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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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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Our Samui villas vary in services and location on the island of Koh Samui, from the more expensive beach villas offering a private gourmet chef, to the less expensive villas set in picturesque gardens or with ocean views. Koh Samui is an extension of Thailand, offering the uniquely Thai culture, cuisine and atmosphere without the commercial hustle and bustle. A Samui villa encompasses this untouched Thai experience, evident in the surroundings, architecture and ambience whether your villa is on the beach or further inland in the flowing tropical gardens.

Our Samui villas need not break your holiday budget with less expensive villas ensuring all the facilities and amenities needed for an enjoyable holiday abroad. You can opt for a small villa with just one or two bedrooms or larger villas with multiple bedrooms to cater for a travel group. Private pool, air conditioning, satellite television and fully equipped kitchen facilities are available in all our Samui Villas, ensuring that your self-catering villa leaves you wanting for nothing extra. Apart from the in-house facilities, the wide selection of our Samui Villas lets you choose the location of your villa, whether you opt for beach villas, estate villas, villas overlooking the mountain or valleys of Koh Samui, garden villas or villas with an ocean view.

Growing in popularity as a honeymoon destination, our Samui villas offers newlyweds the privacy and comfort to make it an enjoyable experience on their romantic island getaway. Whether you want the freedom to cater for your own personal tastes, or the comfort and space to languish in your own villa rather than a hotel bedroom, our Samui villas are the ideal choice for travellers to Koh Samui.

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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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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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http://thailandculturecustomguide.org/thailand-etiquette/everyday_etiquette.html

This is a great article: do read it.

And after you have, do not despair! Foreign visitors (farangs) to Koh Samui will not be expected to know all the intricacies of Thai etiquette, or the proper and right way of doing quite ordinary everyday things. Thai culture offers guidance on how to conduct yourself in a wide range of situations, how to dress and how to converse. Of course these ‘ways to live’ have been handed down from generation to generation, and for the young Thais who are brought up with parents and extended families, especially away from the big cities, these customs are second nature, and probably need no formal teaching.

For example it is not expected that during a conversation there will be loud voices or much gesticulation – which many European visitors may find rather restrictive and alien! Younger people should not hold a conversation over the head of an older person. Your body language and the questions you may wish to ask while speaking to a Thai are very important – no folded arms, no personal questions, no rude language.

There are three things held in the greatest respect by Thais: 1. their Nation 2. their religion and 3. the Thai Monarchy. All must be given the greatest respect and should not be spoken about in a critical or patronising way.

There are of course exceptions to all rules, and you may well see someone clanging his spoon and fork together at the dining table, or speaking over the head of a more senior person. In Bangkok people may have chosen to ignore some of their ingrained codes of conduct but if you venture into the countryside, this will not be the case.

So the main things to remember while you are on Koh Samui are:

• Politeness to everyone is essential
• Do not lose your temper
• Do not shout
• Older people are to be respected
• The head of a person is sacred: not to be touched!
• The foot is not: do not point your foot at anyone, or touch anyone with your foot: it is an insult
• Do not be overly amorous in public
• Keep the bikini and the Speedos for the beach – cover up and dress appropriately elsewhere.

The Thais are amongst the most hospitable and friendly people on the planet, and if you are lucky enough to be invited into a Thai’s home on Koh Samui –

• Arrive on time – too early or too late is a no-no
• Take your hosts a small gift – it will be very appreciated (some cakes or biscuits, perhaps a small bottle of wine)
• Remember to remove your shoes at the door
• Try not to sit with one leg over the other, or both legs totally stretched out. Victorian prim and proper does it.
• Don’t stay too long!

Above all, enjoy your stay in one of our stunning Koh Samui Villas, and should you ever feel you have stepped over the line of Thai good etiquette, just say sorry and move on. As well as being friendly and happy, the Thais are very forgiving of these little farang mistakes.

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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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And while enjoying all that, how about helping to support local Koh Samui communities with their green projects?

Then you mustn’t miss The Samui Latin and Jazz Week from 29 September – 06 October 2013!!

All profits from this week of great sounds will go to the Green Island Foundation to help support sustainable community-run projects around the island.

