My Thai Kohs: Samui and the Tao

Koh means island in Thai.

I had to spend a night in Koh Samui on my way to Koh Tao. I had been here 17 years ago on vacation from Japan. Things have changed quite substantially.

Koh Samui used to be a sleepy little island that attracted those traveler who didn't want the crowds of the resort laden Phuket. My friend Liz and I hadn't necessarily been bargain hunting for accommodation when we ended up with a wooden hut, oscillating fan and a toilet and sink in the corner. That was actually the common fare at the time. There was one high end resort that was reported to have air-conditioning. Now Samui is what Phuket was at the time. A non stop row of backpacker hostels, mid range hotels and high end resorts. Almost every square inch of the place is filled with tourist focused services.

I stayed at a very adequate hotel at the far end of Chaweng Beach. It was called the First Samui Hotel & Resort. I can promise you, it was not the first from what remembered! I found it on Booking.com. Plug alert...I love that site it has provided me with two great hotels so far; one in Hong Kong and now Samui. My only two disappointments are 1) they don't cover all my destinations, and 2) the hotels don't generally get back to you if you have included a question in the booking (so you just need to contact them directly).
Sadly, or perhaps not, my stay in Samui was less than 24 hrs. I was off the next morning (not before I had a dip in the ocean) to Koh Tao via high speed catamaran. The ferry service in Thailand is great. They connect all the islands as well as with trains and buses on the mainland. You can get from Samui to Bangkok in 12 hrs for about US$26.

When we arrived at Koh Tao, my dive school picked me up and took me to my accommodation, which they had arranged for me. They also pay for the accommodation for the four days I am at the course. Driving from the pier, I noticed that most places along the road were geared up for divers, but there was a casualness to them compared to the overly polished Samui.

I was a bit taken aback when we arrived at Bow Thong Bungalows; a wooden hut, ceiling fan (step up from oscillating) and toilet and sink (this time there was a door. I guess I found my old Samui after all.

There is definitely a diver / party atmosphere here. However, luckily I am at the far end of the beach, so I can enjoy the hubbub, by retreating to relative quiet (except for the damn birds in the morning) when I want to.

This is a slice of paradise for sure.

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