Thailand Ko Samui & Lower Gulf (Chapter) Edition 14th Edition, February 2012 Pages 67 PDF Page Range 535-601 Coverage includes: Gulf Islands, Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan, Ko Tao, Ang Thong Marine National Park, Surat Thani Province, Surat Thani, Ao Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla & Around, Hat Yai, Deep South, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Sungai Kolok. Useful Links: Having trouble viewing your file? Head to Lonely Planet Troubleshooting. Need more assistance? Head to the Help and Support page. Want to find more chapters? Head back to the Lonely Planet Shop. Want to hear fellow travellers’ tips and experiences? Lonely Planet’s Thorntree Community is waiting for you! © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Ko Samui & the Lower Gulf Why Go? Ko Samui .......................538 The Lower Gulf features Thailand’s ultimate island trifecta: Ko Pha-Ngan .................556 Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan and Ko Tao. This family of spec- tacular islands lures millions of tourists every year with Ko Tao .............................571 their powder-soft sands and emerald waters. Ko Samui is Ang Thong Marine the oldest brother, with a business-minded attitude towards National Park ................586 vacation. High-class resorts operate with Swiss effi ciency Surat Thani ................... 587 as uniformed butlers cater to every whim. Ko Pha-Ngan is Ao Khanom ...................589 the slacker middle child with tangled dreadlocks and a pen- Nakhon Si chant for hammock-lazing and all-night parties. Baby Ko Thammarat ....................591 Tao has plenty of spirit and spunk – off ering high-adrenaline Songkhla & Around .......593 activities, including world-class diving and snorkelling. Hat Yai ...........................593 Travellers seeking something a bit more off the radar Deep South ...................595 than these island brethren will fi nd a thin archipelago of Yala ................................595 pin-sized islets just beyond. Known as Ang Thong Marine Pattani ...........................598 National Park, this ethereal realm of greens and blues of- fers some of the most picture-perfect moments in the entire Narathiwat ....................599 kingdom. Sungai Kolok ................ 600 When To Go Best Places to Eat From February to April celebrate endless sunshine after the » Dining On The Rocks monsoon rains have cleared. From June to August – which (p 550 ) conveniently coincides with the Northern Hemisphere’s » Five Islands (p 551 ) summer holidays – are some of the most inviting months in the region, with relatively short drizzle spells. » The Whitening (p 582 ) From October to December torrential monsoon rains rat- tle hot-tin roofs like anxious fi ngernails, as room rates drop Best Places to signifi cantly to lure a few optimistic beach-goers Stay » Six Senses Samui (p 546 ) » Anantara Bo Phut (p 547) » L’Hacienda (p 547 ) » Sarikantang (p 561 ) » The Sanctuary (p 566 ) KO SAMUI & THE LOWER GULF GULF LOWER THE & SAMUI KO Chumphon 0 100 km Pak Nam 0 60 miles Ko Samui & the Ao Chumphon Lower Gulf CHUMPHON Highlights Ko Tao 1 Find Nemo in the Laem Riu technicolour kingdom Isthmus off the coast of Ko of Kra Chong Tao Tao (p 571 ). Ang Thong Ko Pha-Ngan 2 Dimple virgin Marine sands on the hidden National Park bleach-blonde Full Moon Party beaches of Ang Chong Pha-Ngan Thong Marine 41 Ko Ko Samui National Park Laem Phaluai Sui (p 586 ). Chaiya 3 String up a cotton Ao Ban Chong Samui hammock and toe the Don Don Sak curline tide along a Khanom 401 secluded beach on Ko Surat Ao Khanom Phun Phin Thani Pha-Ngan (p 556 ) Hin Lat Falls 4 Purr like a kitten 401 Sichon during a fi ve-star massage session on To Khao Sok Ko Samui (p 538 ) National NAKHON SI 5 Join the masses Park (30km) THAMMARAT of party pilgrims and SURAT THANI Khao Luang trance the night away National Park at the Full Moon 401 Laem Talumphuk Party (see boxed text, Khao Luang (1835m) p 558 ) in Hat Rin on 41 Nakhon Si Thammarat Ko Pha-Ngan Lan Saka Khiriwong KRABI Thung Song Krabi Hua Sai 41 6 Savour steaming street-stall seafood 4 408 on the sands of Songkhla (p 593 ) Thale Sap G U L F O F 7 Spot elusive pink Trang dolphins gliding along PHATTALUNG T H A I L A N D the shores of Ao Khanom (p 589 ) 4 Songkhla Rattaphum Ko Yo Hat Yai SATUN 4 Laem Tachi Chana Thepha Hat Talo Kapo Pattani Pak Bara District Yaring 43 42 42 4 Saiburi Ko SONGKHLA PATTANI Tarutao Satun Padang Sadao Khao Nam Khang Besar National Park Yala Ko Lipe Ao Manao Pulau Narathiwat Langkawi 7 Ban Taba YALA Tanyongmat Tak