The Island
 

If you are looking for long, white, sand beaches, warm, azure crystal clear water, and majestic green coconut palms everywhere, in short, a tropical paradise, then Koh Samui is ideal for you. This beautiful island in the gulf of Thailand was, just a few years ago, on the insiders list. Now, however, it is becoming more and more popular among travelers, and big tour operators.

Many large hotel chains have also established themselves there. But, even mass tourism has not managed to spoil Koh Samui's idyllic charm. The pace of life here is still very calm and relaxed.
 

This beautiful island is located in the deep south of Thailand, about 100 kilometres north of Koh Phuket, but on the other side of the Isthmus of Kra, the narrow mountainous strip of land that connects Thailand and Malaysia. Located 258 nautical miles south of Bangkok, Koh Samui measures some 21 kilometres at its widest point, and 25 kilometres at its longest. Koh Samui ("Koh" means "island") is the most well known of a veritable archipelago of 80 islands in the south of the Gulf of Thailand (or Gulf of Siam, as it is still sometimes called). Among the other inhabitated island of the archipelago are Koh Pha-Ngan, which has approximately the same size as Samui and is located north of it (you can see it from Maenam Beach) and Koh Tao, also north of Samui island. Most of the visitors to Samui Island

come for swimming, sunbathing, and to unwind. But, if you're up for it, the coral reefs around the island are good for snorkeling and scuba diving. And, boating and fishing are also available. Samui is less suitable for wind surfing, except for Chaweng and Lamai Beaches. If you are not into marine sports then there's always sightseeing. Samui Island does not offer spectacular architecture or immortal monuments of art, but there are mountains, waterfalls, charming half-forgotten forest Wats (Buddhist monasteries), and other lovely islands and islets around Samui. Samui Island is really one of the most beautiful places in South East Asia.

View more photos in Yoga Bound's Samui Thailand Travel Photo Gallery.

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