Comments on: Thoughts on Koh Samui

By: Talon Windwalker

Talon Windwalker — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:11:31 +0000

In reply to Malcolm. I'm glad you love it there. We lived on the island for almost 2 months, avoided the tourist areas, lived in a mostly locals area, spent most of our time in locals areas, explored the island, and so on. We didn't care for it. Not everyone will like a place, and that's OK.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 14:27:11 +0000

I’ve been visiting Samui for the past 14 years and I love the island. If you don’t take the time to explore then you’ll be left with only a tourist impression of the place. The comment about if aren’t into clubbing or lazing on the beach then don’t bother coming is just ignorant. Perhaps if you had made the effort to get off the beaten track and maybe tried to interact with the villagers inland you might have had a different impression. Glad you’re not coming back.

By: Talon Windwalker

Talon Windwalker — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:59:29 +0000

In reply to Steph (@ 20 Years Hence). I had friends who did some diving on Koh Tao and didn't feel it was too bad of a place to visit, so it might not too bad of a place for mostly diving. Another option is Koh Lanta, although I don't know much about how touristy it has become. You'll enjoy your AOW course, though. It's a lot more fun in my opinion.

By: Talon Windwalker

Talon Windwalker — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:56:50 +0000

In reply to Shelley. I think you might be a bit unhappy with the changes on Koh Phangan. It is now complete party central. They have some nice beaches from what some friends told me, but pretty much everything else around the island is based on partying. Unfortunately, it seems once word gets out about a beautiful island in Thailand, it doesn't take long before tourism has swept in and radically changed it.

By: Steph (@ 20 Years Hence)

Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:06:18 +0000

So far we have been pretty lucky and there’s nowhere that stands out in my mind as a place that we visited that we couldn’t stretch our imaginations and see why other people might enjoy it, even if we didn’t. Although, I have to say, as much as we loved Malaysia, Langkawi came pretty close… Given what it offers, I’d say you can get much better pretty much anywhere else!

We will be heading back to Thailand in a few months and had been thinking, as everyone does, of going to Koh Tao to do some diving (maybe our Advanced OW certs). But the fact that it’s so heavily touristed definitely is a drawback in my book… Hadn’t even considered Koh Samui, but it sounds like it’s totally skippable!

By: Shelley

Shelley — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:04:18 +0000

I went through Koh Samui about 10 years ago, to Koh Pangnang?? That was a lovely place, they just got electricity, the food was cheap and you could have a bungalow on the beach for $100 a month, I hope to check it out again soon.. Koh Tao is also known for its beautiful diving scape…….
and my son had a foot massage at age 12, I’ll never forget that sight…….

By: Talon Windwalker

Talon Windwalker — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:16:28 +0000

In reply to Dyanne@TravelnLass. Always nice when one can remain in their skull.

By: Talon Windwalker

Talon Windwalker — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:16:07 +0000

In reply to Charli l Wanderlusters. That certainly was a highlight. The ocean is so medicinal for me. I may be exaggerating a bit about the massage to people ratio, but I'm not sure. LOL

By: Dyanne@TravelnLass

Dyanne@TravelnLass — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:39:15 +0000

Good to know (not that I ever thought otherwise), but yes – I’d much rather stay in my “skull” thanks. 😉

By: Charli l Wanderlusters

Charli l Wanderlusters — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:29:09 +0000

I’m intrigued by your stat of more massage places than people! I have to admit Koh Samui has never been on my bucket list, we do try and avoid ‘party towns’ – we’re OAP’s at 26 – Glad to hear the house sit went well. The ocean is such a soothing sound, I think I’d be happy anywhere that I could fall asleep and listen to the waves crashing on the sand!!