If you are setting off on holiday to Thailand you may be quick to pick the regular destinations like Bangkok and Phuket, but nestled in the gulf of Thailand is the island gem of Koh Samui.

A holiday in Koh Samui has the best Thai offerings wrapped in a small island feel and topped with untouched natural beauty and tranquillity that may be lacking in other Thai destinations.

Sunset in Koh Samui

By scheduling Koh Samui in your holiday itinerary you will not be disappointed by the culture, cuisine, holiday activities and laid back atmosphere that makes this island so popular amongst the more enthusiastic traveller. A holiday in Koh Samui has much to offer; from five star hotels, luxurious villas and world renowned restaurants to trips to quaint fishing villages, hikes in the mountainous centre of the island or long relaxing walks on the white sandy beaches.

While a holiday in Koh Samui is often marketed for its natural beauty, the island has undergone significant development in recent years to ensure that you have access to all the facilities and services necessary for an enjoyable hotel. Samui International Airport provides flights to and from major Southeast Asian destinations, like Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, allowing you to bypass Bangkok and avoiding costly charters or cramped sea ferries. If you want to avoid the monotony of another hotel, holiday villas in Koh Samui range from the more expensive beach villas with a private gourmet chef on call to the budget friendly self-catering apartments with picturesque ocean views.

A holiday would not be complete without shopping and local entertainment and Koh Samui has a great choice on offer, especially if you opt for the more popular towns like Chaweng or Lamai. From the 12 metre high golden Big Buddha to the Ang Thong National Marine Park, Koh Samui has sufficient sights and sounds to captivate every traveller’s interest. A holiday in Koh Samui will ensure that you taste some of Thailand’s abundant seafood, with fishing villages dotting the entire Koh Samui coastline.

Try to avoid booking a last minute getaway to this stunning island. A pre-booked holiday in Koh Samui will ensure that you experience the white sandy beaches, clear blue waters and coconut studded coastline that has made Koh Samui the idyllic island getaway.

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It can be tricky trying to decide where to take the kids on holiday. Some people may think that once they have kids their days of long distance travelling and seeing the world are over but that needn’t be the case.

Koh Samui is a great place for children with its sandy beaches and numerous activities to keep them occupied.

Family on Beach

A luxury villa on the beach is perfect for families, especially those with young children as it eliminates the need to pack up everything you would need for a day at the beach. Since Koh Samui beaches have very low tides in the summer months, many of the beaches have great amounts of space where you can play beach games like football, volleyball or cricket. The younger children will also have a great time exploring the rock pools and finding beautiful tropical seashells.

Many villas also come complete with babysitting facilities which means that you can enjoy some quiet time and soak up the relaxing surroundings, get a massage or go out for a delicious dinner with your partner. The local people in Koh Samui are also very friendly towards young children and will always make you feel welcome.

When it comes to food and drink there are plenty of options for eating out with kids, alternatively it can be an added bonus to know that you can plan meal times at the villa. Many villas even come with an in-house chef who can cook for you which gives the experience of eating out without having to worry about leaving the villa with smaller children. If you do intend on eating out, it is a good idea to invest in a portable high chair for the little ones because most Thai restaurants will not provide child seating. It is possible to purchase small chairs that screw onto the table top and will fit nicely inside the baby bag.

Taking the young children on holiday doesn’t have to be stressful. A luxury villa in Koh Samui will provide the perfect base for you and your children in a safe and comfortable environment with the added bonus of having the sea just a few metres away as well as plenty of space to keep the little ones entertained.

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A holiday in Thailand does not always mean expensive hotels and cramped rooms.

If you prefer more privacy to cater for your individual preferences, a villa may be a better option. Villas in Thailand have grown into a popular choice for holiday accommodation and may be more cost effective than a hotel.

luxury villa in Koh Samui

Thailand is a tourist hotspot and in keeping with foreign expectations, villas in Thailand offer world class facilities and services ensuring that all your needs are catered for in your own private villa. From the more luxurious beach villas in Thailand to the budget friendly villas, you can stretch out in comfort in your own self-catering villa with the freedom and flexibility to plan your own itinerary. Prices for villas in Thailand may vary depending on your personal preferences, size of your family or travel group and your budget. However, the wide selection of villas ensures that there is a suitable villa for every traveller’s individual needs.

