KOH SAMUI TRAVEL GUIDE

KOH SAMUI Getting Around KARMA SAMUI VILLA 14.
BANGKOK AIR fly regular daily services to and from Bangkok and from other Asian destinations including direct flights from Hong Kong to Samui. KOH SAMUI AIRPORT is only 5 minutes drive to KARMA SAMUI VILLA 14.

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HERE COME SOME LOVELY TITLE Getting Around

Local Transport

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Koh Samui is small, especially when compared to other islands such as Phuket, so getting around is normally hassle free provided you plan ahead.

The local modes of transport du jour are :

SONGTAEW, burgundy coloured pick-up trucks, which drive around the island and will stop anywhere to pick-up passengers. In busy shopping areas such as Chaweng, they often hoot their horn to attract your attention and exhibit kerb-crawling behaviour. Prices vary, you need to say where you want to go and bargain a bit. Within the Chaweng area it should be around 20 Baht per person.

METERED TAXI, yellow top with a sign on the roof saying metered taxi. Metered taxi is a misnomer, as the driver never puts on the meter even if he has one installed in the first place. Again, you will have to bargain before you get in. The driver will always ask for a high fare so try and bargain him down, up to 50% if you can.

NOTE. They are planning to get taxis to run their meters when they get a fare, although it is not known when or how they will enforce this.

MOTORBIKE TAXI, easily recognised by the drivers’ coloured vests with numbers on them. Expect to pay around 10-20 Baht depending on the distance. Not a good idea to use this mode of transport in the rainy season as some of the roads may be flooded and can be quite dangerous at this time of the year.

Do It Yourself

RENTING A CAR is easy and you will see many places around the island with cars for rent. Expect to pay around 700-900 Baht per day for a small Jeep. Cars and bigger vehicles will cost anywhere between 1200-1800 Baht or more per day.

TIP. Before you rent ask if they have insurance. It is not a good idea to drive a hired car without insurance. Should you be unlucky enough to have an accident and this is bound to involve a Thai person, whether in another vehicle, or often or not, on a motorbike, you will have to pay for the other persons damage and hospital bills if they are injured, regardless of whether it was your fault or not. If in doubt, rent from one of the big-name hire companies such as Hertz.

RENTING A MOTORBIKE is the easiest and cheapest way to get around the island, but it is also the most dangerous. Always carry your driver’s license and wear a helmet, as the number of bike accidents is high. Again, check if you are insured.

For those who see themselves as Peter Fonda and want to relive the movie ‘Easy Rider’ you can also hire big bikes in places like Chaweng, though only experienced riders should consider renting them given the dangerous driving conditions. Prices vary depending on the model and your bargaining skills.

TIP. Think twice before you rent a motorbike in the rainy season, as the roads can be quite dangerous when it rains. Many of the roads around the island become flooded in heavy rain and when they do they will cover holes in the road that you would normally see when dry.

Instead, rent a high chassis vehicle, not a car, as the roads can flood to the height of a car door sill or higher in some places and you will never know how deep the water is until you are driving through it.

departure gate

passenger cart to the rendezvous point

ON FOOT. We do not recommend you walk on the main roads, only where there is a pavement or path. If you have to walk on the road always walk towards the oncoming traffic so you can get out of the way if you need to.

If you are a jogger and want to stick to the roads, then the best time is early morning before the rush to work. Alternatively, Chaweng beach is long enough to give you a vigourous workout.

Koh Samui | plain landed in koh samui airport

BICYCLES do not seem to be part of the scene on Koh Samui, I expect, because it is just too dangerous to ride a bicycle. The roads are too busy and there are so many potholes you would have to content with, and if you were unfortunate enough to hit one, you would definitely damage your bike and most likely be thrown off into oncoming traffic. That would not be a pretty sight! Having said that, I have seen a few people daring enough to ride a bicycle, but they were out on the road very early in the morning when hardly anyone else, local or tourists, were around.

Talking of bicycles, one amusing sight I did see one day whilst walking along Chaweng beach was two tourist police riding their bicycles along the beach. In case, you are now thinking I have been out in the sun for too long, I was able to take a snap to prove I was not imagining it. Notice, the policeman on the left is carrying a handgun, you can just see the butt sticking out of his belt.

Since I took this photo, back in 2003, I have never seem tourist police on their bikes again, let alone riding them on the beach. Perhaps, it was a just a dream after all!

Find the most exotic beach location on a beautiful island....

From the Disney style passenger.

As I stood pondering this last thought, I was approached by a Thai boy who looked as if he hadn’t slept for an eternity and he tried to tell me in confused English that he could drive me, I expect mad, to find girls. I shook my head politely but that only seemed to encourage him and he picked up my bags. Before I was aware of my actions, I found myself following him to a beat-up looking yellow top taxi parked half on and half off the road. continue this story...

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Karma Samui Villa 14 | Koh Samui Island | Thailand

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KSV 14 | Karma Samui Villa 14
80/32 Moo 5, Bophut
Koh Samui Island | Surathani 84320 Kingdom Of Thailand