Surat Thani - Koh Samui Reminiscing

Koh Samui is today a modern resort island with direct international flights making it easy for tourists to get to the island.

It is not particularly Thai anymore as it competes to find its spot in the market place where other "beach & party islands" like Phuket and Bali vie to attract the same crowd. While Samui tries to move upscale, it still also attracts tourist hordes from Russia and the modern version of backpackers on their way to / from the monthly Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan.

When I first visited Koh Samui, there were no scheduled flights - the airport was tiny (could only be used by single-engine prop planes) and rarely used, there were no Full Moon Parties, and locals seemed mostly engaged in growing coconuts. Many people lived in wooden houses on stilts with their livestock - water buffalo included - roaming around freely.

The beach roads in Chaweng and Rawai were rough gravels roads. Bo Put was a sleepy fishing village where the local shop (too small to be a supermarket) doubled up as restaurant, post office, and exchange booth. There were no resorts with infinity pools and beach chairs, but the beaches were absolutely stunning and totally deserted.

I also remember that my visit to the waterfall was an adventure. Only the main road circling around the island was paved (concrete). All other roads were gravel roads. The road to the waterfall quickly became a track only to be used by motorcycles. A few kilometers from the waterfall, the track became impassible except on foot as it wound its way through the pristine jungle. After a semi-arduous journey, it was with great pleasure one stripped off one's wet T-shirt and jumped into the cold water at the foot of the waterfall.

Today, Samui's beaches aren't deserted and access to sights such as waterfall are neither arduous nor for free.