For many people considering visiting Koh Samui for the first time the question, “What’s Koh Samui like?” is a valid question. This post will attempt to give an honest and balanced answer to this question.
Koh Samui is Thailand’s second biggest island. It covers 228 km² and has a permanent population of about 50,000 people. Although the island is located in the deep south of Thailand it is easily reached via regular Bangkok Airways flights between the capital and Koh Samui airport.
Not only does Koh Samui have an international airport, it also has an extensive road system, big hospitals and modern supermarkets. Of all the Thai islands in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui is far the most developed. This is one of the main reasons why Koh Samui is so popular with package tourists and people who grimace at the phrase ‘backpacker’.
This is somewhat ironic as it was 2 backpackers in 1971 who first bought news of an island paradise called Koh Samui to the world. Since that time Koh Samui has developed quickly to make the most of its beautiful white sand beaches.
The main tourist hub on the island is Chaweng. It has the best beach – fine white sand, clear water with good year round swimming. Just off Chaweng beach there are snorkeling opportunities around 2 small islands. Chaweng town is a big sprawling affair with roads lined with shops, bars, restaurants, night clubs, tailors and travel agents. For many people visiting Koh Samui it is important to be near Chaweng. This is because Chaweng offers plenty of choice to the holiday maker. It also offers numerous bars where Thai girls seek customers for nefarious activities. Chaweng and the neighboring beach of Lamai are not as seedy as Pattaya but they will shock and upset some people who don’t hold permissive attitudes to prostitution.
It is partly for this reason that many of the less beautiful beaches in Koh Samui have been developed. They cater for people who want mid-range hotels in Koh Samui with pools away from the noise and immorality of Chaweng. Many beaches such as Taling Ngam, Bang Kao, Ban Tai and Thong Tanote have beaches where the sea gets deep gradually and the sea bed is covered in dead corals. The sand is not as fine also. In short they are not very good beaches but the power of marketing and ‘luxury accommodation’ means that they still manage to generate plenty of money for the local economy.
And that brings me to my last point. Koh Samui like all the islands in the Gulf of Thailand is beautiful with nearly year round sunshine. It is, however, the most expensive island and the one with the most road accidents. These are not facts that mainstream tourists are made aware of when they book their holiday in Koh Samui.