True Story: Traveling by Train from Suratthani to Koh Samui

Take the train to Koh Samui for an interesting experience (photo courtesy globaltravelmate.com)

Koh Samui travel by train is an exhilarating experience for those who are looking for an adventure. One can start by purchasing a first class train ticket from Bangkok to Suratthani. Tickets are quite expensive but if a traveller is willing to take the lower bunk, it could be cheaper. Aside from a double compartment, amenities for first class travellers include a window, a table, a sink and a plug socket. At sunset, uniformed attendants are all over the train, making the beds.

The walkways of the carriages of first class trains are very narrow. It is very difficult for a voyager laden with luggage to meet someone coming from the opposite direction who is also carrying his things. First class passengers of Koh Samui travel have free access to toilets that are not crowded and contain running water. It is wise to select a compartment whose sink has running water as some of the sinks on the train do not have water.

To reach the restaurant carriage, first class passengers have to cross all the way across the other sleeper carriages of the train. The restaurant has jovial atmosphere as the music video plays at a high volume and customers are drinking large mugs of Changs and Singhas. As it is a smoker carriage, men are smoking to relax. The waiters joined the fun by singing along with the Thai music and train guards are allowed to smoke. Sitting beside open windows is the best option for those who want more air circulation.

For fun-loving travellers, Koh Samui travel by way of train is a great way of getting to the island and is a lot cheaper than taking a plan and more fun than taking a van. Since the train has travellers from all over the country, it is a great place to meet new friends. However, since there are so many strangers on the train it is not safe to leave baggage opened even inside the compartment. The best place to keep things and valuables is inside the compartment’s locked cupboard. It is also advisable to keep extra T- shirts during train travel.

A train traveller does not need an alarm clock as a sleeping train does not keep a punctual schedule, since the carriage guard is around to wake up and inform tourists that the destination is just a few minutes away. Koh Samui is really one of Thailand’s top tourist destinations. Make sure you get there safe and enjoy the journey.

Discover the Wonders of Koh Muduin and Koh Tan

Check out Koh Tan one of the best snorkelling destinations in Samui (photo courtesy goway.com)

People assume that Koh Samui’s closest neighbouring island is Koh Phangan but in reality it is Koh Tan. Koh Tan is also called the Coral Island due to its magnificent off-shore corals.

In the group of islands consisting of Koh Mudsum, Koh Raab, Koh Wang Nok and Koh Wangnai, Koh Tan is the largest of them all. To reach these islands, visitors will have to travel via long tail boats starting from the southern pier of Thong Krut at the beach of Thong Tanote. It takes around 30 minutes to reach Koh Tan.

Koh Tan has a very distinctive shape, which is curved, and an ideal natural bay area. This is the reason why it is considered one of the best Koh Samui beaches. These beaches do not have many tourists because tour groups make few trips to these islands.

Formerly called Coral Island, Koh Tan has made a name for itself as the ideal snorkelling destination as it has an abundant of corals. But almost all the corals have been killed due to bleaching, as a consequent of global warming and the rising of sea temperature. But some areas are still good for snorkelling remain.

The main livelihood of the inhabitants is coconut cultivation, fishing and tourism. Another tourist site is the mangrove swamps that the villagers are able to conserve.

An interesting legend told often by locals is that no dogs are allowed on the island. According to them, once a dog sets his foot in Koh Tan, it will start to go mad, howl, wail and die.

In the Katen Archipelago, Koh Tan is the only island with inhabitants. Tourists also love to visit the neighbouring island of Koh Mudsum. This is one of the Koh Samuibeaches that is also a good snorkelling spot. The island’s granite cliffs overhanging the water are good for kayaking. The Thai government is trying to preserve the seaweeds growing in this area.

Some notes on tour to Koh Tan and Koh Mudsum:

Tour on the way to these island leave Thong Krut Pier at 8:00 or 8:30 in the morning. Tour package include pick up and drop off.  Return trip is around 3 p.m. or 4:40 p.m. All tours include lunch and soft drinks. Activities with the package are kayaking and hiking around the island. Tour mounts 2,000 Thai Baht per person.

Essential Koh Samui Travel Information

Travelling to Koh Samui has become a lot more popular over the year (photo courtesy hotels.com)

One popular destination that tourists love to visit when they are in Thailand is Koh Samui. For the tourists who are thinking about Koh Samui travel, there are popular attractions that are must-see. Even backpackers will enjoy travelling here because of the fantastic beaches, incredible views, wonderful people and good choices when it comes to accommodation.

The meaning of Koh Samui remains mysterious although some people in the local area believe that name came from the Malay term that means “Saboey”. The meaning of this word is safe haven and until now, the Koh Samui Island proves that it is indeed a safe and beautiful land for locals and visitors.

