COMMON SCAMS IN KOH SAMUI

Like many other tourist destinations, Koh Samui has its fair share of scams that you should be wary of. 

Koh Samui travel, as with any other venture to any foreign land, can be hampered by scams. The wary tourist is well advised to pay heed to warnings from others who have done Koh Samui travel and have actually had become easy, unknowing prey to “friendly” people out to make easy money.

Holiday Club and Time Share Scams

Koh Samui travel is an easy setting to get scammed since Koh Samui is a prime tourist holiday area. Being such, Koh Samui has a good number of time share and holiday schemes that could easily attract the unsuspecting but willing tourist into putting his hard-earned cash into such a system. On the street, a visitor is first asked to accomplish a “questionnaire” or a “survey”. Afterwards, using his contact information provided in the questionnaire, he is called and informed of winning in a “legit” draw that involves the seemingly “legit” survey he’d participated in. He is then asked to collect his prize. When he arrives, the scam artists use intimidation and pressure to get him to invest money as initial deposit on a holiday club, a property offered for time-share or to attend an orientation seminar on such. This is undoubtedly hard-sell, but some victims are left with no other choice but to pay up in order to get away from such scammers. Koh Samui travel would be much more pleasurable if you won’t have to experience the trauma from such rackets.

Boat/Jetski Insurance Scams

If you choose to do Koh Samui travel, then you’d also somehow wish to enjoy the ocean for which the location is famous for, and what better way to do this than to rent a boat or a jetski. Unfortunately, this fact provides a ripe opportunity for both locals and foreign nationals to prey on unwitting visitors. Their method of operation is simple: they approach you with offers for boat or jetski rentals. They bargain with you, and then let you use the equipment. When you decide to return it, they “inspect” the equipment and come up with a list of damages, which might have already been present in the equipment even before they had it rented out to you. They claim insurance does not cover the damages, so the cost would have to fall on you. Make sure that you emerge from your Koh Samui travel refreshed and not victimized by such scammers.

SECRET BUDDHA GARDEN

The Secret Buddha Garden is one of the most amazing must see sights in Koh Samui

Initially built by Samuian fruit farmer Nim Thongsuk at age 77 back in 1976, the Secret Buddha Garden, otherwise known simply as the Magic Garden, is peacefully nestled in the hills of Samui. The road leading to this landmark was originally designed as a military road, but it wouldn’t hurt to request the guards to allow travelers to pass and visit the garden.

Otherwise, a rugged terrain vehicle can be maneuvered through the network of rivers and mountains interspersed by jungle to reach this breathtaking garden two hours from the Lamai temple. Navigating through this complicated route requires an experienced driver, plus expert advice from one of ShaSaResort and Residences’ tour assistance guides to boost your adventure plans.

Tour assistants from the hotel will provide you with the best routing suggestions possible to reach the Secret Buddha Garden.  The garden, although reachable only via out-of-the-usual routes and methods, will be worth all the effort you have to go through, as the view from Samui’s highest point affords the traveler a great breathtaking overlook from the north to the south of Samui island, the mainland and its bordering islands.

ShaSa Resort and Residences also provides superb complimentary WiFi internet facilities so you can view an online map to the Secret Buddha Garden. See photos of significant spots and points of interest within the garden, plus generous reviews of first-hand visitors to the garden in the comfort of your room or just about anywhere at ShaSa Resort and Residences.

With the ShaSa Resort and Residences Health Club, prepare yourself for the trek ahead to the Secret Buddha Garden. Use their various fitness equipment designed for cardiovascular workouts and resistance training so the network of steps and uneven terrain within the garden will be nothing short of an effortless trek by the traveler. The sauna room and the nearby hydrotherapy pool at the health club of ShaSa Resort and Residences will get you all sufficiently pumped up for the long, arduous journey ahead. The spectacular view of the Gulf of Thailand is another bonus offered by the health club.

Don’t want to take the kids along on the trip to the Secret Buddha Garden? ShaSa Resort and Residences has this covered, too. Entrust your kids to the gracious babysitting service available at the Kids Club. While waiting for mom and dad to come back from their trek, the kids are given educational art classes like batik painting and craft making.  Let them explore the joys of reading with well-stocked shelves of children’s books in a number of languages. They are also kept amused with an array of cartoons, the latest video games, and the largest LEGO brick collection within the island.