For a more VIP feel to your holiday, a five star villa in Thailand will provide you with your own gourmet chef to prepare meals at your request, a private pool and jacuzzi facilities and some may even provide a private vehicle with your own chauffeur. If you are looking for cheaper holiday villas in Thailand, your luxury does not have to be compromised. The cost of a villa can be more affordable if you opt to go further inland or rent a larger villa for a bigger group. Our holiday villas in Thailand ensure all the facilities and amenities you would expect for a complete holiday experience, with private pool, air conditioning and satellite television in all our holiday villas.

Cautious travellers can rest assured that renting a holiday villa in Thailand is affordable and safe with our villa rental services. By pre-booking your holiday villa in Thailand, you can pick a unit that suits your budget while ensuring that the necessary services and amenities are available to suit your personal preferences. Villas in Thailand have become a popular holiday accommodation due to the cost, privacy and reputability of facilities, which caters for every traveller’s needs.

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Experiencing the tropical island paradise of Koh Samui, you may opt to stay in a holiday villa rather than a hotel.

A range of Koh Samui luxury holiday villas will offer you the same first class services available within any five star hotel, whilst allowing you the privacy and space that cannot be experienced in a cramped hotel room.

Koh Samui luxury holiday villas go beyond the traditional villas on offer, with premier services and facilities available. Whether you choose to stay on the beach or further inland in a picturesque garden setting overlooking the island’s central mountains, our Koh Samui luxury holiday villas will ensure that you are not short of any luxuries should you wish to stay in your villa for the day. All our luxury holiday villas offer a pool, satellite television, DVD players, plasma screen television sets and broadband internet access within the villa. The larger floor space within a luxury holiday villa means you can just laze around your villa all day, entertaining friends in your spacious living area and enjoying the stunning ocean views.

Koh Samui is known for its picture perfect beaches and white sandy coastlines surrounded by a clear bluish-green sea. With a luxury holiday villa, you will enjoy the best of the island’s natural beauty. Whilst most of Koh Samui luxury holiday villas are located at the beach, you can opt for a villa inland, away from the beaches. A luxury holiday villa may cost a bit more but it is not reserved only for the rich and famous. Depending on your budget, travel group size and personal preferences, you can find a Koh Samui luxury holiday villa to suit you.

Whether you want the opulence of a premier villa with your own personal gourmet chef and private swimming pool or a more modest Koh Samui luxury holiday villa, you will not be disappointed with the facilities and amenities available at our villas. Our luxury villas range from a smaller romantic holiday villa for you and your partner to a large luxury holiday villa with multiple bedrooms for the entire family. At our Koh Samui luxury holiday villas, you have the freedom and privacy you would want in holiday accommodation while still being within close reach to the restaurants, bars, shops and tourist sites of the island.

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Jetting off to a paradise island after your fairy tale wedding, you will expect white sandy beaches, clear blue waters and coconut studded landscapes that make for the perfect romantic getaway.

A Koh Samui honeymoon lives up to every couple’s image of the idyllic island holiday as you languish in the sun, walk the streets of the small towns or just spending quality time together in your honeymoon villa.

romance in Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the third largest island in the Gulf of Thailand and having only been exposed to tourism in the past 20 years, it is still a relatively untouched Thai paradise. With a tropical climate that is more temperate than other Thai hotspots like Phuket, you and your partner can enjoy the perfect Koh Samui honeymoon characterised by long strolls on the beach, beautiful sunsets and a relaxed island life. As newlyweds, your focus is on each other and you can book a private villa set in picturesque gardens or on the beautiful beaches of Koh Samui offering you more privacy and space for the perfect honeymoon.

Spend your days sampling the local cuisine in world class restaurants, having a glass of wine at the local bar or just browsing through the shops along the streets throughout the island. For the more adventurous couple, you can opt for the numerous water sports available including kayaking, speed boating, snorkelling or kite surfing, giving an exciting touch to your Koh Samui honeymoon. If you would rather spend your time appreciating the sights and sounds of Koh Samui, you can visit Bangrak beach and the amazing 12 metre golden Big Buddha, spend a day touring the Ang Thong National Marine Park or just hire a car and drive off to one of the fishing villages along the coastline.

Koh Samui is gaining popularity as the honeymooner’s choice in Southeast Asia and lives up to the picture perfect images seen in magazines and travel brochures. Spend your days hand in hand with you partner as you tour the island or just relax in your villa gazing at the calm sea and rest assured that your Koh Samui honeymoon would make memories for a lifetime.

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While the more conventional tourists head off to the local hotels, enthusiastic travellers wanting some privacy and the freedom to tailor make their own island holiday experience should consider the selection of beach villas in Koh Samui.

