Koh Samui Sport & Leisure
Koh Samui's busiest beaches are Lamai Beach and Chaweng Beach, both on the east coast and well served by plenty of shops and excellent facilities. If you would rather find a quiet spot to relax, there are a number of secluded coves and tiny private bays around the island that remain empty, or at least much less busy than the island's more popular beaches.
Koh Samui's heavily forested inland is a great place to hike. Several stunning waterfalls attract many tourists, and are a great place for a quick dip after a hard slog through the humid jungle. The most famous of these waterfalls is Hin Lad, 4 kilometres from the island's capital, Nathon Town.
Thai massage is very popular all over Thailand. It is available in most Koh Samui hotels, as well as in the many spas around the island, which offer a huge variety of treatments to relax and rejuvenate.
The clear blue water surrounding Koh Samui and its archipelago makes it a perfect destination for scuba diving, and many diving schools operate along Chaweng beach. Most Koh Samui hotels and resorts offer a range of water sports from their beaches, and the warm waters are an excellent place to sail, windsurf, snorkel, or indeed to just swim.
There are a couple of golf courses on Koh Samui which allow non-members to play - provided they book in advance.
Koh Samui boasts excellent dining opportunities, some of which are just shacks by the side of the roads, while others appear to be palaces. As expected of an island, there is plenty of seafood on offer, as well as the chance to enjoy some authentic local cuisine. Many Koh Samui hotels have their own restaurants, the standards and prices of which vary depending on the hotel. If you prefer to keep it simple, most hotels have at least one Western themed restaurant with an English menu!
For party animals, Koh Samui's sister island, Koh Pha Ngan, is famous for its legendary full moon parties. A relic from the days when the Samui archipelago was a backpacker's paradise, full moon parties attract thousands of people who dance through the night on Haad Rin Beach, located on the south east tip of Koh Pha Ngan. Boat trips between the two islands take about half an hour, and the party is easy to find - just follow the music and the party crowd to Haad Rin for a night to remember.