Tired muscles and sore feet after the trek? Fret no more. ShaSa Resort and Residences offers balcony massages for travelers who decide to go on a journey to the Secret Buddha Garden. With elegant pampering afforded by expert masseuses, those after-trek aches and pains easily melt away at the ministrations of these hospitable people at your service. Refresh yourself with a mango smoothie from the pool bar, listen to acoustic guitar music, or simply arrange for private dining after that exhausting trek. ShaSa Resort and Residences has you covered. 

New Years in Koh Samui

Koh Samui is one of the best places to go and welcome in a New Year. (photo courtesy of samuizoom.com)

The best time to enjoy your Koh Samui travel experience is by visiting the island during New Year’s Day. Koh Samui is an exotic island in Thailand that has successfully preserved its local traditions, culture and landscape. However, it has also successfully developed into a resort destination with international standards. There are many visitors from all over the world anticipating the various festivities in Koh Samui, including New Year’s Day.

Thailand is an ideal place to celebrate New Year’s Day because the festivities are extraordinary and unique among the rest of the world. In Koh Samui, the people celebrate three New Year celebrations in a year. In January 1, they celebrate the worldwide New Year’s Day. Around the first week of February, they again celebrate it together with the Chinese for the Chinese New Year. On April 13, the people of Koh Samui celebrate it yet again following the Thai solar calendar. The April 13 New Year’s Day is culminated by the Songkran, the last day of celebration. It is a Koh Samui travel experience that you should not miss out on. April 13 is a special day for Thais because it is the first day on the Thai solar calendar.

The Songkran is highly anticipated not just by the Thais but the tourists as well. It is commonly known as the Water Festival. This festival makes the Koh Samui travel experience unique compared to other islands. In Koh Samui, people playfully enjoy the water fights on the street. They prepare water pistols, gallons of water and water balloons to aim at those joining the celebration. The streets are full of players joining in on the water fight. Traditionally though, Thais would travel back home to gather with their relatives and they would perform a cleansing ritual by pouring water onto themselves. Nowadays, some Thais still continue this tradition but they also participate in the long awaited water fights.

Aside from the water fights, there are many other things you can enjoy during your Koh Samui travel. You can enjoy the lovely floats decorating the rivers of the island. The Loy Krathong is another celebration during the Thai New Year wherein the people build kratongs (small crafts) to contain their offerings of food, flowers, money, candles, incense sticks and so on. They would let the kratong sail along the rivers around the island. This is another long anticipated Koh Samui travel experience for most tourists because the floats are beautifully decorated and the designs are intricately traditional Samui. The festivities include dances and performances by the locals.

Since most tourists enjoy their Koh Samuitravel in resorts near beaches, the island also has made popular the beach parties at night during New Year’s. They have laidback parties with bonfire, dancing and singing of traditional Samui songs. The parties can be a cultural experience for those that have yet to experience New Year’s at Koh Samui. The clear blue seas, the tropical wind and the laidback atmosphere attracts many visitors to the island especially during New Year’s.

Koh Samui Travel: Mountain Bike Trails

There are several wonderful biking trails in Koh Samui. 

Just because you are here on holiday at ShaSa Resort, it doesn’t mean that you have to sit back and do nothing all day long – although you’re more than welcome to if you want! But for those guests of ours who prefer to be a little bit more active during their Koh Samui travel breaks, we strive to put together as many activities as possible for our guests to enjoy.

If you love the great outdoors and the warm sunshine, and you want to keep yourself in shape, then one of the best ways to see this wonderful island is from the seat of a mountain bike. Yep, that’s right. Koh Samui travel is perfectly suited to mountain biking – its lush tropical terrain is simply breathtaking to behold – many of the best views are wasted when you travel by car from place to place. So saddle up and peddle off for an experience you will never forget.

Koh Samui travel on mountain bikes is easy. You can rent mountain bikes from just about anywhere on the island, and they’re incredibly cheap too, starting at around 100 baht a day. The bike you get might not be a brand you’ve ever heard of, but don’t worry as all the bikes are perfectly capable of tacking Ko Samui’s challenging terrain.

For a true endurance test of Koh Samui travel, rent yourself a mountain bike and go all out – try and complete a full circuit of the island if you dare! Just give yourself plenty of time so that you’ll be back before dark. The route takes around 4 to 5 hours, with time for the odd break, so we’d suggest setting out in the morning if you’re planning this (the reason being, the roads can be quite scary at the best of times, and at night with no headlights it’s ten times as bad!).