The tourism industry of Thailand invested heavily in this island, helping it become a tourist hotspot. Until today, it is a premiere holiday destination in South East Asia. The Koh Samui Island is in fact a growing population. Apart from the 30,000 locals, there are more tourists who are also encouraged to settle down in this part of Thai because of their Koh Samui travel experience.

And now, tourists can enjoy Koh Samui travel without too many flight transfers! Firefly, an affordable airline, will again be offering direct flights for travellers from Penang towards the Koh Samui Island. Firefly originally offered this flight in 2007, but they had to cancel the route because of low-ticket sales. Fortunately, the tourism industry in Koh Samui is picking up, so Firefly will offer direct flights to the island again.

This will start on August 11. There will be 3 flights every week. The scheduled flights are of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as well. At exactly 25:15pm, the Flight FY3602 will depart from Penang and will arrive at 2:45pm local time in Koh Samui Island. For the next flight at 3:05 pm, the FY3603 flight will be the return flight from Koh Samiu Island to Penang, which will arrive at 5:35pm.

Aside from Penang, Firefly also offers direct flights to the beautiful Koh Samui Island from the Subang Airport at Kuala Lumpur. One-way flights, including taxes and other charges are only $65 or 199 MYR. Travellers and even locals can now enjoy all that Koh Samui island has to offer without the hassle of long travel times.

Thaa Yai Festival

Even without the presence of the interesting and exciting Koh Samui attractions, the island’s tourism would still be going strong, thanks to its abundance of white sand beaches and exotic first-class accommodations. Regardless, special annual events and other crowd-drawers make this tropical destination even more worthwhile.

A yearly event known as Thaa Yai is celebrated throughout various parts of Thailand to commemorate the dead.  Although in other parts of Thailand the festival may be called something else besides “Thaa Yai”.

In Koh Samui, the special occasion takes place every September, and follows the exact same rituals practiced annually – families prepare a certain meal, and bring it to their local temple as an offering for their departed loved ones.

The meals are then gathered to create a grand fiesta for all of those who have passed away and are no longer with us. In addition to this, the locals also prepare additional offerings in the form of food, which are given to the temple’s monks.

Moreover, the islanders believe that the dead are actually present for approximately two weeks during Thaa Yai. During this span of time, people frequently return to the temple to offer more food for their deceased blood relatives, and as well as the monks.

What makes this annual affair even more interesting (which is also probably why it was included in the list of Koh Samui attractions) is the inclusion of wooden skewers with each meal prepared. Attached to these objects are messages written by the families for their departed loved ones. And at the end of the two-week event, a big feast is held, which is often thought of as a last supper with the lifeless and monks.

Seasoned travelers who’ve been to several parts of Asia will notice a wide range of annual events bearing close similarity to Thaa Yai. In Japan, the locals celebrate the return of their dead family members during an event known as Obon. While this special affair is generally held during the month of August, the celebration date may vary from region to region.

Aside from this festivity, there are other occasions, which belong to the long list of Koh Samui attractions. More and more tourists and vacationists are now spending their holidays at this tropical paradise for plenty of good reasons, wherein one includes a rare opportunity to witness many cultural attractions that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

Reasons To Get Married In Koh Samui During Rainy Season

Want a beach wedding? Koh Samui is the perfect destination for a beach wedding (photo courtesy kireewongfoto.com) 

Getting married is probably going to be the biggest event in a man’s or woman’s life. It’s of the utmost importance that the ceremony, which commemorates the life-changing moment, is carefully planned to ensure the event is cherished forever.

With that being said, lots of couples choose to have their wedding ceremonies held in Koh Samui. The Koh Samui weather, white sand beaches, romantic sunsets, warm atmosphere, and other island features is what makes the tropical paradise an ideal location for two people to be joined through holy matrimony.

However, regardless of the fact that the idyllic setting for any wedding in a tropical destination would be moderately warm, some love birds, especially the locals, prefer to have their wedding days set during rainy season.

Planning such a special event during months it’s expected to rain may sound a little irrational, or even foolish, but upon close examination of the actual facts, as well as local traditions, it actually makes perfect sense to get married on a rainy day!

First and foremost, dressing up in tuxedos and other attire that traps in heat during a sunny day would make things unbearably hot for the soon-to-be couple, as well as their guests. On the contrary, hosting the event during rainy season, wherein the rain lasts anywhere from five to thirty minutes, is recommended since the light rain showers help cool things down.

Most travel guidebooks warn against having vacations planned during rainy Koh Samui weather because of risks of non-stop torrential rain and floods. Though this does have some truth to it, locals say that such instances rarely occur, and isn’t really as bad as many think.

The second reason to get married while it rains is to actually get wet, mainly because water is an important element in most especial occasions held in Thailand. At weddings, the more rain that hits the skin of the future husband and wife, the better - water is believed to cleanse and purify the body and soul, which thereby allows them to truly start new lives as one.

