Is It Really That Bad?

[mizztraveller]

We've booked a flight to Bangkok in June with the intention of spending a week in Koh Samui and a week in Koh Tao. We chose Koh Tao as we want somewhere we can snorkel from the beach (getting a bit too old for clambering on and off boats! ) but didn't want a full two weeks there as we also like a bit of nightlife. However, when researching which resort to stay in on Koh Tao I read many reports that the roads to many of the resorts were horrific and I've long since passed the day when I need an adrenalin rush to get me through the day. So, I turned my attention to Koh Phangan and found a hotel I really like the look of in Haad Chao Phao but have also read that the beach there is rubbish. The type of resort we're trying to find in Koh Tao/Koh Phangan will obviously have a good beach from which to snorkel, not be remote, have at least a small selection of restaurants (preferably Thai food), a bar and an ATM would be a bonus. Sairee beach seems to provide all we need but I've also read that "every night is like New Years Eve on Sairee beach". Now, I've no problem with anyone partying on the beach providing it's nowhere near my room! Mae Haad also looked interesting but I understand that the constant coming and going of boats churns up the sea which obviously makes snorkelling difficult.

Any suggestions?

And Samui - is it really that bad? We've been to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok and Hua Hin and have loved all but the latter (and that I think, was more to do with the dreadful hotel we chose), so we do know what to expect of Thailand. What concerns me most about the Samui postings are broken bottles on the beach, being 'robbed' by greedy taxi drivers and the unfriendliness of the Thai residents. We had narrowed our search in Samui to Lamai as Chaweng seems a bit too western/global and the other resorts in the north a bit too quiet. A good choice or not?

Still haven't booked the internal flights from Bangkok so we could still go somewhere different entirely but I think in June, the weather is best in the Samui area.

[Chayaphum]

Chayaphum

Edited April 16, 2008 by Chayaphum

[Fantasteak]

The roads on Koh Tao can indeed be rubbish but seeing as its about 2 miles max from one side of the Island to the other its not that much of a biggie.

[lazeeboy]

The roads on Koh Tao can indeed be rubbish but seeing as its about 2 miles max from one side of the Island to the other its not that much of a biggie.

snorkeling in koh tao is some of the best in the world ,dont let the roads put you off

[suegha]

Koh Tao is great for snorkeling, quite afew nice restaurants for such a small island.

Samui is quite a bit bigger so does have anything anyone may want. Chaweng and Lamai are busy, everywhere else is just nice with a few palces a bit too quite for some.

Have a great time.

[ham]

hi

this archipelago is in any case worth to come and enjoy, everyone has his beauty, hidden or to see if you can open the ey's and focus on the amazing beauty and mystic of all those places here. Of coarse you can focus on the big problems they facing, the dirt and the unperfectnes of nature (wich is not true in fact). We get what we searching for, any time. Since every beach has his beautiful time and moment in the day. I never sow any of those beaches only dirty or sucking. Find a nice Hotel and take in considaration that the high tides are during night time, if you need your morning swim. It get's dry now here in Ko Phangan and elswere in the golf. The pha ngan is seen (sand benches) that's beautiful and amazing to, a very different experience, there ar beautiful swiming pools to. Had Chaopao: Sunset cove, to book under www.phanganbungalow.com, but it is quiet here allready, no night live just chilling, recharging battery's, give the soul a fly.

As above seen with pictures, there (Tong Nai Pan Noi or Yai) you will find allways a bit water ;-) Ko Samui fit's better in Beach/Water relation (no pha ngan's, or only one the west coast).

About the streets in Samui (and elswhere), who the fxxk want's to drive like a crazy around in a car while in holliday? The people who make their money there, so what? For them it's a mess sometimes I guess. I love it to make my ride once in a time, while shopping on Ko Samui.

Maybe Chongmoen could be a favorit for you, beautiful bay and near to "chingeling" chaweng ;-)) nice szene to

ham, ko phangan

[PoorSucker]

Maybe Chongmoen could be a favorit for you, beautiful bay and near to "chingeling" chaweng ;-)) nice szene to

ham, ko phangan

I agree Chongmoen is very nice.

