Luxury like no other in Thailand

THE island paradise of Koh Samui is a stunning contrast between luxury and simplicity.

Relax on the gorgeous beach in Koh Samui. Picture: Flickr user tboothhk

"BRAKE. Brake. BRAKE!"

The words of my passenger penetrated my panic-stricken mind as our moped skidded across the gravel and toppled to the ground.

As the dust settled and we picked ourselves up - relatively unscathed - from the dirt I noted how little fuss the minor bingle had caused. Island locals continued to ride by on their mopeds, bought or rented for little over $8 a day, while the owner of a food stall fussed over his wares.

Time to relax
Welcome to Koh Samui, the perfect place to slow down. Just days before, I had been caught up in the rush, too busy to check the mail or return a phone call, but now the biggest concern of my day was which beach to visit first.

Koh Samui, about 700km south of the capital, Bangkok, a once-sleepy island whose predominant industry had evolved from fishing and agricultural production to tourism, has become a striking paradox of wealthy excess and relative simplicity.

Our hotel for the five-day escape, the Langham Place Lamai Beach, is a combination of both. The Langham, one of 40 five-star resorts on the island, focuses on catering to every whim of its guests in a quiet, secluded environment. It, like other five-star resorts on Koh Samui, has been designed to set itself apart from those in the crush of neighbouring Phuket, providing everything a visitor could need to slow down.

Guests can rent one of four types of villas at the resort for between $A236 and $712 a night, but cheaper with a
number of discount deals. The most expensive, the Ocean View Pool Villas, include private infinity pools and
outdoor baths.

After arriving at Langham Place following 12 hours of air travel, I drag my somewhat crumpled exterior to the resort's private dock, which stretches 200m into the ocean and is surrounded by a shallow reef. The hotel sits on the beach of a natural coral reef, perfect for afternoons of kayaking, sailing or snorkelling. Locals use the reef too; with quaint fishing boats lying listlessly on the sand in the midday sun only a kilometre's walk up the beach.

Hours later we peeled ourselves off the sunbaking lounge and returned to our villas - one of the Poolside Place apartments. The villas, complete with shared horizon pools, were pristine. Everything from the 16cm extra comfort lining on the bed, to the massive private spa bath and the sun lounge on the balcony overlooking the beach, called me to lock myself away in bliss for a week.

As if to tempt the guest from their rooms, the hotel offers a plethora of activities and entertainment; including the nightly Change of Day ceremonies. The ceremonies are based on Thailand's Yi Peng or Loy Kratong festival - something every keen traveller should see. The festival, in which thousands of paper "sky lanterns" are released to bring good luck and rid the owner of troubles, is re-created on a smaller scale in celebration every night at the Langham. The nightly choreographed Change of Day ceremonies, a favourite among the few Australians I met at the resort, allows visitors to participate in releasing their own lanterns. Another hotel feature, borderless dining, allows guests to choose any spot across the 4.5ha resort for an intimate dinner.

Village tours
Our second night at the Langham involved a tour of the Fishermans Village. This village, one of the most built-up areas of Koh Samui, is lined with old wooden shop-houses converted into bars, restaurants and shops.

As the name suggests, seafood is abundant among the restaurants, a mix of Thai and Western cuisine. The warm night air and relaxed, seafront location made the Fishermans Village one of the most charismatic areas of Koh Samui, with every restaurant and shop jumping with personal style.

A short, and hopefully uneventful, trip on a moped along the shantylined streets of Koh Samui's east coast will bring you to Chaweng. The streets in built-up areas are lined with homes and businesses, most stocking everything from cheap clothing to moped parts and petrol in recycled one-litre whisky bottles.

Chaweng, the local nightclub precinct, is one of the busiest areas of the island - a mix of shop fronts, overloaded powerlines and bustling laneways nestled between some of the island's best beaches. One such beach, simply known as the Chaweng beach on maps, had almost a Mediterranean feel to it. Sun lounges sprawling across white powdery sand and it has some of the warmest water I have felt. In case you didn't pack enough, vendors trawl the beaches offering bikinis and sarongs. If a little taste of home is necessary, Chaweng is packed with fast-food restaurants and the usual string of expat bars.

Last on your list before you leave should be the Khao Yai lookout, at more than 630m above sea level it is one of the best viewpoints of the island. The ride to Khao Yai is interesting to say the least. Twisting around the mountain the road is difficult, with off-roading needed to avoid a part of the road washed away by heavy rain, and you will need to be waved past a military base.

The views across most of the island are spectacular, with thousands of palm trees and rubber plantations stretching from the ocean to the mountain top, and the turquoise of the beach deepens into the ocean. With only the deafening chirping of cicadas for company, this is a beautiful place to spend some time with your thoughts.

It was one of the lasting images imprinted on my mind as I boarded the flight home. Like any good adrenalin addict, I'm looking forward to work again. Work, but with a few of the wrinkles ironed out.

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