A few reasons why it’s worth visiting this beautiful Thai island — and coming back again.
Fruits
An incredible variety that will impress anyone. From familiar bananas and pineapples, known mangoes and passion fruits to exotic local mangosteens, longan, longkong, dragon fruit, and many, many more.
The main advice — don’t be afraid and try everything! The fruits differ not only in color but also in shape, texture, and juiciness, and you can buy them literally everywhere. Plus, fruits are often sold in mobile carts or simply at markets, already peeled, sliced, and chilled.
A clear plastic bag and a long wooden skewer for picking pieces — this is your ready-made healthy breakfast, seaside snack, or light dinner. Interestingly, in Bangkok, when you buy freshly cut fruit (peeled and chopped in front of you), they offer 4-5 different condiments to choose from — ranging from nuts to chili flakes.
Massage
The legendary Thai massage, which, in fact, has Indian origins, as it came from Buddhist monasteries in India. Today, Thailand has far more Buddhists than the country of origin, and massage has long been known as exclusively Thai.
"Lazy man's yoga" — this is how Western reviewers from top sports and wellness magazines describe it.
Choose whatever suits you best: light and relaxing, intense (sports massage), oil-based, with aloe vera, full-body, or focused on the back, neck, and head. With or without aromatherapy. The average price for a 1-1.5 hour session is around 80-200 UAH.
My personal choice — Thai massage with coconut oil. And I preferred small beach tents under the sound of waves rather than air-conditioned salons with music.
Hiking in the mountains
Samui is a mountainous island. Don’t overlook the beautiful scenic spots and the refreshing coolness of the jungle high up in the mountains. Take a break from the sea and sand, and climb as high as possible.
At the top, you’ll find waterfalls, elephant rides, jogging trails, and even durian plantations.
No sugar!
Coffee, tea, and especially freshly squeezed juices are usually served with ice (often crushed or blended, like for a Margarita) and sugar.
Experiment — try guava juice, orange juice, mango and lime shakes, passion fruit and papaya blends.
But for maximum health benefits — no sugar, no ice.
Fresh coconut
A delicious and nutritious snack from fresh green coconuts. Buy them chilled or stock up at the store (packs of 6 or more) and have them ready whenever you need a refreshing bite.
This kind of coconut water contains no fat, while its mineral composition and balanced natural sugars make it both vitamin-rich and nourishing. And if you grab a spoon, you can scoop out the soft, fresh coconut flesh from the inside.
In the next Thai-themed post — a step-by-step Pad Thai recipe, straight from the Samui Culinary Arts Institute. And here — a street-style version ready in just 2 minutes (just as delicious!).