But be careful about booking hotel for long time in advance.

You could end up next to a construction site, two big ones in chongmoen right now.

In June there is no problem changing hotels.

You could also take a look at fishermans village in Bophut, very charming and not long way from Chaweng.

[breezein]

What concerns me most about the Samui postings are broken bottles on the beach, being 'robbed' by greedy taxi drivers and or ladyboys, the unfriendliness of the Thai residents. We had narrowed our search in Samui to Lamai as Chaweng seems a bit too western/global and the other resorts in the north a bit too quiet. A good choice or not?

You could add horrific drivers and roads full of potholes, lack of law and order etc. etc. etc.

[mizztraveller]

You could add horrific drivers and roads full of potholes, lack of law and order etc. etc. etc.

Sounds very much like the Greek Islands!

Thanks for all your comments, and keep them coming! Would still like a recommendation for a beach resort in Koh Tao.

[koheesti]

We've booked a flight to Bangkok in June with the intention of spending a week in Koh Samui and a week in Koh Tao. We chose Koh Tao as we want somewhere we can snorkel from the beach (getting a bit too old for clambering on and off boats! ) but didn't want a full two weeks there as we also like a bit of nightlife. However, when researching which resort to stay in on Koh Tao I read many reports that the roads to many of the resorts were horrific and I've long since passed the day when I need an adrenalin rush to get me through the day.

If you don't plan on spending a lot of time driving around I wouldn't let the bad roads put you off. Sounds like on Tao you would be relaxing at the resort and snorkling anyway.

And Samui - is it really that bad? We've been to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok and Hua Hin and have loved all but the latter (and that I think, was more to do with the dreadful hotel we chose), so we do know what to expect of Thailand. What concerns me most about the Samui postings are broken bottles on the beach, being 'robbed' by greedy taxi drivers and the unfriendliness of the Thai residents.

I've been here 8 months and haven't met one unfriendly Thai here on Samui (or in Phuket or Bangkok for that matter. Koh Phangan I have but they are probably tired of all the drugged up and drunk full moon partiers). If you behave properly you probably won't meet any unfriendly locals either. Broken bottles on the beach? I walk along the beach here in Bangrak several times a week (I live 50m from it) and sure there are times when it's dirty and other times when it's beautiful (you should always watch where you're stepping). I wouldn't swim in the water though. If I want to go in the water I'll go to Choeng Mon. As for taxis, they will certainly TRY to rip you off. You can still try negotiating and if they want more than you're willing to pay find another one.

We had narrowed our search in Samui to Lamai as Chaweng seems a bit too western/global and the other resorts in the north a bit too quiet. A good choice or not?

Still haven't booked the internal flights from Bangkok so we could still go somewhere different entirely but I think in June, the weather is best in the Samui area.

Fllights between Samui-Bangkok will cost about 8000 baht RT - not cheap because of the airline owns the airport. You can get cheaper if you fly the earliest or latest flight but they can fill up fast.

Check if your hotel will provide a free shuttle to/from the airport. Again, the taxis there are a big rip off.

[Lite Beer]

Yes . Stay away from the Taxis.

[BigC]

samui is a good base island for all the surrounding island. for me i like it and i don't . bit too much to call a tropical paradise a dump when i come from a dump 20 000 kilomoiters away.

for the thais it is a good place to work then go home. for westerners it is good for holidays but people havebto rember thatfbefore it was alot more to quite with back packers filling in space. now this big island feels very small because the infux of people. now there are just different kinfs of people not the same 10 years ago.

so of coarse where there is more people there wil be more money more shady business deals and more crime but i don't know many people in my home country that can walk around in a t-shirt all day long and have therre luck break over looking koh pangyan sitting on a beach. there is alot to do but sometime i need to go back to my home country so thaqt i miss thailand and specially samui.

