Things to do in THE KOH ISLANDS
Below are a few places we ventured to while on the Koh Islands:
KOH SAMUI
Lad Koh Viewpoint, East Coast
Lad Koh Viewpoint is a panoramic scenic spot showing views of the seaside and beyond. Its location is right next to a highway so if you are anything like us and walk to this spot, you will find yourself walking on the road alongside passing traffic. This is a perfect way to venture outside of the tourist spots and see the beauty of Koh Samui.
Wat Phra Yai - Temple, North Coast
7am-6pm
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Wat Phra Yai, known by many as Big Buddha, is an impressive golden statue sitting 12 metres tall. Led by a beautifully decorated staircase, you will look in awe at this giant symbol of Buddhism which incorporates the Dhamma Wheel as well as the ship that carries all these elements. To top this attraction off, it is situated on its own island on top of a hill, where you will be graced with another stunning view.
Fisherman’s Village, North Coast
Fisherman’s Village is a long lane of fancy restaurants, cute shops and more seaside views. As the name indicates, this historically was a fisherman's community and now it is a thriving tourist hotspot. Despite this being for tourists and despite it being a compact lane, it’s not overcrowded and you can enjoy the experience as intended.
Wat Plai Laem - Temple, North Coast
8am-6pm
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Wat Plai Laem is a temple complex surrounded by water and is home to two iconic statues; the Chinese Laughing Buddha and Guanyin, the goddess of mercy. Just a short 15 minutes walk from Big Budha, this complex blends the beliefs and beauty of Chinese and Thai traditions. Bursting with colour and a more unconventional temple style, this is a must when in Koh Samui.
KOH PHA NGHAN
Wat Khao Tham - Temple, Southwest Coast
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Wat Khao Tham is a small open temple and shrine area. Again, if you are anything like us and want to walk to this temple, beware as it is steep and has an unclear route - we took a wrong turn and stumbled upon a large group of unhappy stray dogs. The area itself is tranquil and engulfed in nature. But do not stop there! If you continue up, you will find another small complex full of statues and from there you will see signs to a viewpoint. Walk up the stairs, past a temple for one and climb over some rocks, to see an absolutely stunning view of the Island. This is a hidden gem with almost no one to interrupt it.
The Secret Mountain, Southwest
The Secret Mountain is a bar that serves food and has an attached swimming pool. But the main reason to go there is for another gorgeous viewpoint. As this is a bit further out and now being aware of how steep this island is, we opted for a Songthaew taxi. To our surprise, the route was so steep that even the taxi struggled to get up it. Once you arrive, you are blessed with a view of Koh Pha Ngan showing the sun setting and time passing by.
KOH TAO
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is an absolute must in Koh Tao. There are plenty of tour options or alternatively, you can travel around the coast of the island with a snorkel and easily find great marine life. You ideally want to visit Shark Bay, Mango Bay, Nang Yuan, Ao Luek and Ao Hin Wong. Each area provides very different aquatic species and landscapes. Although with any tour, it is a lot more convenient, its downfall is the overrun snorkelling sites - you win some and you lose some.
Bar Crawl, West Coast
6pm-onwards
580THB per person
A pub crawl in Koh Tao is a great option for people who want to meet other backpackers. It is a very good opportunity to get drunk! If you are unsure what a bar crawl actually is, it basically is moving from bar to bar while gradually getting drunker. With each stop a new form of entertainment was introduced including a snippet of a drag queen performance and a short fire show. If this is of interest, you wont have to look too hard as there are plenty of reps roaming the island ready to give you information.
Scuba Diving
Phoenix Divers 9am-6pm, West Coast
9,500TBH per person for a three day course
Phoenix Divers are an experienced dive school teaching scuba diving courses for beginners to professionals. With lots of competition on the island, the three main reasons we chose this school were:
Prior to diving in open water, you have four hours of training in a pool, in preparation for the actual dive
They teach in small groups of no more than four people
Wider information on safety
I, Rosie, was unable to complete one of the skills needed to pass the course and therefore had to pull out after day one. Despite this being upsetting, all the staff were supportive and the money for the two other days of the course were refunded.
SUGGESTIONS
Despite being on the Islands for a while, we did miss out on a few things. Here are those that we wanted to see but did not get the chance to:
KOH SAMUI
Muay Thai Class, East Coast
Punch It Muay Thai Gym is a Muay Thai training camp that offers daily classes to monthly courses. This is an amazing experience to have either an insight into the hardcore training of Muay Thai or a way to help you achieve training goals.
KOH PHA NGHAN
Full Moon Party, South Coast
Full Moon Party is as the name states, a party on a full moon. Similar to the Koh Tao bar crawl, the main premise is meeting new people and drinking. Opposed to the bar crawl, the location of the full moon party is on a beach (Haad Rin Beach) and it is on a much larger scale. We personally did not do this as the accommodation prices shoot up and we weren’t too bothered about it anyway.
KOH TAO
John-Suwan Viewpoint, South Coast
John-Suwan Viewpoint is a viewpoint south of the island. Following signs to Freedom Beach, you will hike around 15-20 minutes to reach the top. This is where you will witness one of the best views of Koh Tao showing both the ocean and the jungle.
Accommodation in THE KOH ISLANDS
While on the Koh Islands, we stayed in a fair few places. Below you can see the price and our opinion on these:
KOH SAMUI
The Canale Samui Resort, South Chaweng Beach - GREAT
Pros:
Spacious room
Great vibe
Cons:
Expensive
Views offered are only applicable to some rooms
= £30.30 per night
For 2 days of our stay in Koh Samui, we stayed in Leelawadee Samui. We have not recommended this accommodation as it was such bad value for money. The size of the room and social area was super small, it was much further out than expected and the surrounding area was unwelcoming. Considering we paid an eye watering amount of £43 per night, we expected so much more than they offered. So, it’s safe to say we will not be recommending this to anyone!
KOH PHA NGHAN
Morning Star Resort, East Thong Sala - GOOD
Pros:
On the beach
Quiet area
Cons:
Small space
Not air-tight and bug friendly
= £17.21 per night
KOH TAO
Life Koh Tao Resort, Central - GREAT
Pros:
Amazing view
Spacious room
Cons:
Further away from the main centre
Not as many restaurants and shops close by
= £16.79 per night
For 2 days of our stay in Koh Tao, we stayed in Nitro House. We have not recommended this accommodation as the room was super basic, the bathroom door did not close, and the place generally was pretty run down.
SUGGESTIONS
If none of the above accommodations work for you or are not available, the below may be of help to you:
KOH SAMUI
SocialTel Samui, North Chaweng Beach
Pros:
Sociable and great for party goers
Great location
Cons:
Full on party reps
Loud area
= £20.36 per night
The CHESS Samui Hotel, North Chaweng Beach
Pros:
Reliable WiFi
Great location
Cons:
Small rooms
Loud area
= £20.38 per night
KOH PHA NGHAN
Buakao Inn, Central Thong Sala
Pros:
Great location
Very clean
Cons:
Loud area
In need of renovations
= £18.82 per night
Le Divine Comedie Beach Resort, East Thong Sala
Pros:
Helpful staff
Good atmosphere
Cons:
Unappealing beach front
In need of renovations
= £23.56 per night
KOH TAO
Sairee Cottage Resort, Sairee Beach
Pros:
2 swimming pools available
Friendly staff
Cons:
No air con, only a fan
No hot shower
= £14.20 per night
Sunrise Koh Tao, Mae Haad
Pros:
Sociable area
Helpful staff
Cons:
Further away from the main centre
No hot shower
= £23.37 per night
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