Overall, we enjoyed our time in Koh Samui (Thailands second largest island), but we did find it very touristy, compared with some of the quieter places we had already been.
There was some nice scenery and beaches, along with lots of options for places to eat, however there were a few too many brits abroad!
We did a mix of beach relaxing and seeing more cultural sights of the island.
One of the highlights was the half-day sightseeing tour we did with GetYourGuide, which was really good, starting in the north and visiting temples, view points and waterfalls.
They managed to pack 8 stops in to the morning, so we got to see a lot quickly!
The first stop was Wat Plai Laem, which is the largest Buddhist temple in Samui.
The giant laughing Buddha greets you as you walk in…
And one with Bethany for scale…
The Buddha is on a lake with loads of fish in the water.
The fish are catfish, tilapia and koi and feeding them gives good fortune for Buddhists…..we thought we could do with a top up of good fortune…
Along with the big Buddha, there is also a giant Goddess of Mercy statue, with 18 arms.
Not only must all the arms come in handy…but they represent Guanyin’s ability to help many people at once.
The main hall in the temple (Ubosot) is built on a separate platform surrounded by water. Inside, there were colourful murals and carvings telling the life story of Buddha.
After the temple stop, we went on to ‘Overlap Stone’, which is on the Southeastern side of the island. It gets its name because of the massive overhanging rock on the mountainside, which appears to balance precariously on the small rock base. It has been resting there for centuries.
In order to get to the top we had to hike up through the forest…
…and at the top there was again some slightly questionable Thai health and safety, with a narrow little bridge to walk across!
The views were pretty spectacular, the best we had seen in Samui.
From here the next stop was Na Muang waterfall. The waterfalls were further inland into the jungle.
Our tour guide had said we could swim in the water but then later said that he wouldn’t recommend it, as the water wasn’t very clean. It did look a bit brown….
One of the highlights of where we were staying in Fisherman’s Village was the Night Market.
There were loads of stalls selling all sorts of Thai crafts, clothes and accessories.
A perk of the area being touristy was there were lots of beachside bars, with live music and shows. We luckily caught the end of one of the light displays on the beach.
The food options in the area were also really good, we enjoyed delicious Pad Thais and curries!
Also other local Thai delicacies…
One very interesting experience was going for a Thai massage. For some reason we had mistakenly thought this would be a nice relaxing, calm experience….
It turns out Thai massages are very intense and involved the therapist using their hands, elbows, knees and even body weight to apply pressure in various positions!
Whilst overall there were some nice parts in Samui we generally found it very busy and touristy and much prefer the quieter places we have seen.
Onwards to Koh Phangan!
Our 7 Month Travel Blog 
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