I have lived everywhere. in thailand well alot of places. i think the relaxed police make it more liverable here. even though people complain about them.

then u have the locals which must be pissed off with forangs. well some of them. alot of us bring western culture over here. u notice a big difference in thais here than on the mainland. i can imagine that the mix of thai and forang is corrupting young thais. specially with in influx of specal substances. i can onky guess that the reason why samui people are violent at times. for the only reason thatw ould happen in any village in thailand. they want to protect thier home and show that they are still boss

[koheesti]

To the OP, before booking a resort let us know where you chose so we can let you know if there's any major construction or anything else going on nearby. You've probably read the recent thread calling Samui a dump and one reason is the guy stayed at a resort with almost no access because the road is unpassable (and not close to a beach to hang out on all day).

[5tash]

We've booked a flight to Bangkok in June with the intention of spending a week in Koh Samui and a week in Koh Tao. We chose Koh Tao as we want somewhere we can snorkel from the beach (getting a bit too old for clambering on and off boats! ) but didn't want a full two weeks there as we also like a bit of nightlife. However, when researching which resort to stay in on Koh Tao I read many reports that the roads to many of the resorts were horrific and I've long since passed the day when I need an adrenalin rush to get me through the day. So, I turned my attention to Koh Phangan and found a hotel I really like the look of in Haad Chao Phao but have also read that the beach there is rubbish. The type of resort we're trying to find in Koh Tao/Koh Phangan will obviously have a good beach from which to snorkel, not be remote, have at least a small selection of restaurants (preferably Thai food), a bar and an ATM would be a bonus. Sairee beach seems to provide all we need but I've also read that "every night is like New Years Eve on Sairee beach". Now, I've no problem with anyone partying on the beach providing it's nowhere near my room! Mae Haad also looked interesting but I understand that the constant coming and going of boats churns up the sea which obviously makes snorkelling difficult.

Any suggestions?

And Samui - is it really that bad? We've been to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok and Hua Hin and have loved all but the latter (and that I think, was more to do with the dreadful hotel we chose), so we do know what to expect of Thailand. What concerns me most about the Samui postings are broken bottles on the beach, being 'robbed' by greedy taxi drivers and the unfriendliness of the Thai residents. We had narrowed our search in Samui to Lamai as Chaweng seems a bit too western/global and the other resorts in the north a bit too quiet. A good choice or not?

Still haven't booked the internal flights from Bangkok so we could still go somewhere different entirely but I think in June, the weather is best in the Samui area.

How about Mae Haad Beach in the north west of Koh Phangan. You can access the coral reef straight from the beach, June is an excellent time for snorkelling, good visability most days, with plenty of fish to see. You should find the road to Mae Haad quite comfortable. In June Mae Haad is quiet, you won't find too many people around. A great place to relax and put your feet up!

There's not many tourist boats visiting Mae Haad in June, you shouldn't have any difficulties snorkelling. The nearest ATM is a couple of km's away at the small fishing village of Chaloklum. You can also find good Thai/Western food here and ther'es also a bar towards the south end of the beach. Wang Sai Resort has four aircon bungalows situated on the beach. Perfect!

[breezein]

We've booked a flight to Bangkok in June with the intention of spending a week in Koh Samui and a week in Koh Tao. We chose Koh Tao as we want somewhere we can snorkel from the beach (getting a bit too old for clambering on and off boats! ) but didn't want a full two weeks there as we also like a bit of nightlife. However, when researching which resort to stay in on Koh Tao I read many reports that the roads to many of the resorts were horrific and I've long since passed the day when I need an adrenalin rush to get me through the day. So, I turned my attention to Koh Phangan and found a hotel I really like the look of in Haad Chao Phao but have also read that the beach there is rubbish. The type of resort we're trying to find in Koh Tao/Koh Phangan will obviously have a good beach from which to snorkel, not be remote, have at least a small selection of restaurants (preferably Thai food), a bar and an ATM would be a bonus. Sairee beach seems to provide all we need but I've also read that "every night is like New Years Eve on Sairee beach". Now, I've no problem with anyone partying on the beach providing it's nowhere near my room! Mae Haad also looked interesting but I understand that the constant coming and going of boats churns up the sea which obviously makes snorkelling difficult.

