The last stop on our Southeast Asia cruise was the island of Koh Samui.
Although there were some fancy resorts on the island, many parts of the island were simpler and gave us a glimpse of life in Thailand outside of the big city.
Our first stop was Bo Phut Beach. Since it was late morning and the weather was overcast, there was nobody on the beach and very few people on the pedestrian-only street aside from other cruise ship tourists. Most of the bars and restaurants weren’t open yet.
This was much simpler and more laid-back than the busier, glitzier Pattaya we visited the day before, but it was more authentic and relaxing.
Next, we visited Wat Phra Yai, a.k.a. the Big Buddha. The Buddha statue was impressive, and it was situated atop a hill on a peninsula that offered a nice view of the surrounding shoreline.
The pavilion surrounding the Buddha had an assortment of bells. Supposedly, ringing the bells would bring good fortune. So, we rang most of them.
While Bo Phut was modest, there were some fancier resorts on the island. We visited Nora Buri Resort and Spa for lunch. The buffet was excellent!
The resort featured an infinity pool with a swim-up bar. Nice!
After lunch, we visited the Plai Laem Temple, with multiple buildings and statues. While it was primarily a Buddhist temple, it featured some Hindu iconography as well.
Some people’s ashes were interred in the wall surrounding the main temple.
Finally, we made a brief stop at a family-run coconut farm. Workers demonstrated how they removed the outer layer from the coconut, and how the liquid inside was mixed with mashed coconut meat to make coconut milk.
Although Koh Samui was the least-known of all our stops on this cruise, we enjoyed it. While tourism is one of the main drivers of the island’s economy, the island wasn’t overdeveloped. The vibe seemed more relaxed.
We spotted a couple of businesses with rainbow flags, and there is a gay resort on the island. Our tour didn’t stop there.
Another awesome report!
So many beautiful temples.