Review hotels of Samui Peninsula
Hotel is fantastic and ideal place to relax. Staff are very friendly and helpful through days and nights. Hotel facilities are excellent. However only one restaurant in a resort at this class do not give enough choice for dinning. Bars closure at 8:00 pm is somehow strange and leaves you with the only choice of going to town for couple of evening drinks. But generally we were a group of 12 people and had wonderful time there.
more about:
The Samudra Retreat Samui
Ratings: 7/10
By: Mr. Reza Hosseini
Stayed: 2007.03.21 to 2007.03.31
Chaweng Beach is the longest beach on the island having the biggest centre for both entertainment and shopping. There are many hotels and bungalows along Chaweng's fine white sand beaches. You can find anything from five-star luxury resorts to little budget bungalows remaining from Koh Samui days as a backpacker's haven.
Just in from the beach, the main road is lined with the restaurants offering every imaginable cuisine (you can even find Japanese Sushi, Mexican and Thai food), numerous dive shops, and a few excellent open-air discotheques where you can revel enjoy your evening after having relaxation at the beach during the day time. If you wander further inland from the beach toward Chaweng lake you can stumble upon the local Thai boxing ring, a giant open-air produce market and numerous food stalls catering to locals.
Chaweng's main road is one of the best places for people watching nightlife, but if you are driving a scooter, go slowly through the wide puddles, as they can hide some nasty potholes.
Recommended Hotels in Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Amari Palm Reef Resort is situated at the secluded northern end of Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui's most beautiful beach and offers an atmosphere of up-market leisurely elegance along with spacious and comfortable accommodation...
Banana Fan Sea Resort: A magical oasis in a tropical paradise, Banana Fan Sea Resort lies on the most beautiful part of Samui's famous Chaweng Beach in the Gulf of Thailand, with the finest white and powdery sand. Located at the south end of Chaweng Beach...
Buri Rasa Village, Koh Samui Enchanting traditional southern Thai dwellings , nestled in a veritable Garden of Eden. Echoes of halcyon days with , once upon a time, tales of aristocracy escaping to country or paradise island...
Nora Beach Resort & Spa: New to this haven is the Nora Beach Resort and Spa. Nora may be new but its friendly service and unique atmosphere is backed by hundreds of years of Thai hospitality...
Tradewinds Cottages have been designed for relaxed beach-side living. Spacious balconies and traditional garden furniture are designed to ensure your comfort, both inside and out...
Koh Samui (or Ko Samui) is an island off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus in Thailand, close to the mainland Surat Thani town. It is Thailand's second largest island, with an area of 228.7 km² and a population of 47,874 (2006).
Not that long ago the island was a favorite destination of adventure seeking sun worshipers. These savvy travelers visited Samui long before it was in the guide books. Seaside bungalows were available for as little as 150 baht per night, and you could count on spending day after sunny day on the beach in nearly perfect tranquillity. These visitors found there was an almost mesmerizingly restful and carefree feel to the island that often kept them here long after they had intended to return home.
Those who have known and loved Samui since those early days may not agree about the current pace of development in some areas, but for the most part they do agree on one thing. The island retains its sleepy magic. Koh Samui is still a paradise.
Tourist arrivals have been increasing steadily in recent years. An impressive island-wide effort was undertaken in late 1999 and continues in early 2000 to improve the island's infrastructure to accommodate these developments. Those who visited prior to 1999 will be astonished at the number of newly paved and widened roads, drainage systems, and perhaps most welcome; the addition of sidewalks in the bustling villages of Chaweng and Lamai - home to many of the islands hotels, nightlife and shopping areas.
However much of the island, especially the south coast, remains largely undeveloped. A day spent on scooters or in a jeep exploring this lush underbelly is a day of sheer serendipity. With its spectacular and astonishingly diverse flora, and its dozy little neighborhoods peopled by some of the world's most amiable islanders, this kind of exploration is sure to provide the delights you imagined when you planned your holiday.
Short direct flights here now depart several times a day from Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. You can also arrive by train, bus and boat.
