Koh Samui

[orchid]

5 nights is not too long. we spent 5 nights there. i think it was just right for honeymoon. the idea is to do everything relaxed. here's what we did... u can tell we lazed alot & we slept in alot!

1st night - land in Samui at 9pm. end of day already.

2nd day - rented motorbike, went round island. stopped at all the sights, waterfall. went back to hotel, showered & rest, then rode into chaweng town for dinner at night

3rd day - full-day snorkeling & island hopping tour at Koh Tao 7:30am - 4pm. came back to hotel, rest, had nice dinner at hotel by the sea.

4th day - sleep-in, had late breakfast, laze around on the hotel deck chair, read magazine, thai massage, manicure, pedicure. late afternoon walk along the beach, got late lunch, walked to SITCA cooking school for thai cooking class. had dinner with the rest of the class - we ate what we cooked. shopped, bargained & bought stuff along the way back. grabbed a tut-tut back to hotel.

5th day - sleep-in, late breakfast, went kayaking, lunch, laze in hotel, walk to town, got into an internet cafe caught up on email, shop some more & bought DVDs for $8 each, dinner. tried the most yummy roadside 'pancake'!!

6th day - breakfast, laze some more, pack, time to check in to airport.

by this time, we were more than glad to go back!! hehe... enough lazing. we were also fully recharged & refreshed. it might be too much lazing if any more days.

we met some ang mo ppl just lazed at the resort everyday the whole day. they were there before we arrived & they were still there when we left that's all they did. laze & laze. i called them beachwhales!! hahaha....

 

[mint]

Hi Orchid,

Thanks, looks like now I must convince hubby that 5N is just nice. I've also read all your other postings about Papillon resort and I think I may book that too. The price seems to be very reasonable and the pics on the website are also very nice...hmmmm...can't wait to go there now!!

The DVDs so cheap? are they the latest movies? Also, besides motorbike, can we rent a jeep or anything with 4 wheels? cos hubby dun noe how to ride motorbike.

Anyway, glad that you enjoyed your holiday...even tho' it's laze alot, it's the whole idea of a good holiday...who knows I may become a beachwhale too...hahaha!!

 

[orchid]

Hi mint,

the DVDs are pirated, which is why only $8 (200 Baht). but really really good quality. got to know that the latest movies are copied from VCDs so the quality is not that good. get the 2nd run copies direct from DVD master disk (not so new movies). you can tell the difference. must ask to test first!!

Papillon Resort is really good value for money. it has everything u need in a resort. they make up your bed & change towels everyday as well. we rented the bike, kayak & made the snorkeling trip booking from the resort.

you can rent cars & jeep as well. i think it's abt $38/day (900 Baht). you don't need a licence to ride, but if you don't know how to ride, safer to take the car or jeep. my hubby rides the bike in Singapore, so no problem for us, but damn dusty man.

kayak rental is 150Baht per day. we used it only 1 hr 1st day, and the manager told us we can take it for free the next day - wh is what we did

whenever u feel like kayaking just take the thing out to sea. waters are very calm & clear.

1 tip: buy mineral water from the supermarket in town rather than hotel cos more ex.

 

[orchid]

Abt food in Koh Samui...

There's this 'hotel' (more like a hut) along Chaweng Beach, built on stilts. it has plastic tables on the beach with red checked cloth. looks rather dubious but they have the BEST pies!!! i had the steak pie w mash potatoes. best ever in my life (and i'm a pie lover)

Then for the people selling food along the beach...

* the donuts & spring rolls are REALLY yummy.
don't worry, they're clean & fresh. had them for lunch one of the days.

* the pineapples are very sweet. but must wash them before u eat. i was quite suspicious at first but the one of the beachwhales swore by it.

Parked outside Starbucks is this guy selling "PANCAKES" (that's his sign). you MUST try this!! it's the perfect koh samui dessert. hehe... it's actually prata with bananas inside, spread with chocolate/honey/nutella/peanut butter (your choice), then topped with a bit of condense milk. it's heaven!

 

[jowie]

hi mint

5 nites is ok, coz 1st nite arrive there already 9pm, 1 day wasted

i went for 6 nites...still wan more!!

food is the greatest thing there!!

we have lobster for 3 nites and tom yum soup for almost every meal! there's a nice restaurant wif a great view called beverly viewpoint...a little further from chaweng beach, the food is cheap and beri nice!

if u are interested in spa, can try prana spa inside tongsai bay resort, still can go if u are not a guest...their couple package is 6800baht for 2.5hrs, beri shiok!! include steambath, outdoor bathtub, scrub and massage
can go to their website and email them for the spa menu before u go samui

Orchid...i din get to koh tao

monsoon and no boats going...actually din get to the sea at all hehee most time is spent lazing at the beach/eat/sleep

 

[mint]

Hi Orchid and Jowie,

ok, thank you for your advice. Now I really can't wait to get there. Will be booking my air tics and hotel tomorrow online.

