Attractions

Busy Samui supports all kinds of activities, from scuba diving to bungee jumping, jungle trekking to cooking schools. Most folks come here for beach fun and frolic and you'll find all kinds of activities, sailing, jet skis and parasailing among them, at beachside.

Na Muang Trekking (tel. 07741-8681) is one of many small tour and trekking agencies arranging day-trips to the sites below; however self-drive, best by car rather than motorbike, will get you there just as easily.

The gold-tiled Wat Phrayai (Big Buddha), more than 24m (80 ft.) tall, sits atop Koh Faan (Barking Deer Island), a small islet connected to the shore by a dirt causeway almost 305m (1,000 ft.) long. Though of little historic value, it's an imposing presence on the northeast coast and is one of Samui's primary landmarks. It's open all day; a 20B (45¢) contribution is recommended. It's easy to reach, just hop on any songtao going to Big Buddha Beach. You can't miss it.

Koh Samui's famed Wonderful Rocks -- the most important of which are the unique Hin Ta and Hin Yai, or Grandfather and Grandmother Stones, shaped like the male and female anatomy -- are located at the far southern end of Lamai Beach. To get there, flag-down any minitruck to Lamai Beach.

The Mummified Monk at Wat Khunaram is certainly worth a visit if your bend is to roadside oddities. He died in the meditation mudra, legs folded lotus style, and he was embalmed that way; you can see him behind glass in a small pavilion at the right as you enter Wat Khunaram, itself a worthy example of a typical Thai town temple. At the entrance to the monks' pavilion, a few coins are the cost of the resident monks blessing with water. Take off your shoes, smile, and kneel, and he will put water on your head and say a few good words for whatever it's worth. The site is along the main road, Rte. 4169, as it shoots inland far south of Lamai.

Just across Rte 4169 from the Wat Khunaram is the dirt track leading up to Na Muang Falls, a pleasant waterfall once visited by many kings of the Chakri dynasty. After the rainy season ends in December, it reaches a height of almost 30m (100 ft.) and a width of about 20m (66 ft.). Na Muang is a steamy 5km (3-mile) walk from the coast road and makes for a nice bathing and picnic stop. You can even trek to the falls on the back of an elephant (contact the many agencies there).

For something a little more tranquil visit the Butterfly Garden (tel. 07742-4020), off the 4170 Road near Laem Din on the southeast corner (daily 9am-5pm; adults 50B/$1.20, children 20B/50¢).

Along Samui's main roads, you'll find little hand-painted signs along the lines of MONKEY WORK COCONUT. These home-grown tourist spots show off monkey skills involved in the local coconut industry -- they're trained to climb the trees, spin the coconuts to break them off their stems, and collect them from the bottom when they're finished. The Samui Monkey Theater (tel. 07724-5140) is just south of Bophut village on 4169 Road. Shows are a little more vaudeville than the "working" demonstrations -- with costumes and goofy tricks -- and are a lot more fun for kids than for adults. Show times at 10:30am, 2pm, and 4pm daily cost 150B ($3.35) for adults, 50B ($1.10) for children.

I defy you to find a Thai tourist spot without the requisite snake farm where young men harass dangerous snakes (many reputedly drugged, the snakes that is) and taunt audiences by catching the slithering animals in their bare hands (and sometimes their teeth). It's a lot of laughs though to see the audience squirming in semi-amused horror. Samui's snake farm is at the far southwest corner of the island on 4170 Road (tel. 07742-3247), with daily shows at 11am and 2pm; tickets cost 250B ($6).

Although there's a cleared corral in every village around the island, buffalo fights now take place only on holidays. This equitable sport, popular in south Thailand, pits male water buffaloes in a contest of locked horns. Endurance, chutzpah, and brute strength determine the winner; the loser usually lies down or runs away. (Buffalo rarely hurt one another, though fans have been trampled!) Authorities have tried to curb gambling, but the event is still festive; shamans are called in to rile up the bulls, ribbons are hung around their necks, and buffalo horns are decorated with gold leaf. Contact the TAT office about when and where specific bouts will be held.