Any suggestions?

And Samui - is it really that bad? We've been to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok and Hua Hin and have loved all but the latter (and that I think, was more to do with the dreadful hotel we chose), so we do know what to expect of Thailand. What concerns me most about the Samui postings are broken bottles on the beach, being 'robbed' by greedy taxi drivers and the unfriendliness of the Thai residents. We had narrowed our search in Samui to Lamai as Chaweng seems a bit too western/global and the other resorts in the north a bit too quiet. A good choice or not?

Still haven't booked the internal flights from Bangkok so we could still go somewhere different entirely but I think in June, the weather is best in the Samui area.

How about Mae Haad Beach in the north west of Koh Phangan. You can access the coral reef straight from the beach, June is an excellent time for snorkelling, good visability most days, with plenty of fish to see. You should find the road to Mae Haad quite comfortable. In June Mae Haad is quiet, you won't find too many people around. A great place to relax and put your feet up!

There's not many tourist boats visiting Mae Haad in June, you shouldn't have any difficulties snorkelling. The nearest ATM is a couple of km's away at the small fishing village of Chaloklum. You can also find good Thai/Western food here and ther'es also a bar towards the south end of the beach. Wang Sai Resort has four aircon bungalows situated on the beach. Perfect!

You can also find good Thai/Western food here and ther'es also a bar towards the south end of the beach. Wang Sai Resort has four aircon bungalows situated on the beach. Perfect!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!Are you the owner

[Stevethongsala]

How about Mae Haad Beach in the north west of Koh Phangan. You can access the coral reef straight from the beach, June is an excellent time for snorkelling, good visability most days, with plenty of fish to see. You should find the road to Mae Haad quite comfortable. In June Mae Haad is quiet, you won't find too many people around. A great place to relax and put your feet up!

There's not many tourist boats visiting Mae Haad in June, you shouldn't have any difficulties snorkelling. The nearest ATM is a couple of km's away at the small fishing village of Chaloklum. You can also find good Thai/Western food here and ther'es also a bar towards the south end of the beach. Wang Sai Resort has four aircon bungalows situated on the beach. Perfect!

In June there will be still the tides also ....Better to swim at night Look at the tides table !

[5tash]

How about Mae Haad Beach in the north west of Koh Phangan. You can access the coral reef straight from the beach, June is an excellent time for snorkelling, good visibility most days, with plenty of fish to see. You should find the road to Mae Haad quite comfortable. In June Mae Haad is quiet, you won't find too many people around. A great place to relax and put your feet up!

There's not many tourist boats visiting Mae Haad in June, you shouldn't have any difficulties snorkeling. The nearest ATM is a couple of km away at the small fishing village of Chaloklum. You can also find good Thai/Western food here and there's also a bar towards the south end of the beach. Wang Sai Resort has four aircon bungalows situated on the beach. Perfect!

In June there will be still the tides also ....Better to swim at night Look at the tides table !

In June there are low tides during the day. There are a few channels where the rocks have been moved to the side, if you walk through these channels you are able to access deeper water and enjoy your snorkeling.

[samuisam1001]

Bottom line ....YES!!!!

Please do Samui a favour and advise all you family and friends not to come here....the only way to help Samui is to starve it of revenue so the authorities realize what is wrong....

[girlx]

How about Mae Haad Beach in the north west of Koh Phangan.

i was gonna say that too as you can easily walk out to koh ma and snorkel. nice sunsets too.

[Rooo]

Bottom line ....YES!!!!

Please do Samui a favour and advise all you family and friends not to come here....the only way to help Samui is to starve it of revenue so the authorities realize what is wrong....

