Dreaming the Dream
On Samui, the name ‘Ohm’ means superbikes – the story behind one of the island’s most successful personalities.
Kart Blanche for Fun EasyKart and EasyFly Samui provide huge thrills on the land and in the air.
A Warm Welcome
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And we wish you all a really wet and happy new year. Welcome to the year 2559! No, you’re not reading this on April 1st, All Fool’s Day. But you will be coming face-to-face with the Thai New Year which begins on the 13th of April, according to the Buddhist calendar. Wet? Sure, but we’re not talking about rain! The original Thai greeting on this occasion was a symbolic sprinkle of water, to cleanse away the cobwebs of the old year. But this has now turned into the world’s biggest water fight, with nobody, not even policemen on motorbikes, being spared a thorough soaking. We’re lucky on Samui however, in other tourist areas this can go on for five days! Here we get just the one. And, in one of the hottest months of this year, this is not only a welcome relief, but a huge amount of fun, too. Many of you who have come here from Europe will be taking your Easter break, to get away from the usual gales and pouring rain. And what a contrast this will be, basking on the snowy-white sand under a sky full of little fluffy clouds. This year Easter Sunday falls on the 27th of March. Easter bunnies and Easter eggs are rarely seen in Thailand. But the top restaurants all feature the most mouth-watering chocolate desserts imaginable – it’s a chocoholic’s dream! So get with the flow, tune in to the island life, and indulge yourself!
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CONTENTS 18
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18 Splashing out at Songkran Why the Thai New Year is just that bit different
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on Samui!
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28 Tantalize Your Taste Buds
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34 Master Class This issue’s Thai cooking class features Olivio Restaurant at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa.
78 Aloo Gobi to Vindaloo Pure authenticity and more at Noori India.
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How a German mechanic swapped cold feet for a dream life.
Escape Break is pioneering a brand new form of entertainment on Samui..
More than just a top-notch restaurant, Poppies Samui has wonderful accommodation too, all hidden away in Chaweng.
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Mindfulness and Meditation SCL International School is adding to their curriculum
Putting it all Together Oriental Living is the only logical choice when buying your holiday home.
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Dreaming the Dream On Samui, the name ‘Ohm’ means superbikes – the story behind one of the island’s most successful personalities.
Kart Blanche for Fun EasyKart and EasyFly Samui provide huge thrills on the land and in the air.
38 Freezing in Germany to Sailing in the Tropics
50 A World Apart
Head for The Hills Azur Samui is a tropical idyll set in beautiful hills offering a dream lifestyle.
So much more than just drinks at Drink Gallery!
44 Give the Beach a Break
Strange Days Are you a stranger in a strange land, or are you merely here on holiday?
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Green Credentials Samui Health Shop and Cafe by Lamphu, has it covered.
Basking in the Park Blue Stars guarantee a blissful day out at the Angthong National Marine Park.
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106 Double Delights Franz J. Estermann, the new Executive Chef at Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui and Sheraton Samui Resort knows how to wow diners.
112 Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fun! For a day of family fun, Samui’s paintball playground takes some beating.
118 Tapas Passion Traditional Spanish tapas are still rare on Samui, but at The Cliff Bar & Grill you’ll find them in glorious profusion.
124 Cosy, Calm, Contemporary Nora Beach Resort & Spa completes its make-over.
130 Help is at hand Bangkok Hospital Samui has you covered even if you’re on Koh Pha-Ngan or Koh Tao.
134 Full On Koh Pha-Ngan’s Full Moon Party shows no signs of flagging.
T H E
H O M E
O F
I N S P I R E D
I N T E R I O R S
Phuket 424 Srisoonthorn Rd. Cherngtalay Tel/Fax: +66 (0) 76 325 419
Samui 9/18 Moo1 Maenam Tel/Fax: +66 (0) 77 247 675
info@oriental-living.net
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Island Insight An overall guide to Samui’s towns, villages, beaches and hotspots.
Samui is an idyllic tropical paradise. A blend of traditional Thai hospitality and remote island life has joined hands with modern traveller expectations. But the towns, villages and interior are home to much more than just luxury resorts, restaurants, bars and retail shops. And whilst the main beaches are recognised as some of the best in the world, there are also secluded coves and magical hideaways around many corners – if you know where to look. And this quick guide will point you in the right direction.
