Do's and Don'ts When in Koh Samui

Do respect the monarch during your visit to Thailand. Long live the King (photo courtesy of flickr.com)

Well-known for its majestic Buddhist temples, pristine white-sand beaches, and a wide variety of delicacies, Koh Samui is definitely one of the top places to visit when traveling to Southeast Asia. Most of the Thai population are already used to seeing foreigners everywhere, especially at top tourist destinations. However, it still pays to be familiar, even just a little bit, with the country's culture along with some basic do's and dont's. It'll make you appreciate the place better. After all, you wouldn't want to embarrass yourself, and your country's name in a place as well-respected as Thailand right?

The Five Do's When in Koh Samui

Keep your composure. Be patient and stay calm, despite getting lost in Koh Samui and not knowing where to go. Thai's are very friendly and hospitable so there's no need to panic. After all, it's what they call the land of smile.

Wear proper attire. especially when visiting temples. This means covering the shoulders and knees for both ladies and gentlemen. Remember to bring appropriate clothes when packing. In addition, flip-flops are a no-no when temple-hopping but are generally allowed in other places such as at Koh Samui beaches.

Show respect to the monarchy. You may be used to a different type of ruling or government in your hometown but no matter what, show some reverence. After all, it's their country and you're just a visitor.

Remove your shoes. when entering homes and other establishments. Look for piles of shoes and slippers outside to double check if you will have to take off your shoes if you aren’t sure.

Read about their culture in advance. A little research over the net will do but you can also buy travel guides to make your Thailand trip truly unforgettable.

The Four Dont's When in Koh Samui

Raise your feet. To the Thai's, feet equates to dirt. So remember to always keep your feet on the floor. When sitting, hide them beside or beneath your legs. Note that pushing or kicking things with your feet is a sign of disrespect so don't ever do that.

Touch the head. It's the most important part of the body for the locals so don't ever touch anyone's head, children included.

Point with one finger. When you're trying to gesture to something, always use all four fingers and put the thumb against the palm. It's the correct way of showing people around.

Expose too much skin. And never swim nude, even on Koh Samui beaches. Check your travel guide to learn the ideal dress code.

Fun Koh Samui Activities

There are so many things you should do during your stay in Koh Samui! (photo courtesy traveldestinationinfo.com)

When visiting Koh Samui, there are many activities that a person should try out before they head back home. What many tourists love is that Koh Samui activities are not only a lot of fun but inexpensive as well. Discover the highly sought after activities in this island right here.

Some people may want to go on a whole day fishing tour in Koh Samui. Various tours are available and during these tours, travellers can catch a snapper, barracuda, or other types of fish. These tours include round-trip transfers from the hotel to the tour site, the tour, and lunch.

Five Islands Tour offered is another activity that tourists may want to consider. This tour involves a visit to small islands off Koh Samui’s coast. Sights consist of caves, secluded beaches, remote dwellings, and other spectacular marvels. Snorkelling, lunch and dinner is also a part of the tour fee.

Inside the forested mountain by Chaweng Beach Road lies the Spa Samui Village. Here visitors can enjoy yoga salsa and herbal steam saunas that are inside caves. Massages are offered and free shuttles are available as well.

A holistic wellness center, is located on Laem Set beach. Koh Samui activities from detox programs to infrared ray saunas to Chi Gong, Pilates, yoga, and even weight loss programs.

There is also a Health Oasis Resort located on the Bang Po ring road. This wellness resort is one of a kind and offers a house herbalist and naturopath. They have other specialized treatments as well like light transformation, polarity zapper, and ozone therapy.

Those looking to relax and unwind should consider taking up yoga classes. Absolute Yoga and Yoga Thailand are offered in Koh Samui. Absolute Yoga is located at the Fisherman’s Village entrance in Bophut and offers Pilates as well as hot yoga. Yoga rates per session and monthly rates are available.

Other Koh Samui activities a person should consider include monkey shows, elephant riding, tiger shows, banana boat riding, jet skiing and Muay Thai training.

Travellers who want to experience healing should check out Dharma Healing International. This facility is on a small beach called Lipa Yai that is located right by Lipa Noi. This healing center is very spiritual and Buddhist, especially amongst all of Koh Samui’s wellness centers. The main focus is fasting, discovering the inner child, and Vipassana meditation. Various courses are available depending on the visitors’ interest.

