clothing like you may have to in other parts of Thailand. However, if you do wear something risqué, as a lone woman you are likely to attract lots of male attention. You can avoid this attention by dressing more conservatively (baggy t-shirt, shorts not too short), and not going too wild with your make up

·      You can also avoid attention from men by staying close to other groups of women if you are walking through a populated area. Or else, simply ignore men when they make approached towards you. Wearing a wedding ring may also help, and if some guy really starts pushing you to talk, just mention you are on your way to meet your husband

·      One of the biggest dangers of Koh Samui travel is at night. Solo or not, you should always take extra care at night, just as you would back at home. While this doesn’t mean you can’t go out and enjoy yourself, you do need to take care of yourself more at night. Watch your drink if you’re out in the pub, and let someone know where you are going, even if it’s just the hotel staff

·      Avoid carrying large amounts of money, and keep your purse and any valuables safely tucked away out of sight. This is sound Koh Samui travel advice.

·      Don’t tell people things they don’t need to know. Nobody needs to know that you are travelling alone, nor that no one is expecting you to come home later.

Much of this Koh Samui travel advice is just plain common sense anyway. The most important thing is, keep your wits about you and don’t forget you’re here to have fun. Enjoy!

Koh Samui Attractions: Visit the Mummified Monk at Wat Khunaram

One the top Koh Samui attractions is the mummified monk at Wat Khunaram. 

One of the more unusual Koh Samui attractions is also a great place to get some unique insights into Thailand’s Buddhist culture. The ancient temple Wat Khunaram is not only one of the most beautiful temples on the island, it’s also home to one highly unusual resident – the mummified body of monk Loung Pordaeng.

Loung Pordaeng passed away in 1973 while meditating, and ever since then his body had been left alone, sat upright in a meditative position, inside a glass case. What’s remarkable about this most unique of Koh Samui attractions is that even though the body was never treated to preserve it, it shows very few signs of decay. While some visitors may find that having a corpse in full view at one of the top Koh Samui attractions to be a bit shocking, Thai people see it more as something to reflect upon and so we beg you to take the same attitude.

Most Buddhists are unafraid of dying, as they see death as simply the end of one life and a chance to be reborn as someone better, with a better lot in their life, hopefully one step closer to attaining nirvana, the ultimate goal of all Buddhists. Loung Pordaeng is actually just one of a number of mummified monks in Thailand, although he is especially highly revered, which is why Wat Khunaram is one of the best Koh Samui attractions for local people.

Loung Pordaeng told his fellow monks, just before he died, that if his body decomposes as one would expect, then it should just be cremated as normal. But, rather prophetically, he told them that if his body failed to decompose, it should instead be put on display at the temple, to serve as a visual reminder of the teachings of Buddha, something that has led to its status as one of the most famous Koh Samui attractions.

Loung Pordaeng led a relatively normal life for many years, getting married to a local woman and having six children. However, in later life he began to reflect on what he had achieved, and was drawn into Buddhist teachings. He eventually left his wife to begin a monastic existence, absorbing himself in meditation and Buddhist texts. He lived for a while at a temple in Bangkok before moving to Koh Samui, where he spent time doing intensive meditation at the Tham Yai cave, before living out his last years as the islands most highly respected monk and abbot.

In his last few weeks of life, when aged 79, Lourd Pordang stopped eating altogether, and refused to speak any more, instead spending the entire time just meditating as his life slowly slipped away. It’s said that the reason his body is so well preserved after more than four decades is due to his simple lifestyle, his healthy lifestyle and his dedication to meditating for hours at a time. The body is remarkably intact, with the only noticeable change being in his eyes, which are now covered with sunglasses out of respect.

Wat Khunaram is a fairly typical temple aside from the mummified monk – Thai’s come this most unusual of Koh Samui attractions to make merit and pray each day, and visitors are more than welcome to come and look around and observe the Buddhist rituals.

Exploring Koh Samui

Get the most out of your Koh Samui adventure by staying at the ShaSa Resort. 

            When visiting a beautiful place like Koh Samui, it’s best to stay in a resort that has everything you can ask for, like the ShaSa Resort. With the numerous things that you can do in Koh Samui, it would be terribly hard and inconvenient for you to contact so many different people to look for what to do, arrange the necessary transportation, and even looking for the best places to eat. Rest assured! ShaSa Resort is the best place for you if you seek total relaxation as well as an adventure to remember. ShaSa Resort can arrange different tours and activities that will showcase what Koh Samui has to offer, keeping in mind your personal interests as well. They can help you when it comes to exploring Koh Samui.

           

Koh Samui is an island that’s very rich in natural resources. One of the things that tourists go to in the island is the white sand beach with a diverse marine wildlife found underwater. However, beaches are not the only sights to see. The culture in Koh Samui is very palpable and is especially seen in the numerous temples on the island. Aside from this, if you want to see the lush greenery, Elephant Trekking is the thing to do. Here you can see the island’s jungle while riding on an elephant’s back. At the end of the action-packed day, fret not as there are a lot of excellent and comfortable accommodations, such as ShaSa Resort, that will pamper you and make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

            To be able to maximize your beach experience to the fullest, it’s best to choose a resort located on the beach, just like ShaSa Resort, so you can walk on the white sand or watch the waves crash whenever you please. Whether you’re into having fun in the sun or taking a moonlit stroll on the beach with your partner, as long as you stay in a resort located on a beach, anything is possible. Kayaking and other water sports can be done as well, and in places like ShaSa Resort, they offer these amenities.

