Tips For Taking Good Snapshots

Lovely Koh Samui photo (photo courtesy of flickr.com

When making Koh Samui travel plans, remembering to bring a camera is a must. Anyone that’d go on a vacation without taking any pictures would be considered foolish in today’s world. Practically every phone or electronic device has a camera built-in, so there’s really no valid reason as to why a vacationer can’t take any snapshots for commemorating the holiday.

However, whipping out the cam and taking photos of people, food or places at free doesn’t always guarantee good results. Taking snapshots at a random angle will only result in unimpressive or ugly pictures, all of which are hardly worthy for framing or uploading onto Facebook.

Fortunately, there are several useful tips, which can help any inexperienced photographer produce better results. First one is to identify a range of different focal points, and take a shot at the best ones. Taking pictures of the beach and ocean is a typical practice by vacationists.

Rather than sticking to dull, lifeless points of interest, finding something that tells the story of actually going to the beach is a tip given by Koh Samui travel guides (who have some experience in the world of photography of course!)

A focal point can be a sand castle near the shoreline, waves smashing into a rock, footprints in the sand, and practically anything that serves as “eye-candy” or gives life to the entire photograph.

Second tip is to observe proper timing – lighting conditions can change drastically, but are at its best during the beginning or end of the day. The right amount of sunlight can create outstanding effects of shadows and colours, thereby significantly enhancing the aesthetic value of the entire photo. As an added bonus, not many people can be seen during these times of the day, thereby eliminating potential distractions while trying to capture a certain moment.

The third and last tip on the list is to bring a range of camera equipment to improve the overall quality of photos produced. This may sound like a matter of common sense, but nevertheless, countless vacationists fail to capitalize on the benefits the right gear can bring about.

When making travel plans, bringing things such as a polarizing filter and travel-size tripod would definitely come in handy. Moreover, since most of the shots will probably be taken at wet environments, a waterproof digital camera casing should be brought as well. 

Unwinding on the Island

Relax and unwind during your trip to Koh Samui (photo courtesy of  shasahotels.com)

Forget Phuket, think Koh Samui. As Thailand’s third biggest island, it boasts of unique attractions such as lovely beaches, stunning waterfalls, spectacular coves, magnificent islets, and diverse flora and fauna collection; it’s truly a beautiful paradise. 

There are various beautiful beaches that travellers can enjoy while staying on the island.  The longest and most famous beach on the island is the Chaweng Beach. With several world-class resorts, hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants scattered in the area, Chaweng Beach becomes a hotspot among seasoned and first-time travellers. There is also the Lamai Beach, which offers visitors an exciting nightlife aside from its clear waters.  

For tourists interested in experiencing the island’s mystical feel, the Laemsett Beach is the best choice.  A number of eateries, Chinese stores, and wonderful gift shops can be found within the beach area.  Choengmon Beach, which lies near the Bophut Beach, is also a famous recreational spot.  There is also the famous Maenam Beach, which offers peaceful background and perfect for tourists who want privacy. 

These breath-taking Koh Samui beaches make the island more appealing to tourists. However these are not the only Koh Samui attractions that travellers can enjoy while on the island. Activities such as scuba diving, fishing, sea canoeing, parasailing, and sea skiing are also a must-try. 

Tired of beaches? Why not try other activities such as Thai cooking lessons or Thai boxing? How about watching monkey shows or going for a ride on an elephant?  These activities are something new and can provide tourists with fun and excitement during the vacation. 

The presence of significant landmarks can also be enjoyed on this island. The Big Buddha temple houses the golden Buddha idol measuring 12 meters in height. The Butterfly Garden/Sanctuary is another popular site for tourists.  The sanctuary offers rare butterfly species, a museum of rare insect species, and a bee house.  The island’s Crocodile Farm is not to be missed as well. At the crocodile farm tourists can have a close encounter with several crocodile species including the Caimans, saltwater crocodiles, and the Siam crocodiles. 

There are also other Koh Samui attractions that are worth trying out. These include the various rocks and rock formations, the Lamai Overlap Boulder Stone, Buddha’s Secret Garden, the Snake Farm with its collection of Asia’s most frightening and toxic snakes, and the Samui Aquarium & Zoo. Temples are also abundant in the island such as the Hainan, the Hin Lad Waterfall, and the Laem Sor and Kaho Chedi Pagodas. 

Koh Samui is truly a top destination among travellers. With all the Samui beaches and attractions, every tourist who visits the island will definitely keep coming back for more.  

What to Expect on a Rainy Koh Samui Day

Expect lots of rain in Koh Samui from June-Oct (photo courtesy flickr.com)

Being part of a tropical country, the Koh Samui weather is typically either dry, hot, and rainy. The average temperature on the island is about 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and you'll normally feel that summer temperature all year long. The dry season is from December to February; the hot season starts every March and usually lasts until May, and the rainy season is normally from June to October.

If you're craving for some sunshine and are after the picture-perfect blue-green waters of Koh Samui, then it's recommended that you visit the island during the dry or hot season.  But there are still advantages when visiting the island during the rainy season. 

The Koh Samui beaches may not be as enticing but it still offers a good escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's a good environment for lazing around; gazing at the sea while small droplets of rain is coming down. The much lower resort rates during the rainy season allows you to enjoy the beautiful island and in addition, offers more privacy as fewer tourists are on the island. The cooler than normal temperature also gives tourists a break from the scorching sun and humid environment.