There are a lot of Koh Samui activities available in this island, which makes it a fun destination for all visitors. Don’t miss out on experiencing enjoyment and relaxation at this breath-taking island. 

Blow Off Some Steam At The Shooting Clubs in Koh Samui

Practice your Shot at the Koh Samui Shooting Range (Photo Courtesy of blog.travelpod.com) 

Koh Samui is the ultimate destination for vacationers who want to recharge and refresh on some pristine beaches. The things to do in Koh Samui range from the usual, such as hopping from one beach to another, to the not-so-usual, such as dropping by snake farms and crocodile farms. Samui, after all, is packed to the brim with activities that can please even the most adventurous tourist.

While a vacation is a golden opportunity to relax, it is also a suitable time to try something you’ve never done before. Koh Samui is no exception in this scenario. The island’s shooting range provides a few hours of new, exciting entertainment. Whether you’re a shooting enthusiast or have never even held a gun in your life, a trip to the shooting range sits on the upper ranks of things to do in Koh Samui.

The shooting range is licensed by the government, so you can put your worries and issues at rest. Safety is a priority at the range. Proof of this are the list of rules and instructions posted on the walls. The staff, who are fully trained professionals, make sure that guests are familiar with the rules and instructions before lessons start. Shooters are also given headsets before the sessions kick off to protect their ears.

Take your pick from the assortment of guns offered in the range. You have the choice to pick up pistols, revolvers, rifles, semi-automatic weapons, among others. Guess you never expected that firing bullets will be on your list of things to do in Koh Samui, but that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. Don’t worry, the fully trained instructors are on standby to make sure everything goes smoothly.

The shooting range uses paper targets. If you have some pent-up emotions that you would like to release, the shooting range is the place to do it! It would cost you around 300 baht but that’s a small price to pay for feeling better, isn’t it? Note that the price can go higher if you consume more bullets or if your firearm of choice is of the heavier variety.

A trip to the shooting range should be on every visitor’s list of things to do in Koh Samui. The range is open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. It is located on the east coast of Koh Samui, between the Chaweng and Bophut resorts.

Reasons Why You Should Go to Koh Samui

Stunning Koh Samui picturesque view from the ShaSa Resort (Photo Courtesy of www.shasahotels.com)

The islands and the beaches- these are enough reasons to go to Koh Samui and if you already have, then these are main reasons that you should go back. This beautiful island along the Gulf of Thailand is paradise; it offers a distinct interesting culture, bars and entertainment, enchanting jungles, enthralling water sports, friendly locals, luxurious resorts like the ShaSa resort, mouth-watering food and the simple joy of being in the beautiful tropics. Koh Samui attractions are a plenty as well as the many things you can do while on the isle.

The first reason why you should go to Koh Samui is the island itself. Aside from the perfect sun, tropical trees and pure sand, you can explore so many other things. One of the most famous Koh Samui attractions is the jungle and there are package tours available for all its guests. Trek through the wild jungle of Samui on top of an elephant and see with your own eyes exotic animals and plants. You can also visit the zoo and get a photo taken with those wild striped tigers inside of their cage and see them perform tricks live. Explore the crocodile farm, the more subtle butterfly farm and some of the island’s beautiful temples that are intricately designed.

One of the hidden Koh Samui attractions that is peaceful and is a great place to go meditate is the Secret Buddha Garden. You can bring your journal or a good book and enjoy the solitude and privacy that surround the place. A trip to the island, is of course is not complete without experiencing and trying out some delicious Thai dishes. You also surely meet some friendly locals and other tourists drink and dance with friends both new and old until the wee hours of the morning. Another thing you should try doing is having a massage by the sea or simply lounging by the shore and taking in every lovely element that one could see, hear, taste, smell and feel.

The beaches on the island are amazing! They have been preserved and well taken care of with a number of protected diving sites. There is nothing more soothing and more therapeutic than being near a body of water. You can also enjoy thrilling water sports too. For the diving enthusiasts, Koh Samui and its neighbouring islands offer fantastic dive sites including Angthong Marine Park, Sail Rock, Koh Tao and Chumporn Pinnacle. There are diving schools and diving shops on the island as well.

You could choose what kind of vacation that you want to have and which Koh Samui attractions you want to go see and experience. Koh Samui has something to offer to everyone.