Bai A N D A M A N NARATHIWAT S E A M A L A Y S I A Sungai Rantau Kolok Panjang 410 1 Betong GULF LOWER THE & SAMUI KO GULF LOWER THE & SAMUI KO KO SAMUI & THE LOWER GULF GULF LOWER THE & SAMUI KO M A L A Y S I A 538 GULF ISLANDS from Hainan Island initially settled Samui and today these unique roots have blos- somed into a small community that remains Ko Samui เกาะสมยุ hidden beneath the glossy holiday veneer. POP 40,230 Sights At fi rst glance, Ko Samui could be mistaken 1 for a giant golf course fl oating in the Gulf Ko Samui is quite large – the island’s ring of Thailand. The greens are perfectly mani- road is almost 100km total. cured, sand traps are plentiful, and there’s Chaweng BEACH a water hazard or two thrown in for good (Map p540 ) This is Ko Samui’s most popular measure. Middle-aged men strut about don- spot – it’s the longest and most beautiful ning white polo shirts that contrast with beach on the island. The sand is powder their cherry-red faces, while hired lackeys soft, and the water is surprisingly clear, con- carry around their stuff . But Samui is far sidering the number of boats and bathers. from being an adults-only country club – Picture ops are best from the southern part a closer look reveals steaming street-side of the beach, with stunning views of the hilly KO SAMUIKO & THE LOWER GULF food stalls, 2am jetsetter parties, secreted headland to the north. Buddhist temples, and backpacker shanties plunked down on a quiet stretch of sand. Hin-Ta & Hin-Yai LANDMARK Ko Samui is very much a choose-your- At the south end of Lamai , the second- own-adventure kinda place that strives, like largest beach, you’ll fi nd these infamous a genie, to grant every visitor their ultimate stone formations (also known as Grandfa- holiday wish. You want ocean views, daily ther and Grandmother Rocks). These rocks, massages and personal butlers? Poof – here shaped like genitalia provide endless mirth are the keys to your private poolside villa. to giggling Thai tourists. It’s a holistic aura-cleansing vacation you’re after? Shazam – take a seat on your yoga Hua Thanon NEIGHBOURHOOD mat before your afternoon colonic. Wanna Just beyond Lamai, Hua Thanon is home party like a rockstar? Pow – trance your way to a vibrant Muslim community, and its an- down the beach with the throngs of whisky- chorage of high-bowed fi shing vessels is a GULF ISLANDSGULF bucket-toting tourists. veritable gallery of intricate designs. Beyond the merry-making machine, Bo Phut NEIGHBOURHOOD the island also off ers interested visitors a (Map p542 ) Although the northern beaches glimpse into local life. Chinese merchants have coarser sand and aren’t as striking as GULF ISLANDS IN… ONE WEEK First, shed a single tear that you have but one week to explore these idyllic islands. Then start on one of Ko Pha-Ngan’s secluded beaches in the west or east to live out your ultimate castaway fantasies. For the second half of the week choose between partying in Hat Rin, pampering over on Ko Samui, or diving on li’l Ko Tao. TWO WEEKS Start on Ko Tao with a 3½-day Open Water certifi cation course (or, if you already have your diving licence, sign up for a few fun dives). Slide over to Ko Pha-Ngan and soak up the sociable vibe in party-prone Hat Rin. Then, grab a long-tail and your luggage and make your way to one of the island’s hidden coves for a few days of detoxing and quiet contemplation. Ko Samui is next on the agenda. Try Bo Phut for boutique sleeps, or live it up like a rock star on Chaweng or Choeng Mon beach. And, if you have time, do a day trip to Ang Thong Marine National Park. ONE MONTH Follow the two-week itinerary at a more relaxed pace, infusing many extra beach-book- and-blanket days on all three islands. Be sure to plan your schedule around the Full Moon Party, which takes place at Hat Rin’s Sunrise Beach on Ko Pha-Ngan. 539 e 05km Ko Samui # 02.5miles ‚ ‚ To Ko Pha-Ngan (15km); To Ko Pha-Ngan Ao Samrong (25km) Wat Na Phalan Ko Tao (62km) Laem Na Ko Som Ú# Ao Bang Po Ú# Wat Plai Laem Phra Lan Wat Ban Tai #\ Hat Choeng Mon Ban Bang Po #\ Ù# Laem 66666Sai Phra Yai Ù# Laem Yai Hat Mae Nam f# Ko Fan Yai #\ Ú# Hat Bo Phut Ban Mae Nam Big î# Hyperbaric #\ Ù# Hat Ang Thong Ban Bo Phut BuddhaÙ# Chamber Ù# ö# R(467m) 4444Beach 4 ö# î# #– Airport Bandon ‚ f# #\ ö# Ko Matlang Na Thon International î# To Surat Samui 666666Tourist R Hospital 4International (465m) Chaweng Thani Police ñ# Ban Lipa Yai #\ Lake Hospital (76km) # Immigration Office î# # Y Samui Ú# Hat Chaweng Hospital Nam Tok Hin Lat ö# Ù# ‚ Wat Hin Lat R To Ang Thong Ban Lipa Noi #\ Khao Pom Ù# Marine National #\ (630m) Hat Chaweng