Ya, I think I may go to the spa...must really relax after all the wedding prep. I definitely will pig out and try all the food that you both recommend me...hahaha!! sure put on all the weight that I lost for my wedding.

My hubby sure complain wan...hehe!!

 

[beeque]

Hi Mint,

U might also want to try the "Crystal Kitchen" near the entrance to Chaweng Beach. Prices are cheap and all our meals (for two) are less than SGD10.

If you are interested in tailoring some suits, Island Tailor is along the same street, and as i said earlier, me and my husband were very satisfied with their work and service.

 

[mint]

Hi Orchid,

I booked Seascape Beach resort instead cos hubby says it's more centralised and he liked the pics at the website. Hope that it'll be as nice.

Hi beeque,

Wow, the food at "Crystal Kitchen" is so cheap!. I definitely will go and try the food there. Does Island Tailor do thai silk?

 

[enid]

Hi Orchid,

Is the resort near to the beach ?

 

[orchid]

Hi enid,

Yes, it's right on the beach! 2 steps (maybe 5 steps lah) from your bungalow and you're there.

 

[enid]

Hi,

Anyone book the air ticket via priceline.com.sg ?
What are the airlines flying to Koh Samui ?

 

[jowie]

enid...onli bangkok airways fly direct from SG to samui, arriving there at 9.30pm their local time

 

[orchid]

Hi enid, you can book through Misa Travel: http://www.airfares.com.sg

 

[agnes]

enid, I booked my ticket to Bali fr priceline. At that time (b4 the blast) it offered the CHEAPEST direct flight (about $100) savings per person.

Their customer service is good too. I asked them change the name on the invoice they sent me, so that my hubby can claim the trip, they do it without questions ask.

 

[enid]

thks everyone for info. i'll chk it out.

 

[yj]

Hi enid,
Not sure if this info is too late, just came back from koh samui, got my tixs from priceline for $300 per pax. However, this price is after they deduct $50 per ticket due to a promo that they had during the Natas fair..

 

[beeque]

Hi Mint,

Sorry for the very very late reply...Hope its not too late!! I am not too sure whether they do thai silk, but i do remember their shops was one of the bigger ones that i came across, so variety of cloth more...

The address is :

45/3 MOO 3 Chaweng Beach
(opp Central Sami Hotel, Suratthani)

The shop owner is Mr Raj, and his assistant is his brother.

 

[mint]

Hi all,

I'm back from Samui and had a really wonderful time there.

Here's what I did:

1st day: arrived at 7pm so just went out to Laem Din mkt for dinner and shopped around.

2nd Day: rented a jeep and drove around the island. went to Hin Lad waterfall. walked and walked but still din reach the top of the waterfall. got very cranky so walked back. Decided to go to another waterfall. This time told hubby that if need to walk alot, then dun wan to see waterfall anymore. Luckily went to Namuang waterfall. We took elephant ride to the waterfall. very nice. can actually drive there also but just wanted to experience riding on the elephant. Also went to see Big Buddha. Shopped a bit at Nathon and Lamai. Din buy anything at Lamai cos quite boring place. alot more pubs than Chaweng.

3rd and 4th day: laze by the beach. Went to Chedi spa. soooo nice!! did manicure and pedicure also for 400 baht. Went to SITCA for thai cooking class. Enjoyed myself there very much. learnt how to cook pad thai, tom kha and green curry. Hubby cooked the green curry. very delicious. the teacher asked if hubby was in the f&b industry cos of the skilful way he held his knife. hehe!! she even whispered in my ear that I found a great guy who knew how to cook so I don't have to cook...haha!! One ang moh lady cooked her curry too long until "chao ta". It was so funny that even when the people came to clear the dishes, they broke into laughter.

5th day: went to Tongsai Bay... so romantic and wonderful...the room had a poster bed and an alfresco bathtub...din want to leave that place after that...also went to Budsaba for dinner... excellent food. Find that Chaweng beach better than Tongsai beach cos the waters too calm at Tongsai and sand at Chaweng softer.

6th Day: went to Bangkok to shop. The minute my flight landed (which was 2pm), I dumped my luggage in the hotel and went shopping till 12 midnite, only stopping for lunch and dinner. Had great dinner at Mango Tree. Can never get sick of Thai food.

7th Day: Home sweet home!!

