Island Fun

Location: Koh Samui, Thailand

Introduction:

Thailand holds a special place in our hearts. This was our third visit but our first to the island of Koh Samui and Adelaide’s first ever. Arriving at the airport started us off with a unique experience in that there is no enclosed terminal. It’s comprised of a few small single-story open-air structures that signal you’ve arrived in a special tropical place. Once you leave the airport, your senses quickly realize that you’ve entered a less-developed country with unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells but then again that’s part of its appeal. One big difference we quickly noticed is the proliferation of cannabis shops throughout the island. Not everyone speaks English here but enough people do that the language barrier is not a problem.

Sights Visited:

We used Asia Tours onsite at our hotel to book a boating excursion to Pig Island via Ocean King Samui. Our daughter had the most fun playing in the tidal pools catching snails and crabs. There were stray dogs and wild pigs roaming about. In fact, two pigs photo bombed our attempt at a family photo. We then moved on to another nearby island for snorkeling and swimming.

We used Asia Tours once again to book a visit to Samui Elephant Spa for an elephant encounter. The sanctuary was off the beaten path and the animals appeared to be very well treated. We got our hands dirty preparing some food which we later fed to the elephants. After that, we had the opportunity to bathe them. It’s a very unique and memorable experience.

We made a point to visit the Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem Temples. We’ve seen our share of temples around the world but nothing that we’ve seen yet compares to the temples of Thailand. They’re just magnificent.

We stayed in the midst of what’s known as Fisherman’s Village filled with shops, markets, street vendors and restaurants. It was quiet and peaceful for strolls in the morning and really came to life at night.

Play:

We didn’t locate any noteworthy public playgrounds on the island. Luckily, we had a decent playground on property at our hotel. The supervised kid’s club kept our daughter entertained as well.

Accommodation:

We used IHG to book a two-bedroom suite at the Holiday Inn Resort Samui Bophut Beach. It’s a kids’ paradise. There’s a large pool, splash pad, playground, kids club and the beach. They have planned activities every night. There’s a buffet breakfast served with a ridiculously large selection of foods and drinks. There was a nice fitness center. The WiFi was very good.

Food & Drink:

We’ve been devoted Thai food lovers ever since our first visit to Thailand and we order it frequently at home. It doesn’t get any better than going to the source with the added bonus that it’s inexpensive. The tap water is not suitable for drinking. Our resort provided plenty of bottled drinking water. So, it wasn’t an issue. Of the two main local beers, we prefer Singha over Chang but either will do on a hot afternoon. The wine selection in stores was pretty good.

Transportation System:

We flew in from Singapore on Bangkok Airways. It was just a two-hour flight. Upon landing, the aircraft came to an abrupt stop as we taxied in and the crew announced that there would be a short delay as they waited for a lizard to cross the tarmac. That was a first for us. We rented a car from Avis. It was slim pickings. We ended up with a Suzuki Ciaz with over 100,000 km on it. It lacked many features that we rely on. For example, it lacked a backup camera making life a little more interesting when backing out of a parking space. Surprisingly, fuel was only $4 per gallon. They drive on the left side of the road in Thailand and motorbikes far outnumber automobiles and their riders think nothing of passing on both sides of the car making for some close calls. While there was a steady stream of traffic on the main roads, we only encountered two traffic lights. Thus, crossing the busy streets was somewhat daunting with a young child in hand.

Shout-Outs:

The island is a major international tourist destination and the local people are quick to greet you with a smile. They couldn’t be any more pleasant.

For Your Amusement:

Leave it to Adelaide to find a Mystery Snail, which is their actual name.