Chaweng
Chaweng’s main beach is five kilometres in length and is lined with 5-star luxury resorts, boutique hotels, budget accommodation and great oceanfront restaurants. Behind the resorts, the Chaweng Beach Road is filled with restaurants, bars, spas, shops, street stalls and mobile food vendors. The lake sits to the rear of them and is a wonderful place for an early morning walk or jog. Near the southern end of the lake is the Soi Reggae entertainment area which also has two Muay Thai boxing stadiums, a temple guarded by carved monkeys and the huge Laem Din market complex. All manner of fresh produce is delivered here every day and the adjoining Dow Seafood market is a hive of activity from the early hours.
Lamai
Samui’s second most popular beach is around four kilometres long and the waters are perfect for swimming. There’s plenty of choice in accommodation, restaurants, bars, spas and health resorts. It also has a free Muay Thai event every Saturday and just off the Beach Road there’s a children’s water park. Wat Lamai is home to a cultural centre and museum that houses artifacts of Samui life before the advent of tourism. On Sundays there’s a ‘Walking Street’ along part of the Beach Road. And just outside of Lamai town on the ring-road is the famous Hin Ta-Hin Yai rock formations that has dozens of small local Thai restaurants around it. 12 l www.samuiholiday.com
Mae Nam
Nestled on the northern shores of the island, Mae Nam Beach stretches for several kilometres and overlooks the neighbouring island of Koh Pha-Ngan. High-end resorts and beach bungalows are dotted along the coast and many visitors love it for its peacefulness, soft golden sands and wonderful views. It has seven side streets that meander into the mountains: from Soi 1 you can follow the road over the mountains all the way to Lamai; Soi 4 has a ‘Walking Street’ every Thursday from mid-afternoon and also houses an ornate Chinese temple overlooking the beach and a large Buddhist temple set a few hundred metres back from the ringroad; Soi 5 has a tree-top canopy adventure theme park a few kilometres into the hills; there’s a buffalo fighting stadium a couple of hundred metres off the main road between Soi 5 and Soi 6; an early morning market is also in Soi 6; an evening market near to Soi 7; and the world-class Santiburi Golf Course in the hills above Soi 7. There’re dozens of bars and restaurants in Mae Nam, many of which are on side roads that lead down to the ocean. And at the western end of the beach the Lomprayah ferry takes passengers to the neighbouring islands several times a day.
NathoN
This is the island’s main administrative centre and the major ferry port for boats to and from the mainland. There’re some hotels but it’s more a town you would visit for an afternoon rather than stay in. Beside the terminal, there’s a local food market every day from mid-afternoon until late in the evening. Along what is known as the ‘middle road’ there’re old teak shop-houses and small businesses and a ‘Walking Street’ on Saturdays. And on the one-way road that goes through the town there’re dozens of shops and restaurants. Just off the main road there’s an ornate Chinese temple and garden in Soi 4. And near the far end there’s a renowned open-air duck restaurant – just follow the crowds around lunchtime.
Bo Phut
Bo Phut is best known for Fisherman’s Village. It’s a single narrow street that still has authentic wooden houses that Samui folk have lived in for generations. Parts of it have been modernized but it’s still awash with local foods, international restaurants, bars, shops and market stalls. It becomes one huge ‘Walking Street’ every Friday and you’ll find lots of local delicacies that few other restaurants have. Along with small hotels, there’re several 5-star luxury resorts at the far end and the beach curves around a large bay that also overlooks Koh Pha-Ngan. And small speedboats leave from the village pier heading for the Full Moon parties that take place there every month.
Big Buddha and Plai Laem
The magnificent golden Big Buddha statue that watches over the island from the north-east corner of Samui is one of the first things you see as you fly into Samui Airport. Built on a tiny island (Koh Farn) with a connecting causeway, it’s the most iconic image of the island. Many Thais pray at the temple so dressing and acting appropriately is expected when you enter the site. There’re some very good Thai restaurants and small stores around the temple. It also affords some beautiful views and along the road from it you’ll see another large Buddha image at Wat Plai Laem. Half-way along the road between the temples is a side road that cuts through to Choeng Mon. Down this road there’s access to some quiet secluded beaches, although some of them are through resorts.
Choeng Mon
Choeng Mon lies just 15 minutes or so from the middle of Chaweng but it seems like worlds away. There’s a small town that the road runs through with a couple of dozen restaurants and bars. The beach is a favourite for many locals as it’s quiet, picturesque and safe for swimming most of the year round. There’s every class of accommodation with some old-style beach bungalows at one end. And they all overlook the tiny deserted island of Koh Farn Noi which you can walk out to if the tide is low.
