ALL BEACHED UP

SO MANY BEACHES, SO LITTLE TIME. MADELEINE ENSOR TAKES A TOUR AROUND KOH SAMUI TO FIND THE PERFECT ONE FOR EVERY OCCASION

1 BEST FOR PARTYING: CHAWENG

Lively and sometimes outrageous, Chaweng’s party scene is the reason many people know Koh Samui. A hotspot for hedonistic backpackers since the mid-1980s, Chaweng is also one of the island’s longest and most beautiful stretches of sand. While the basic beach huts have made way for more luxurious accommodation over the years, the happening vibe remains.

“Chaweng has beautiful sand with clear water and, being on the east side of island, is great for moonlit beach parties,” says Supakit Uasamphanchai of the Library, a sleek new hotel located in the middle of the action.

By day, wander on the white sands among beautiful bodies; and by night, start with a cocktail by the sea, then head for the area around Green Mango, one of the biggest clubs in Chaweng. Here, you’ll find a strip of bars and music venues touting special offers on drinks, and fascinating people-watching opportunities.

Visitors are spoilt for choice along the main drag, which is lined with resorts, bars, restaurants and seafood barbecues. However, Supakit suggests a few of his Chaweng favourites:

“The restaurant at Ark Bar Garden Beach Resort is a great, chilled out place for dining on the beach, while the Q Bar Samui has a sharp style, good atmosphere and hillside views over Chaweng Lake,” he recommends. “Late at night, the Sweet Soul pub near the Green Mango is perfect for a dance.”

The Library, 14/1 Moo 2, tel +66 (0)77 422767-8, www.thelibrary.name; Ark Bar Garden Beach Resort, Chaweng Beach Road, Soi Pizza Hut 159/75 Moo 2, tel +66 (0)77 422047, www.ark-bar.com; Green Mango: 9/34 Chaweng Beach Road, tel +66 ( 0)77 422661, www.greenmangogroup.com; Q Bar Samui, Soi Kao Hua Jook (opposite Lake View), tel +66 (0)77 413297; Sweet Soul, Soi Green Mango, tel +66 (0)77 423242

2 BEST FOR BEACHSIDE PAMPERING: LAMAI

Lamai is the next beach along the coast from Chaweng: still close enough to enjoy the action but a little more peaceful. Lamai’s big secret, however, is its incredible range of spas. From the multitude of places on the main road offering manicures, pedicures, massages and haircuts, to the Thai masseurs on the beach, to top-of-the-range holistic experiences in specialist centres, this is the place to come to look aft er yourself.

If you fancy a New Year makeover, one of the internationally renowned wellness centres is Spa Beach (aka the Spa Resort) – a one-stop shop, catering for both body and mind. Started in 1992 by an American and his Thai wife, the resort dedicates itself to teaching the “Five Habit System to Longevity” – basic healthy lifestyle tips to help prevent illness. Choose from a three-and-a-half day or seven-day learning programme, including a wide range of daily activities and healthy vegetarian meals.

Tamarind Springs is another similarly well-known retreat, nestled in the hillside between Chaweng and Lamai. The difference is that visitors stay a few hours rather than days, and the focus is on massage. Recently revamped, this peaceful haven offers a rather special journey of relaxation that includes some downtime in the rock-side sauna, a refreshing plunge in the spring and ends with a heavenly massage by some of Samui’s most well-trained masseurs.

“One of the most common comments in the guestbook is that it was the best massage they’ve ever had,” says spa director Shelley Poplak. This is a popular place, so be sure to book in advance.

3 BEST FOR REFLECTION: LAEM SAW

Right at the island’s southern tip, near the village of Bang Kao, is Wat Laem Saw – where a small Buddhist temple draws a few visitors to light joss sticks and gaze out to sea. Featuring a highly venerated Srivijaya-style stupa, the site is a peaceful place at which to stop off and lose yourself in thought.

Mark Harrison, executive manager of the Tongsai Bay and Samui resident for seven years, is a real fan of the area. “The whole south side of Samui has a real Thai island charm to it,” he says.

Spa Beach, tel +66 (0)77 424666, www.thesparesorts.net; Tamarind
Springs, 205/3 Thong Takian, tel +66 (0)77 4221,www.tamarindsprings.com

4 BEST FOR SUNSETS: BAN TALING NGAM

Located on the south-west coast of the island, Ban Taling Ngam offers the best vantage points for viewing Samui’s dramatic deep red sunsets. Kick off your shoes and spread out on the golden sand with your own picnic, or try one of the select number of beachside eateries. For Thai fare in an enchanting setting right on the beach, Samui Dining Guide recommends the open-air Five Islands Restaurant, so named for its view over the Gulf of Siam to Samui’s Five Sister Islands.

There are also two big resorts on Taling Ngam that are ideal for enjoying cocktails as the sun sinks into the sea: the comfortable and tranquil Ban Sabai Sunset Beach Resort and Spa and the luxurious Baan Taling Ngam Resort and Spa.