 

[orchid]

Hi mint,

hey, you signed up for the class!! i think we attended the same class. the menu changes by the day so we must have atteneded on the same day. *s* i thought the food we cooked at the class tasted better than the restaurant!

i love the beach at Samui. i think i'll want to go back.

 

[mint]

Hi Orchid,

Yeah I took your advice and signed up for it... but din know it was the same...hehe!! yeah, I felt that I cooked it better than some of the restaurants there. so after the cooking class, I din take anymore pad thais and green curries for lunch or dinner for the rest of my trip....hehe!!

I came back and boasted to my grandma and mum that not only I could cook but it was delicious....

Missing the beach alot already...maybe next time, I'll go to Krabi...

 

[jowie]

mint...tongsai beach water calm?? prob different season coz the time i went it was very wavy
u stayed at tongsai bay for a nite?? room beri nice hor? but at nite a bit creepy...we saw a super huge lizard stick on the glass doors eating insects!

i was told by the staff at tongsai dat krabi is a much smaller island, walk from coast to coast onli 30mins

 

[mint]

Jowie,

I think tongsai water will be calmer than chaweng cos it's sheltered...and I also like the saltwater pool that they have.... the room is super nice... when I walked in, I gasped and the porter laughed at me...so malu...

he must be thinking I damn mountain tortoise...

yeee...luckily I din see the lizard...if not I sure scream until the whole of koh samui can hear me...haha!! Din really notice that it was creepy leh... cos we were watching DVD at nite...

such a romantic place....if got money hor, I will go Banyan tree in Phuket... heard that it's as good too...

 

[jowie]

mint...i feel a bit creepy at nite coz mine is last cottage...and prob not much occupants, the surroundings is super quiet

i tour banyan tree phuket when i am staying at laguna beach, dun really look fantastic but i din see the rooms, but the spa room look beri beri nice...

 

[mint]

Hi Jowie,

I took the beachfront suite instead of the cottage...so maybe got diff feeling lor...hehe!!

 

[help]

hi gals,

after looking at yr postings, now planning to go koh samui ;>

some questions needing your urgent reply bcos we are going in two weeks time.

1. seascape hotel- how's the environment? how many "stars"?

2. any other budget hotels with good environment?

3. estimated cost for X days?

4. how frequent is the flight? what time is departure from Singapore and arrival back in Singapore?

5. which spa is good?

6. did you travel round the place by yourself? is it safe?

thanks veri much

 

[jowie]

hi help

regarding accomodations, it's better u visit online booking sites like

www.sawadee.com
www.asiatravel.com

for more info like rates and stars

there's onli 1 daily flight from SG via bangkok airways, depart SG 8pm, back SG 7pm

prana spa at tongsai bay is good, price is 6200 baht per couple

we travel on our own, quite safe, and the map is beri user friendly...the jeep wifout insurance costs abt 30+...wif insurance is 50+

 

[help2]

hi Jowie,

Can i check with you what kind of activities are there on the island?? Travel agents say Samui is a boring place. I saw the pics of the royal suite of Chaweng Regent, looks nice and comfortable and it's cheaper then Tongsai Bay. Is the whole island rural? Seems to me that besides lazing ard and doing some snorkelling, there's nothing much we can do there.

 

[jowie]

help2...chaweng regent is definitely cheaper, CR is 4 star and tongsai bay is 5 star, tongsai bay is more than nice and comfortable, they are beautiful and luxurious!!!

u can check out tongsai bay at ---> www.tongsaibay.com
and i have said a lot about tongsai above

u might wan to scroll up

there are quite a bit of tings to do like tour the whole island(they have some tourist attractions which is indicate on the map), learn thai cooking, island hopping, spa and all the sea sports....but the best part is the food! well, if u are a thai food lover

whole island is full of restaurants and pubs!

the whole island is rural...once we let 2 angmo board our jeep, i ask them how long they have been in samui, 1 week is the ans and i ask wat have they been doing, they said lazing around

basically beach resort have limited activities, but it's good for rest and relax...if u are looking at full day shopping or a lot of historical or scenic walks, u prob need to try other places

 

[mint]

Hi help,

To answer your questions:

1. Seascape - 3 star resort...I din know it until I reach there... but comfy enuf for the two of us... need to bring your own shower gel and shampoo cos they dun provide. Anyway, i usually bring my own when I travel cos dun like to use the ones given by the hotel...

2. As Jowie said, check out the websites to see the different prices. There are pics of the resort for you to view too...

3. We spent about $2000 for 6N in thailand. I also did stop at Bangkok for a day of shopping...so maybe expenses a bit higher...

5. I did my spa at the Chedi Spa...it's good too... about 7000 baht for two of us...slightly more ex than Jowie's cos I added a body scrub for myself....