            Just like in the other islands of Thailand, sightseeing is great to do in Koh Samui. Most of the sights that you will see in Koh Samui are related, in one way or another, to Buddha. This, along with the prevalence of temples, shows the culture of Thais: they’re very religious and spiritual. Although seeing the sights can be very exciting, it can often get tiring too, especially if you have to hop from one place to another and constantly look for transportation that will take you around. Luckily, resorts like ShaSa Resort can take care of these kinds of things for you so you can see and enjoy the sights without being frazzled.

            Stress-free yet adventurous vacations are a reality if you choose the right resorts to stay in, such as ShaSa Resort. If you want to enjoy your Koh Samui vacation, be sure to stay in a resort that’s not only beautiful and well maintained, but one that will allow you to experience the wonderful beaches and will arrange for other things you’d like to see and do. Exploring Koh Samui is bound to be a great experience but it will also leave you needing to rest for the next day’s adventures. After all the exploring and sightseeing in Koh Samui, it’s best to return to a resort that’s peaceful and luxurious and ShaSa Resort is one of these. With proper rest and relaxation, you’ll be more able to explore the beautiful island of Koh Samui and have a vacation of a lifetime.

Enjoy the Rich History of Koh Samui

If you come here today you'll find it hard to imagine but Koh Samui was once a remote island with few inhabitants.  

            Koh Samui Island is a place where people who appreciate beauty should go to. When planning your Koh Samui travel, aside from looking for things that can be done in that area, it would also be very helpful if you know about the history of the area. You’d be surprised at what each place has been through and how different they are today from what they were before.

            Koh Samui Island, aside from being beautiful, is a very historically rich island. It’s hard to believe but Koh Samui Island, before it became the tourist spot it is today, was an island inhabited mostly by fishermen who barely had any contact with the rest of the world. Although Koh Samui Island has always been full of natural resources and should have been a tourist spot back then, this wasn’t the case as the only way to get there was to take a boat that would take a long six hours. Aside from this, there were no roads back then so to get around the island, people had to travel on foot, or by boat. Obviously, for it to have become the tourist haven it is today, some sort of action had to be done.

            In 1967, the leader of the island at that time, Khun Dilok Suthiklom, realized that Koh Samui Island should be developed and decided to ask for help from the government.  For development to occur in Koh Samui Island, roads had to be made, and because of this, building roads became the first order of business. Heavy duty machines necessary to build roads were brought to the island to assist in the development. Although the machines were available, the road building was delayed every now and then due to the rains that afflicted the island. However, even with all the obstacles, the roads were made, development started, and the rest is history. Today we see the end product: a widely visited tourist spot.

            It’s a pleasure to look at the state of Koh Samui Island now and compare it to what it was before. An island that used to be accessible only via a long boat ride now has its own international airport. Koh Samui Island used to be quite detached from other islands but now it exports rubber and coconuts! Koh Samui Island has developed so much that it’s hard to believe that it used to be simple and isolated. However, there is something in Koh Samui that is preserved: the beautiful beaches. Even though a lot of changes have been made and the island has developed immensely, its main feature, the beautiful beaches, remain beautiful. 

            Koh Samui Island truly is a place tourists should not miss. Whether it be chilling in a resort or touring the island, your stay will surely be memorable. If you’re armed with the knowledge of the history of Koh Samui Island, it would make you love and appreciate the island not only for its beauty, but also for its growth and what it has become. After touring the island and appreciating it in all its glory, it’s best to rest in a resort that emphasizes even more the rich history of Koh Samui Island. ShaSa Resort is the perfect place for this with its scenic landscape which reminds the people who reside here how far Koh Samui Island has come. Keeping all these in mind, your stay in Koh Samui Island will not only be an aesthetically and educationally satisfying one; it will also be a relaxing one and a vacation to remember.

Best Restaurants in Koh Samui

Breath-taking view from Beyond the Sea, which is considered one of Koh Samui's best restaurants 

As many of you already know Thai food is an amazing blend of flavors that leaves your taste buds in a frenzy. There are countless delicious restaurants in Thailand that you should try out especially when you are in Bangkok but only a select few in Koh Samui.

The amazing island of Koh Samui doesn’t just offer a wonderful scenic view of beaches and underwater excitement. This island also has some of the best restaurants in Thailand. 

It doesn’t matter if you are into authentic Thai dishes or fresh seafood, you’ll be able to find it at Koh Samui.

The best places to grab a meal on this island include:

1) Beyond the Sea is the premier restaurant in Samui

One of the best restaurants in Koh Samui is located at the ShaSa Resort and is called Under the Sea. The Shasa resort is a 5 star hotel located along Laem Set beach.

The restaurant has a breath-taking view of Laem Set beach, fresh seafood and all kinds of tantalizing Thai dishes. Besides being a popular place to eat, Under the Sea also is great place to relax and grab a drink; the restaurant has a huge wide selection of fine wine and cocktails.

2) Carpe Diem is a family oriented restaurant where you can relax

Another one of the most popular restaurants in Koh Samui is the Carpe Diem. This place has interesting white themed interior and has an European influenced Thai menu.

The Carpe Diem is located in central Bophut and is a little pricey.  However, if you want to enjoy a tasty meal in a relaxing atmosphere then this is the place for you.

3) Eat Sense is a classy place with scrumptious dishes

Eat Sense is the finest beachside restaurant in Chaweng with the best Southern Thai food on the island.

This restaurant is perhaps the most romantic place to eat in Koh Samui. Featuring fresh seafood, candle light tables and a great view, you are pretty much guaranteed a great time at Eat Sense.