Hi All,

Having recently come to live in Bkk, I am off to Samui next weekend for 3 days. Haven't been on the Island for almost a year now but I have ben going to Samui, periodically, for about 10 years and did the "long term tourist" thing for several months at a time x several times ...... so I know the place pretty well.

So, basically, for my long weekend I want to do something nice / new / or different ...... i.e. not the tiger zoo, butterfly garden, monkey park, snake farm, elephant treking ..... and certainly not soi green mango, sweet soul, ark bar, black moon, half moon, and 'christ knows what else' moon down at rocky bay or whatever they are calling it these days.

We have a car, I know my way around, and I just would like to know where the "nice spots" are (left) on the Island, and anything new (which isn't cheesy) that is worth a visit. Are there any nice little beaches left, where you can swim out and do a bit of snorkeling, and relax without a billion hawkers tormenting you?

Thanks in advance.

CM

1....Lipa Noi beach at 7am.... Park in the carpark at the end of the main road from the ring road lights (as it swings left toward Nikki Beach), walk along beach passing Nikki and continue right around the bay and to the rocks at the end in the Naval Base (the guards ignore you if you walk)

2.. Left at Autoboy just after Nathon and climb the hill up the mountain until the concrete road takes a steep left. If you are at the correct spot there is a small viewpoint on your right where you can park up and continue by foot on the small dirt side road adjacent to the viewpoint. This will lead you through rolling hills of trails punctuated only by friendly local fruit hunters. Peace, natural beauty and fantastic views, every trail will either bring you back to where you started (or to Lamai or Maenam!).

3. Bang Po beach, no hawkers and a fantastic views of the Islands.......

4. Now a spoilt walk but possible if you dodge the newly positioned security - Park up at Taekwando in Ban Makam and walk inland, after the cluster of small villa's 300m beyond Shambala take the left turn to climb the mountain. Continue the climb right to the top ignoring the left turn to Amera development. At the top are beautiful gardens and a deserted new concrete road with fantastic views that winds down past the new resevoir in Bang Po to emerge at the 7/11 (if you can clear the new security at the gate at the bottom of the hill). Here get a Songthaew back to Ban Makham to collect your bike/car.

1....Lipa Noi beach at 7am.... Park in the carpark at the end of the main road from the ring road lights (as it swings left toward Nikki Beach), walk along beach passing Nikki and continue right around the bay and to the rocks at the end in the Naval Base (the guards ignore you if you walk)

2.. Left at Autoboy just after Nathon and climb the hill up the mountain until the concrete road takes a steep left. If you are at the correct spot there is a small viewpoint on your right where you can park up and continue by foot on the small dirt side road adjacent to the viewpoint. This will lead you through rolling hills of trails punctuated only by friendly local fruit hunters. Peace, natural beauty and fantastic views, every trail will either bring you back to where you started (or to Lamai or Maenam!).

3. Bang Po beach, no hawkers and a fantastic views of the Islands.......

4. Now a spoilt walk but possible if you dodge the newly positioned security - Park up at Taekwando in Ban Makam and walk inland, after the cluster of small villa's 300m beyond Shambala take the left turn to climb the mountain. Continue the climb right to the top ignoring the left turn to Amera development. At the top are beautiful gardens and a deserted new concrete road with fantastic views that winds down past the new resevoir in Bang Po to emerge at the 7/11 (if you can clear the new security at the gate at the bottom of the hill). Here get a Songthaew back to Ban Makham to collect your bike/car.

One of the most helpful and informative posts I've seen in yonks.

Coming from nathon at the lights for Nikki beach / Raja ferry take a left. It is signposted Ladwanorn waterfall. Follow the road up the mountain till you come to a few small bungalows. They have a lovely garden / viewpoint and a small nursery. Very beautiful and peaceful. Also go Past the turning for Nikki beach and take the right turning for Top Cats just after the market and 7/11. Follow the road till you hit Thong Krut and take a long tail to Koh Tan and snorkel at one of the best reefs around here followed by lunch on Koh Musum, a beautiful deserted island.

Have you been to the Jungle Club.

Peaceful place.

the best find i have discovered in quite some time is the beach at the four seasons hotel, it is open to the public, has a nice pool and kyaks with great beach chairs and very few tourist, when i was there the only other tourist was a family staying at the armari in chewang, the beach is white and is set in a small cove with a reef that keeps the waves down, as i said it was a great day at the beach with a very helpful staff.

Silver beach at your left hand side just after the last mountain curve on the way from Chaweng to Lamai.

Opposite Wat Kunaram, where the mummified monk houses is now a new mountain road to the Magic garden. A nice trip up the mountains with many view points restaurants and a short visit to the garden.

Thanks for all the really replies and useful info. I'm not going to have enough time to do all these. One that stands out is the Koh Tan suggestion for the snorkelling - if the sea is calm enough and the sun is out...... and the other suggestion for the 4 seasons hotel beach appeals to me also. But I am going to summarize all the info at the end of this thread and what I don't get to this time, I will get to during the next

Thanks again - and further suggestions are most welcome...... particularly anything that might appeak to a 4 year old child (should have mentioned that previous!).

Paradise farm may be fun for the kid (on the way to the peak).