After writing a review about our trip Moscow-Samui-Hong Kong-Moscow
After writing a review about our trip Moscow-Samui-Hong Kong-Moscow, a few days passed, emotions subsided and you can write more about the rest, in particular about Samui.
Koh Samui, in my opinion, one of the best islands in Thailand for relaxation and recreation in Southeast Asia. Mild climate, warm sea, affordable housing, more about this, organic products, excellent service, safety. All this attracts our compatriots to this island. For example, 2 years ago my husband and I rested in Phuket, we liked the rest. But there was a lot. Firstly, this was the first trip to Thailand, respectively, like all Russians, we used the services of a tour operator, which we regretted very much. He did not take any part in our vacation, except for offering expensive excursions, everything else had to be organized by ourselves, and please tell me why pay someone money if you still do everything yourself. The flight to Thailand is long-haul, so I want to fly more or less comfortably, and what the tour operator offers, a charter in a completely packed plane with a minimum of amenities, I’m not talking about food. On your own, you choose an airline with a direct or connecting flight convenient for you, and the corresponding service. Through the Internet, all this is done very simply and quickly.
And now about housing on Koh Samui. Before booking accommodation on the island, study the tide map, which entry into the sea is deep or shallow, this is important. You eat to rest and the sea should always be. Decided, then go ahead, there are a lot of offers on the sites. One thing I can say, compared to last year, hotels have raised prices. Therefore, book accommodation for a minimum period, and already on the spot you will orient yourself, figure it out, and if you like it, extend your stay, and if not, rent it somewhere else, and believe me, it’s much cheaper. The Germans do just that. They book already checked housing for a long time, when they are completely satisfied with the hotel, food, beach, service, they just won’t pay money. Many of our compatriots do not rent hotel rooms at all, they live in the private sector, 100-200 meters from the sea. These are cozy cottages with all amenities, overlooking the tropical garden, but without meals. But believe me, this is not necessary. Cafes and restaurants on Koh Samui are located just everywhere. A cottage is a house with a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a huge terrace where you will constantly be - rest, eat and just relax. The cost of a cottage is on average 500S US per month. You can also find cheaper. However, I don’t know how to do this via the Internet, I just haven’t tried it. We booked accommodation on the island.
And now about the beaches. Lamai is a beautiful beach, our compatriots often rent accommodation there. But keep in mind there is a wave there, and it’s better not to go there with small children, otherwise it’s all the same, you need to read the information on the Internet, and if everything suits you feel free to book.
Chaweng Beach is a favorite place for young people, the hotels are close to each other, there are a lot of people, but, accordingly, fun. White sand, warm sea and constant movement. There are many shops, restaurants, cafes nearby.
Maenam Beach is a private place to relax, quiet and comfortable. There are few people, mostly Germans and compatriots with small children. There are no big shops, there is a chain of small family-markt shops with round-the-clock service, where you will find essential goods. The morning market is open daily - it's just a paradise there - the freshest products - fish, meat, fruits and vegetables. Local residents can also prepare the most delicious national breakfast for you there - this is rice porridge with coconut milk with nuts and fruits, it costs a penny, the taste is awesome. But on Maenam there is no way without transport. A local tuk-tuk costs 100 rubles to get to the shops during the day, it takes a long time to wait for it, and in the evening the cost is 300 rubles one way. I wrote about the best beaches of the island, I won’t write about the sights, the information is on the Internet.
Now about rest. My husband and I booked our hotel a year ago on the island, everyone looked, talked with vacationers, ate in the hotel cafe, swam in the sea - everything suited both the price and quality. They left a task. The hotel is full, because only Germans rest there and their stay in the hotel is from 2 to 3 months in the high season. But this is only in this hotel on Maenam. Nearby is the Santaburi Hotel with magnificent villas, a swimming pool, a restaurant, round-the-clock service - the cost is 26.000 baht per day. So your vacation depends on your wishes and the size of your wallet. You can have a very expensive vacation, or you can be no worse and much cheaper, if you are not lazy and do not rely on someone else's uncle.
About food on the island. Well, it's just heaven for gourmets. Thai cuisine attracts tourists from all over the world to the island. Because it is the freshest and prepared from environmentally friendly natural products. If the food is spicy enough for you, you can always ask for it to be cooked to your taste. And if the hotel has a kitchen in your room, then there is no limit to your fantasies. Now about street food. Believe me, it is no worse than in a restaurant, very tasty and cheap - white chicken meat skewers on a skewer cost 10 baht apiece, ate three and ate too much. There are no poisonings, Thais observe all norms of sanitation and hygiene. In addition, the Tesco Lotus chain of stores is located on the island, where you can always buy any products at very low prices, there is nothing to say about fruits - they are very tasty and cheap for any demanding eater. Now specifically about the dishes - Tom Kha soup is prepared with coconut milk and chicken broth filled with white chicken meat, mushrooms, vegetables and local seasonings and spices - I recommend it. Very tasty creamy lobster soup - you will lick your fingers. Pat Thai - the second dish, this is pasta with sauce and filling with vegetables and either shrimp, or chicken fillet, or bacon, I also recommend it. All salads are very tasty, take any you will not regret. Desserts fruit overeating. Well, this is short, but you yourself understand the taste and color.
