What To See During Your Thailand Vacations

By Author: David Thompson
Total Articles: 9
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Thailand is all about white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Thailand's beaches are a favorite holiday destination of many people. Apart from the mainland beaches, Thailand also has many beautiful islands that are worth a visit. Koh Samui is one of them. The localities often refer to this place as Samui. Koh Samui is an island of the Surat Thani Province. Being the third largest, this island has an area of about 228.7 km2 and houses a population of around 50,000. The Koh Samui island is circular in shape and measures 25 km approximately at its longest point and about 21 km at its widest. In the center of the island is a mountain jungle which peaks at 645 m. Sixty islands that mainly form the Ang Thong Marine National Park surround Koh Samui.

Koh samui was first inhabited more than 15 centuries ago, it appears on the Chinese maps since 1687 under the name of Pulo Cornam. Fishermen from Southern China and Malay Peninsula settled here years back. The original residents are known as Chao Samui and follow the Buddhist culture. But today the population of the island comprises of Buddhists, Muslims and Thai Chinese. ...
... ‘Koh' in Thai language means island while the word Samui is a mystery, the name probably came from the ‘Mui' native trees that grow in abundance here or it might have been taken from the Chinese word Saboey, which means ‘safe heaven'.

Till the end of 20th Century, Koh samui was an isolated self adequate community. The main harbor town of the island is Nathon. It is the main harbor for fishing and commutation from one island to the other. The weather in Samui is warm and tropical majority of the time, there is very less rainfall this time of the year. Short 20-30 minutes showers can happen during the tropical warm season. The rainy season is confined mainly to November. Koh Samui is a haven of beauty. White sandy beaches, blue water, tall green coconut trees, beautiful lagoons, astounding coral and a breathtaking view are all that Samui has to offer.

Since Samui is a mixture of so many cultures, every now and then celebrations are on for some festival or the other. The main events and festivals that take place here are:

The Ten stars Samui art party
An exhibition of the local and international artists displaying their new artworks. These events are held at fancy resorts and five star hotels at the island bi- monthly.

Buffalo fighting festival
The Buffalo fighting festival is the most famous festival in Samui. It is held on New Year's Day and Songkran. The buffaloes are stunningly decorated with ribbons and leaves. The winner of the competition takes home millions.

Triathlon Event
Every year the International Triathlon Union organizes a Triathlon Event. More than five hundred participants from throughout the world come for this event every year.

Bowling Championship
Every year in May the annual bowling championship is held in Koh Samui.

The Fisherman's Village festival
This festival is celebrated in Koh Samui for five days. Fun, good food and lovely music are all a part of this celebration. Well known artists of the country perform in this festival.

There are very few bars and nightclubs on this island. Koh Samui is the place for you if you want to be close to nature and enjoy your vacation by spending time on the beaches, snorkeling or diving.

David Thompson is the author of this article on Thailand Vacations. Find more information relating to Koh Samui here.