What Kind Of Clothes Should You Wear On the Island

What type of clothes should wear when you come to the island of Koh Samui? (photo courtesy of flickr.com)

Don't know what to wear in Koh Samui? Well, it's just a matter of two factors – one is the cultural consideration while the other is the yearlong tropical climate. Here, we'll discuss how to combine the two and feel at home while exploring what this beautiful island has to offer.

For starters, you should be aware that your shoulders and knees must be covered at the minimum, when visiting various temples and shrines. Flip-flops are also taboo when dropping by these sacred places. The key here is to be observant and sensitive to your environment. In Thailand, most women dress modestly and you'll never see any Thai guy walking shirtless on the streets. When taking a trip to the gorgeous beaches such as those in Koh Samui, topless sunbathing and swimming is a big no-no. In addition, avoid dangling in your bikinis when strolling outside the vicinity of the shorelines. Put some tank top or sarong on.

To cope with the tropical climate, avoid wearing jeans and anything polyester unless you want to combust right on the spot. The locals have acclimatized to the weather that's why they can pull-off wearing those outfits even on a bright sunny day but for the average Joe, who's used to moderate temperature and cold winter days, walking in jeans and polyester under direct sunlight is like being baked alive. Shoes and socks are also a hassle to wear if you're planning to visit multiple tourist spots and shops that require you to leave your footwear outside. Therefore, your best bet is nice sandals or slippers, which you can easily wear and remove.

Adapting to Koh Samui weather is easy as long as you don't wear any white dresses, skirts or shirts especially during the rainy season. There's no cultural reason to it, just the fact that Koh Samui's roads can be a bit rocky and dusty. And it's the kind of reddish dust that's hard to remove on white clothes. Of course, it's much worse when it's raining hard as the puddle of mud could really ruin that white dress of yours. Generally, you should opt to wear light cotton when traveling here.

No matter how tempting it is to wear your bikini everywhere when you are away from the Koh Samui beaches, you should always remember to wear appropriate attire when going to nearby shops, restaurants, and other establishments. During formal occasions such as having dinner in a fancy restaurant, you can show respect by wearing a modest dress for women and collared shirt for men. Moreover, you can add a cardigan or a light windbreaker if it happens to be a rainy day.