If you want a more technical challenge then we suggest that you head inland with your mountain bikes. One of our favorite spots for a bike ride is around Mae Nam Valley. Here you’ll find some great hilly terrain with loads of ups and downs, amidst stunning scenes of farmland and coconut groves. You may want to bring a compass and a map, and try not to damage any farmer’s crops!

For a real daredevil challenge on your Koh Samui travel mountain biking adventures, there’s only one place to go. Head on up the road to Wanorn Waterfall, which lies just south of Nathon. A word of warning though – this Koh Samui travel route is tough, and so you’ll need to be pretty fit to manage it. The condition of the road isn’t too bad at first, but it quickly gets a whole lot worse once you gain some altitude. At around 200 m, the road becomes a gravel track, and later on you’ll be having to dodge boulders, navigate through slippery mud and deal with a 1:4 gradient (believe us, that is steep!). And you’ll have to do all this while staring over the edge of a ravine…

But! If you do make it to the waterfall, you’ll be delighted you made it. The view from here is quite simply spectacular – it offers some of the most incredible photo opportunities and you’ll be able to cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool by the waterfall. It’s the ultimate Koh Samui travel experience but not for the lighthearted! 

Mae Nam Beach

The Mae Nam Beach is a great place to go with the whole family

If you have been thinking about coming to Thailand for a few or weeks but hesitant to rub elbows with the rest of the million or more visitors to this country, don’t give change your mind yet or find another destination. If you know where to look, you can find a Ko Samui beach that is just right to bring out the backpacker spirit in you.

Mae Nam Beach could be one of the places you’re looking for. It’s a district in Ko Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand that is more known for its Chaweng and Lamai beaches. The island is next to Phuket as the most popular island destination in this Asian country. Because the largest beaches can get overcrowded in peak season, some visitors stay away from the island’s populous areas and look for their own Ko Samui beach destination.

For starters, stay at the ShaSa Hotel – Samui Boutique Hotel where you can get your first taste of Ko Samui beach view and breeze from its large terraces and pool bars. Kayak and water sports are also available. With the perfect hideaway to go home to at the end of the day, you can confidently explore the rest of the island. Go to Mae Nam Beach via the hotel’s shuttle service bound for Changwe. From there, you can ride a songthaew (some sort of a minibus) to Mae Nam which has a 7-km stretch of beach with white sand and coconut trees. Most of the time, the sea is calm and soothing to see.  Its shallow water is also appropriate for swimming and sunbathing especially for families with children.

Of course, a Ko Samui beach is not all there is in Mae Nam though the beautiful sunset from the east end is worth the time for coming here. Though many people would rather run to the nearby Changwe for its discos and a-go-go bars, there are a number of visitors who come to Mae Nam instead if they’re looking for a night of fun. There are some excellent pubs in the area where you can share some drinks and chat with a loved one or friends in Ko Samui beach venues. If you’re passing through Mae Nam on the way to Chaweng, you can drop by Mae Nam’s classy restaurants by the sea and in the village by the pier. You can also find a quite popular bakery and café.

Everybody seems to be eyeing on Thailand but that doesn’t mean you have to look the other way if you want some peace and quiet.  Don’t forget that there is a quiet Ko Samuibeach accessible from pristine boutique hotel awaiting you.

TOP 5 DIVING SITES IN KOH SAMUI

Koh Samui has some of the world's top diving sites. Don't miss out!

Koh Samui and other outlying islands in the Gulf of Thailand are endowed with a good number of diving sites that serve as Koh Samui attractions. They can be great spots for diving all year round, but the Andaman low season beginning May until August is highly recommended for diving enthusiasts who want to make the most out of their diving adventure. Shasa Resort and Residences provides great tour and travel assistance for snorkeling and diving activities.

Green Rock

Probably so-named because of the vast array of swimming dwellers that abound in its waters, Green Rock promises to provide a stunning underwater vista to the diving explorer out to savor Koh Samui attractions. Be delighted by its network of tunnels and swim-throughs exquisitely afforded by the various rock and boulder formations outcropping from the main pinnacle, which rises a meter above water and extends 28 meters below it. Swim with blue-spotted stingrays and white-eyed morays while enjoying spectacles of hawksbill turtles, butterfish and angelfish. A bonus:  nearby nesting grounds of the highly territorial and moody titan triggerfish.