Presented by the Koh Samui Municipality, and organised under the auspices of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this is a serious coming together of great vocalists and musicians from around the world.

40 great Thai and international artistes will be performing at various locations for eight great nights, from 29 September until 06 October. So if you love jazz, Latino music, scintillating songs and great percussion sounds – just drop in!

Here are some of the musicians who will be performing – Deborah Brown (vocalist) from the States, Saskia Laroo (“Lady Miles Davies”) on trumpet and Peter Beets (pianist) from the Netherlands. Plus Judith Nijland (the Netherlands), saxophonist Rolf Delfos (Netherlands), Nadia Basurto vocalist, and Miquel Rodriques on guitar from Spain, Fabio Deldongo, singer and pianist, from France.

The programme starts on Sunday 29 September at Fair House Villas & Spa, Maenam

8pm preview concert with Deborah Brown;
9pm, Dina Medina & Cabo Cuba Jazz.

Then Monday 30 September at Rocky’s Boutique Resort, Lamai –
8pm Trio Peter Beets ‘Tribute to Peterson’;
9pm Judith Nijland & The Beets Brothers.

Tuesday 01 October – The Drink Gallery, Chaweng –
8-10pm Saskia Laroo with her quartet ‘Jazzkia’.

Wednesday 02 October – The Passage Samui, Laem Yai –
8-10pm Miguel Rodriguez and Nadia Basurto.

Thursday 03 October – Centara Grand Beach Resort, Chaweng –
8-10pm Salsa Night with Nando Vanin.

You can book online at www.samuilatinandjazzweek.com;
by emailing info@samuilatinandjazzweek.com
or in person at each venue.
All concerts have an entrance fee of 500 THB per ticket.

There will be great food available at the venues for these evenings.

Then on Friday 04 October and Saturday 05 October there are two evenings of free concerts at the beachfront main stage of the Amari Palm Reef at Chaweng. These evenings start at 6.00pm and go on until midnight.

Artistes will be numerous, and will include – Nils Fischer, percussion; Rolf Delfos, saxophone; Koran Daniels, saxophone; Kho Mr Saxman, saxophone; Cabo Cuba Jazz quartet; Amik Guerra, trumpet; Fabio Deldongo, vocalist and keyboard and Buntita Prachamorn, vocalist.

The last evening is Sunday 06 October, which starts at 6pm at the Secret Garden, Bang Rak. This Sunday ‘After Party’ session is with Fabio Deldongo, vocalist and keyboard.

Book that Ko Samui villa, your flights – and those jazz week tickets now!

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Well done, Charlie!  Wish I could be like that.  Despite travelling back to the UK, and to other countries, several times during the course of a normal year, I never pack my case the same way twice, and I never seem to get it right!

Some trips I come back home having taken out of the case just about a third of what I took: I didn’t after all need the hair dryer, the straighteners, the factor 50 sunscreen, the extra special hair conditioner, the three pashminas, the cocktail dress, the new strappy sandals, the cargo shorts, or – surprise surprise!! – the four different kinds of phone charger / plug adaptor, my Swiss Army penknife (assuming it was in my case and NOT my hand luggage and therefore made it to our destination), or even my GPS …

Some holidays I am immediately off on a search for a long, short sleeved and baggy tee-shirt, because absolutely no one is wearing a slinky see-through and very short cover-up on the beach …   Or factor 50, because this year I packed factor 30 thinking that would do for everyone, but boy, is the sun strong, and the kids are fair skinned …  Or a good pair of walking sandals, because suddenly Himself wants to walk everywhere to find his morning espresso and high-heeled strappy sandals just don’t do hills with cobblestones …

So, here are some questions for you – to which I would appreciate answers!

