Keenly Koh Samui

It’s impossible to miss the posters for the Full Moon Party when in Samui. Every lunar month, nearly 20,000 visitors take the 50-minute ferry ride from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan, disembarking into a party whirlwind that borders on the decadent. It’s an experience in itself if you’re young-at-heart or plain curious. Smart hoteliers have also begun chartering boats to take you out and back for a short glimpse of the party – long enough to have fun, short enough so you won’t feel stranded; we recommend one of these abbreviated journeys for those who want to see what all the fuss is about without the experience turning into an endurance test. For pleasures of the more sedate sort at Koh Phangan, there are acclaimed yoga institutions such as the Chakra Yoga Centre (+66 89 908 8620) and Agama Yoga (+66 (0)89 233 0217), both offering lessons and training certification.

Getting there

Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.

Planes: Koh Samui’s open-plan airport, with its bowls of free fruit and Hawaiian shirt- wearing-staff, is certainly one of a kind. It’s operated by the hip Bangkok Airways (www.bangkokair.com), the only airline that flies to the island from Hong Kong, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Singapore.
Trains: There’s a comfortable sleeper service, with two-person first-class cabins, from Bangkok to Suratthani, where you’re met by a bus and boat connection to take you straight to Samui (www.kohsamui-info.com/transportation/train.html).
Automobiles: The main ring road follows the perimeter of the island, meaning that getting around is relatively easy. A rental car is essential for those keen to explore and, although there are plenty of cheap motorbikes to rent, there are also, unsurprisingly, plenty of injured tourists. If you want to take a two-wheeler, get a helmet, avoid flip-flops and take things slowly.

Hotels