Ladyboy cabaret shows at Chaweng

Ladyboys, or katoeys as they are called in Thai, are an integral part of Thai society. They have become so well entrenched that even government ministers refer to them as the third sex. Katoey cabaret shows are staged at venues in most resorts and cities in Thailand and have fast become an essential item on many visitors’ agendas. Koh Samui is no different in this respect and several establishments in the main resort district of Chaweng stage nightly shows with katoeys displaying their artistry, choreographed dances, fine costumes and feminine charms.

The two most popular Samui katoey cabarets are on Chaweng Beach Road. In the evening the so-called girls who dance or sing in the shows can be spotted handing out flyers advertising their particular venue’s delights. The Moulin Rouge exemplifies its Paris sister and is the longer established of the two. The performers here have honed lip-synching pop songs and dancing to perfection and they are rendered with a pleasing combination of glitz and gusto.

The other principal Chaweng venue is Starz Cabaret. Starz receives constant rave reviews for the quality of its stars. The artistes offer great shows and also manage to interact and banter with audiences at the same time. There are Starz cabarets twice each evening. There is no admission fee to Starz, but drinks inside are considerably more expensive than beer bars just around the corner in Soi Green Mango.

The Magic Garden of Samui

The Magic Garden, or Secret Buddha Garden as it is sometimes called, is one of Koh Samui’s more extraordinary tourism attractions. The garden’s sheer inaccessibility, verdant environment and mysterious statues ensure that it never disappoints. The gardens are a legacy of Samui resident Nim Thongsuk. In 1976, when he was in his 70s, he started constructing all manner of religious and animistic effigies as well as shrines on the family durian farm.

The statues of Buddha, Hindu gods, dragons and other mythical beings are dotted all around the lush gardens. People visiting for a second time often find a number of effigies hidden behind rocks or in a secret nook that they missed the first time around. Prior to his death at the ripe old age of 91 years old, Khun Nim had himself immortalised in stone. Visitors often light incense sticks at the foot of the statue in homage to the visionary artist.

Due to the Magic Garden’s elevated position, jungle foliage and tall trees it is cool here even when temperatures hit 40°C in April and May. The public road to the garden is signposted from Route 4169. It is tortuous and really only accessible by motorcycle or four-wheel drive car. On the plus side, it does offer great views as it meanders upwards. Entry fees are 80 Baht per person. Samui tour operators quite frequently include the Magic Garden on trekking or ATV trips.

Wining and dining at the Samui Coyote

The Samui Coyote is located right at the heart of Koh Samui’s abundant attractions in Chaweng. It is a themed bar cum eatery which offers an authentic taste of the southern US and Mexico. The Coyote’s air-conditioned bar room has been attractively furnished with fixtures and fittings from the US, while the outside patio is a great spot to sit and reflect on the meaning of life.

Food at the Coyote is a pleasing fusion of Tex-Mex specialities that include monster sandwiches, burritos and enchiladas. Mexican spicy sauces such as Colon Blow Hot Sauce are not for the faint hearted. The signature dessert here is a tasty pastry concoction filled with peaches and pecans that once tried is hard to resist on subsequent visits. Cowboy skewers and tortilla chips are among appetisers that provide the perfect accompaniments to an eclectic range of cocktails, beers and blue agave tequilas.

The Coyote has a long daily happy hour between 14:00 and 18:00 and the resident coyote band plays live every night from 21:30 onwards. On Sunday, ladies night offers run from 20:00 to 22:00. The Coyote is open from 11:00 every day, a perfect time to wake up with spicy delights and condiments.

Seafood restaurants on Samui

Gourmands visiting Koh Samui will discover that eating the freshest seafood combined with unique Thai herbs and spices is similar to taking a culinary odyssey to heaven. Thai-style noodles with shrimps (pat Thai gung sot) and shrimp fried rice (kow pat gung) are the perennial favourites and can be found at cafés and restaurant shacks more or less anywhere on the island at prices as low as 40 Baht.

