Active Pursuits

Scuba & Snorkeling

Local aquanauts agree that the best scuba diving in the region is off Koh Tao and nearby Koh Nang Yuan (just off the northwest tip of Koh Tao), which benefits from deep water just offshore and great visibility. However, local dive shops will be able to offer advice on sites around Samui, and, more importantly, will know local prevailing conditions (the open water around Samui can be notoriously squally). Many shops are attached to PADI dive schools offering trips ranging further afield to some of the 80 or so islands scattered across this archipelago. Ang Thong Marine National Park (with 40 islands) makes a great destination from Samui. The few shops listed below are good options among the many on the island. Note: There is a decompression chamber on Samui; call tel. 07742-7427 for info.

Samui International Diving School (at the Malibu Resort, Chaweng Beach; tel. 07742-2386; www.planet-scuba.net) is a good bet for full services. Easy Divers, open since 1987, has locations in Chaweng (tel. 07741-3373; www.easydivers-thailand.com) and other beaches, and offers good deals for beginners. Both outfits offer all sorts of PADI courses and daily dive tours, and have international safety standard boats, good equipment, and complete insurance packages. Daily dives (two dives per day) start from about 3,000B (US$86/£46) per person including land transportation, breakfast, equipment, lunch, and drinks.

Big Blue (tel. 07745-6179; call for prices) provides custom trips for divers of any skill level and is a good choice for small groups or those seeking private attention.

Some of the better snorkeling off Koh Samui is found along the rocky coast between Chaweng Noi and Lamai bays. Several shops along Chaweng Beach rent snorkeling gear for about 100B (US$2.85/£1.55) per day.

Golf

Samui boasts the picturesque hilltop Santiburi Golf Course, part of the Santiburi Resort (12/12 Moo 1, Mae Nam; tel. 07742-5040; www.santiburi.com). It sits high in the hills on the north end of the island. Greens fees start from 3,350B (US$82/£52) for 18 holes, but additional caddy and golf buggy fees apply. Opposite the turn-off to Fisherman's Village, the newly opened Bo Phut Hills Golf Club (tel. 087267-1042, mobile) offers a more affordable option for golfers on a 9-hole course and costs 875B (US$25/£13), or 1,500B (US$43/£23) if played as 18 holes. If you feel that you haven't got the swing just yet, the new game of football golf needs no special skills; it's as it sounds, a matter of kicking a football into the holes. Just north of Chaweng in Choeng Mon, the course at Samui Football Golf (no phone) is set under swaying palms.

Kayaking

Blue Stars Sea Kayaking at the Gallery Lafayette in Chaweng (tel. 07723-0497; call for prices) is easy to contact through most booking agents. The outfit takes people kayaking and snorkeling to the Marine National Park. The rubber canoes are perfect for exploring the caverns underneath limestone cliffs. If you can't get to Phang Nga (which has the most fantastic sea cave scenery), this trip is another fun option. Alternatively, try Samui Island Tour ([tel 07742-1382).

Cruising, Sailing & Kiteboarding

Dutch seafarer and Phuket resident, Jeroen Deknatel of Fantasea Divers' Ocean Rover Cruises (tel. 07628-1388; www.ocean-rover.com), is one of the south's most experienced dive operators. With a reputation for rigorous safety, his outfit has just launched the first of luxurious annual dive-golf trips on a live-aboard, starting (or finishing) in Koh Samui. The vessel sails the length of the eastern peninsular coast, all the way to Singapore, via some of most outstanding dive sites and golf courses in Asia. In 2008, these will run in June and July, but book early because of the demand.

Shorter cruises can be taken on a stunning Chinese junk, The Fortune (tel. 07723-1169), which can accommodate up to eight people (or wedding parties) and offers trips from a day to a week. On-board activities include diving, snorkeling, fishing, and island trekking. Easy Charter (tel. 07724-6280; www.easycharter.com) has a beautifully renovated wooden ketch Pinisi for sunset and day (or longer) luxury cruising.

For catamaran sailing, check out Tradewinds Resort in Chaweng (tel. 07723-0602; www.sailingkohsamui.com). Owner and long-time resident, John Stall offers -- and leads -- courses. There's now a growing bunch of kiteboarders descending on Samui in the peak season (Dec-Feb); more information can be found on sites like www.kiteboardingasia.com. A center is based out of Samui Orchid Resort.

Cooking Courses

For daily Thai cooking and fruit-carving lessons, try Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts (SITCA; tel. 07741-3172; www.sitca.net), which is a professional operation with a friendly cooking school; it's a great way to have fun and meet others -- especially if your beach plans get rained out. After the course you can invite a guest to dine with you at a group meal. Classes meet daily at 11am and 4pm and cost 1,850B (US$53/£28); they accept all major credit cards. Call for more details, or pop into the Institute on Chaweng Beach strip, across from the Centara Grand Beach Resort.

Spas

Like many places in Thailand, the spa scene has really taken off on Samui. All the big, international five-star resorts, like Anantara, offer top-range (and top-priced) treatments by well-trained staff. But there are also some reasonably priced haunts too, including a number of good day spas for those wanting a serious and dedicated wellness retreat. Whether as an escape from the kids on a rainy day or as part of a larger health-focused mission, Samui has all the services you'll need.

Ban Sabai on Big Buddha Beach (tel. 07724-5175; www.ban-sabai.com) has a wide range of therapies that take place in one of two teak Thai houses or in a sala at the beachside. Personal attention is the hallmark in this little Garden of Eden. Two houses are available for booking as part of a package or simply as a relaxing location to stay. Treatments start around 1,000B (US$29/£15).

Eranda Herbal Spa just north of Chaweng on the road to Choeng Mon (tel. 07742-2666; www.erandaspa.co.th), is set in tropical gardens with plunge pools, steam rooms, and Jacuzzis on a high perch above Chaweng Bay -- so you get sea views while getting pampered. Choose from an open communal sala or luxury private pavilions with their own steam rooms and Jacuzzis.

Just expanded with new relaxation areas and a large lotus pond, the highly respected day spa Tamarind Springs (tel. 07742-4221; www.tamarindsprings.com) is set on a palm-clad hillside just above the beach at Lamai and is a rare place that truly takes you back to nature. The natural herbal steam room sandwiched between boulders is awesome; after a few minutes, you'll savor slipping into the outdoor plunge pool. Book well in advance.

Traditional massage is available at any number of storefronts in Chaweng and along the beach. Expect to pay between 200B and 400B (US$5.70-US$11/£3.10-£6.15) per hour for services; it's much the same as the average spa, but without the pomp, ceremony, or incense.

Another gem is Natural Wing Health Spa & Resort (tel. 07742-0871; www.naturalwing.com), located on Bang Por Beach (near the Four Seasons Resort), a spa resort with rooms from 1,700B (US$48/£26), villas for 3,500B (US$100/£54), and even long-stay options from 22,000B (US$628/£338) a month. Prices include daily breakfast and detox (cleansing) and slimming programs, in conjunction with acupuncture and a variety of spa treatments.

Natural Wing is home to the quizzically named restaurant I Do You Eat (tel. 07724-7855) offering Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, and European cuisine. Two hundred seats make it good for big parties, and delivery services are available on request if you find yourself stranded without wheels.