Koh Samui with it's picturesque
beaches is located in the Gulf of Thailand and is also known as the
Coconut Island. Most of the hills and mountains are still covered by
dense forests of coconut trees. It is also one of the largest
islands of Thailand, only Phuket and Koh Chang are larger. Sometimes
the name is spelled as Ko Samui, although Ko Samui is usually seen
as incorrect spelling.
Tourism in Koh Samui started with the arrival of backpacker tourists
in the 1970’s, back then the principal activities on the island were
fishing and coconut farming. In fact, Koh Samui supplied the
majority of all coconuts used for consumption in Thailand. Nowadays,
tourists from all over the world come to this island paradise to
enjoy the sun, sea, beaches and myriad of activities on and around
the island.
Tourism is now by far the largest ‘industry’ on the island, which
results in a good tourism infrastructure, accommodation types to
suit all budgets and a host of different activities. Especially the
beaches of Chaweng and Lamai are known all over the world for their
beauty and popularity. Information on the
most popular beaches:
Chaweng: This beach is approximately 7km, or a little less than 4.5
miles long. Chaweng is seen as the most popular and well-developed
beach of Koh Samui. It offers a vast range of accommodations, from
very simple bungalow type rooms to 5-Star hotels and high standard
resorts. The beach is for the most part kept meticulously clean and
the sand looks pretty and inviting. However, because of its
popularity Chaweng beach can become quite crowded in the high
season.
Lamai: The beach at Lamai is shorter than at Chaweng and generally a
little less crowded. For the best beach-experience at this location,
we recommend the southern part of this beach as the northern part
has more rocks and corals washed ashore.
Maenam, Big Buddha, Bophut: These are the most popular beaches in
the north of Koh Samui. These beaches are smaller than the beaches
of Chaweng and Lamai but also a lot less crowded. These places also
offer a large range of accommodations, from very basic, to extremely
luxurious. As an added benefit, these locations are very close to
the airport, as well as the famous attractions of the Big Buddha
temple, and the Fisherman’s Village.
Choeng Mon: Choeng Mon is well-known for its near-perfect beach and
classy hotels and resorts. The water is very shallow and therefore
warmed up by the sun even more than usual. A rock barrier further
out in the sea keeps away virtually all waves. For this reason, it
is widely regarded as one of the best beaches for families with
young children.
