We no longer present Ko Samui, the 2nd largest island in Thailand, which still attracts as many visitors year after year. My first visit was in 2007, and in 7 years now, I have been able to see its evolution.

So does its typical postcard setting with coconut trees and white sand still live up to its reputation?

A bit like the observation I made with Phuket Recently, the island has the advantage of being large, so it offers different atmospheres depending on where you are. In addition, even if there are people, you don't necessarily find yourself stepping on each other's toes, and so much the better.

But what has changed in 7 years?

Well unfortunately like any highly touristic place, we build, and in some places, we have really concreted a lot. So much so that some pieces of beach, or entire beaches are inaccessible, because privatized or access is blocked by the presence of a hotel or a restaurant in front and that to find a public access, you really have to look…

It is the scourge of Thailand, the price of success is transformed into a frenzy of satisfying demand, even if it means disfiguring the landscape (in the same vein of not very glorious history, an airport is going to be built on the neighboring island of Ko Phangan, does it really need it?).

A resort here, a resort there, restaurants galore but also homes, shops. We can draw a parallel with this small fishing village that was Pattaya, only 50 years ago…

Deserted beaches in Ko Samui still possible?

Well surprisingly yes, it will obviously depend on the season and time of year of stay, but during my last visit to the island, I was the first to be surprised to see that the beaches are not necessarily all stormed.

Chaweng and Lamai on the west coast are the most popular, but if you go further south to the beaches of Hua Thanon and Laem Set you will then have an idyllic setting without too many people.

On the way between Lamai and Hua Thanon you can take a look at the local curiosities, Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks, which literally means "grandfather rock" and "grandmother rock", why "grand", I don't know, but father and mother, well the shapes of the rocks are quite explicit... be careful with children because these are class X rocks 😉

My favorite beach is located just after the rocks, Hua Thanon, a small beach with a Seychelles feel with a parking lot where surprisingly few people actually stop.

The beaches in the very south of Ko Samui, towards the Bang Kao fishing village, are also deserted by tourists, well admittedly, it is not the best place to swim, as it is used as a starting point by fishermen and some private excursion boats.

Beaches in the west and north of Ko Samui

I don't personally know the beaches to the west of Samui, proof of which is that these are rather neglected, the reasons being that they are less easy to access and a priori less good for swimming, but Ao phang ka and Hat Taling Ngam might therefore be worth a little visit. But the facts are there, there are still places preserved on Ko Samui.

As for the northern beaches, those close to the airport, they have the merit of having more or less kept this "village" spirit, even if on Bophut, we find today many guesthouses and therefore tourists. But there is no big resort and Bophut remains known for its restaurants and its a little more relaxed atmosphere.

Not far away are 2 popular attractions on the island, The Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai, from where you can watch beautiful sunsets and the amazing temple of Wat Plai Laem with its large 18-armed statue of the Chinese deity, Guanyin, the “goddess” of compassion and mercy.

The neighboring beach in Bophut, Mae Nam, is also a beautiful large quiet beach and which always allows you to discover a Ko Samui “postcard” in 2014.

The center of the island also remains and fortunately mainly filled with coconut trees, there are also a few hotels like the Wazzah Resort Bungalows where I had stayed some time ago.

Otherwise it is make way for nature, coconut trees galore, waterfalls and viewpoints, and incidentally the golf course, which offers a sublime view over an entire part of the island.

Finally, it is always possible to find local markets on Ko Samui, the opportunity to stroll around with the family to taste typical dishes cheap.

Conclusion

I would say that Samui retains its charm, what saves the island is that it is large and therefore offers enough space still preserved to keep this "postcard" spirit. It is a very touristy place certainly, but outside the main seasons (between December and February and July / August) you can always enjoy a little more calm, especially outside Chaweng (the equivalent of Patong in Phuket).

They even managed to stop the craze for full moon derivatives that were also becoming trendy on the island by keeping only the original on Ko Phangan.

It remains an interesting point of passage to go to the neighboring island of Ko Phangan or to go diving on Ko Tao. From Samui, it is also possible to easily go to Ang Thong Archipelago, which also offers some nice spots.

Have you been to Ko Samui recently? How was it? Crowded? Nice? Meh? I'm interested in hearing about your experience!