So 3 nights on Koh Samui. I am very happy at the Gullaytu Resort. For all hotels or places with accommodation they seem to use the term "resort". Not how we use the word normally. I am not in a hostel this time but a palatial bungalow for £12.50 per night - the resort has a restaurant and is 2 minutes from the beach. I even have a big TV and watch some Mai Thai fights.
Close by you can hire scooters. As Gullaytu is at Lipa Noise relatively isolated I decide to enquire about hiring one although I have virtually no experience with two wheelers. It could not have been much easier - fully automatic - 200 BHT per day. I hire it for 2 days for £10 - brilliant.
Next day after an early morning swim in the wonderfully warm Thailand Sea I head out on the scooter - with great caution and some trepidation. No need for trepidation really. They drive on the left- I picked up the system readily and headed down my chosen route to see some of the Island.
A simplistic description of Samui. The north and definitely the east coast and 75% of the south coast has a pretty intensely developed coastal strip. Where I am on the west coast is much less so. However when I say intensely I don't mean big and large development - definitely not. Most building is single story - front into the road and backs onto the beach. Samui's coastline is effectively one long beach of gorgeous sand. Where you choose to stay should be if you are looking for areas with a more active vibe or a quiet peaceful location. Samui is cheap too but not as cheap as the north. The people are lovely. Samui does have a few nominal commercialised attractions but it is really only about the beach the sea - snorkeling and diving - and great food - particularly fish.
After a morning of looking around on the scooter and an afternoon on the beach I get restless and want to try the scooter again - it is a novelty and a great way of getting around if you don't hammer them. It is late afternoon and head for the back roads of Lipa Noi. It feels more like a Caribbean Island or particularly reminds me of Costa Rica. I like it a lot. I don't think I fully lost my bearings - you can't really when you are not far from the coast but the roads are windy and potholed - signs are difficult - the light is fading although still early. Anyway I am almost home but previously I had passed signs for a restaurant and bar that advertised happy hour but particularly the best sunset view on Samui. I passed it over - don't want to ride in the dark - scooter and beer but a great sunset. But I wrestle with it - turned around and went back. It was down an unmade lane. Now and again you make a great decision - this was one. The Virgin restaurant. Just me and the lovely friendly staff. Tables with white cotton table clothes set in the sand yards from the lapping peaceful sea. A back drop of coconut palms. I have a laugh with the waiter fishing off the beach. He lets me have a cast. Great stuff.
A most spectacular sun set develops. The islands off are of the world renowned Angtong Nature Reserve. They look amazing silhouetted by the setting sun. Romantic. Thought provoking. Emotional.
I really enjoyed Koh Samui. Some might find it a bit one dimensional but a great place to be particularly after full on Bangkok!
Here are a few mob photos.
Close by you can hire scooters. As Gullaytu is at Lipa Noise relatively isolated I decide to enquire about hiring one although I have virtually no experience with two wheelers. It could not have been much easier - fully automatic - 200 BHT per day. I hire it for 2 days for £10 - brilliant.
Next day after an early morning swim in the wonderfully warm Thailand Sea I head out on the scooter - with great caution and some trepidation. No need for trepidation really. They drive on the left- I picked up the system readily and headed down my chosen route to see some of the Island.
A simplistic description of Samui. The north and definitely the east coast and 75% of the south coast has a pretty intensely developed coastal strip. Where I am on the west coast is much less so. However when I say intensely I don't mean big and large development - definitely not. Most building is single story - front into the road and backs onto the beach. Samui's coastline is effectively one long beach of gorgeous sand. Where you choose to stay should be if you are looking for areas with a more active vibe or a quiet peaceful location. Samui is cheap too but not as cheap as the north. The people are lovely. Samui does have a few nominal commercialised attractions but it is really only about the beach the sea - snorkeling and diving - and great food - particularly fish.
After a morning of looking around on the scooter and an afternoon on the beach I get restless and want to try the scooter again - it is a novelty and a great way of getting around if you don't hammer them. It is late afternoon and head for the back roads of Lipa Noi. It feels more like a Caribbean Island or particularly reminds me of Costa Rica. I like it a lot. I don't think I fully lost my bearings - you can't really when you are not far from the coast but the roads are windy and potholed - signs are difficult - the light is fading although still early. Anyway I am almost home but previously I had passed signs for a restaurant and bar that advertised happy hour but particularly the best sunset view on Samui. I passed it over - don't want to ride in the dark - scooter and beer but a great sunset. But I wrestle with it - turned around and went back. It was down an unmade lane. Now and again you make a great decision - this was one. The Virgin restaurant. Just me and the lovely friendly staff. Tables with white cotton table clothes set in the sand yards from the lapping peaceful sea. A back drop of coconut palms. I have a laugh with the waiter fishing off the beach. He lets me have a cast. Great stuff.
A most spectacular sun set develops. The islands off are of the world renowned Angtong Nature Reserve. They look amazing silhouetted by the setting sun. Romantic. Thought provoking. Emotional.
I really enjoyed Koh Samui. Some might find it a bit one dimensional but a great place to be particularly after full on Bangkok!
Here are a few mob photos.
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