Advantages: Air conditioning
Disadvantages: Miles from the centre of Bangkok

...-cheese crustless sarnies which serve as a natural anthaema. If the Emirates goat-curry breakfast has left you a little hungry, then my advice is get straight in a taxi and get some noodles in town. And don't let the taxi driver charge you 900 Baht either.

2. You can't buy a newspaper anywhere in the airport until you have checked in on your return flight. I looked for 45 minutes and couldn't find a newspaper seller anywhere. As I said, this review is avbout the little things. 3. The Bangkok Times is a great paper (written in English). It has the English footy results in it too. 4. If you are visiting the islands on the east coast (Koh Tao, Koh Pan Yang, Koh Samui) then spend yourself fifty quid and fly to Koh Samui. It is worth every penny. The night bus (about £15) takes 12 hours and you will get really bored. Flying takes an hour and Koh Samui... Read review

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Advantages: Relatively unspoiled, freindly, great value for money
Disadvantages: None, really

...Arriving in Koh Samui after what seemed like a whole day's travel from Bangkok I did wonder if I had made the right decision. Hot, sticky and tired is not the best state of mind to arrive anywhere but I have to say that the first people we met made it all worth while. I knew from experience that the Thais are natural and gregarious but nothing prepared me for the welcome at our hotel and in the resort (Chaweng) generally. Yes, Chaweng is a little more commercial than I expected but compared to Patong (Phuket) or Pattaya it was charming and quiet. There are bars aplenty and, of course, lots of "adult" type entertainments but it is never "in your face" or overtly annoying. Whilst we were there a ten pin bowlng centre was opened to tremendous fanfare. Eating out can be really cheap and cheerful or sort of mid range and fabulous. Most... Read review

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Advantages: Frequent flights, friendly service
Disadvantages: Relatively expensive, flight times change, strange food!

...I had the pleasure of flying with Bangkok Airways last year from Bangkok to Koh Samui. I booked my flight with a UK travel agent and it cost just over £100, although prices do vary throughout the year. It is also possible to book tickets directly, via the Bangkokair website, as well as with online travel agencies. Bangkok Airways (36 years old this year!) provides domestic flights within Thailand (destinations include Hua Hin, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattya) as well as flights from Thailand to Laos, Vietnam, China, Singapore and Cambodia. For travellers to the island of Koh Samui, in the Gulf of Thailand, Bangkok Airways offers upwards of ten flights a day. The flight takes 50 minutes and the plane takes you over some fabulous scenery - imagine little green islands dotted all over an azure blue sea - simply gorgeous... Read review

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Advantages: Hotter than home, tropical setting, something for everyone
Disadvantages: Expensive (for Thailand), crowds in peak season

...…. then go to Koh Samui. Which is where I was fortunate enough to be this time last year for a week. After eight and a half years together, Tom and I thai’ed the knot, surrounded by our friends and family, on the beach. It was sweltering (April is the hottest month on the island but our travel dates were constrained by work commitments – it’s better weather-wise to go February time or the summer) but a truly unforgettable day…. …. time to stop reminiscing as this review is about the island, not my wedding ( website: www.tomandlinzwedding.info). So why go to Koh Samui? For time-rich, money-poor backpackers, Koh Samui would not be the most appealing choice to find tropical paradise. For picture-perfect beaches and Robinson-Crusoe-style tranquillity, there are alternative destinations in South-East Asia. Koh Samui is not cheap... Read review

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Advantages: Relaxing, friendly,beautiful
Disadvantages: mosquitos and malaria

...of the unhealthy additives, mouthwatering!!It is to the South-East of Thailand just across the water from Cambodia. Not as popular as the South-westerly islands of koh samui and koh pan-yan. Before I left on my trip to Thailand I asked around at the usual places (such as travel agency, doctor's surgery and Pharmacy) to make sure that I would be safe, against the dreaded mosquito and deadly malaria. Even although I stated I would be backpacking for around three weeks I was assured that I would be in no danger at all of being exposed to malaria.......Not true!!There are certain parts of Thailand you have to be aware of being exposed to Malaria, the North - being more humid - and the South East - in particular Koh chang - I didn't know this and went to Koh Chang for a three night stay and was bitten pretty badly. When I got home, fortunately for me I... Read review