1.    Should suitcases be shared – or does everyone get their own?
2.    Is it good to start the packing process early?  Should you lay everything out on a spare bed – assuming you have one – about a week in advance of the final, final closure of the zip and padlock?
3.    Or should it all be done in one fell swoop: an hour of constant buzz and flurry ‘twixt wardrobe and dressing table and suitcase?
4.    Do you roll or fold?
5.    Do you take your favourite piece of jewellery, even when you don’t know if where you are staying has a personal safe?  Do you take any jewellery?
6.    Do you take your laptop, and all the paraphernalia that that entails?
7.    Ditto mobile phones?  Do you all take them?  Or just the man-of-the-house?
8.    Do you pack more than one book …  in case the one you’ve just started turns out to be great and gets finished within two days?
9.    Do you take your iPod, plug yourself in, and remain aloof and distant and therefore miss out on the conversations going on around you, plus (thank goodness) the constant blare of the kids’ music?
10.    Just how many toys, books and gadgets do you allow each of your kids to bring?  Do they make the choices?  Or do you, knowing as you do just which ones are more likely to survive the two weeks of Ko Samui’s beaches, pools, restaurants and taxis rides?

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The world makes up for all its follies and injustices by being damnably sentimental.

When you think about it, we are indeed a sentimental lot. All those films we weep over, the books we read, blinking rapidly, the music we listen and sing along to (badly). Not to mention the thousands – millions! – of photographs we take each year – and store away carefully… or not. They tell us where we’ve been, what we were doing, who we were with, and some of them might even tell us when it all happened.

Think about your collection of photos: are they paper-based, stored carefully in albums, captioned? Possibly not, these days!   So are they digital, on DVDs, labelled?  Are they on your computer?  Still on the camera’s memory stick? Tut tut … get them off there!  Spend a wet weekend happily browsing through them, organising them into folders, then getting them onto DVDs and/or an external hard drive. And print a few out – pin them to your notice board, frame a few of the good ones, and look at them.   This, encapsulated, is your life …

That sentimental side of us humans just loves looking back on what we did, where we went and who was with us.   We can see how things looked in the past, and laugh at how fashion changes, those hideous hair styles, children’s growth spurts and – ahhhh – our much loved but long gone pets.

Don’t be afraid to get your camera out when walking or driving around Koh Samui, but be respectful and ask first before clicking at people regardless, especially in temples or other religious areas. On the mainland there may be some rural people who believe that having their photograph taken will ‘capture’ their soul, and they will walk away from you and your camera. Be sensitive.  And many bars in Ko Samui, especially those with ‘entertainment’, will not allow photos to be taken. But don’t be put off: your camera should be with you all the time, ready for that perfect sunset (which Koh Samui seems to get every single night of the year), that colourful fishing boat, that beautiful temple, those gorgeous orchids …

Create some memories of your time on Koh Samui: don’t even think about your future grandchildren, 20 or so years from now, sorting through the neatly labelled DVDs, with puzzled, wrinkled nose and curled lip, saying ‘What the heck are these, grandpa?’ – pack your camera, some spare memory sticks – and get clicking. You have many happily sentimental wet weekends ahead of you …

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A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the King.

It’s still rather chilly out there, and the pretty snow has all gone, so now’s the time to get those holiday brochures out and start planning. Let’s find some sun and fun!

March is one of the best months to visit Koh Samui – just a little rain and the temperatures up to the low 30s. In April – the official start of the ‘hot season’ – the temperatures climb a little, and there are perhaps one or two days more rain than in March, but all in all still the same glorious sun and welcome heat.

So what’s on in March and April?

Saturday March 19th is the next Full Moon Party – an all night event on Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan. It happens on the night of every full moon, and if you’re going to be on Koh Samui for long enough, you should think about going to one of these. Drinking and dancing the night away to music by local and international DJs from around the world: for the party people, this is where the action is. Be aware that thousands attend, so if you’re missing the noise and the crowds from home, you’ll love it.

To get to Koh Phangan you have to catch a boat, and it’s about a 45 minute ride. Special services are set up on full moon nights to cater for all who want to attend, but be prepared for a bit of a wait – it gets hectic!

The Songkran Water Festival runs from 13th-15th April, when lots of water is thrown around at anybody and anything that moves. This will certainly help to cool you down should you feel the need. And don’t forget those beauty contests that take place around this time – not to be missed!

The next Full Moon Party is on Monday April 18th.

Other activities to consider are:

Shopping – the list of items on sale is endless, but you can pick up some gorgeous beachwear, plus locally made home items in silk, jewellery in silver, gold and set with precious stones, and countless other handicrafts such as lacquerware, antiques and objets d’art, especially in Chaweng, Nathon and Lamai. And if you can wait for a few days, why not get something handmade by a tailor?

