* Close to Koh Samui Koh Samui is the largest and the most developed and attractive island in the Gulf of Thailand but there are other areas and islands which have theirspecial appeal. . * Koh Taen, off the southern shore, has excellent hiking trails for an easy stroll or through the jungle. The island is largely uninhabited . Legend has it, that dogs cannot survive a night on the island. This is probably due to the high frequency calls emitted by the thousands of bats that can be seen clouding the sky (and heading for Samui) at dusk. You can arrange longtail boat transport to Koh Taen from Thong Krut Bay on Samui's southern shore.The offshore reef of Koh Taen is home to fascinating and endangered species of marine life. * Ang Thong National Marine Park is a compact archipelago of mostly uninhabited islands west of Samui that provided the setting for Alex Garland's The Beach. There is good snorkelling, diving, hiking and even camping on some of the islands. Many people regard sea kayaking as the best way to explore the area. You can arrange to have a speedboat take you to the park or book a tour.Several pristine beaches as well as hiking options to a spectacular inland lake and some large cliff side caves. * Koh Nangyuan is a spectacular little place. Three small islets are connected by an incredible beach. There are no roads and no motors on this island, so it is very quiet.There are bungalows and dive tour operators .Further information on Attractions Samui. BEYOND SAMUI * Surat Thani, is a bustling fishing and shipbuilding centre of considerable interest. A casual stroll around town or a canal tour on the Tapi river are rewarding for the glimpses they give of southern culture. Surat Thani is also famous for its oyster farms where a giant species of the mollusc is harvested. * Chaiya, about a 45-minute drive north of the town, is a major historical site. Its importance stems from the fact that scholars contend that it was a possible capital of the ancient Srivijaya kingdom. Khao Sok National Park, about 100 kilometres west of Surat Thani, and Chumphon which lies some 195 kilometres north of Surat Thani on a picturesque stretch of coastline with fine beaches and offshore islands. GETTING AROUND Koh Samui. A 53-kilometre ring road skirts Samui's coastline, giving ready access to all beaches. The best form of transport is a motorbike which can be readily hired. This gives the freedom to explore at your leisure, although mini buses do ply the main routes. It takes about an hour to drive completely around the island, if you don't stop along the many beaches or take to some of the side tracks. A couple of rough trails cross the mountainous interior, but this is strictly 4WD or motorcycle territory. The only real town on the island is Na Thon, the administrative and communications centre. * Beyond Samui Koh Pha-Ngan / Koh Tao / Koh Nang Yuan / Koh Taen / Ang Thong Islands Marine National Park. * Suratthani Wat Phra Boromathat Chaiya / Khao Sok National Park / Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram / Phumriang Village / Monkey Training School. * Koh Pha- Ngan is located north of Koh Samui and has a land area of 192 sq.kms. It can be reached from Donsak and Bandon Pier in Suratthani daily by a ferry or From Koh Samui.by speedboats from Samui's Big Buddha Pier or from Nathon in about 25-40 minutes.Famous for its monthly full moon party, Hidden in the island's lush forests are waterfalls few. Its beaches are secluded and the waters around them are full of life .Accommodation isn't a problem since there are numerous bungalows on Koh Pa-Ngan where rates are very affordable. Rent vehicles available.. Local communities make their living through coconut farming and fishing. Participants in the recent full moon party in Koh Pa-Ngan are estimated to have reached approximately 3,000. Is the full moon party a ritual? = No.It was an idea from an influential local person to attract tourists ,big money...drugs, alcohol ,sex.....until the police from Bangkok had to intervene and clear the abuses.There were huge speakers that blared dance music. Beer was consumed in large quantities. Soon the whole stretch of the beach turned into a sea of humanity, all of who were either dancing or drinking or doing both at the same time. What was a small full moon party started by Paradise Bungalows 11 years ago has now turned into a moderate monthly happening. * Koh Tao is 45 km to the north of Koh Pha-ngam. Here nature is unspoiled and the local people live harmoniously with it. A very ideal plane for snorkeling and diving because of the perfect visibility and the rich aquatic life. # Diving Koh tao has literally become a divers paradise, more open here than anywhere else in Asia, The reason it has become such a popular destination has something to do with the quality of the diving sites, and an awful lot to do with the price. Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places anywhere in the world to become a certified diver. Koh Tao's operators, decided to keep their prices down and fixed at an agreed level. The other great thing about diving in Koh Tao is the proximity of the dive sites-all the main sites are within a half hour boat ride. # Angthong Marine National Park The group of islands to the west of Samui and Phangan are collectively known as Angthong, which translates as golden bowl, and quite rightly have been declared a National Marine Park. Comprising of 40 or so lime Stone islands and karsts that rise dramatically hundreds of meters above the ocean capture the imagination of all who visit. The islands are all sorts of shapes and sizes and many are covered with lush tropical forests and have descriptive names like "sleeping cow island" or " three pillar