Last reason is based on the fact that there aren’t many tourists visiting the island when the Koh Samui weather is “bad”. With fewer non-guests in the vicinity, the atmosphere will naturally become more romantic.

With all that said, future husbands-and-wives can choose to have their weddings held at the magnificent ShaSa Resort &Residences. This premier commercial establishment can provide everything all future couples will need to facilitate their very special day, and make it an everlasting memory for everyone in attendance.

Furthermore, they also have some of the best rooms and suites on the entire island, so twosomes can feel free to move on straight to their honeymoons right after the nuptial.

Don’t Miss Out on the Coral Cove Bay of Koh Samui

The private Coral Cove Bay is serene and tranquil all year round (Photo courtesy beachsiam.com)

If an over-worked individual were in the process of deciding what place can give him/her the best opportunity to unwind in unparalleled tranquility, the Coral Cove Bay would be a sound choice. This Koh Samui beach is extraordinarily serene, since it only gets a small number of visitors annually.

The fact that it’s peculiarly quiet and relaxing at this beach is ironic, mainly because it’s situated in between two very popular spots in Koh Samui: Chaweng and Lamai. Even with numerous vacationists choosing to spend their holidays in the adjacent getaway spots, the Coral Cove Bay does an excellent job of maintaining this beach and keeping it private.

There are many chairs and tables with umbrellas placed on the powdery sand near the shoreline for guests to dine or drink on. Visitors to this beach get the chance to enjoy long swims at the beautiful ocean and can even go snorkelling – since there are huge boulders located near the beach, an abundance of corals and exotic fish can be found extremely close-by.

This Koh Samui beach is only 200 meters in length, so it’s not surprising to know that there are only a limited number of beachfront accommodations, which is a good thing since it helps keep the beach private. However, there are additional places to stay close to the beach such as the ShaSa resort, which isn’t located that far from the Coral Cove Bay.

A key advantage to the ShaSa hotel is the fact that they’re nestled on elevated surfaces, thereby giving vacationers stunning views of the vast ocean.

On Coral Cove Bay there are many commercial establishments such as a restaurant, which serves fusion cuisine, and a private pier where visitors are offered free usage of fishing plus snorkelling equipment.

However, spending a holiday around the Coral Cove Bay might be surprisingly expensive. If the premium amenities and accommodations on the Coral Cove Bay can be quite pricey, however there are a few cheap options on the beach.

Whether an individual is after superb or mediocre accommodations, this Koh Samuibeach has a range of commercial establishments to cater for both needs and more. 

Koh Samui Activities: Sailing

Sailing in Koh Samui is a fantastic experience that you'll never forget (photo courtesy of Samuizoom.com)

Some individuals like to relax as much as they can whenever they are on a vacation, while others like to engage in a variety of activities to keep busy. Whether it’s the former or latter, sailing has proven to be one of the most beloved Koh Samui activities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Riding a boat into the vast open sea can instantly gives a person a superb feeling of freedom. Being able to choose when and where to travel on the ocean instils a feeling of definite control. And as an added bonus, many sailors feel the tingling sensation people get whenever they are out in the ocean, far away from their troubles back home.

For travelers who left their boats behind (most people do), Koh Samui has various commercial establishments that offer tours to adjacent islands. One in particular, Saard’s Watersports Center, is currently being touted as the best place for vacationists to experience yachting.

With their fabulously designed yachts, the captain of the boat will takes customers on tours going to some of the island’s most popular places, such as Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Angthong Marine Park. Each tour destination has a unique itinerary, wherein each one takes customers to a set of unique places, and even allows them to engage a couple of Koh Samui activities as well.

For example, the Koh Phangan tour takes tourists to Koh Ma, a place where they can try snorkelling. From there, they’re taken to Thong Nai Pan, Than Sadet and lastly, Haad Rin – each of these destinations have something “unique” in store for vacationers to enjoy.

In the event travellers would rather opt to experience a more private tour, such requests can easily be arranged, but it’ll cost a lot more to avail such services. Various types of water vessels may either be rented by the hour or day, depending on the client’s preferences.

The most popular boat for rent is known as the Kindred Spirit, which is basically a Catamaran measuring 13.1 meters long, 9.6 meters wide, and has three double rooms.

The fastest vessel for rent is called the Sting – considering the fact that it has two 300 horse-power engines under its hood, it’s no surprise that it rightfully deserves its given name. In addition to this, this boat has an air-conditioned lounge capable of seating thirteen people.

There are of course, other boats, which can be rented from Saard’s Watersports Center. Each one has unique specifications to cater for the different needs of vacationers. Nevertheless, all can be rented and used to engage a wide range of Koh Samuiactivities for personal entertainment.