So what should you expect when there is rainy weather on this island? Well, the seas are normally rough and choppy, the wind is stronger than usual, the beaches and restaurants are quiet and sometimes the roads do get flooded. But the same rainy weather is what makes the tropical lands greener and so lush. People coming from non-tropical countries will definitely enjoy the scenery.

There are lots of other activities you can do on a rainy day on this island. If the waves on the beach are not cooperating, you can spend a lazy afternoon reading a good book at a beachfront terrace. You can also do some yoga or learn how to cook those delicious Thai delicacies. 

Lately, there has been a new addicting game that both locals and tourists can't get enough of – the Bananagrams. It's a word game similar to scrabble but without the need for a board, pencil or paper – it is a perfect way to spend a lazy day in a far-flung island when you are with friends or family.

It doesn’t matter how the weather is, Koh Samui is a perfect spot to de-stress and commune with nature. And as Henry Miller says, “One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Indeed, the beauty of Koh Samui gives it visitors a new perspective in life, rain or shine.

Koh Samui Weather In July

Come to Koh Samui and you'll surely have fun in the sun (photo courtesy of  www.shasahotels.com)

People hate having their vacations ruined by torrential rainfall and snow. Fortunately, the Koh Samui weather is affected by two seasons only, which doesn’t include snow, so vacationers will only have to worry about the rain.

Lots of folks from all over the planet like to plan their vacations during the month of July for whatever reasons they may have. However, this is essentially the worse time of year to plan a holiday to Thailand and mainly because it’s expected to rain hard in certain areas, including  Samui.

However, while it does rain during this month in Thailand’s second largest island, it only typically rains for a short period during the afternoon. Moreover, it lasts for a short duration of time, which may range somewhere in between five to thirty minutes. Both locals and tourists alike actually enjoy the little rain shower that takes place in the afternoon since it helps cool everything down, as well as give a wonderful “glistening look” to all the plants and structures it touches.

The average Koh Samui weather in July is pretty good, with temperatures measuring approximately 29 degrees Celsius; the lowest it reaches is around 23 degrees Celsius, making it an excellent place to visit during this particular time of the year.

Moving forward, there are plenty of things to do when visiting this islet in July – plenty of foreigners choose to have their weddings hosted on this romantic island during this month. While planning a wedding during a time of year when it’s expected to rain sounds a bit unreasonable, local tradition says otherwise – rain that touches the bride and groom is actually a good thing, since it’s believed to purify their bodies and souls, thereby allowing them to start anew in holy matrimony.

Other activities to do during the afternoon rain shower include having a meal or a few Thai beers at the beach. Most resorts have rain screens to keep their guests dry, thereby allowing them to enjoy hearty meals and alcoholic beverages while enjoying the ocean view.

For those who’d like to stay indoors during the rainy Samui weather, there is a wide range of spas to head on over to. Many accommodations offer such facilities within their compounds. Samui is considered as one of the best spa destinations in all of Asia, so indulging in this activity while the rain pours (again, doesn’t last too long) is always an option!

Koh Samui Activities For Children & Adults

Kids and parents will both have the time of their life in Koh Samui (photo courtesy flickr.com)

Parents are sometimes left with no choice but to leave their kids at home during vacations for numerous reasons, such as a lack of things for the young ones to do upon arrival at the tourist destination.

Luckily, planning a family vacation to this tropical island is no problem, thanks to the numerous Koh Samui activities to do on the island, family resorts, various Samui restaurants and other attractions that the whole family can enjoy.

With that being said, one place a family should take a trip to is the Ang Thong Marine Park. Comprised of beautiful coves and deserted beaches, this attraction grants its visitors an unmatched feeling of complete freedom with incredible “nothingness” around the tourist destination’s exterior. Moreover, since there are a variety of sea creatures near the shoreline, snorkelling is a highly recommended activity for guests to engage in.

Another thing that adults and kids will enjoy is the elephant trek. Under the supervision of a tour guide, trekkers not only get to relish a once-in-a-life-time ride on an actual elephant, but they also get to learn more interesting facts about the mystical island as well.

There are a bundle of other Koh Samui activities specifically designed to cater to children, such as playing mini-golf at Mini Golf International. For a more complete range of undertakings created for young ones, various hotels feature kids’ clubs within their compounds such as the ShaSa resort, which was also voted as one of the best family hotels in Koh Samui on Trip Advisor.

Furthermore, there are some delicious restaurants near these residential areas, which offer menus crafted for children. Everything from western and local kid’s food to non-alcoholic cocktails is available at such establishments.

Moving forward, heading over to Tesco is another place where the entire family can stay busy. Here, kids can find a vast assortment of toys, which include action figures, Barbie dolls, wooden frogs, puzzles, beach buckets, toys and more.

Tesco also offers other activities for the whole gang to partake, such as bowling at Major Bowl Hit – the 8-lane alley offers loads of fun through friendly competition amongst family members, or even with the locals. When hungry, Tesco has a range of Koh Samui restaurants that serve various local and international dishes that are sure to please everyone.

There are of course, plenty of other Samui activities for loved ones to enjoy at this tropical island. When planning a trip, it’d be wise to include plans for what activities to take part in ahead of time to ensure a memorable vacation.