Thailand: Koh Samui

 Wednesday, May 31, 2023, Koh Samui, Thailand

After a day sailing through the Gulf of Thailand, we arrived at Koh Samui about 7 am. We had to anchor off shore and take a local tender in. It was a rough ride! An attendant hung barf bags off one of the center poles. We didn’t get sea sick.

The tender dropped us off at a pier right in town, our tour bus parked close by. Our tour of this small island started with a monkey being trained to pick coconuts. Coconuts are big business on this island, and that’s how it’s done. Pretty sure the monkeys haven’t gotten unionized yet. 

“These are coconuts”

Monkey climbing up to dislodge coconuts

We passed through several villages on the island, stopping for a drink at Baan Hin Sai Resort and Spa along the way. It had a wonderful view of the beach below.

Our next big stop was the Wat Laem Suwannaram complex with a huge laughing Buddha and several of the slimmer Thai-style Buddhas. There were many temples in the complex, all in the elaborate Thai style that outdoes just about any other country IMHO. This one had a giant lotus plaza, a golden Buddha and a multi-armed deity with dragons. We learned that there was going to be a swearing-in ceremony for new monks later that afternoon.

Giant Laughing Buddha

Another impressive temple right across the parking lot

The Deity

Charlie struggling to free himself from the clutches the diety’s Dragon

Tables set for the new monks swearing-in ceremony

We were about templed-out, but one more to go: the Big Buddha which sits on a small rocky island off Koh Samui’s northeast corner. We climbed the 72 steps to the top.

Me about to trudge up the steeper stairs to the top

Yay!

Once we were back in town near the pier, we ran into Shelley and John Plaeth, our new shipboard friends from the Oregon coast. They graciously gave us a couple of extra courses, very delicious! Charlie ran around looking for stamps, postcards, and a post office. 

After our makeshift lunch, we found a local grocery store and bought a few snacks for us and our room stewards. Across the street was a shirt business with beautifully-made shirts. They did the buttonholes on an ancient machine, but otherwise had up-to-date equipment. It was a family-run establishment and they did excellent work. There were only 2 shirts that fit Charlie in the shop and he bought the wildest one.

Ancient tredle sewing machine they still used for button holes

The shirt shop

The shirt!

At this point, it started raining. I was glad I’d packed an umbrella! We came across a pedicure place along the street. I got a pre-birthday pedicure while Charlie looked around town. The only other customers were two men getting pedicures, one an expat, they other on a three-month diet program.

By now it was really pouring and we headed for the ship under our umbrella. Then the rain let up and there, next to the pier, food vendors were set up with wonderful and cheap Thai food. We got to eat local food twice that day!

Food vendors by the pier

Waiting for the tender to come back we talked with Ilya, one of the entertainment staff on the ship. He was a dancer and kept himself in peak condition. For fun he had rented a bicycle and rode around the entire island. 

Waiting for the tender. Thank you Ilya for taking this photo

On the tender ride back we sat outside near the front for a better view. The vessel was rocking and splashing. Charlie, who was nearer the side, got drenched. 

Almost back to the Insignia