Thailand
Ko Samui
Coconut palms, calm bays, and a giant golden Buddha.
A laid-back Gulf-of-Thailand island of palm-fringed beaches and easy, warm-water swimming.
Ko Samui is the Gulf of Thailand at its most relaxed, a tender call onto an island of coconut plantations, soft-sand bays and warm, flat water. Chaweng and Lamai are the swimming beaches; the 12-metre Big Buddha and the granite boulders of Hin Ta and Hin Yai give the day its landmarks. It is a slow, barefoot counterpoint to the temples of the mainland.
What you’ll do
·Chaweng Beach day
·Big Buddha temple
·Na Muang waterfall
·Fisherman's Village at Bophut
Why it’s special
Palm-fringed beaches
Chaweng and Lamai, soft sand and warm, calm swimming.
The Big Buddha
A gleaming 12-metre golden Buddha on its own islet.
Island interior
Coconut groves, waterfalls, and the Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks.