Postcards from Koh Samui

I’ve been living here in Thailand for more than 5 years now and having been to these undiscovered territories of Koh Samui twice, I might have an understanding of the tourist life but I’m still an inexperienced guest of this Island. On this episode of “Journeys in Thailand” I’m reaching out and want to pitch with the true expert to bring you this (unedited) one-of-a-kind entry Postcards from Koh Samui, captured vividly through the lens of Mr. Somnuck Yuthithathum.

Thailand-born Mr. Somnuck, popular as “P’Nuck” among colleague, started his interest in photography in his late 50’s while working as a Production Manager in our company. During his humble beginning, he spent money, time and effort voluntarily taking pictures for weddings and corporate events. I have nothing but good words for this man. By the way, he was one of the official photographers during our wedding and his initiative and dedication to this voluntary work was beyond amazing. I was taken aback by the fact that he's doing great work for free. Outside photography, he is an active member of the cool Chrysler Jeep Driver Association Thailand and every weekend they drive off to distant regions of the country to donate books and feed the kids. I remember during my first years in Gemcity; every day he had to drive me to work (coz we're neighbors) and to return the favor, I tried to surprise him often with Chloe's old toys and clothes he could bring to their next mission. I know it was a simple gesture but I'm just in so much awe of this man’s generosity and willingness to reach out to the needy.

So while I was pretty occupied showing off the cool things we did and some awesome pictures we took from our recent Koh Samui trip he sent these larger than life photos to humble myself.

Koh Samui is a home for many budget stay and also some  luxury hotels and posh travel inns. If you're planning to visit this Island in the near future, P'Nuck highly recommend you stay on the East side for the great deal of adventures it could instantly offer, not to mention the hustle and the bustle of the beaches nearby. Personally, I prefer the West side of the Island as I'm more on the relaxed laid-back vibe of the tropical trees and mountains surrounding this area. But then again, if money is not a problem, you can rent a speed boat or a VIP van to take you around this small but adventure-is-everywhere Island. Just a tip from a local perspective, East side is a great starting point.

This 12 meters high Big Buddha is pretty impressive especially during sunset. This is well-known Landmark of Koh Samui and you can easily spot this even from few kilometers away. On my first trip to this Island, I was able to visit this shrine and several markets surrounding it. It was a nice trip except that the sun was blazing hot and I'm afraid to gaze fixedly at the beautiful details. He suggested you go visit Ang Thong Marine National Park on a day trip and schedule a Big Buddha trip at the end of your itinerary. You will surely get lost for genuine feels on this part of the tropical Island.

Among the beaches he highly recommends are the famous Chaweng Beach and MaeNam Beach. I've been to both beaches but I appreciate latter over the first. Chaweng is central for nightlife or what you often called the ultimate party hotspot with a lot of resto and bars around the area. Chaweng and Mae Nam are both white-sand and a lot of family resorts or budget rooms are available. Chaweng is set on the panoramic landscape with easy access from all over the Island while MaeNam is a bit secluded with a 2-3 km's walk from the main highway. But like what I've said, you have wide options of family or budget-friendly hotels in both locations.

Can you easily spot any familiar symbol or sort of resemblance on these rocks? These are the famous rock formations called the grandpa and grandma (Hin Ta & Hin Yai). If you look closely and imaginatively; you will notice the shape of the rocks, the very reasons why they were called grandma and grandpa.  Visitors would love to climb along the rocks for an aerial shot while others prefer to enjoy it from a distance. Nature is really a work of art. Haha!

This is only one among the many Buddhist shrines in Koh Samui. There are over a thousand temple all around Thailand and Koh Samui housed a few superb ones like the Big Buddha and the striking white 18-arm statue of Guanyin in Wat Plai Laem. Most of their temples are open for visitors and are free.

Hope you enjoy the few travel tips and these amazing "Postcards from Koh Samui" brought to you by my very good Thai friend, P'Nuck.

Don't forget to include this charming and sophisticated Koh Samui on your top destinations list. Thanks a lot for reading!