6. Yes, it's safe there...the thais are well-known for their warmth and hospitability....

Hope this helps!!

 

[same2]

hi Jowie,

Thanks for all the valuable information.
I think we'd decided to book Bay View Village since the Seafront Grand Villa is soooooo much cheaper than Chaweng Regent and it looks cozy too.
Do you have any idea abt this resort?

Tongsai Bay looks really luxurious but it's so expensive, costs S$440 per nite but can we try the spa there even though we are not staying there?
I thgt of booking it for 2 nites but my hubby was shock by the price...haha.....

 

[mint]

Hi same2,

My hubby was also shocked at the price for tongsai bay, so we only stay 1 nite... but's it's really beautiful and in the end, he loved it alot...

Yes, you can still go try the spa there even tho you are not staying there...

 

[jowie]

same2...bay view village is just beside tongsai bay, initially i wanted to book bay view too coz pix look nice, but i muz be mad to book 2 resort on the same stretch of beach

why dun u book somewhere in town like along chaweng beach? it will be more convenient to get food and go supermarket....oh by the way muz try the tom yum cup noodles, super niceeeee!!

prana spa is good, beri relaxing and the outdoor bathing area and tub is so lomantic!

 

[same2]

Hi mint and Jowie,

Thanks! wow, Prana Spa sounds really romantic, but then huh, the masseous are there how to be romantic?? hehe.....

Abt Bay View Village, the pics looks nice but sometimes they bluff rite? my hubby is not very keen on Chaweng Regent coz it's too ex.....any hotels that are nice along Chaweng to reccommend??

Thanks

 

[mint]

Jowie,

Did you buy some of the cup noodles back? which brand huh? wasted, me never try leh...

ya ya, the tub super romantic...hehehe!! we soak until wrinkled like prunes....

same2,

I think you would save on transport cost if you book a resort along chaweng beach...there are quite a number of nice resorts there as well and at similar price as Bay View...

 

[jowie]

same2...they will leave yr hub and u to wash off the scrubs and cream alone, and also 15mins to soak the big tub

do u intend to stay all the time everyday in bay view? coz if not it's more advisable to get town resorts, more accessible, if not u gotto rent jeep/bike or call taxi just to go out for a meal

i stayed at amari palm reef before moving to tongsai bay, amari is cheaper than chaweng but also nice and comfortable

mint...din buy back leh, i shld have!! dunno wat brand coz all thai wordings wor...

 

[river]

hi same2

we just came back fr KS 2 weeks ago and stayed at Bay View Village (Seafront Deluxe Villa) as well.

It's really spacious..room as well as bathroom. They give fresh towels, including beach towels everyday. Staff frenly and helpful. The view from the restaurant is to die for.

One thing abt staying at BVV is that portions of the road leading to it from town are either NOT lit at nite or dim flourescent lights. The road just before it are also rather full of potholes. Just take care when driving and it's alright.

There'll be instances when u might be the only ones on that stretch of road, but not frightening at all. Just remember to bring torchlight (supplied by resort).

KS is not so much a shopping place. It's a R&R place. Plenty of little towns to explore around the island. Go to Le Royal Meridien, have tea there and enjoy the view...fabulous.

If you dare, drive up the mountain. The view is spectacular. The air very cool and clear. But u or ur husband must be confident abt driving the jeep cos the track can be VERY VERY VERY tricky...potholes, some with water, humps etc. It takes abt half hr up and almost 1hr down, so give best to go morning or early afternoon. cos you DON'T want to be up there with no lights when the sun starts to set. There are abt 3 little 'restaurants' near the top...more like huts.

 

[same2]

Hi river,

Wah, did you enjoy your stay with Bay View Village? Is the room clean and cozy? Is the
bathroom clean and the bathtub with jaccuzzi?
Does the resort has good facilities and helpful staff? Did you book your day tours with them too?

Sorry for bombarding you with so many questions...hehe....the website doesn't tell alot and how many nites did you stay with them? svc consistent? any room svc after midnight?

Jowie - thanks for the advice, will check out the prices, hope it's not to late to book as i'll be going at the end of Jan....

 

[jowie]

river...me went meridian for a drink too! too exp liao cannot stay there, so we just go for a drink

the view is really...sigh! wish i am there rite now!!!

 

[help]

hi mint,

how far is the seascape from the chaweng village?

do you find it comfortable and worth the money?

thanks.

 

[orchid]

Hi help,

If you're looking for good and budget, you can go for Papillon Resort. We stayed there for our honeymoon. They are right at the beach, lovely surroundings, and have everything we need. 2 sets of towels & toiletries provided and changed everyday.

