Seetanu beach is a quiet area on Ko Pha Ngan’s west coast, about a 10-minute drive along the beach road from Thong Sala. Surrounded by yoga and detox centres, it’s a popular place with yogis and others seeking a perhaps healthy change in their lives. The beach itself is long, and not so great for … read the full post

Though Ko Samui has loads of great restaurants and very affordable food, if you’re a traveller who prefers to self-cater, perhaps because you’re travelling with young children or health or religious reasons make it preferable, it’s easy to do during your stay. Ko Samui is no longer the undeveloped backwater it once was; several supermarket chains are … read the full post

If scuba isn’t your thing but you love the simplicity of snorkelling then free diving might just be for you. Free diving or breath-hold diving had been around for eons — it existed long, long before scuba. Traditionally it was a way of collecting sponge and fishing, but free diving has evolved into a competition sport … read the full post

The Sanctuary is something of a Ko Pha Ngan institution, with guests coming from all over the world specifically for their yoga and detox programs. Located on a beach reached only by boat or four-wheel drive, it’s a testament to The Sanctuary’s reputation that consistently attracts the crowds. The multi-level beachfront restaurant greets arriving guests, … read the full post

The Samui Regatta is the island’s biggest sporting event and brings in competitors and spectators from around the world. The regatta forms the final event of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix, and it’s a lot of fun, even for non-sailors. This year, the festivities and races start on 25 May, and end on 1 June, … read the full post

If you need an Italian fix while on Ko Tao, then there’s no other place than Dolce Vita. While not the cheapest, if you love Italian food then it’s worth every baht as it’s a cut well above a run of the mill pizza joint. Dolce Vita is in Mae Haad, on what most locals, … read the full post

If you think that 500 baht per night bungalows on the beach on Ko Samui no longer exist, we have some good news — you’re wrong! We’ve found another one to add to our selection of good beach backpacker spots. In fact, Sunset Resort in Bang Rak, also known as Big Buddha Beach, has a … read the full post

Ko Pha Ngan is well-known for its yoga centres. Yogis flock to the island from all over the world to do retreats, detoxes and generally find their spiritual selves. A few centres stand out in particular on the island as being top-notch, and one of them is the Yoga Retreat, in Haad Salad, on the … read the full post

Raw Art Moovment is a kind of creative hotspot and space, a unique concept for Ko Tao that has very quickly been embraced by the community and visitors alike. Lisa, who is one of the owners and an artist too, simply needed a studio. Her husband Denny, a writer, needed somewhere to write. One thing … read the full post

If you’ve topped up your tan and had your fill of sand and surf, consider what there is to do away from the beaches of Ko Samui. Here are a few suggestions. Golf enthusiasts will enjoy the Santiburi Country Club, renowned as one of Asia’s finest golf courses. It’s located in Mae Nam Hills, north … read the full post