Chumpon/ Chumporn Pinnacles

Located within the Angthong National Marine Park, Chumpon Pinnacles is one of the outlying Koh Samui attractions normally considered as Koh Tao’s premier diving site. With depths at a manageable 14 meters underwater graduating to 35 meters, this dive site will prove to be a real challenge to novice divers and is best explored with more seasoned or expert divers. Standing out among the smaller rock pinnacles is a singular, large granite rock formation extending to 16 meters below the sea water and serving as home to pink anemone fish and sea anemones. Large, oceanic fish abound: man-sized groupers, barracuda, bat fish, grey reef sharks, mackerel, trevally and tuna. Whale sharks are occasionally spotted.

Samran Pinnacles

Still another diving spot considered as one of the surrounding Koh Samui attractions is the Samran Pinnacles. Recommended for more seasoned divers, water currents tend to be relatively stronger and the waters much deeper than the average diving sites. Lying twelve meters underwater are numerous rock formations, home to barracudas, large jackfish and trevally.

Southwest Pinnacles

Ascending majestically above water in this site is another rock pinnacle worthy of belonging to the many Koh Samui attractions. Lying five meters just below the surface, this pinnacle gently undulates downwards and out then fuses with the seabed at 30 meters. Smaller rock outcroppings dot the primary pinnacle to afford a most spectacular underwater view. Be fascinated by blue ringed angelfish, bannerfish, yellow-tailed barracuda, giant groupers, as well as occasional sightings of grey reef and whale sharks.

White Rock

With two pinnacles submerged 18-22 meters beneath the water while extending two meters above it, diving in White Rock will surely excite any diving adventurer looking to explore one of the many Koh Samui attractions the island has to offer. Some of the most common colorful and interesting underwater fauna native to this cool diving site: angel and butterfly fish, blue-spotted stingrays, moray eels, turtles, sea snakes, and the titan trigger fish. Staghorn corals lying on the White Rock seabed have also become dwelling places for breams and damsels. If you’re lucky, you might even come across the red-breasted wrasse, the longtom, and the hexagon grouper.

Bophut Beach Nightlife

The Bophut beach nightlife scene is quite fun. (Courtesy of photography-on-the.net)

Have one of the best experiences of Koh Samui nightlife  in Bophut, known for the Bophut beach and the Fisherman’s Village. The beach is a long stretch from the Big Buddha and Maenam beaches. The Fisherman’s Village is at the heart of the beaches; it is an image of the island’s shift to modernity with its high end boutiques like Karma Sutra, luxury hotels like ShaSa Resort and a strip of classy restaurants. Despite the many up and coming markets and night spots in Bophut, there still remains the charm of the old salts of the village.

You can explore the Koh Samui nightlife by going around the pier of Bophut. Turn left to experience the Bophut beach nightlife or turn right to try out the restaurants and guesthouses. FYI, you won’t see Go-Go’s or girlie bars in this area. The charm of Bophut is its laidback and chill atmosphere where people can relax and have a good time at night.

Here are some places to check out for your Koh Samui nightlife in Bophut:

ShaSa Resort- This is a luxury hotel near Bophut Beach. Actually, there aren’t a lot of places to stay in Bophut area itself but there are hotels nearby for you to check out. Bophut has become popular compared to other places in Koh Samui because of its reputation for elegance, charm and laidback atmosphere. Experience night life in Bophut beach then come home to luxurious accommodations in ShaSa Resort where you can enjoy the executive villas, spa treatment and an overall luxurious stay at the hotel.

Karma Sutra- This place is the perfect spot to spend your time in Bophut. It was originally a Chinese shop house with intricate wooden interior that was transformed into a bar, restaurant and boutique all in one. You can have a cozy meal all throughout the day until night time in this place.

The Pier- This is one of the classiest restaurants in Bophut beach. It has an amazing view of the Gulf of Thailand amidst the cool, coastal wind and an impressive menu to choose from. Try out Koh Samui nightlife with class by checking out the international seafood dishes served in this restaurant. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a grand wooden staircase where diners can go up and dine while the view of the Gulf of Thailand mesmerizes them. Plus, the staff members are friendly and hospitable.