CHOENG MON BEACH

The Choeng Mon beach is a nice quiet, private beach in Koh Samui  located only a few minutes away from the ShaSa resort. (Photo courtesy of samuiontour.com)

Comparatively more upscale than neighboring Big Buddha Beach, Choeng Mon beach is one of those Koh Samui beaches that promises to live up to its higher class image.  Nestled on the northwestern edge of Koh Samui, Choeng Mon offers exclusivity to the more discerning traveler who prefers a more private setting for a holiday at any of the popular Koh Samui beaches. The elite handful of resorts that offer either three- or five-star accommodations attests to how individuality is nurtured on this side of the island.

How To Reach Choeng Mon

The serene setting of Choeng Mon is reachable by proceeding east past the airport turnoff. In similar fashion to most other Koh Samui beaches, the area is primarily a coastline setting and lies barely 15 minutes north of Chaweng. This captivating bay expanse is characterized by sprawling and pristine sandy beaches. Rock formations capture the imagination, and a small island on the other side mesmerizes with its own beauty. Choeng Mon, as many other Koh Samui beaches, offers much in the way of making more discriminating travelers feel they are truly away from the hustle and bustle of a very public world.

Resort Regulars

Beguiled by the relative seclusion offered by Choeng Mon, patrons who choose this beach among all other Koh Samui beaches belong to the older, package tour crowds. Frequenters are visitors from France and Germany, which is why entertainment and food selections are mostly geared toward this group. The spiciness of typical Thai cuisine is normally tempered down this side of Thailand. Most of the resorts have been designed to be self-sufficient within themselves, offering in-house entertainment to clients who do not wish to go venturing out for such. Western pop tunes are given expert covers by a good number of Filipino bands; traditional Thai dancing is also a staple in this upscale element of Koh Samui beaches.

Where to Stay

Choeng Mon beach naturally has several coves and islets just waiting to be explored by visitors out for some exploring to do on Koh Samui beaches. Luxurious resorts have been erected in a number of these islets and coves. The unbelievably two-level traditional teakwood Thai boats or barges and spectacular villas that make up The Imperial Boathouse provide breathtaking views of the surrounding areas, which have no villages but abound with tour counters, restaurants and minimarts. The White House,  considered by many as possibly the most romantic spot on this part of the island, offers exclusivity coupled with Thai hospitality. The Nara Garden offers captivating views and ultimate pampering to visitors out for a good dose of Thai warmth. 

HISTORIC TEMPLES OF KOH SAMUI

Stunning view of the Wat Phra Yai, Big Buddha (photo courtesy of  http://bluedandelion.net/)

Koh Samui, or simply Samui, is famed not only for being a beach-and-coconut tourist destination island, but also for its historic temples, which serve as one of KohSamui’s attractions. Immerse yourself in the rich Buddhist culture by visiting any one of several temples that attest to how the island is steeped in Buddhist tradition and how the veneration of the Supreme Buddha is a most significant part of this island’s inhabitants. Sawadee!

TheWat Phra Yai and Big Buddha

Home to the island’s most famous image, Wat Phra Yai is undeniably the most visited Koh Samui attraction on this island. The Big Buddha, majestic at 12 feet, visibly towers towards the skies as travelers get to Koh Samui Island. Located on the northeast tip of the island on route 4171, this Koh Samui attraction is easily accessible to travelers from the airport. And for travelers wanting to get the best accommodations possible at a similarly located resort, your best bet is to get yourself booked--and literally hooked--at ShaSa Resort and Residences, just a mere 45-minute-drive from the airport. After you’ve gone through the many shops and restaurants designed for travelers and Buddhist devotees alike, rest your shopping-tired but spiritually-invigorated selves at ShaSa Resort and Residences, where lovely service and pampering are unarguably one of the greatest of Koh Samui attractions.

TheWat Plai Laem

Nestled north of Samui on route 4171 at about the same general area as the Wat Phra Yai, this temple is another showcase of magnificence of Koh Samui attractions as it is home to the colorful statue of the 18-armed Buddha that sits right in the middle of a lake.  Feeding the big, lovely fish that abound in the lake waters will prove to be an enjoyable experience, as fish food packs can be had for a relatively cheap 10-baht donation. And for those looking to enjoy bigger and more fascinating water adventures, situated along the same general location as the ShaSa Resort.