Most beach villas in Koh Samui are located in premier locations on the white sandy shores or just a stone throw from the beach. Depending on your budget and individual preferences, you can opt for a smaller villa that is ideal for a couple, especially honeymooners, or large beach villas that can accommodate an entire family or even a small travel group. For those with a bigger budget, you can choose one of our luxury Koh Samui beach villas, complete with all the facilities one would expect plus a little more like a private gourmet chef, car hire and even your own personal chauffeur to show you the sights.

With the activity in Koh Samui revolving around its coastline, a beach villa is the ideal holiday accommodation to keep you and your travel group at the centre of all the holiday fun while still affording you the opportunity for some quiet time if you so wish. Our beach villas in Koh Samui offer residents opportunities beyond the confines of the resorts, with concierge services assisting you in whatever your holiday plans may be.

Beach villas in Koh Samui need not break your holiday budget and with a little planning, you can find the perfect beach villa for your next holiday. Enjoy the fun in the sun, whether you bask on the beach all day or go snorkelling in the clear blue waters of Koh Samui.

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With our range of Samui family villas available, you can select a villa that caters for your family’s needs and preferences while still maintaining the holiday budget.

Samui family villas are available throughout the island, with a range of facilities and services to ensure that your holiday experience is as hassle free and enjoyable as you would expect. Travelling with your family is not always the most relaxing experience, with irritable kids and demanding teens wanting immediate attention. At a Samui family villa, you can rest assured that all the necessary amenities are on your doorstep should you not want to venture beyond the villa. From baby-sitting services to in-villa spa treatments, our Samui family villas ensure that every guest is catered for in the villa.

Our range of Samui family villas means that you can select a villa on the white sandy beaches of Koh Samui or venture further inland for a more peaceful setting surrounded by a private pool and picturesque tropical gardens, overlooking the central mountain. Satellite television, air conditioning and the additional living area, will ensure that your family feels the flexibility and freedom that they enjoy at home with the additional scenery and activities of a tropical island. If you want to spend a little more, luxury Samui family villas can provide you with additional services like a gourmet chef to prepare your meals and concierge service to assist with holiday activities.

Our Samui family villas are the perfect holiday accommodation to enjoy a peaceful family vacation while catering for every family member’s individual needs. Whether you spend a monsoon rainy day indoors with the family or venture out to explore the beautiful island, staying at a Samui family villa allows you to choose your holiday experience.

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White sandy beaches, studded with coconut trees and a clear ocean, Koh Samui is the idyllic island getaway transporting visitors to a world that is picturesque and entrenched in a relaxed beach culture.

Koh Samui is considered part of the southern province of Surat Thani and unlike other popular islands in Thailand, it is relatively dry. With a warm and tropical climate, Koh Samui experiences only a short rainy season providing the opportunity to cater for sun loving tourists, whereas other islands like Phuket encounter rain for almost 6 months in the year. However, be prepared for sudden showers that last for less than an hour which are typical of any tropical island.

Life in Koh Samui revolves around the coast due to the almost uninhabitable mountainous forests in the centre of the island and this beach culture is reflected in the friendly and relaxed demeanour of the residents; their lifestyle, cuisine and past times. The economy of Koh Samui is dependent on tourism, meaning that you can expect all the services and facilities you may require to have a comfortable, safe and enjoyable holiday on the island. The growing popularity of Koh Samui as a tourist destination has seen five star hotels, luxury modern beach villas with private pools and world renowned restaurants sprout up along most of the island.

Fun and activities in Koh Samui are not isolated to the beach and water sports, although there is no shortage of such sporting activities; like kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling, kite surfing and speed boating. You can also play a few rounds of golf on Koh Samui’s golf course, watch the nature shows or spend a day in Ang Thong National Marine Park. For the shopaholics and foodies, Koh Samui has a plethora of shops, eateries and bars to ensure that all your fancies are catered for, with most establishments catering for western tastes.

For the demanding traveler who wants a mix of culture, cuisine and coastlines, Koh Samui reflects the best that Southeast Asia has to offer. A multitude of cultures coalesce into a uniquely Thai experience coupled with some of the best weather and beautiful beaches in the world. Koh Samui is a one stop destination for any visitor to Thailand, offering a distinctly Asian experience coupled with all the amenities and activities that one would expect on an overseas beach holiday.

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Oh boy, is there! Here are a few to add to your list of What To Do With The Kids …

At Chaweng Beach there’s the Aquapark for anyone over 5 years of age, where there are giant inflatables to leap onto, and off. This is a designated area cordoned off from the main ocean and all visitors are provided with life vests. Cost is 500 baht per person for a day, and 350 for a half day. By all accounts an exhausting activity!