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Bang Rak
In between Fisherman’s Village and Big Buddha is where you’ll find Bang Rak. There’s a few very good resorts and some private villas for rent along the beachfront that stretches around for several kilometres and has stunning views. Bars and restaurants line the main street and there’re two piers. The one nearest to Big Buddha has daily ferries to Koh Pha-Ngan, Koh Tao and on to the mainland port of Chumpon, from which a VIP bus takes passengers to Hua Hin and on to Bangkok. Start to finish, it’s a 12-hour journey with about half of it on the boat. Just beside the ferry terminal in Bang Rak is one of the busiest fish markets on the island. Local fishermen drop their catches here and the place is bustling with people all day long. At the other end of town there’s a short-cut into Chaweng on a road called Soi Bond Kai (which the locals refer to as the ‘Ghost Road’).
Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi
The south-west part of the island is known as the ‘Virgin Coast’. It’s largely unspoiled with lots of secluded bays, although most of the shoreline tends to be rocky. The west coast overlooks the famous ‘five islands’ and some of the closer islands of the Angthong National Marine Park (which is a perfect getaway for a day’s boat trip excursion). In this part of the island there’re some hotels, private villas for rent, up-market and local restaurants and several temples of note, including two that house a mummified monk. A second car ferry terminal is located in Lipa Noi and, like the one in Nathon, boats to and from Donsak on the mainland arrive and depart every hour from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm (check for details). And inland on the island’s main ring-road there’re several large waterfall sites and a safari park with elephant trekking, animal shows and adventure tours. Further along, next to the Ford and Mazda dealers is a new Butterfly and Insect Kingdom Park.
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Hua Thanon
This predominately muslim village is home to the descendants of some of the island’s earliest settlers. There’s still a thriving fishing fleet and fish market and a natural coastline that’s survived the ravages of time. Just after the village (coming from Lamai) you can turn off the ring-road to the left and signs will direct you to the nearby Tiger Zoo, Aquarium and Sea-life Show, the Butterfly Farm, the Snake Farm and the local Rum Distillery.
Thong Krut
With its brightly coloured fishing boats and backdrop of small islands to the one side, and coconut plantations to the other, Thong Krut is a picturesque little village. Located in the southwest corner of the island, this is where you’ll come if you’re after a long-tail boat to take you to the nearby islands of Koh Tan and Koh Matsum. Lining the shore you’ll find a selection of simple restaurants offering Thai food, and particularly good seafood, as well as tour operators offering trips to the islands.
The Interior
Samui predominately consists of hills, mountains and coconut plantations. And few visitors make the time to appreciate its hidden beauty. One way to do so is to take the turning into Mae Nam Soi 1. A new road has recently been constructed that goes over the mountains all the way to Lamai. The drive is only about 20-25 minutes over 15 kilometres with a couple of stopping off areas that offer fabulous views. Another way to really get the full picture of Samui is from Tar Nim’s Magic Garden at the top of one of the island’s highest peaks. Built during a 25-year period by a local farmer the stone statues in the garden were sculpted by hand and sit over 2,000 feet above the beaches below.
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SPLASHING OUT AT
SONGKRAN Why the Thai New Year is just that bit different on Samui!
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It’s a funny old world. Just think about it for a moment. I mean, in December, half of the planet goes on a gigantic shopping binge, and 10% of them turn into jolly old men with long white beards chanting “Ho ho ho!”. And then, a couple of months later, another huge chunk of the world dresses in red and gold, bangs gongs and drums, and pretends to be dragons or lions in elaborate street processions. Or ‘Songkran’, when an entire nation wakes up in the morning, then dashes onto the streets. More than 50 million of them, with buckets and hosepipes, and spends the whole day splashing, soaking and drenching every living creature in sight. Joking apart, Songkran is probably the highlight of the entire Thai year. It’s the celebration of Buddhist New Year, not just here but in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, too. But very few things in Thailand are straightforward. The word ‘songkran’ stems from the Sanskrit word meaning the passage of the sun from one sign of the zodiac to the next – thus there are in fact 12 ‘songkrans’ every year. But the only one that is significant is the major one, the ‘Maha Songkran’, which falls on the longest day, on the occasion of the Vernal Equinox. And, as well as Thailand, such nations as India, China and the widespread pagan roots of early Christianity, all share the symbolism of this day. It might be charmingly mystical, but there’s one very basic drawback of gearing all your events to the lunar calendar. Every major festival, when it comes around the next time, happens on a different date. And so, in 1888, Thailand fixed the date and moved to April 1st every year. This was somewhat unfortunate. The Western world had already gone down this route some 300 years before, with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. Indeed, the first day of April was already long-established as ‘All Fools Day’, a time of mockery and practical jokes, originating in France, in order to scorn those who didn’t accept the Gregorian calendar. Thus, in 1940, Thailand, similarly, changed its official New Year to January 1st.
