About Koh Samui

Koh Samui, situated off the East coast in Southern Thailand, is the largest of an archipelago of more than 80 islands, for the greater part uninhabited, the Angthong Marine National Park (The Golden Bowl). Of a surface area of about 250 square kilometres, it is the third largest island of the Kingdom after Phuket and Koh Chang. The most close continental city is Suratthani at about 60 kilometres westwards. Discovered at the beginning of the 70s by backpackers when there were only huts without electricity and tap water, and a population which lived mainly on the fishing and coconut plantations. Presently, Koh Samui still sends more than 2 million of coconuts a month to Bangkok.

Tropical island lined with coconut palms and with white sandy beaches, Samui is connected several times a day by boats and planes. It is part of Suratthani's province.

Within two decades, Samui became a choice destination in Asia. Today, with its guests, Samui built up itself a robust reputation of small tropical paradise.

Accommodation for every budget, a varied and delicious local food (sometimes a little bit too spicy for Westerners...), a lushy tropical vegetation, waterfalls, idyllic beaches, numerous Buddhist temples, strolling around with motorbike or car, trek inside the island, a nice population, a whole variegated colorful which makes a destination of it for all the tastes.



Koh Samui history :

Samui was discovered several hundred years ago as a place for fishermen and sea traders sailing through the Gulf of Thailand to shelter from storms. Early Chinese and Malay settlers marvelled at the island’s beauty and abundance, and there are those that believe the name is derived from word ‘Saboey’, which means ‘safe haven’ in the Chinese tongue. Maps of the island date as far back as the seventeenth century, but there is very little documented history of the island because most of the knowledge was passed down through the generations by word of mouth.

The first communities that developed here survived mainly by the sea, then later planted crops, which flourished in the warm tropical climate. Tropical fruit became an important export industry, and even today Samui is known throughout Thailand for succulent fruits such as ‘Lang San’, a small round fruit similar to a lychee, and the infamous ‘durian’ with its pungent yellow flesh.

Although the palm tree has come to be known as the symbol of Koh Samui, it wasn’t until relatively recently that coconuts became the most prolific fruit on the island. Over the years farmers slowly turned the island into a huge coconut and rubber plantation, and with the crops fetching a good price, Thai people from the mainland began to arrive in numbers to benefit from the island’s economy. Samui now boasts more varieties of coconut palm than anywhere else in the world, although sadly an infestation of beetles now threatens many of these majestic tropical trees.

In the early days it could take seven or eight hours to reach Koh Samui by boat from Surat Thani, so many of those that came to the island decided to stay and build a home, living alongside their foreign neighbours in what was to become a strong and independent community. Although Buddhism established itself as the principle religion, a small Muslim population also flourished and local spirits are still worshipped today in a tolerant blend of beliefs that adds to the island’s unique cultural appeal.

Agriculture remained the main source of income for Samui people throughout the next twenty years until the first foreign travellers began to arrive in the early 1970s. Young, adventurous backpackers from Europe then established Samui as a favourite location, and before long the local people were providing basic accommodation, food and services to their newfound friends and customers. Samui became something of a hippy paradise during the seventies and eighties, the laid-back lifestyle and natural surroundings attracting those in search of a real escape. Bungalows sprang up all over the island, and slowly the infrastructure began to develop with a more regular ferry service from the mainland and then finally, an airport.

The last ten years have brought the biggest changes in the entire history of the island. When Thai and International investors began arriving to build five star resorts Koh Samui was quickly transformed from a sleepy fisherman’s island into a full-scale tourist destination. Once an airport was built (financed and owned privately by Bangkok Air) Samui’s future as a jetset island was sealed and property is now big business there. The range of facilities and services continually expands and already includes everything from international chain stores to wireless broadband Internet. Yet despite the fast pace of development the island manages to retain much of its charm. Quaint local villages and coconut plantations are still very much in evidence, especially in the south of the island, and most people continue to live by ‘island time’. This may not be the virgin paradise it once was, but Samui is still a great place to escape the bustle and stress of the modern world.

Population :

Samui counts a population of about 40'000 Thais, mainly Buddhists with a minority of Moslems, especially concentrated in Hua Thanon village and in the neighborhood of Nathon town. There is also a small Chinese population.

What’s more, Koh Samui continues to develop. New shopping malls and entertainment centres are already being built, which will include the island’s first cinema. Over the last few years a number of Western treats that ex-pat residents may have once missed have become readily available.

When living on Samui, there is also a wealth of choice for wining and dining. Thai food of course abounds, but there is also a huge range of international cuisines, so when you can’t face another green curry you can get a burger or steak instead. There are also many Western style pubs and clubs, which serve local drinks as well as your favourite international beverages. Many also televise sporting events from Europe and elsewhere. There are not many experiences more satisfying than enjoying a cold beer in the sun whilst watching your favourite football team play in the cold wind and rain back home.

Of course Thailand wouldn’t be the same without the people, and it is often because of their friendly nature that foreign visitors keep coming back and end up living here on Samui. Most local people involved in the tourism trade speak a good level of English, so speaking Thai is not necessary, though life becomes much easier if you do make the effort. Don’t expect to be living among a true Thai society though, as 80 percent of all people on the island are visitors or ex-pats. Only if you busy yourself among the communities of the south, away from the popular spots will you truly feel like you are in Thailand.

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