Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine April 2018 | Page 135

Travel | Koh Samui
133
Koh Samui has progressed from an island
of fishing communities and farmers to one
featuring luxurious international resorts...
3
1 Visitors can enjoy
delicious Thai street food
such as tasty grilled squid.
2 It is possible to explore
isolated beaches in a
kayak.
2
Lamai is the second most popular beach
and is a smaller and quieter version of
Chaweng. Its laid-back island lifestyle is
becoming a little smarter and more stylish,
and its sandy beaches, like Silver beach,
between rocky headlands continue
to appeal to global holidaymakers.
The township is full of bars, restaurants
and shopping opportunities, with the Lamai
Night Plaza moving into top gear once the
sun sets. Beer Bar Central has numerous
boisterous bars, while Swing Bar on the
sands of Lamai beach is the place to chill
while enjoying evening fire dances
and cool drinks.
3 Visiting the colourful
Wat Plai Laem temple is a
highlight for many visitors.
or Bophut (beachfront lined with resorts
and the famous Friday night walking
street market).
Budget travellers paved the way for
jetsetters, who choose to check in to resorts
such as Banyan Tree, Anantara, Conrad,
Hansar, Outrigger, Four Seasons and
the new Ritz-Carlton.
Koh Samui has progressed from an island
of fishing communities and farmers to one
featuring luxurious international resorts as
well as smart, locally managed properties. Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort,
a boutique private plunge-pool villa property,
is located on a secluded bay; while Banyan
Tree sprawls back from a private beach
protected by rocky headlands. It features
pool villas with chic, contemporary fittings,
a separate lounge area, a bedroom and
a bathroom as big as the other two rooms.
A super-sized balcony has an infinity pool
with views that make guests want to stay
put and survive on room service.
It’s a good idea to match your resort
destination with your requirements –
Chaweng (partying, energetic nightlife
and shopping), Lamai (more relaxed than
Chaweng but with bars and restaurants), Water sports are popular, with most resorts
providing passive and active activities.
Fly-boarding is all the rage in the waters
off Samui as participants are hooked up
via a tube to the exhaust system of a jet ski
5 Senses – Touch
WATER THERAPY
Banyan Tree Koh Samui’s ‘The Rainforest’
is Thailand’s only hydrotherapy centre, and
what a wonderful water spa experience it is.
Spa-goers are escorted through a jungle-
themed maze of water stations, each with
ascending and descending water pressures
and temperatures. The unusual aspect of
this massage is that it’s hands-free and
based purely upon jets of water.
www.banyantree.com
Spa air “The Rainforest” di Banyan Tree
Koh Samui adalah satu-satunya pusat
hidroterapi di Thailand. Di sini, para tamu
diajak melewati labirin air bertema hutan,
masing-masing dengan tekanan air dan
temperatur yang naik turun.
Keistimewaannya, pijat ini dilakukan tanpa
menggunakan tangan dan hanya
mengandalkan semburan air.