The population on Koh Samui is concentrated on the east side, leaving the wast West more remote and green. The main roads are perfect for driving, and the sights are easy to access.. it just feels far away from everything. West Samui is the zone for day trips and weekend getaways. Based on Google finds, people and bloggers don’t even know (or care?) about the proper orientations, so let me be nerdy precise here and list the spots accurately.

NA MUEANG

Na Mueang is the first sub-district after Maret and one of the largest. I didn’t find (well, I didn’t really look for) any food or coffee, but here are the tourist highlights.

The first is one of my absolute favourites on Samui: Pra Buddha Dīpankara. The best time to visit is early (latests at 8am), with a cup of good coffee (I took mine from The Secret Brunch). The view in the morning light, the stillness, and the fresh air are just perfect. Walk around the Buddha, gong the bells, then sit down and enjoy the scenery (while sipping your coffee).

Following the road down, you will reach Namtok Tar Nim & Magic Garden. It’s an artificial, Instagrammable, but pleasant place with a river flowing through the jungle, moss-overgrown buildings, and statues; on a hot day, no better stop to refresh yourself.

Next, check out a waterfall. The Namuang Waterfall has lots of water and an impressive size compared to the parameters of the island. Tourists come and go, but if you’re the first in the morning, you’ll have 10 minutes alone time to enjoy the water and scenery.

From there, go and say hi to the famous monk mummy at Wat Khunaram. Samui has a few mummies (people love to preserve people and put them in glass boxes), but this monk is the coolest with his sunnies.

Finally, after the worthwhile long drive, head to the beach and relax. I recommend visiting Nahai Beach, which is one of the prettiest on Samui.

TALING NGAM

Taling Ngam also has a mummy (at the Boat Temple), but the main reason for visiting is to reach the five islands. Many travel agents organize day trips, so finding one is easy. However, I recommend double-checking the weather before you go (especially during the rainy season) and skipping (postponing) the trip if it looks windy or even stormy.

I hate any artificial things on water because I don’t trust them. Even though I confirmed the trip before heading to the pier, I had one of my most terrible days on the water. The departure was still alright, but the islands didn’t look that pretty in the overcast, and on the way back, our captain waited too long, and we found ourselves (what a surprise) in the middle of a bloody storm. And that sucks on a wooden boat.

I was so upset and exhausted when we finally reached land in the pouring rain that I needed to warm up and treat myself immediately. Luckily, Taling Ngam has two excellent spots. One is Boy’s Organic Coffee (good cappuccino), and the other is BOTANY eatery café, a cozy little oasis on the main road with delish cakes and drinks.

LIPA NOI

Lipa Noi is the area of fancy private pool villas (including the main attraction, Nikki Beach) and the HQ of foreign retirees. Old people may be right because it’s the furthest from the tourists, and although it can be busy around the harbour, the rest is pretty dead (oops), and Lipa Noi Beach gives you the best sunsets of Samui.

The only outstanding sight here is the Dusit Dheva Cultural Center: a super picturesque garden with a collection of statues from different cultures (Thai, Burmese, Indonesian, etc.).

ANG THONG

Ang Thong was somehow out of my interest. Nathon Pier is located here, which is a typical port village: it smells like fish, is very local, and has its charm, but I wasn’t keen to immerse in it, so I only passed through.

---