Koh Samui is the leading resort island in the Gulf of Thailand, and it offers plenty of highly-developed infrastructure. Visitors yearning for something a little more rustic don't have to travel far. The remote interior and outlying islands are beautifully serene.
Most of the sites congregate on the eastern coast of the island within reach of Chaweng and Lamai beaches. Some of the sites can be visited on foot from area resorts, but most require some sort of transportation. Hotels and resorts offer island tours that take in most of the major attractions.
One of the most important landmarks is the playful Hinta Hinyai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks), but there are many more marvelous feats of nature including Na Muang Falls or the expansive Ang Thong National Marine Park. The island also has several gardens and touristy parks of interest to visitors.
The Koh Samui Butterfly Farm is in the southeast sector of the island, and can be visited by tour bus or by taxi from Lamai Beach. In addition to colorful gardens full of butterflies, the farm also operates an insect museum.
This marine park spans an archipelago of 42 islands. These days it's best known as the site where the blockbuster movie, The Beach, was shot. Visitors can charter boats or join tours from Koh Samui and visit secluded lagoons and white-sand beaches under sheer cliffs.
Walk to the southern end of Lamai Beach for a look at these natural sculptures. You won't need much of an imagination to understand why these rocks have become fertility icons. Visitors are usually taken here as part of an organized island tour.
Trekking tours take tourists inland from Lamai Beach to see Na Muang Falls, but a short hike is necessary. The water tumbles over purplish rocks and falls 100 feet into a pool. This is a great place for a picnic and a refreshing swim, and crowds are rarely an issue.
Outside of Huathanon town, this house is located along Highway 4170, and visitors have to arrange transport or visit with a tour. It is more than 150 years old, constructed from teak wood and displays prominent Chinese influence. The elderly couple that owns it welcomes tour groups and visitors.
