Island idyll
Thailand’s famed islands attract foreign tourists in droves but the small island of Koh Samed remains a treasured secret among locals in the know. Vacations and Travel Magazine’s Simon Ostheimer journeys southeast from Bangkok to explore this hidden gem.
At 8am we left Bangkok and set course for the sun. Our taxi driver had arrived early, keen to get on the road as soon as possible. He’s a smart man, Bangkok traffic is renowned for its propensity to come to a standstill. As we sped southeast to Chonburi province and the highrises of the Thai capital gave way to gated compounds and eventually, countryside, thoughts turned to our destination: the tiny isle of Koh Samed.
Measuring just over 11 square kilometres, Koh Samed, also known as Koh Samet, is easily reached by a 30 minute ferry or 10 minute speedboat ride from the small port of Ban Phe. Shaped like the scabbard of a sword, the petite hump of sand is home to a handful of hotels and resorts, most of them clustered around the northern part of the island – the ‘hilt’.
Along Koh Samed’s longest beach, Hat Sai Kaew – which translates as Crystal Sand Beach – you’ll find a non-stop wall of hotels and hostels, bars and restaurants, souvenir shops and convenience stores. Meanwhile, the northeast side has relatively few places to stay but offers much more in the way of seclusion. If you’re after near-total serenity and solitude, you’ll want to check in to the isolated Paradee Resort and Spa, which hugs the narrow shore on the southernmost tip of the isle – a crooked finger that points due south into the Gulf of Thailand. Lastly, there is the small sheltered bay of Ao Prao, on the island’s west coast, where our small party was to be staying for the weekend.
Popular with families, the three resorts that share the small white-sand cove attract a mix of Thais and farangs, as foreigners are known in Thailand. Like us, the Thais are attracted here because of its accessibility (Bangkok is just 200 kilometres away), because it’s a national park and because it is blissfully beautiful as a result – this is one of Thailand’s most unspoiled islands.
Indeed, it’s probably Koh Samed’s proximity to the Thai capital that has saved it from the excesses that have overwhelmed larger islands such as Koh Chang, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Typically, foreign tourists bypass it on their way south, attracted by the promise of elephants, extravagant resorts and full-moon parties.
Along with eight neighbouring islands and a trio of tiny islets, Koh Samed has been part of the Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park since 1981. The other smaller uninhabited isles have colourful names such as Koh Thai Khang Kao (Bat’s Bottom Island), Koh Kudi (Monk’s Chamber Island) and Koh Klet Chalam (Shark Scale Island). Samed, however, is simply the Thai word for the cajeput tree – an evergreen with red flowers found all over the isle that is a source of essential oils frequently used in aromatherapy and, aptly, in massages.
Samed’s picture-perfect setting has attracted Thais for centuries. Famed poet Sunthorn Phu used it as the setting for his masterpiece Phra Aphai Mani, which depicted a romance between a prince and a mermaid. Statues of the lovelorn couple stand on a rocky outcrop halfway along Hat Sai Kaew beach, a popular photo spot for romantic tourists.
As Koh Samed’s fame increased, so did visitor numbers, leading the government to eventually place restrictions on who could visit – rules that stayed in place until its designation as a national park in the early 1980’s. Because of this, the island is relatively unscathed by pollution and overpopulation, though its proximity to the mainland does cause concern for local environmentalists, who see the stresses of the mainland filtering out to the fragile isle.
Currently, around 22 percent of Thailand’s total land area is designated as national park or wildlife sanctuary, with the eventual aim of making that 25 percent. The government’s ongoing commitment to cleaning up the environment stems from a series of laws passed in the early 90’s, including the Enhancement and Conservation of Environmental Quality Act 1992 – and from pressing need.
Needless to say, tourism just adds to the pressure, some 14 million people visited Thailand in 2009 and even with the civil unrest in the second quarter of 2010, last year’s tourist numbers are on track to equal 2009’s influx. According to officials, the small Khao Laem Ya-Mu Koh Samet Park, of which Ko Samed is a part, can accommodate just 6,800 people a day, yet it sees more than 10,000 visitors daily during high season.
Still, as long as you keep the environment in mind and remember that you are visiting a protected national park, Koh Samed remains a place where blissful beachside activities can be enjoyed without having to navigate rubbish or crowds. Its calm, clear waters are perfect for snorkelling, though you’ll need to swim a good distance offshore to find coral due to shallow, sandy sea bed.
If it’s marine life you’re after, a better bet is to join a boat trip to neighbouring Ko Kudi, a diving hotspot due to its sloping solid rock seabed, abundant marine life and visibility of up to 12 metres. Fish commonly seen here include the comical-looking cowfish (the horns on their heads make it difficult for predators to swallow them) and more common batfish, as well as endangered tree-like black coral.
If you can’t drag yourself away from the colourful underwater scene, the national park office on the island offers tents for rent, or you can pitch your own for a small fee.
Regardless of whether you choose to stay on Kudi or return to Koh Samed, the boat journey is an enjoyable experience in itself – painted in bright colours and bearing cheerful names such as “New Happy Tour,” these converted fishing boats chug at a leisurely pace through the calm park waters, giving you plenty of time to lie back and soak up the sun. If you prefer a faster and more personal experience, speedboats can be hired for a full day’s outing.
Most visitors to Samed, however, seem content to while away the hours by the resort pool or blessed out on one of the island’s powdery beaches, allegedly the whitest in the country. Following their example, that’s exactly where we spent several lazy days, relaxing on the sand and leaving only to enjoy lunch, dinner and sunset drinks.
We were in no rush. After all, there’s always next weekend.
Photography by Simon Ostheimer.
Article courtesy of Vacations and Travel Magazine.