At the latter, guests can choose to lounge in the infinity pool as the sun goes down while visitors can try the Verandah Bar in the main sala. The bar is specifically designed for watching the sunset, boasting “a unique, unsurpassed location with spectacular views,” says general manager Neil Taylor.

Ban Sabai Sunset Beach Resort and Spa, 126/9 Moo 3, tel +66 (0)77 428200, www.bansabaisunset.com; Baan Taling Ngam Resort and Spa, 295 Moo 3, tel +66 (0)7742 9100, www.baang-taling-ngam.com; The Five Islands, tel +66 (0)77 415359, www.thefiveislands.com

5 BEST FOR A VIEW: LAEM YAI

One of the newest and most exclusive five-star resorts on the island is the Four Seasons Koh Samui, located on the secluded north-west headland at Laem Yai. The view from the hotel reception at the top is breathtaking – a sweeping vista across the sparkling Gulf of Siam, from the Five Islands on the left to Koh Tao on the right.

Sixty or so individual villas dot the steep hillside between coconut trees, many with similarly impressive views over the sea. Call one of the buggies for a pick-up and head down to the private beach, where an infinity edge pool disappears into the sand and the beach bar’s cheerful staff is waiting to whip up a tropical cocktail. The only catch: you have to be a guest to enjoy it all.

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, tel +66 (0)77 243000, www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui

6 BEST FOR SEAFOOD: BANG PO

If you are looking for the best Thai seafood, head to Bang Po restaurant on the beach with the same name. A long-time local favourite, this simple eatery serves fresh-from-the-sea dishes that provide a deliciously authentic taste of Thailand. To accompany your meal, skip the normal plain white rice and try khao man thua khiaow – rice cooked with salt, dried beans and coconut milk.

Bang Po beach stretches over four kilometres in one of the most undeveloped parts of the island, with only a few low-rise hotels and villas nearby. This makes Bang Po restaurant even more worth the trek from the main resort areas, as it is one of the few remaining places where you can really see what Samui was like 30 years ago before the tourists arrived.

Bang Po, Ao Bang Po, Amphoe, tel +66 (0)77 420010

7 BEST FOR DINING: BOPHUT

Fisherman’s Village, at the far end of Bophut beach, is one of the oldest parts of the island as well as its trendiest dining destination. Alongside casual waterside restaurants such as The Boat Gallery (where you can feel the sand between your toes while you eat), shophouses of this former French outpost are being converted into stylish eateries serving a multitude of cuisines.

Exciting new structures are also popping up such as The Pier, a swish bar and restaurant designed by renowned Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, and filled with eye-catching furniture. Further down the beach, among the resorts, there are also a number of rather special places to dine, including Full Moon, the Anantara Resort’s alfresco Italian restaurant that literally “floats” over the hotel’s pool by the sea.

So with all this choice, where does a local in the know recommend? Editor of Samui Lifestyle magazine, Julz, rates Zazen and Starfish & Coffee as “the best beachside dining experiences on Samui.” Described by one local source as “the vanguard of Samui chic,” Starfish & Coffee is a bohemian hangout in the heart of Fisherman’s Village that serves excellent Thai food.

Zazen Restaurant is at the other end of the beach and part of the popular resort of the same name. Zazen’s chef Wally Andreini – Italian but born and raised in Belgium – receives consistent praise for his exciting menu, which includes dishes such as Orgasmic Salmon: oven-baked salmon in a macadamia herb crust with goat cheese, quinoa, spring vegetables and Vera Cruz sauce.

General Manager Alexander Andries says: “Chef Wally is always looking for innovation and change. He speaks Thai fluently and cooks with his team every night, ensuring the standards of cuisine that guests have come to expect from the restaurant.”

The Boat Gallery, Fisherman’s Village, tel + 66 (0)77 425085; The Pier, 50 Moo 1, tel +66 (0)77 425357; Anantara Resort Koh Samui, 101/3 Bophut Bay, tel +66 (0)77 428300, www.anantara.com; Starfish & Coffee, 51/7, Moo 1, tel +66 (0)77 427201; Zazen Restaurant, 177 Moo 1, tel +66 (0)77 425085, www.samuizazen.com

8 BEST FOR SIGHTSEEING: BIG BUDDHA BEACH

Big Buddha Beach (Hat Bang Rak) is so named because of the (surprise, surprise) huge statue of a seated Buddha, built in 1974.

The massive gold figure sits in the middle of the small island of Koh Farn, accessed by visitors from Samui via a causeway and surrounded by a colourful maze of shops and snack stalls. The area around Bang Rak is a great place to explore and see a different side to life on Samui – from the unusual temple of Laem Suan Naram with its mix of monster-sized Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese imagery to the nearby fishing village, where Yawi-speaking Muslim fishermen unload their catch from traditional fishing boats.

Every Sunday aft ernoon from 4pm until late, the most popular place to be is the Secret Garden (or “The Garden” as it is known to locals) at the resort of the same name, where musicians have been playing live sets since 1989. The barbecue and laid-back vibe have made this place somewhat of a Samui institution.