The Na Tian Butterfly Garden can be found in the south of the island. As well as butterflies, there is a beautiful garden to wander around, a bee house where you can watch these busy creatures at work, and an insect museum.

There is an Aquarium at Laem Set Bay, housing many tropical fish and marine plants.

The Ban Lamai Cultural Hall is really a small museum, with local ancient objects on display, including hunting weapons, earthenware and household utensils.

The Namtok Na Mueang Waterfall is a two level fall made by the water coming off the highlands.  The lower one has a drop of approximately 20 metres. To reach the higher fall, please note that the road is pretty steep.  You can also take elephant treks here.

And if you have some energy left, how about some nightlife!  This never seems to stop, especially in the busier tourist centres such as Chaweng and Lamai. There are beach bars and discos, western-style pubs with satellite TV, rock ‘n‘ roll bars, dinners and cabaret, and more classic, quieter restaurants to choose from all over the island. Many of the bars and discos stay open well beyond midnight, and some until sun-up, and these don’t get underway until very late in the evening.

This is also the time of year to think about LOVE …If you’re planning your future wedding or honeymoon, take a look at www.samuiislandvillas.com you might get a few ideas.

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How to say a few words and avoid some cultural faux pas.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Your holiday on Koh Samui island will be so much more rewarding and fun (sanuk) if you can say a few words to the Thai people you meet, so how about learning a few words of their language?   Many Thais speak English, but don’t let that stop you!

There are differences in how to speak Thai if you are a man or a woman, but these words and phrases given below will be understood whether said by either, and you will not cause offence if you use the wrong gender version.

Sawadee  – Hello and Goodbye
At the same time (instead of a hand shake) place your palms together in front of your chest, fingers pointed upward, and bow your head a little.  This is called a Wai.  Usually, the younger or lower status person initiates the Wai.  It is quite usual to address Thai people by their first name, preceded by Khun (Mr / Mrs).

Phoot Thai mai dai
I can’t speak Thai

Hong lnam yoo tee nai?
Where is the rest room?

Khorb koon mark
Thank you very much

Mai pen rai
You’re welcome / never mind

Chai
Yes

Mai-chai
No, / no it’s not / no I don’t

Khor toat
Sorry / excuse me

Tai ruup dai mai?
May I take a photo?

Sabai dee mai?
How are you?
Sabai dee
I am fine

Pom chue …
My name is …

Yoo tee nai?
Where is …?  While pointing to your map …

Gee baht?
How much?

A-roi
Delicious

Mai a-roi
Not delicious

Dai nit noi
A little

Gep taang
The bill, please

Bai nai?  -  where are you going?  Often shouted as a greeting by tuk tuk drivers!  So if you’d rather walk, you can reply – Mai ow khrab!

The Thais are a very conservative yet relaxed and light-hearted people: they love to please, to keep things calm, to enjoy the moment – and to have fun.   Their strong sense of how they are seen by others means that any confrontation or embarrassment, either of or by themselves or others, should be avoided.  To save face, your own or someone else’s, is paramount.   This is probably the source of that famous and beautiful Thai smile: it is surely the best way to see you through difficult situations.

The Thais may well see many visitors as over-worrying and over-pernickety: it is not in their nature to be this way.  They do not worry about having to wait or queue, and as a whole are not concerned about what life will be like in the future: they live for the day.  Things will only get better!  We could learn a little here …

Meeting Thais for the first time socially may be a bit like undergoing an inquisition!  Social rank and your status in society are very important, and you may be asked any number of questions so that your new friend can judge where you stand …  Phu Yai (the big people) and Phu Noi (the little people) are the two main ‘classifications’; e.g. teacher and student; adult and child; older sibling and younger sibling; Thai and non-Thai.  As a visitor to Thailand, you may be given the honorary Phu Yai role, based on the Thai’s assuming you have wealth because you are there, and education and status in your own country because of what he understands about your country.   What a compliment!

A few don’ts:

Beach:
Do not remove any part of your swimwear for sunbathing.  Nudity is not allowed in public.