How naive

[jayhech]

If you still want to go to Koh Tao, choose Sairee and try to stay at the north end, avoid any place near the pier or Ban's Diving. At night it's peaceful. Most of the places all go quiet after 10pm. If you want to dance, walk to Ban's or a place just a few minutes walk from Ban's.

If you want to relax totally, try Chalok Baankao. Quieter than Sairee. In a nutshell, you can't go nuts in Koh Tao because of noise, but you can certainly go nuts because of the stillness.

[mizztraveller]

Thanks for all your comments, they really are much appreciated. Anyone know anything about Au Chao Phao in Koh Phangan? I particularly like the look of Sunset Cove hotel.

[ham]

Thanks for all your comments, they really are much appreciated. Anyone know anything about Au Chao Phao in Koh Phangan? I particularly like the look of Sunset Cove hotel.

hi mizztraveller

I'm every day at this beautiful spot (I'm living here). It is very quiet right now, nice water, good for swim. But that's just because of coming full moon. It will be low water, after again. I love this time to. You can make long walk out to the riff and get a very different perspective of the magic island. Sunset cove is very nice and they have a great pool. Cool owner. For the food I would consult you the "Jungle Hut Restaurant, just a jump, for a change and getting tasty thai and farang food as well. "Peppercorn" "menu" and "Angel Bay", all famous for their food, as well known here from many posters in this cool forum. "Had Yao Divers" also just at the end of the beach with their main office and school rooms. Cosmic Energy Massage gives you the massage, you need after hard chillout day . Or you can get a certified massage course. Boat trip to the nearby "Angthon Marine National Park" an watch whales, if you lucky. Great snorcheling at the riff here, or as mentioned, just perfect at Maenam Beach. There is a lovely small lake here to. and even a yoga-school and much more.....but for that you need much moore the 2 week's

It is also very nice and scienic, to drive with a small bike over the empty street's.

- The party's have to close down at 02:00 a.m. (except fullmoon).

If you want to go for cheaper at the same beach's end, you'lle find the newly opened Jinda Bay, big bungalows (ex. Great Bay). Very lovely local family. Nice drive along the coast to the main village Thongsala, which is very relaxed and lay back spot. Just very hot right now. But you will love to sit at sunset cove at the pool and watch an amazing sunset.

It will be quiet in june too.

cheers ham

p.s. I don't get comission, I just love this place and somebody not feeling the vibes here, does not need a holliday, they need a therapist ;-)))

even we had just a crime scene here, as you may know, right now some thunder going on on the mountains, may we get some cooling down today? It's coming nearer, have to finish, never know power down?

some thumbnails, sorry no high speed in my house (not so at sunset cove, I guess)

[at

tachment=55241:tn_3_bui...ail_boat.png][

attachment=55239:tn_3_arr...hongsala.png][

attachment=55227:tn_3_DSC01400.JPG]

[t.s]

Thanks for all your comments, they really are much appreciated. Anyone know anything about Au Chao Phao in Koh Phangan? I particularly like the look of Sunset Cove hotel.

at risk o being accused of being somehow affiliated with thew place by someone who cannot discern between offering advice and shamelass avertising, i cannot speak more highly of sunset. well run, comfortable and on a lovely beach, though the tide is way out this time of year and in june (was there 2 days ago for lunch).

Mae Haad is just 5 minutes away and koh mah offers amazing snorkelling and even diving if you wish.

as for samui, some like it, but the three three weeks in chaloklam and environs i just spent was amazinf, you could do alot worse.

[suegha]

Great selection of pics ham!

[Eric1949]

Cannot comment on KT or KP, but Samui is OK. Lamai is fine, far better than Cheweng, in my opinion.

To steer clear of the rip off taxis, stay at a resort in the town, then in the evening you can stroll around.

The main street has many fine restaurants, and are apart from the 'hussle' bars, with the exception of the ones opposite McDonalds.

[frankman]

I suggest 'mea haad' and 'koh maa' for snorkeling and if you rent a jeep, nightlife is near by in 'haad yao'! Have fun!!