A Tropical Ocean Paradise at Heart — Luxurious Koh Samui + Secluded Southern Edge Island

Text & Photography / Li Xinyi, MOOK Travel Life Network

Koh Samui has always been a top holiday choice for Western travelers. Bangkok Airways has constructed an airport here that’s quite unlike the typical impression of such places — for example, the area around the baggage claim carousel looks like a giant daydreaming nook, making you feel the relaxed island holiday atmosphere the moment you arrive. Known as the world’s most expensive domestic flight route, a round-trip ticket from Bangkok to Koh Samui costs around 8,000 yuan, and you don’t need any special status — just present your Bangkok Airways boarding pass to access the airline’s VIP lounge.

The commercialized Koh Samui has expensive land prices — “about 60 to 80 million yuan for a 420-ping plot, but land here is mainly for lease and not sold by locals,” the tour guide added. The island’s unique scenery has attracted many star footballers to build villas, with David Beckham’s villa alone costing 200 million yuan. The luxurious vibe of Koh Samui shatters the common perception of Thai island tourism.

Take a boat out to explore a pristine private island──Southern Edge Island

A holiday on Koh Samui wouldn’t be complete without diving into the blue sea — it’s not just about the marine beauty, but also the journey by boat past various resort islands or uninhabited islets. From Koh Samui, there are tourist boats traveling back and forth to Koh Pha-ngan, Nangyuan Island, and Koh Tao. Koh Pha-ngan, also known as the “Full Moon Party Island,” hosts a renowned full moon party every month when the moon is full, attracting hordes of tourists eager for the experience — arguably the most famous of all the islands.