Eyes, Mouth, Hands, Feet and Shoes:
Don’t stare, and avoid long eye contact.  This is not considered polite.  Very brief eye-to-eye contact is the norm for Thais when having a conversation.
Avoid raising your voice and losing your temper – this will be considered a great loss of face on your part, and you may be ignored completely.  Show patience and acceptance of what is being done for you.

Do not point or gesticulate madly; do not drop or throw things.  All these are considered very inelegant (unless you are on the beach)!  Best to be subtle, quiet and indirect …

In many parts of Asia the feet are considered the most unclean or impure part of the body. To sit in a way that points the sole of your foot at someone is considered disrespectful and an insult.   If you accidently step on someone ‘khor toat’ is recommended.  Try to avoid stepping over anyone: wait for him or her to move out of your way.  And do not step over food!

Do not wear your shoes in someone’s house: leave them outside.  This is true also for temples and other religious buildings, and sometimes small hotels, guesthouses and even shops.   Look for the clues: a pile of removed shoes left outside.

Royalty:
The Thais love and respect their King and his family.  Do not insult or make jokes about them.

Sacred places and things:
Do not touch things you see in temples or other religious places, or in an individual’s personal spirit house or altar.  Lengthy rituals may need to be undertaken if you inadvertently contaminate these things.
Women must not touch Buddhist monks, or hand things to him themselves, or be alone in their presence.

All monks, whatever their age, are highly respected.

It is sacrilegious to use an image of Buddha as purely decorative, so icons used around the home other than in personal altars are frowned upon.  But a small Buddha hanging round the neck is OK: it may protect you and bring you good luck.

Time:
Seems to have a different meaning in Thailand!  Do not fret if the service in your restaurant is slow … enjoy the leisure time.  If someone is late for a meeting, ignore it.  Welcome them when they arrive … and carry on.

But mainly, do not worry!  You are here on Koh Samui to enjoy yourself and if you make a mistake, by mistake, just apologise and smile.  The Thais will forgive you.

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The only thing that make life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.

Not sure I totally agree with that ‘intolerable uncertainty’, but some level of surprise is good!  So now you’ve decided to book a luxury villa through Samui Island Villas for your Koh Samui holiday, why not consider a stopover somewhere?   Many airlines let you plan for that, even online these days, so if you have the time available, why not see one or two other places in this part of the world.  Let’s see what’s (relatively) nearby …

If you’re coming from Europe or the east coast of America and fancy some culture before you hit the Koh Samui beaches and nightlife you might consider –

Istanbul (Turkey) – Under its previous names of Byzantium and Constantinople, it was the capital of the Roman, Byzantium, Latin and Ottoman Empires before becoming the capital of the new Republic of Turkey in 1922.
Cairo (Egypt) -    Originally Al Qahira – and popularly known as the City of a Thousand Minarets, this is the largest city in Africa, spread over 450 square miles.  It is home to the largest film and music industries in the Arab world, and handily close to many of the top tourist sights and for picking up a Nile cruise.
Amman (Jordan) -   Built on seven hills, this is one of the oldest continuously settled cities of the world.  It has known its fair share of residents, from its earliest 10,000BC residents, followed by the Ammonites, Assyrians, Persians and the Greeks, when it was renamed Philadelphia.  Then the Romans moved in.  Many of the places and stories of the Bible were in what is now modern Jordan.
And in The Middle East:
Doha (Qatar) – see how to develop a modern city out of the desert yet still retain the culture and improve on the greenery, and – of course – where the 2022 World Cup will be held!
Dubai (UAE) to see the impressively tall Burj Khalifa, the vast shopping malls – and possibly have a run down the indoor ski slope in the Emirates Mall.

Singapore and Hong Kong are further east than Thailand, but are two of the most important and buzzing cities in the Far East, and should certainly be on everyone’s list of ‘Places I must Visit’.  And from these cities you can get direct flights into Koh Samui.

If you are flying in from the west coast ofAmerica –
Tokyo or Osaka (Japan)
Seoul (South Korea)
Shanghai or Beijing (China)
Hanoi (Vietnam)
Vientiane (Laos)
Phnom Penh (Cambodia)

From Australia –
Jakarta (Indonesia)
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) – direct flights to Koh Samui are also available from KL.

Be sure to check out your country’s governmental websites for any places considered unwise to visit at your time of travelling.

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