What
to See:
The
reason why people come to Samui is, quite simply, the beaches which remain
stunning after decades of development, helped in no small part by a height
restriction on new buildings.
There
isn't all that much to see on the island. Bang Rak has a large
but nondescript Buddha statue, and there are some waterfalls (notably Na
Muang) of minor interest.
Activities on Koh Samui:
The
usual panoply of watersports are available, including plenty of dive shops,
but most diving is done either in the nearby Angthong Marine National Park
or Ko Tao as the visibility around Samui's sandy beaches tends to be poor.
You can book diving day trips at dive shops, most of which are based in
Chaweng. The dive boats tend to leave from the pier at Bophut.
Sailing is beginning to become more popular in Samui being led by the
success of the Koh Samui Regatta and the continued popularity of the day
cruises and sunset cruises aboard the 52 foot sailing catamaran Kia Ora. The
major hindrance to sailing in Koh Samui is the lack of a marina to provide
safe mooring, the support infrastructure and services. There have been many
rumours about marina construction being imminent but nothing has yet been
done. So when you get to Samui, expect to find it hard to locate a suitable
provider and also expect to either clamber over rickety wooden jetties or be
ferried out on the tender dinghy – all adding to the wonderful Thai style
sailing adventure.
Santiburi
Samui Country Club boasts the only 18 hole golf course on the island.
Located inland from Mae Nam, the neighbouring town to Bophut, the
challenging mountain-side and high valley fairways offer stunning views of
the bay area and distant Ko Pha Ngan. Golf carts are compulsory, to prevent
the exhaustion of players otherwise following the steeply rising and falling
fairways. Large greens offer some compensation to players distracted by the
fabulous views and lush tropical setting. The clubhouse includes locker
rooms, dining, conferencing rooms as well as a driving range, practice green
and shop.
Kayaking is a great way to see the Angthong Marine National Park. Look for a
credible tour operator when on the island.
There
is a nice natural pool at the top of the Na Muang waterfall 2. It's about 30
minutes steep hike from the point where the road ends. There are also some
elephant ride businesses, that can take you to the bottom of the waterfall.
Shooting - you can visit the Samui shooting range and fire various 9mm
and revolver pistols and even the famous AK-47. Turn up and shoot - prices
are quite steep around 1000 baht for a magazine of ammo but it does make for
a memorable experience and is suitable for small groups.
Samui's Bungy Jump situated on the Reggae Street side of Chaweng Lake.
There
is a "Tiger Zoo" and Tropical Bird Show - south of Hua Thanon
What
to see and do
