How to Spend the Perfect Week in Koh Samui – Thailand’s best tourist highlights

Thailand's largest island has a lot to offer. Its jungle-clad beaches and hiking trails are details of Koh Samui's allure as a tourist hotspot. This is also the only island in the region with its own airport; most travellers travel directly here. Diving, swimming, kayaking, and snorkelling are some of the activities offered by Koh Samui.

1. Relax at the beaches

Koh Samui beaches are some of the best in the region. For the convenience of travellers, most of the beaches have luxury villas in Koh Samui. Chaweng Beach is one of the island's beaches that offer spectacular sunsets. Plai Laem Beach is found on the east side, and it has a serene and peaceful atmosphere. Lamai Beach is popular for its colourful rock formation. You can try out all sorts of watersports here, but you can also lie on the beach and take in the peaceful atmosphere of the island.

Image via piqsels

2. Island hopping

This is another popular tourist activity. The region has numerous islands offering a variety of attractions. For a change, you can hop on a boat and head to the nearest island. Koh Phangan is an island you should consider visiting. Its beaches are more rugged and peaceful than that of Koh Samui. Almost every resort, including Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, arrange island hopping tours for their visitors.

3. Explore Ang Thong National Marine Park

The park is a combination of several islands, and one of them is Koh Samui. Touring around the park is one of the best things you can do on a weekend trip. There are many tour operators that sell day packages; signing up for a package is the best thing for a tourist. These packages include boat tours and the opportunity to try water sports like kayaking, snorkelling, and diving.

4. Diving and snorkelling

Ko Tao, another island in the region, is one of the best spots for diving and snorkelling. From above, Ko Tao looks like a collection of granite boulders scattered over the jade green sea. Because of its dazzling marine life, diving has become a popular activity. If you are someone who wants to learn diving and snorkelling, the island offers an excellent watersports course; you can get your PADI certificate too.

5. More diving at Sail Rock

Sail Rock is a popular dive site visited by experienced divers. It is wedged between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao and marked by a huge granite boulder. The divers are provided with a depth of 40 metres and the chance to swim with large schools of tropical fish. Among the marine creatures spotted here are whale sharks, snappers, stingrays, batfish, and moray eels. These creatures are used to humans and will happily swim around you. Remember that whale sharks are quite large in size, and if you haven't seen one before, it can be a terrifying encounter for you, but they mean no harm.

6. Visit the Secret Buddha Garden

One of the unusual attractions found on the island, the Secret Buddha Garden, sits on a mountain top; getting here involves a difficult hike. This is a sculpture garden with numerous figurines scattered all over. The garden was the idea of a retired local farmer who dedicated all his time to creating the garden until his death. He wanted the garden to be a place of respite for anyone who visits. The garden has small shelters that provide a home for wandering monks.

7. Sample street food at the Fishermen's Village

Located next to Bophut Village, the Fishermen's Village provides a unique tourist experience. The village has an array of shops selling various things and food stalls selling Thai favourites. You can get here on a Friday in the evening and claim a delightful culinary experience.