While these staples are fine for a regular meal, it is pleasant to splurge occasionally when on holiday. Koh Samui has an abundant selection of fine dining eateries where seafood is the principal menu offering. Tarua Samui Seafood at Chaweng is a great choice with dishes such as king prawn curry, crab and tasty seafood salad on offer. The Tarua also provides wonderful views over the Gulf of Thailand. Former Chaweng favourite, the Samui Seafood Grill & Restaurant, is still a popular choice for those in the know.

Other recommended Samui restaurants for seafood dining include the Pla Pla at the Four Seasons Resort in Angthong, Big John’s Seafood at Lipa Noi and Rimbang Seafood on the north side of Nathon. The latter is a long-established restaurant with the whole gamut of Thai style seafood offerings. Big John’s does a great lobster massaman curry and the Pla Pla serves roast sea bass and Samui calamari among its profuse delights.

A day at Samui waterpark

Coco Splash Waterpark at Lamai Beach is Koh Samui’s only attraction of this genre. As the Thai Songkran New Year celebrations gather pace and there are water-fights in the main island tourist destinations, the waterpark is a good location to go to for a bit of peace and quiet as well as to cool down on a hot day.

The inclined slides here are geared towards youngsters and adults who should know better. There is a also a large jacuzzi, which massages aches and pains away, and a mini-splash paddling pool where toddlers can try to make their first swimming strokes and enjoy a splash with their parents or siblings.

Sunloungers dotted around the perimeter of the water amusements are shaded by parasols and gently swaying palm trees. The onsite restaurant serves up an eclectic selection of meals, snacks and beverages. The burgers are particularly recommended. The waterpark is not too big and is probably better suited to pre-teens.

Coco Splash Waterpark opens from Tuesday to Sunday between the hours of 10:30 and 17:30. A day pass costs 200 Baht per person. Various discounts are available and full details of these and party options can be found on Coco Splash Waterpark’s web pages.

Koh Samui prepares for Songkran Festival

As Thailand prepares for the biggest festival on its annual calendar, many people normally resident on Koh Samui are beginning to head back to their home towns. Roads around the island will be less busy in the coming days before the start of the three-day Songkran Festival on Friday 13 April. Although Songkran is celebrated on Samui, it is a less frenetic affair than in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.

There are a number of activities associated with Songkran. These include house cleaning, various merit making rites and building sand pagodas at the local temple. In historic times, Thai people used to sprinkle water on family and friends as a symbolic gesture to wash away any troubles remaining from the previous year.

This traditional custom has now evolved into a massive water fight in which anybody is a legitimate target. On Samui, people stand beside the main roads and throw water or use a water pistol to soak passers by. Motorcyclists are an extremely popular choice for a soaking. People on motorcycles should take care when riding over the Songkran period as roads can become treacherous when wet and slippery.

The principal Samui resorts of Chaweng and Lamai are what is jokingly known as combat zones for the duration of Songkran. People stand by the sides of the main roads in the resorts and soak all and sundry with water cannons, pistols and buckets. The difference here is that convoys of pick-up trucks drive slowly through and people in the back of them engage people on the roadsides in pitched water battles.

Beach Republic hosts Hed Kandi party tonight

Premier UK party brand Hed Kandi is staging a music and dance lover’s bash at the Ocean Club at Koh Samui’s Beach Republic at 20:00 tonight. Stu Ojelay is spinning the discs and will be accompanied by skilled saxophonist Yasmin in playing Hed Kandi’s own unique style of inspirational house music.

DJ Stu is among the most talented of Hed Kandi’s turntable artistes and is famed among those in the know for keeping dancers on the floor with an eclectic mix of warm ups and main room tunes. Yasmin’s fusion of commanding presence and extraordinary saxophone ability has led to invitations to perform at leading venues around the globe.

Hed Kandi was set up primarily as a music and record label specialising in funky and soulful house music in 1999. Hed Kandi has since broadened its horizons and now hosts parties all over the world which feature its musical compositions with accompaniment by saxophonists and percussionists.

