| Picture an island nestling in the calm, azure | | | | landmass and takes in the main resorts of |
| blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand fringed | | | | Lamai and Chaweng. Lamai is the smaller of |
| by coral reefs with beaches of powder soft | | | | the two and offers a quieter and perhaps |
| white sand framed by a backdrop of coconut | | | | cleaner beach. The latter caters for, |
| trees, their fronds dancing in the gentle | | | | perhaps, a younger and more energetic |
| breeze. The palms stretch upward to the | | | | visitor. Further on lies Bangrak is better |
| central uplands, thick with lush tropical | | | | known as "Big Buddha Beach" as it takes its |
| vegetation. The coast and lower slopes are | | | | name from the huge Buddha statue at the |
| awash with coconut palms making Koh Samui the | | | | eastern end of the bay. Borphut boasts a |
| 'Coconut Capital of Thailand'. It is said the | | | | trendy fisherman's village, much favoured by |
| island sends 2,000.000 coconuts per month to | | | | French tourists and Maenam to the north |
| Bangkok. This green vista is interspersed | | | | offers spectacular views across to Koh |
| occasionally by black granite boulders. Some | | | | Phangan and the Ang Thong Natural Marine |
| of these rock formations appear to defy | | | | Park. This area is much less crowded than the |
| gravity by hanging dramatically against the | | | | bustling Chaweng and the marginally quieter |
| hillside. This tropical paradise is called | | | | Lamai. It still retains its original Thai |
| Koh Samui. A 250 square kilometre rounded | | | | flavour. However, to get to grips with |
| island which is about the same size as | | | | authentic 'Samui' you need to rent a car or |
| Penang. | | | | motorbike and take one of the many roads that |
| | | | lead up away from the coast and into the |
| Koh Samui translates from Koh, the Thai word | | | | mountain. As you climb higher you come to |
| for island, and Samui, which is probably | | | | rubber plantations and hidden away villages |
| derived from the Chinese "saboey" meaning | | | | clustering around paddy fields, still hanging |
| safe harbour. The magic island first came to | | | | onto a traditional way of life that is far |
| the attention of world travellers when it | | | | removed from the tourist dominated hotels, |
| started to crop up in conversation in many of | | | | resorts, restaurants and bars that cluster |
| the cheap hotels that then clustered around | | | | around the coast. |
| Bangkok's Hualamphong Railway station some 45 | | | | |
| years ago. It was difficult to get to, | | | | Samui has over the years developed a |
| requiring special negotiation with fishermen | | | | reputation as centre of complementary |
| in Suratthani lying 80 kilometres across the | | | | medicine offering spas designed to detox |
| sea on the mainland. When you reached the | | | | inhabitants of an overstressed globe. The |
| island, there was no road and so those | | | | Health Oasis Resort located adjacent to the |
| intrepid voyagers hopped from beach to beach | | | | unspoiled Bang Po Beach to the west of Maenam |
| by boat. In the past forty plus years things | | | | offers stunning views across to Koh Phangan. |
| have changed hugely. | | | | Sit in the authentic vegetarian restaurant |
| | | | after six p.m. and turn your head to the west |
| The island is now served by an international | | | | you will witness spectacular sunsets over the |
| airport that looks more like a botanical | | | | islands that comprise the Ang Thong National |
| garden than the accepted tradition of | | | | Park. Health Oasis is unique in that the Thai |
| functional 'air station'. Flights leave | | | | Department of Health lists it as a |
| hourly for the new Suvarnbhumi Airport in | | | | traditional medicine hospital. It specialises |
| Bangkok and link the island to additional | | | | in supervised detox and fasting treatments. |
| destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, | | | | |
| Hong Kong, Pattaya and Phuket. A 52-kilometre | | | | Be sure of this, whatever your tastes Koh |
| road rings Samui and links all the major | | | | Samui will be able to provide a venue for a |
| towns. Nathon the capital plays host to | | | | holiday that will linger long in your memory. |
| government buildings and banks and serves as | | | | So if you are planning a trip of a lifetime |
| one of the ferry ports serving the Thai | | | | whether it be for tourism or health this |
| mainland. The road skirts the 635-metre | | | | magical island is a venue well worth |
| mountain that sits centrally astride the | | | | considering. |