island".Covering some 250 square kilometers of which 50 square kilometers is land mass, most of the islands are in close proximity to each other which makes sailing through them an awesome experience. Sheer walls of shining lime stone loom almost 400 meters above the ocean and white sand beaches shine against the deep blue of the sea and the dark green of the islands. Many of the islands have caves with fascinating rock formations such as Tham Bua Bok or waving lotus cave, named after spectacular stalactites and stalagmites which time has carved into the rock. One of the main highlights of a visit to the park is Kho Mae Koh where and emerald seawater lake sits in the middle of the island surrounded on all sides by limestone cliffs an under ground tunnel connects with the sea outside. It takes about 40-minutes to climb from the shore to the rim of the lake and you get a great view across the whole park as well as this unique spectacle. Most tours also go to Koh Wua Talap-or sleeping cow island-where the park head-quarters are located and basic bungalow accommodation is available. There is a steep 430-meter climb (it takes about an hour up and down) from the park office to a viewpoint near the island's peak which offers an unrivaled panorama of the entire archipelago and the mainland. The views are especially fine at sunrise and sunset if you can arrange to be there. There is another walk from the offices that is worth the effort, which is a tough 200-meter climb (40-minutes up and down) to Tham Bua Bok, the waving lotus cave. ~ Suratthani. * Wat Phra Boromathat and Chaiya National Museum The restored stupa at this temple dates back some 1,200 years and houses some revered Buddha relics. The Chaiya National Museum is close to the temple compound. It houses artifacts both old and new from the area. The museum is open to visitors every day (09.00-16.00) except Monday and Tuesday. # KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK Just two hours drive from Suratthani, heading west along highway 401 towards Phuket, is Khao Sok National Park. A 646-square-kilometer expanse of land blanketed with tropical and evergreen rainforest and dominated by towering limestone mountains and spectacular karsts. Few tourists make the effort to get to the park, most preferring to lie on the beaches of Samui or Phuket, However those that do are rarely disappointed and find it quite incredible that one of Thailand's last remaining rainforests and a true wilderness is so close to these major tourist centers yet relatively unknown. * Sights of Khao Sok Within the far-flung boundaries are numerous waterfalls, enormous bat caves, the immense Chieo Lan Reservoir, and the Sok River, Which winds through thick jungle and past huge limestone cliffs that resemble a misty vision of another world. In dense regions of the park a few tigers and leopards still prowl, although they are hardly ever seen. Elephant, gaur, serow, banteng, Malay sun-beat, tapir, and can be seen if you have the time and patience to go on a real safari. Wild gibbons, langur monkey and Macaque are more likely to be sported and are often heard, especially the distinctive whooping of the gibbon. There are over 180 species of bird living in the park, including 5 species of hornbill and birdwatchers from all over the world come to catalogue rare species, especially Guerney's Pita, which is one of the rarest species on the planet and lives only in Khao Sok. Another species endemic to the park is a flower: Bua Phut or "wild lotus" which is the largest flower in the world. Reaching a diameter of 80-centremeters and once a year it produces huge buds that emit a foul stench attracting the insects it uses for pollination. * WAT SUAN MOKKHAPHALARAM This is the compound of the forest temple founded by ajan Buddhadasa. It has now become a tribute to his teachings and has a museum and library. Visitors can stay in guest quarters on site. Ajan Buddhadasa Bhikku 1906-1993 Ajan Buddhadasa Bhikku was born in Chaiya in 1906. He studied scriptures before retiring to the forest fox six years solitary meditation. He became a highly esteemed forest monk by practicing a mixture of strict intellectual discipline, unorthodox interpretation of Buddhist thought and practice(including ideas from Zen Buddhism and Taoism as well as secular, modern reformist ideas about the practice of Thai Buddhism), withdrawal and meditation. He combined his radical thinking and practices with a very effective use of the printed medium (in both Thai and English) and became the most celebrated Thai Buddhist thinker amongst western adepts. His form of Buddhism was very pure and austere and a shift away from the magical and supernatural qualities of popular Buddhism. He was branded a communist for writing against capitalist theory, which he perceived as promoting greed, and was treated with suspicion and disdain by the Sangha (Buddhism governing council) for speaking out against the blessing of amulets and for attempting to demythologize Buddhism. He was seen in the west and by Thai intellectuals as a radical reformer but was worshipped by the Thai people as a living saint and a powerful magical figure. He died in 1993 and wanted the simplest of funerals, yet his death was an internationally reported event and sparked national mourning. * Phumriang Village and Laem Pho Located 7 km from town, the village is famous for a local product called Phumriang silk woven with golden and silver tinsel. Two kilometers further is situated Laem Pho which is a beautiful beach. * Monkey Training School Suratthani boasts 2 schools of this sort : one in Amphoe Kanchanadit and the other in Ban Khlong Sai, Amphoe Tha Chang. Both have demonstrations of monkey training for interested persons.