Koh Samui Activities |
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Diving |
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 Diving
is a favourite recreational activity for travellers
to Koh Samui, with access to plentiful diving supply
shops and diving schools. They can be found along the
roads lining the shores, near piers and jetties, or
can be accessed through travel agents. ‘PADI’ and ‘NAUI’
courses are internationally recognised, and the training
is by reputable divemasters. Samui’s world beneath the
waves is a must-encounter for those wanting to don a
pair of goggles and do more than paddle around in the
shallows, at snorkel depth. Get up and get close with
the corals and the stunning variety of colourful, iridescent
tropical fish.
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Kayaking |
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if you like to be your own master you have the option
to paddle yourself around the Samui seas, such as at
the highly recommended Ang Thong National Marine Park.
Here you can to explore the lifestyle of marine animals
in their natural habitat, and take in the flourishing
birdlife, land animals, and amphibians found on the
waters or the mangrove seashores. You are recommended
to paddle as quietly as you can, as noise tends to scare
away the abundant animal life that you will certainly
see if you keep as silent as you can.
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Sailing |
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 The
success of the Annual Samui Regatta has led to the increasing
popularity of sailing in Samui. With the excellent weather
conditions that prevail, that gives good year-round
breezes in Samui, sailing is one of the real-treat activities
to take part in when visiting Samui or her neighbours.
The lighter winds blow mostly from the northeast from
December to April, which are excellent for either novices
or those more expert. The winds become stronger and
more challenging, coming mainly from the west, with
occasional strong to very strong gusts between May and
November, and are better for more experienced sailors.
Crafts available for a day’s hire include yachts, catamarans,
and more modest windsurf boards.
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Golf
and Mini-Golf |
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Mini-Golf course can be found right at the heart of
Chaweng Beach, offering an 18-hole adventure lane,
and is a great day out for friends and families. You
will find it another memorable experience when playing
a round within the green seaside landscape, embraced
by the Samui seas and their cooling breezes. And if
you’d rather play a real game of golf on a full-size
course, there is a brand new 18-holes course which
recently opened in Maenam, in January 2004, which
is said to be one of the best in the South of Asia.
A driving range and a putting green are both located
near to the airport.
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Go-Karts
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Race with your friends on fun and challenging Go-Kart
courses on Samui. This is real action for all ages,
with Go-Kart engines ranging from top speeds of 40 km/h,
75 km/h, and for the real hardcore drivers, there are
Go-Karts that can reach up to 100 km/h. Be warned, though,
Go-Kart racing is extremely addictive, and you might
find yourself spending more time there than on the beautiful
beaches.
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Elephant
Trekking |
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Whether you travel alone, or with friends or family
to Koh Samui, elephant riding and eephant trekking is
an ideal choice to enjoy an afternoon’s relaxation while
riding on the back of an elephant. Along the way through
the forests and trails, you just relax, while discovering
another side of Samui, listening to the silence of the
island, punctuated by the screeches of monkeys and other
wildlife, while gently swaying along on the back of
the world’s largest animal. Enjoy the silent ride. Standard
treks last for 30 minutes, but longer trips can be requested. |
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Full
Moon Party |
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Just about an hour away by ferry
from Koh Samui, you will reach Koh Pha Ngan and join
Full Moon Party on the full moon nights of every month.
Some years ago now, a group of tourists arranged a party
along the crescent-shaped beach of Haad Rin to celebrate
the Full Moon night. Soon after that, a full moon party
took place every month on the full moon night, and it
has become an international tourist draw, especially
for the young, or the young at heart. People from all
over the world come to join the celebrations, and now
there are 7,000-10,000 people at the party each month.
Beginning at dusk, when the moon makes its appearance,
as the evening progresses the beach explodes into a
dancing frenzy. Music varies from trance, techno, drum
and bass, to commercial dance and reggae. |
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Thai
Massage |
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Massage has a long history of therapeutic healing in
Thailand. It has been practiced for centuries and nowadays
thai massage is recognised internationally, and it has
made its way around the world. The roots of Thai Massage
can be traced back centuries to India, from where the
thai Buddhist faith originated. Therapeutic massages
for treatment of specific conditions and diseases is
practiced by a growing number of very skilled people.
It takes several years of study. You are recommended
to try out (at least once) a Thai massage, as it is
a real- treat, and will leave you feeling completely
relaxed and at ease with yourself, and the world. It
is perfect after a day’s busy sightseeing. On Koh Samui,
Thai massage can be found everywhere, and the activity
can even be taken part in while on the beach, by the
travelling massage practitioners, complete with all
their perfumed oils! |
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Thai
Boxing (Muay Thai) |
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 Thai
boxing is Thailand's national sport and is very popular
all around the country, and is becoming increasingly
popular to martial artists in other countries. Many
say that it is the ultimate martial art. Your holiday
in Samui wouldn't be complete without seeing it. The
training of a Thai boxer, particularly the relationship
between the boxer and his teacher, is highly ritualised.
A boxer has to pay respect to his teacher, who is also
regarded as his mentor. Before a contest starts, a ritual
dance will be performed by both boxers on the ring,
along with the music unique to Muay Thai. This is the
most stylised part of the fight you should never miss
before seeing a fight, and is designed to limber them
up, and focus their minds and bodies. During the match,
the excitement of the crowds swells or falls as their
favourite either makes a good connection on his opponent,
or takes one himself. In some places on Samui, it is
possible for foreign visitors to take a special training
package, with a fight at the end of the session. |
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Moutain
Biking |
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Mountain biking is another form
of activity Koh Samui offers those who have the energy
and will to take in a little of the parts of Samui that
most only glimpse from the beaches faraway below. There
are a wide range of biking tours, varying from easy
and ordinary sightseeing through the jungle tracks to
extreme downhill trails for proficient riders. Most
agents have provided English-speaking specialised guides
during the trips. You will find that the interior of
Samui is quite different from the coastal areas, and
villagers are carrying on with their lives as they have
been for hundreds of years, with little regard to what
goes on below them. |