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Advantages: Still peaceful and relaxing
Disadvantages: Getting over developed

...of the country. UPDATE: My brother and his wife just came back from Samui and has told me that the Island has grown since I last visited. The Island was packed out and now has a McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc. Maybe paradise for some but not for others. Travel out to the Islands around Samui for the best beaches. Use Samui as a base to travel from. UPDATE 2: Went to Samui in September 2003. Was surprised to see how much more developed the place is. Now that the bars and clubs close at 2am Samui has lost a lot of its charm. I loved it when you could spill out of a club at 6am and crash out on the beach. Despite the 2am closure you can still find one or two places open if you ask around. This time I stayed at the Chaweng Garden Beach Bungalow. 162/8 Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui 84320 Tel: (077) 422265 / 230993. Chaweng Beach is the main... Read review

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Advantages: The scenery, nightlife, weather... need I go on?
Disadvantages: The inevitable hangovers

...Thailand is probably most famous, in terms of tourism, for the beautiful islands that adorn both the east and west coastlines of the southern part of the country. To the west lies the massive tourist resort of Phuket, the dramatic scenery of Koh Phi Phi (where The Beach was filmed) as well as several smaller less developed islands. To the east Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao are potential destinations each offering different attractions with Koh Samui being the most developed and largest of the three, Koh Pha Ngan smaller but lively and Koh Tao a more tranquil island surrounded by great dive sites. Our choice of Koh Pha Ngan was based partly on educated judgement and partly on blind luck. We travelled south through Thailand in July, the wet season, a time in which the Western islands suffer far more from the seasonal monsoons... Read review

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Advantages: Cheapish, convenient for backpackers, decent roads, great massages, solid nightlife
Disadvantages: Poor diving, littered with tourists

...My apologies to those who have read this before. Certain aspects of it were I now admit, rather crude making it unsuitable to have been posted on Ciao. Here’s the PG version. Having taken several holidays in Asia I’ve steadily become fascinated with the ‘backpacker vibe.’ Quite what the attraction is of strapping an unfashionably heavy bag on your back and a smaller but more important one onto your front and then spending the majority of your tiny budget on accommodation, travel and left luggage lockers, I’ve never quite managed to grasp. I managed to realise one thing completely when I went to Koh Samui and that was why so many backpackers seem to just pass though Malaysia and Singapore in a couple of days only to spend a seemingly endless amount of time in Thailand. The cost of living was always the obvious one but cost should... Read review

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Advantages: Crystal blue waters, white sands, shops
Disadvantages: Not for the culture-seekers...

...I will start by admitting that Koh Samui is one of the more touristy islands of Thailand, and that we have seen more naturally stunning and more cultural places... it’s main attraction being white sandy beaches and relaxation for the likes of sun dogs like us. Still, it is definitely worth visiting once you have had your fill of culture and just want to relax in the sun with a coconut shake and sun lotion by your side. Many places in Thailand are suited for the long-haul traveller and may offer more cultural delights, but for those who havent’t got the time, Samui is much nicer than Phuket or Pattaya (aka the ‘underbelly of Asia’) and Samui has the added benefit of being close to other islands that you can visit. Even if you are backpacking, like we were, you’ll enjoy the luxuries here as we sank our teeth into toasties, chips (with... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Beautiful natural scenery, friendly locals, VERY cheap
Disadvantages: Parts becoming slowly more commercialised

...Thailand really is a country which will change the way you look at the world. I have personally visited this country twice to date and during my time there saw many different sides to the country and what it has to offer. The most important to thing to understand about Thailand is that, although the majority of the country still reflects the original natural beauty that the country has to offer, some parts are slowly becoming very commercial in terms of tourism. What I mean by this is reflected in a comparison between the first and second times that I visited the country. Koh Samui is one of the most popular locations for anyone travelling to Thailand and it is fair to say that most tourist do make a stop off here at some point. The first time I visited this island tourism was only starting to creep in and, although it was already far... Read review

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