Koh Samui - Top Tourist Attractions
Your Definitive Guide to Koh Samui’s Top Attractions
It’s not hard to see why millions of tourists flock Koh Samui each year. The most developed island on the Gulf of Thailand has everything a traveller could ever ask for—from significant historical landmarks to natural wonders, from world-class beaches to huge shopping centers—and it continues to surprise even returning visitors with its new offerings.
Koh Samui’s top attractions range from the typical to the extraordinary and here are some that you should include in your itinerary:
The Big Buddha
Koh Samui’s most famous landmark sits majestically on the northeastern corner of the island. Locally known as Wat Phra Yai, the 12-meter high sitting Buddha was built in 1972 and has since been Koh Samui’s top tourist attraction.
The Buddha is assuming the Mara posture where the left-hand rests on the lap palm up and the right hand down with fingers hanging over the knee. This represents a time in Buddha’s journey when he deterred the dangers and temptations by the devil figure Mara through meditation.
Aside from the massive statue, you can also find several smaller Buddha statues around the complex and a market where vendors sell anything from various lucky charms to local delicacies.
Ang Thong National Marine Park
Beautiful limestone mountains, powdery white sand beaches, hidden waterfalls, stunning lakes and pristine jungles—Ang Thong National Marine Park defines everything that makes Thailand a great travel destination.
Consisting of 42 islands, this archipelago spans 100 square kilometers of land and sea that’s protected by the government. Here, you can either be as active as you want with hiking, diving, snorkeling and sea kayaking being some of the things that you can do or just relax by the beach for a day.
Koh Tao
Literally translating to “Turtle Island,” Koh Tao is a dream destination for scuba diving enthusiasts.
The 21-square kilometer island located north of Koh Samui is surrounded by white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, but its rich marine life including several turtles really make it a go-to spot for travelers visiting Koh Samui.
From its discovery in the early 80s, the island is now home to several hotels, resorts and budget guesthouses as well as restaurants and bars for guests to enjoy.
Wat Plai Laem
Another magnificent structure dominating Koh Samui is Wat Plai Laem located just near the Big Buddha. This beautiful Buddhist temple’s main attraction is the 18-ar, image of Guanyin or the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion and a large white Chinese Buddha on the lake.
Wat Plai Laem is still an active temple where devotees visit to pray and the surrounding lake is filled with fish where visitors who make a donation to the temple are given a bag of food to feed the fish.
Mummy Monk at Wat Khunaram
There are several mummified monks around Thailand, but the most popular of them is located in Wat Khunaram in Koh Samui. This mummy is a monk named Luong Pordaeng who died in 1973 and still shows little signs of decay.
It is said that before the monk died, he told his followers that if his body didn’t decompose, he wanted to be put on display to serve as a reminder of Buddha’s teachings.
Are you ready to experience the wonders and attractions of Koh Samui?