21 March,2010 (Sun)  


 

 
Ko Samui & Environs

The 247-square-kilometre Samui island is Surat Thani's major tourism attraction at its widest point, and 25 kilometres at its longest. A 51-kilometre ring and largely coastal road encircles the island, which has numerous lovely beaches and bays, and is almost literally an island of coconuts and forested hills,

Samui's best beaches line the northern and eastern coasts, the most popular heing Chaweng and Lamai, where generally attractive accommodation can be found. Bo Phut and Mae Nam are other popular beaches. Besides beaches, other island attractions include coral beds at Laem Sed and Tong Takien; the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls; the phallic rock formations at the southern end of Lamai Bay; the nearby butterfly garden and honey farm; a massive seated Buddha image on Fan isle in P1ai Laem Bay; a herbal garden at Ban Makam; a monkey training centre at Ban Khao Phra; and Na Thon, the island's major seafront settlement where shops, restaurants and tour agencies are concentrated.

  • Angthong Marine National Park

    • This comprises some 40 islands about tWo hours by boat northwest of Ko Samui. The park covers 250 square kilometres, of which approximately one fifth is land mass. The most attractive islands include Ko Wua Talap (Sleeping Cow island), Ko Mae Ko (Mother island), Ko Prayat (Economi-cal island), Ko Sam Sao (Tripod island), Ko Nai Put (Mr. Put's island) and Ko Wua Te (Kicking Cow island). Most islands comprise limestone masses reaching heights of up to 400 metres, and fringed by beaches and rain forest. An emerald saltwater lake known as Tale Nai (InIand Sea) on Ko Mae Ko is the park's major scenic attraction, and entails a mildly strenuous climb. The resultant views are well worth the effort. Another popular venue is Ko Sam Sao where an extensive span of coral reef and a huge rock arch offer scenic fascination.

    The park office is on Ko Wu a Talap where bungalowstyle accommodation is available. Visitors wishing to stay overnlght should make advance bookings and specify whether meal servlces are required, either through the Angthong Marine National Park office, 26/1 Mu. 5, Talatlang-Paknam Road, Surat Thani 8400, Tel: (077) 288-992, or the National Parks Division in Bangkok, Tel: 549-0529 Or 579-4842.

  • Ko Phangan

    • This increasingly popular 191-square-kilometre island is 60 minutes north of Ko Samui. Attractions include a hilltop temple, Wat Khao Tam, ideal for meditation, the Tan Sadet Waterfall some 30 kilometres from the district office, the Hat Rin Beach, some 12 kilometres from the district office, the Paeng National Park, some 4 kilometres from the district office, and satellite islands such as Ko Tao where pristine beaches and coral reefS are found.

    Specia1 Events

  • Rambtun Fair

    • (during August) The fair celebrates the delicious fruit, first planted in Surat Thani during 1926. Highlights include floats adorned with rambutans and other fruits, exhibitions of local products and ornamental plants, and demonstrations by specially trained monkeys who harvest coconuts.

  • Chak Phra Festival

    • Surat Thani celebrates the official end of the annual 3-month Buddhist Rains retreat (Phansa) with the Chak Phra Festival (literally the procession of hauling the Buddha lmage). The tradition stems from the belief that the Buddha ascended to Heaven during Phansa to preach to his mother. The festival marks the Buddha's return to Earth, and is an occasion for religious merit-making and general celebrations. Local people organise dazzling land and waterborne processions of revered Buddha images (to symbolise the and boat races on the Tapi River where long boats, each manned by up to 50 oarsmen, are ebulliently raced, Religious devotion, spectacle and merriment combine to make Surat Thani's Chak Phra Festival a memorable annual event.

    How to Get There

  • By Bus

    • Airconditioned coaches and non-a1r-conditioned buses leave Bangkok's Southern the approximately 10-hour trip to Surat Thani. for further details, please contact Bangkok 434-5558 (non-air) or 414-4978-9 (air).

  • By Rail

    • Several trains leave Bangkok's Hualampong Railway Station daily for Surat Thani. The trip takes approximately 13 hours. Please contact Bangkok 223-7010, 223-7020 for further details.

  • By Air

    • Thai Airways operates daily flights between Bangkok and Surat Thani. Flying time is 50 minutes. Please contact Bangkok 280-0060, or 628-2000 for further details.

  • By car

    • Surat Thani can be most conveniently reached by car from Bangkok by taking Highway 4 (Buddha Monthon Road) to Nakhon Chumphon via Phetchaburi, Hua Hin and Chumphon, and thence onto Highways 41 and 401.

    Surat Tbani-KO Samui Connectlons Ko Samui can be reached by ferry, speedboat or car ferry from Ban Don (Surat Thani town) and Don Sak (Khanom district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province). Current fares and timetables are ava1lable from Surat Thani's TAT office,

  • By Air

    • Bangkok Airways operates several daily flights from Bangkok directly to Ko Samui and offers convenient Ko Samui-Phuket connections. Telephone Bangkok 229-3434 (Fax: 229-3450, 229-4048 E-mail: Bkkair@loxinfO,co,th) for complete details.

    Samui-Phangan Connections

    Daily boat services connect the two islands. Contact the TAT office in Surat Thani for full details.

    Accommodation
    A comprehensive list of airconditioned and non-air-conditioned accommodation, and restaurants, in Surat Thani, Ko Samui and Ko Phangan, can be obtained from the loca1 Tourism Authority of Thailand office on Talat Mai Road, Tel: (077) 288-818-9. The office is open seven days a week, throughout the year, from 8.30 AM until 4.30 PM.

    Areas featured in this brocbure Surat Tbani,CbumPhon Ranong, N4kbon si Tbammarat provinces

    TAT Southern Office:Region 5
    5 Talat Mai Rd., Ban Don, Amphoe Muang, Surat Thani 84000
    Tel: (077) 288-818-9, 281828
    Fax: (077) 282828
    E-mail Address:tatsurat@samart.co.th