This amazing
coconut island of Thailand is fast becoming a tourist hotspot. What with the
perfect white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, amazing local hospitality and
exotic locales…it certainly is no surprise
To be greeted by
the most beautiful airport in the world, it was indeed a good start for our
second honeymoon. The airport is essentially entirely outdoors with the
departure lounge being a nice little street of quaint shops and bars. And trust
me tome is of little importance at Koh Samui from the moment you arrive at the
terminal and breathe the frangipani-scented tropical air, you feel yourself
slow down and relaxed, which is one of the best things about the island. There
is an overriding tranquility that transforms tourists from stress-merchants
into serene smiling beings and there is much to do in this natural wonderland.
Set on the beautiful and unspoiled beach of Choeng Mon on the northeast coast
of Samui was our Hotel Imperial Boathouse. Our every whim was catered by the
very friendly and obliging staff, and with so many dining options we were
spoiled for choice. One can never get bored here with a host of activities
ranging from just cycling around the island, Pre-arranging a romantic candlelight
barbeque in front of the sea at leisure; one can wine and dine with the sounds
of the ocean under the moonlit sky. For the ultimate indulgence one can retire
to one’s sun beds for dessert and coffee and saver the true evening sky.
TOUR AROUND THE ISLAND
We decided that
we couldn’t just relax by the pool and on the beach every day so we agreed to
take a tour together around the island.
I found the first stop a bit strange, though these bunch of rocks look
really cool, by the sea. What's weird is that one rock formation resembles the
make genitalia and a crevice in another looks like the female genitalia, hence
it is named Grandpa and Grandma Rocks. Basically these are rock formations and
if you use just a bit of imagination they look like the male and female
genitals. One of the stories about this
place being two star crossed lovers who jumped off the cliff there and the only
thing remaining were these organs.
Next stop was a temple monastery (Wat
Khunaram) where a revered monk's mummified body is kept in a glass case in a
meditative position. He has been believed to give up his body during
meditation, having predicted his own time of death. It seems like it is not
just a tourist attraction but also a shrine for locals. Interestingly there was
also a pair of sunglasses put on the monks face.
We also visited a coconut
plantation where trained monkeys climb trees and pick the right coconuts. We
then moved on to the Elephant ride park
and hiked on a hilly trail that ended at a water fall , where we also indulged
in some local street food consisting of Som Tam and grilled duck….mama mia!
That last
evening we just chilled in our boat house and ordered room service and I
thought to myself “with spectacular views all across, there’s no better place
than this to chill out and relax, enjoying the hospitality and tropical
ambience of this friendly paradise”. Despite the island’s luxury trend, Samui
still has something for every type of traveller on offer. There are
bikini-clad, oil-slicked tourists, crowded beach areas where teenage boys
peddle mangoes and coconuts, and noisy jet-skiers churning up whitewash on the
clear waters.Koh Sumai sure is a melting pot where the past and the present are
smoothly blended together, offers a rare beauty that will compel you to return
to its shores time and time again….
TRAVEL PLANNER
Getting there: Fly Thai
airways from Delhi to Bangkok, then either fly Bangkok Airways or Thai.
Visa Wise: You require a
valid passport and Visa is available on arrival too.
Best Time to visit: It is
an all year destination.
Currency: Thai Baht. 1Thai Baht is equal to 1.55 INR
Wear Wise: Loose cotton
clothes are essential.
Must Do: learn Thai
cooking, Water activities, Elephant Trekking, Visit the snake farm,
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