Our trip starts on the island of Koh Samui. We arrived in Koh Samui on 1 September. If you missed the posts of preparations and the arrival you can read them here and here.

The last and only time I was in Koh Samui was in 2001, I arrived in Chaweng Beach without understanding where I was going or even choosing the destination.

Generally on that trip, my first to Thailand, and my first to a so far destination, I did not plan anything in advance and really had no idea where I was going. The only thing that stood before my eyes was: Vacation! At all costs!

I finished the army. A second before I finished my army service, I began my pre-academic preparatory year, which was the hardest academic year of all of them. Immediately after that, I started my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering – another difficult year.

By the first summer vacation I felt fed up, and in a moment of impulsiveness I went on Issta site and bought the cheapest ticket they had. No way back! I didn’t care that I’m flying alone and do not have a partner for the trip. I didn’t even try to find one. And didn’t care about where to go. Just go.

At that time the internet was not yet developed enough to easily explore the destination. Also, the load of the end of the first year’s tests didn’t leave me much time to explore.

On the night of the 11^th-12^th of September, 2001 (note the date), I got on one of the few planes taking off from Israel. From that moment I was no longer alone.

Already on the plane I met Irit,  who was traveling with a couple, her cousin and her boyfriend, and felt like a fifth wheel. A company of her own fit her well. I made the first half of the trip with them. It was Irit’s second time in Thailand, she led the way and I went along with all her choices. In the course of the trip, I met a group of three boys who were our neighbors in the guesthouse. After Irit and the couple returned home it was only natural to continue the journey with the boys.

That time, when I arrived with the boys to Koh Samui (by the way it was also September), we escaped the island after 36 hours. In the evening we sat in an Israeli restaurant and there was a song playing in Hebrew. We found ourselves crying (literally) with longing and homesickness. At that moment we simply packed our things and in the morning we boarded the first ferry in the direction of Koh Phi Phi.

Since then, I have returned to Thailand two more times and each time I made sure to avoid Koh Samui out of all the Thailand islands.

This time I decided to give Koh Samui another chance, also because I heard recommendations from friends who have visited recently and because I assumed that the previous visit was in the most touristy part of the island, and certainly there are areas that the experience there will be different. So after listening to all the recommendations, I chose Lamai as our first destination to start the visit to Thailand. From there, we decided, we would feel the vibes of the places and decide where next.

Side note: The decision to decide on the go what is the next destination is more appropriate to low seasons (I wrote about it also here), especially not when the Israelis travel.

I’m not racist here for my people, God forbid, (even though I have quite a bit of criticism). I mean that Israelis tend to stay at the more luxurious and extravagant hotels that Thailand has to offer, so during the period that the Israelis travel the most (during the Jewish holidays in ​​September-October, Passover in ​​April-May and the summer vacation in August), these hotels are fully booked and finding a room on the go in these hotels becomes quite a challenge. So at times like this, I recommend booking the luxury hotels in advance. I would decide on a general route and try to estimate the days when I would like the pampering experience. True, this reduces the spontaneity of the trip, but also constant stress of searching for the next place can reduce the fun.

LAMAI BEACH

Lamai is a long stretch of beach. The beach is nice enough but far from being one of the beautiful beaches Thailand knows. I think it is because of its long nature without the feeling of a closed beach, like the horseshoe shape. In my opinion, the closer the beach and surrounded high mountains, the more beautiful and special it is. The sand in Lami is not soft and white as we are used to seeing in images of exotic beaches.

Lamai area is moderately touristy. You will not find noisy nightclubs or Western food chains like in Chaweng, but it is not one of Thailand’s most remote and virgin destinations also.

Sunday Lamai Street Market

On Sundays, there is a large market in Lamai, which stretches over two vertical streets.

One is dedicated to clothing stalls, souvenirs and everything that the local’s have to offer. On the second you can find food stalls with a variety of local street dishes, such as papaya salad, Tom Yum soup or various skewers, everything prepared in front of your eyes. The dishes are not too large and so you can walk the market and each time choose another dish and build a diverse tasting meal. In the end, you can enjoy one of the local desserts, such as banana roti, which is offered in different versions. And of course to taste a huge variety of delicious shakes.

Sleep In Lamai

Lamai Coconut Beach Resort:: I booked a room in the hotel for our first two nights in Thailand. This is a pleasant, clean and central hotel in Lamai. It is not one of the indulgent to find in the area, but it’s nice for a comfortable and relaxed start. The room has all the necessary facilities, even a beach bag.

The hotel pool is large and spacious with a separate part for a children’s pool, surrounded by sunbeds and parasols. But the pool complex is detached from the beach area, making the lounging at least enjoyable.

Buffet breakfast is served in an open-air restaurant overlooking the sea. The selection is varied and you can combine breakfast in different styles, Asian, English or even Israeli.

The staff’s service is uneven. Some of the hotel staff were welcoming and some looked as if they did not want to be there.

SILVER BEACH

Lamai Beach did not impress us enough to want to stay there. So in a search of the next destination, we went to spend a few hours in Silver Beach to check it as the next stop.

Silver Beach is a small beach that can be reached in a short drive from Lamai. The place is beautiful with soft white sand. It has a few cute, average hotels with rooms overlooking the beach that could fit what we were looking for. There is also a bar in the center of the beach and a restaurant in each hotel.

All in all Silver Beach felt pleasant and could have been a suitable option for the next destination. But during the season we’ve been there, it was pretty full of people (in our opinion) and we were looking for something a little quieter. In less crowded times, this is a beach where you can definitely spend a few nights enjoying its beauty.

Two live broadcast cameras overlooking the beach. It’s nice to follow what’s going on before you want to get there. I used to look at Silver Beach in the weeks before our trip and imagine how we would be in Thailand and enjoy this beauty. For example this.

In the end, we did not find the atmosphere we were looking for in Koh Samui, and after the first two nights, we decided to move to Koh Phangan.

On our way back home, we had a few hours to pass in Koh Samui until our flight to Bangkok (and from there to Israel). We spent this time in the Fishermen’s Village in Bophut. I think if you want to spend the first night or two after landing in Koh Samui you’d better sleep in this area. It is closer to the airport and seems to have a little more life in the evening.

A little about the locals

Thai people have good and less good sides, probably like all the people in the world. On the one hand, they know how to please and make you feel relaxed. Something in their being makes you feel the Easy Going. On the other hand, sometimes, their service consciousness is lacking. You can find uninviting faces on service providers, even in hotels. For example, the girl who served coffee at breakfast at the Hotel in Lamai seemed to suffer every moment of it.  

Another thing, most of the time they are smiley and cheerful, but at the same time, their behavior invades your private space. This is especially noticeable when traveling with children. Everyone feels free to reach out and tickle, caress, or haras in some way the kid. Or, for example, when you order food or pay a bill. They will place the menu or the cheque on the table and sit next to you until you decide what to order or how much money you should leave… This is probably acceptable behavior in Thailand, but in the culture we come from, it feels odd at times.

What is your experience from Koh Samui? What tips do you have to share that maybe next time I can see another side of the island? Please write in the comments below.

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