When the Hed Kandi party at Beach Republic was announced one month ago, the resort’s manager said the party people were a perfect match for one of Samui’s finest entertainment and accommodation complexes. At the time of the announcement, the resort said free tickets were available on Facebook. There may still be some left and anybody wishing to attend could check out the link.

Relaxing and partying in Lamai

Lamai Beach comes in a very close second to party destination extraordinaire Chaweng as the preferred Samui destination for holidaymakers. Lamai is less hectic than its celebrated sister and boasts an absolutely stunning beach that epitomises tropical paradise. Palms line the soft sands and temperate seas are perfect for swimming. In the middle of the beach, vendors offer activities such as windsurfing and parasailing as well as boat rentals.

There are several salas (open-sided pavilions) along the beach where masseuses give traditional body and foot massages that banish all aches and pains. On the beach, hawkers walk up and down during the day with articles such as traditional Thai jewellery, colourful batik sarongs, iced drinks and fresh fruit for sale.

As the sun begins to set, beachside cafés put out tables and sunloungers on the sand. Once darkness has fallen, fairy lights and candles illuminate the beach and provide a great ambience for a relaxing beer or cocktail, and dinner. The cafés are not Lamai’s sole nightlife offering, because after dinner lots of bars and clubs throw open their doors and don’t close until the wee hours.

Close to the local McDonalds, there is a fine selection of bar beers with names such as Hollywood and Sexy Lady where patrons can enjoy a game of connect-four or watch pole-dancers strut their stuff. The Red Fox Too is one of several expat themed pubs where visitors can enjoy a drink in a relaxing atmosphere. Fusion Nightclub and the Super Sub Club at Lamai both have large dance floors. DJs spin contemporary tunes and keep dancers on their feet.

Samui’s southern beaches

There are two things that Thailand’s Koh Samui island is famed for throughout the world and that is its nightlife and beaches. In places such as Chaweng and Lamai the two can be enjoyed together. Sometimes it is pleasant to separate the two and enjoy a tranquil beach with barely another soul on it. This is where a trip to the south coast of Samui is a great outing.

Heading south on the A4169 coastal road from Chaweng as far as the rock formation known as Grandmother and Grandfather and then taking the A4170 is the route for the village of Ban Hua Thanon and the stunningly picturesque beaches of Hua Thanon, Bang Kao and Thong Krut. The beaches exemplify tropical paradise with golden sands fringed by lofty palms and turquoise seas. The waters here are great for swimming and snorkelling.

There are a few beachside eateries dotted about, but a wider choice is available at the Muslim populated Ban Hua Thanon. Most of the restaurants here serve up fantastic seafood delights at bargain prices. Gaily painted fishing trawlers, a busy fish market and heritage architecture here are very photogenic. There are some backpacker bungalow complexes in the vicinity as well as a few of Samui’s finest holiday resorts. People visiting on daytrips can rent a motorcycle or Suzuki jeep for the trip, or strike a deal with one of the red songthaew taxi drivers.

Playing golf on Koh Samui

There are currently two options for golfing enthusiasts on Koh Samui. The Mini Golf International near Plai Laem and the reputed Santiburi Samui Country Club. The former offers a fun destination for people of all ages while the Santiburi’s exacting course is more for the serious player. The 18-hole mini golf course is the only one in the country recognised by the World Mini-Golf Federation.

The actual mini-golf course is in the far northeast corner of Samui and has been arranged in beautifully landscaped gardens, surrounded by shade giving tropical trees. An onsite café-bar offers beer and soft drinks for thirsty players as well as sandwiches and snacks. The mini golf course is open from 09:00 to 18:30 every day, although this may possibly change in the near future as it is up for sale.

The Santiburi is one of the preferred courses for international golf tournament organisers. The 18-hole, par-72 course offers steep slopes and meandering fairways, all set in pristine terrain. The diversity of the course and its reputation for offering a real challenge have proved a magnetic draw for visiting golfers. The Santiburi has golf shoes and equipment available for hire, and also requires players to book tee off times in advance.