The Laem Sor Pagoda

Majestically constructed on the rocks at the water’s edge, this ornately designed edifice easily stands tall among Koh Samui attractions because of its shimmering yellow tiles that appear golden when viewed from a distance. Lying south off the island, it is easily accessible via road 4170 between Ban Tale and Ban Pang Ka.

The Coral Buddha

Located not far from ShaSa Resort and Residences at 4169 ring road are the ruins of what used to be a jewel among Koh Samui’s attractions--the Coral Buddha. Lying to the right side of Hua Thanon at approximately 800 meters, the small, crumbling figure of the Coral Buddha is a revered place of devotion among devout Buddhists, especially among monks from nearby Wat Sumret.

Make a Splash in Koh Samui

There are several Koh Samui attractions along the numerous stunning beaches on this majestic island.

Looking to have fun in the sun? There’s no better place in the world than Koh Samui to enjoy a relaxing vacation at a stunning beach.

Take advantage of the Koh Samui’s beautiful beaches and the numerous Koh Samui attractions located at this one of a kind of island. 

Popular beaches in Koh Samui include Laem set, Chawang beach, Big Buddha beach, Lamai beach, Maena and Bophut. Each beach has it’s own perks.

It doesn’t matter what you are looking for a peaceful beach, picturesque beach or an action packed beach where you can do tons of water sports- Koh Samui has it all. 

The most popular water activity at Koh Samui is without a doubt scuba diving. Not only does the island provide year round favorable conditions, it is also home to diverse marine life, clear water beaches, and beautiful coral reef.

There are several diving spots at the island too, whether you are beginner or advanced diver you can find tons of locations to dive at. Experienced divers typically go to dive at the National Marine Park and Sail Rock. Meanwhile beginners usually go diving at Koh Tao.

Koh Tao is renowned for having the clearest water in Koh Samui.

Another one of the many Koh Samui attractions is snorkeling. Snorkeling is more inexpensive than scuba diving and it still allows individuals to see down below into the deep blue sea. Snorkeling day trips will surely include a trip to the famous Nangyuan white sand beach.

Other popular Koh Samui attractions that water sport enthusiasts should check out while on the island is kayaking, jet skiing, fishing, kite boarding and surfing.

When you are not at the beach you can also enjoy some other Koh Samui Attractions such as cheap shopping markets, aesthetic temples and animal shows.

You’ll never have a dull moment when you on this breath-taking island.

Three Best Koh Samui Beaches

Koh Samui is an island full of numerous gorgeous beaches. However, some of these Koh Samui beaches are better than other ones.

You settle for anything other than the best, so make sure you book a hotel where one of these top beaches are located.

Without further ado depicted below is a list of the top Koh Samui beaches.

1) Tranquil Laem Set Beach

The best Koh Samui beach is without a doubt Laem Set beach. Laem Set beach is situated along the southern coast of Koh Samui.

This private beach is serene, quiet and peaceful.

Large smooth boulders, surrounding palm trees leaning from all kinds of angles make this beach look spectacular. Simply put you won’t have to be a professional photographer to take a breath-taking photo at Laem Set beach.

Laem Set beach is also located close to beautiful reefs where you can scuba dive at and other attractions such as the Samui Tiger Zoo and Samui Aquarium.

2) Party animals flock to the Big Buddha Beach

The Big Buddha Beach has a complete opposite atmosphere from Laem Set. Laem Set is the quiet family oriented beach where you go to relax, whereas Big Buddha beach is an action packed beach where tourists go to have fun and party.

There loads of inexpensive bungalows and budget hotels located on this beach.

This is the beach of choice to go to and relax before going to Thailand’s most popular party, the “Full Moon Party”. The beach is only a short 5-10 minute speedboat ride from the Full Moon Party beach on the island of Koh Pha Ngan.

3) Thrill Seekers Prefer the Chaweng Beach

Perhaps the most famous beach of all the Koh Samui beaches is the Chaweng beach. It’s a popular place to play water sports such as jet skiing and kayaking. It’s also situated close to many attractions such as shopping markets and temples. 

Chaweng is the longest beach on the island and it contains radiant beautiful sand along its coast. 

Remember, the reason that Koh Samui beaches are second in popularity only to the beaches of Phuket is because of their quiet ambience. Phuket beaches are typically jam packed with tourists, which some people like but Koh Samui is more for people who want to enjoy a more relaxing getaway.