Now about transport on Koh Samui. The local Tuk-tuk costs differently everywhere, the wait is long, as in the evening it is always filled to capacity. Taxi - negotiable price, minimum 500 baht one way. The best option is to rent a bike or car. The cost of the bike is 250 baht per day, if for a long time it is cheaper. The cost of the car is on average from 1000 to 1500 baht per day, depending on which model. We were lucky, our friends live on Koh Samui, and they took us a car for 700 baht per day, so we didn’t know grief for 20 days. The price of gasoline is high, more expensive than in Russia. Yes, I forgot to write how to get from the airport to the hotel. At the airport there is a limousine service desk, a comfortable Mercedes minibus with air conditioning, which takes tourists to hotels for 150 baht per person. Go to the counter and say limousine service plis and show the name of the hotel, you will be provided with a car very quickly and taken to the reception. But a taxi to any hotel costs at least 500 baht. Cars on Koh Samui are right-handed, left-hand traffic. The workload is large, since the circle of bikes does not particularly accelerate. If you are not afraid, then having transport at hand you will always be mobile and see what is not possible to do while sitting in one place. If you have a car, then you don’t need to order any excursions on the island, rummage through the Internet, get directions, and see for yourself.
Now about health insurance. There is no need to be greedy, get good insurance, carefully read the terms of insurance, because we are talking about your health. Medical care on Koh Samui is excellent, hospitals are equipped with the latest developments in medical equipment, doctors are very polite and attentive. If you do not know English, you will communicate through a translator on your computer. I should not hope for a chance that I will be carried away, anything can happen.
Now about women's, about cosmetics. In Thailand, it is all natural without fragrances, and if you are not allergic, buy any that you like. After talking with the doctor, I found out that in Thailand people never got skin cancer, because from infancy, natural coconut oil is applied to the skin of mothers, which protects the skin from exposure to sunlight and sea salt. Having made a conclusion, I removed all cosmetics away and on the island and now at home, and my husband and I use only coconut oil. The result is on the face, the skin is velvety and young, all mimic wrinkles are gone, always a fresh and rested look. On the island, universal coconut oil costs 650 baht per 1 liter.
About shopping. If you correctly approach this issue, then shopping will not be bad in terms of summer clothes. True, the largest size is XL. The quality of the knitwear is very good. The prices are ridiculous. I have a size 46, and I easily got the things I needed. Swimwear on Koh Samui sea. If you have a beautiful figure, then you will get everything you need for a holiday on the island and you will look like a queen, emptying your budget quite a bit. And in general, you shouldn’t take a lot of things with you, I know from experience that you won’t wear them there, but you want to buy something new and as a result there won’t be enough space in your suitcase to take everything home.
About communication on Koh Samui. Communication is accessible and convenient. After receiving your luggage, at the exit from Koh Samui airport, Thai girls will offer you local sim cards for free. And then everything is simple, go to any family markt, give the phone at the checkout and ask to activate it by depositing the required amount into the account. Calling from Thailand is simple - dial 006007 followed by the year of the city and phone number, or 006007 and mobile phone number. Internet is fine too. But you need to look at the information about the hotel, paid or free internet there.
There is something to see on the island - this is the Golden Buddha, the Goddess of eight hands, a mummified monk, etc. In the mountains there are waterfalls and lakes with magnificent virgin nature. Children will love Paradise Park with its birds and animals, which they will feed directly from their hands. On the island you can ride elephants, and fishing enthusiasts can order a boat and go fishing at dawn. On Friday, from five o'clock in the evening, a fair is held in the Fishermen's Village, very interesting and colorful, visit the fish restaurant - delicious dishes, you will sit by the sea and enjoy the taste of the freshest seafood. Take a trip to the neighboring islands, diving enthusiasts will love it. So you can organize your leisure time on the island according to your own interests and make it so that on long winter evenings, well, you understand me.
Our vacation was a success, because we have been vacationing on Koh Samui for the second year. We have friends living there, so there was always company. We spent time together, traveled around the island, swam and sunbathed, celebrated holidays together and had fun from the heart. It was hard to part, because rest, especially with comfort, is always better. But there was work to be done at home. Before returning to Russia, we visited Hong Kong at the end of the trip, and we liked it so much that next year, if everything goes well, we will definitely visit it again.
Traveling quite a lot around the world, no country has attracted us to itself like Thailand. Everything suits here, the climate, the sea, the people, you come to Koh Samui and forget about everything, just enjoy your vacation. There are certainly many beautiful places in the world, but somehow I don’t feel like experimenting for my own money, in order to say to myself yes, it’s also good here, but it’s better on Koh Samui. We have made our choice - we rest only on our beloved island, and at the end of the holiday, if funds allow, we fly somewhere to see another point on the globe, replenishing our impressions and satisfying curiosity.