Coco Splash Waterpark is at Lamai Beach. This waterpark has 7 slides, 4 pools, a Jacuzzi, waterpolo and pool-side activities too such as table tennis. Children under 90cms tall get free entry, children 90-130cms are 350 baht and over 130cms 450 baht. A 4-person family pass costs 1500 baht. There is a restaurant, and the adults can also enjoy a massage.

Samui Frisbee Golf at Maenam is a new venture for all ages that is proving very popular. The course has 9 holes, is very shady, and has separate tee areas for beginners and advanced players. The owner, Nigel, explains all the rules and techniques – and he also runs a pizza restaurant on the side! Costs are 50 baht for children, 100 baht for adults.

Treasure Island Mini Golf is near the Big Buddha at Bophut. This course has 18 holes and is a great way to spend an afternoon. Price: 400 baht for adults, 200 for children under 12.

An elephant trek through some of the backwater jungle areas of the island can be a good family outing, and can be organised through one of the many nature tour groups on the island. Cost will be approximately 700 baht for an adult, 500 for child between 4 and 10 years old for a 30-minute trip is. Or 1200 and 800 for an hour.

Older kids might enjoy the adventure of the Treetop Tour Cable Ride, inland from Maenan close to Magic Garden on one of Samui’s highest mountains. Zip through the treetops, 780 metres of cable, safe, fun and exciting….

Some of the most popular for children are -

Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo, close to the Samui Orchid Resort in the south of the island, where there are plenty of live shows and you can have your photograph taken with a big cat.

Koh Samui Butterfly Garden, close to Buddha’s Footprint in the south of the island, where there are also moths, and insects, and beehives.

The Crocodile Farm, near the airport, is also very popular, especially with boys for some reason! Entrance costs 100 baht for an adult, and 75 for children. There are also snakes, monkeys, caimans, alligators and lizards.

Many Koh Samui villas have been specifically designed for families with younger children in mind. Some villas have connecting doors between the master and adjacent bedroom, others have colourful adventure bedrooms designed and equipped with children in mind. Some have a shallow area in the pool for the younger ones and there are usually plenty of televisions and child-friendly DVDs once they are exhausted by all the outdoor activities!

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There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

What I may think is an absolutely glorious beach, may not of course appeal to everyone. And when you’re talking about beaches, what is and isn’t acceptable will differ widely. Some may like the fact that there’s no Costa Coffee for miles, that there are no ‘facilities’ other than the ocean, and they are the only people on that particular beach.

Others may find the lack of crowds worrying, the getting there too rough, the climb down to that idyllic cove not worth the attempt, especially as everything needed for a simple ‘day on the beach’ had to be toted down by everyone – and will all have to be carried back up again.  And the car! Parked some hundreds of metres back and up is now left to stew in the heat … What if someone hurts their toe in the sea? What if we run out of water? What if it rains? What if the car won’t start once we find it again?

What if … what if … But we’re talking KOH SAMUI here, and I’d be happy to bet that most people long to be sitting, snorkelling, sleeping or sunbathing on that tropical paradise beach of white sand, safe aqua sea, beautiful sun and a modicum of solitude. Throw in some shady palm trees, little islands in the distance to break up the shimmering horizon, and a not too distant café or resort – and you’ve probably got most people’s idea of heaven.

The islands and beaches that make up Thailand (all 1,430 of them) have an awful lot going for them.  Many have glorious white or golden sands fringed by palm trees, beautiful clear and safe waters in which colourful fish play and nibble, are secluded and private, coffee and lunch are just a little walk away – and most are undisturbed by serried rows of sun beds and hundreds of sunseekers.  Other beaches, particularly those attached to the larger resorts, will offer water sports too should you decide to become more active and relinquish that un-put-down-able book.

Last year Kho Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Patong beach on Phuket, and the Pranburi beaches on the mainland have all been quoted by Forbes.com and the Travel Channel as some of the best beaches in the world.

But here’s a secret: one of the best beaches in Thailand is on Koh Samui – and you could be staying there! It’s Maenam Beach.

Maenam – still thought of by some as a ‘backpacker beach’ – enjoys privacy, safe waters and golden sands. It is pretty and tranquil, still uncrowded, with restaurants dotted inland that will suit every pocket.

Voted a few years back by Australian journalist John Borthwick as 9th in his list of Asia’s Best Beaches, Maenam is a rarity in these crowded times: a quiet haven of beauty. Check out our villas on Maenam beach – you won’t be disappointed.

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