It's a 3 star resort with 5 star service. Free all day breakfast every day of your stay, 9 breakfast sets to choose from. So you don't need to wake up early just to catch the breakfast time.

They can also book all your day trips (eg. snorkeling at Koh Tao), and they have bikes, jeep and kayaks for rental.

It's a 10-min leisurely walk by the beach to the main village area, so it's very convenient.

We stayed in a large bungalow on beachfront, 1600 baht per night (abt S$64). that's a real bargain!! Check them out at: http://www.papillonsamui.com.

 

[beeque]

Yah, yes, must remember to have at least 1 dinner at Papilllon, cos they are famous for their "sea-side" dinners...They serve very good bread as well (me a bread lover!)

Mint ,

Did u managed to find the cheap Thai eatery that i mentioned?

 

[beeque]

Another thing -

Last week, found this "ready pack" for cooking tom yam soup in NTUC. Tried to do it but failed terribly.

Can anyone tell me how to cook it the correct way?? (there wasnt any instructions on the pack). But i dont quite fancy the tom yam soup that has chilli oil...I like those that is clear soup (but of course full of "lethal" power)....Who can point me at the correct direction???

Thanks!

 

[river]

hi same2

sorry for the late reply.

room was clean and cosy. towels were changed everyday. beach towel also provided everyday. reliable supply of hot water.

bedroom and bathroom area both very spacious.

staff very frenly and helpful. hubby's luggage was wrongly taken by someone else at the airport the nite we arrived, and the resort staff helped us to contact the airport to get things sorted out.

the resort not many facilities - only swimming pool, massage, restaurant, motorbike & jeep rental. we only took the breakfast from the hotel, din manage to try their other stuff. but the breakfast not very spectacular.

room service at nite....not sure, cos we're usu so full from our dinner in town that we can't bear the thot of food again.

no din book day tours with them. just rented the jeep and explored the island on our own. there are many tour offices in town, you can check out their prices first before booking. there are plenty of shops selling bikini....get and nice one and you can walk ard with a pair of shorts...it's too hot during the day to wear anything else...really...even in Dec...

 

[mint]

hi help,

seascape is by the village...walk out and there are shops already.... it's currently under going some renos...it's quite comfy but felt that it was a bit on the high side as compared to Papillon... but seascape more convenient...breakfast at seascape very little variety...

Hi beeque,

Ya, I found the eatery but din go there cos hubby din find the place tempting enuf... he's a fusspot when it comes to eating... it's actually very near to our resort...

Here's the recipe for the Tom yam soup:

Ingredients:
6 large prawns
1 lemon grass, cut into short lengths
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
5-6 crushed hot chillies
3 tbsp lime juice
1-2 tbsp fish sauce
3 cups soup stock

1. Shell and devein the prawns and remove all inedible parts
2. Heat the stock in pot, when it is boiling, put in the lemon grass and then the prawns. Season with fish sauce, chillies and lime juice. Then add the kaffir lime leaves. Remove from heat and serve.

 

[jowie]

can add more lemon grass and lime leaves...i usually add 5-8 stalks coz onli need the bottom part...and A LOT of lime leaves, if not the tom yum taste would be bland

mint...i love tom yum!! used to cook every wk but now go slow on it coz once we started on tom yum, we will eat a lot of rice!! too appetising liao

 

[mint]

Hi Jowie,

Ya, the soup is very delicious, I can keep slurping it until I'm full...

wow, you actually cook every week? Me very lazy, if I wanna eat, I call my grandma and she cooks it for me...

 

[cherry]

hi gals,

I'm going to Samui from 24/01 to 29/01...

We've decided to booked Amari (is the superior nice and clean?) for the 1st 3 nights and Tongsai Bay for the last 2 nights.....hehe...

any tips for me?

 

[jowie]

cherry...amari is nice and clean

do not rent jeep from amari coz it's much more expensive than wat mint rented from her hotel(seascape)...prob u need to check the prices around

 

[beeque]

Hi Cherry,

Besides those recommended to Mint from me, i forgot to also add that we went to "Taramind Springs" for massage. Its quite out of the way, so have to jump on the shuttle that goes thru Lamai, Chaweng Beach area. Taramind is on a hill, so its very quite and peaceful. We paid SGD 50 each for our oil massage. Wah..feel like going back there again...

 

[help]

hi gals,

i booked my air tix and hotel already!!
January is their peak season so the hotel rates are much higher than what the gals here quoted.
i booked seascape -- their new hotel rooms-- got promotion rate.

beeque, also saw the "tamarind spring" on the website..very tempted... do u need to book in advance? how's their service?