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Which, you may think, sorted things out very neatly. But not quite. And this remains a constant source of confusion for newcomers to Thailand, and in particular, Koh Samui. Because, you see, the origins and significance of the longest day all stem from societies that depended upon crops and harvests. Most of the world was like this until the Industrial Revolution. But a huge area of Thailand – the Northern and North-East regions – still are. As such, they still have reason to celebrate the fact that the hottest time of the year has passed. And the core of this celebration is the symbolism of patting friends and relatives on the face with cool, life-giving water. Well, it used to be! However, the climate in Thailand is totally different in the Southern region. ‘Monsoon’ means wind. And Thailand gets two of them, in different areas and at different times. Thus the rainy season in Phuket and the Andaman Region is from June to October. But Samui is in the Gulf of Thailand, way over to the East. We get our rain between November and January. This means that while the farmers in the north get their hottest days in April, ours are usually two or three months later. And, even though everyone celebrates Songkran at the same time, Samui’s Songkrans tend to be cooler, and have even been rainy from time to time.
chef’s dinner specials
Overseeing the culinary team at Hansar Samui, born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Chef Stephen began his culinary career at the famed restaurant Les Halles in Quebec, one of the most outstanding independent restaurants in Canada. A unique opportunity to be the Private Chef to His Majesty the King of Jordan became a turning point in his career and he spent the next two years catering for the Royal Family. Stephen spent the next five years at the Lebua at State Tower Bangkok (known as the Dome) and within a few years became the Executive Chef at the Sirocco restaurant. At our beachfront H Bistro restaurant, Stephen has created a unique epicurean experience for guests where they can appreciate the authentic taste of French Mediterranean Cuisine, in addition to a Thai menu.
Stephen Dion “an epicurean experience one shouldn’t be missed”
H Bistro at Hansar Samui 101/27-28 Moo 1, Bophut, Koh Samui +66 77 245 511 www.hansarsamui.com
As mentioned, the origins of this festival lie in a gentle show of thanksgiving. But, somewhere back in the early 90s, things began to change. This was the era in which more and more ‘farangs’ (foreigners) were coming to Thailand for extended periods, particularly younger ones on a long break, travelling on gap years before university. They just loved throwing water about. And within a few years, the customary greeting of gentle dabs of water to the face had been replaced by a drenching, and the traditional silver bowl of water became buckets, hosepipes and water guns. The Thai’s are a fun-loving race, and their young people were quick to follow. With the result that, today, this respectful occasion has turned into the world’s biggest water fight, with some tourist areas, such and Chiang Mai and Pattaya, stretching out the water-torture into as much as five full days. Well, this is what it looks like on the surface. And yes, just about every one of Samui’s Thai residents will be out on the streets on April 13th, bucket in hand, during some part of the day, at least. But what you won’t see is what they’ll also be doing. Traditionally this is a seven-day observance. But more or less everywhere now this has been cut down to five. The first day does indeed focus on ‘The Cleansing’ (Wan Sangkhan
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Lohng), but it’s more about a thorough spring-cleaning, with the sacred statues in the temples being cleaned and washed, too. And then, over the next four days, the men and womenfolk prepare traditional offerings that are taken to the local temple. They also make merit by releasing captive birds and fish. And then everyone makes sand ‘pagodas’, which is seen as a further way to make merit, and has its origin back when temples used to cover their floors with fresh sand. Many people still regard this as the first real day of the new year (15th April) and make a special effort to set the pattern for the rest of the year by filling it with good deeds. And then there’s a special ceremony on the fifth and last day, to bestow respect upon the elderly. So get out and join in the frolics! But keep your phone, camera and money safe in a plastic bag, along with a dry pair of shorts and a T-shirt – be prepared! It only happens once a year. So enjoy yourself, but keep it in mind that all this fun has a serious side, too!
Rob De Wet
The magic is real, naturally.
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TANTALIZE YOUR TASTE BUDS So much more than just drinks at Drink Gallery!
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Drink Gallery is actually a bistro bar and is part of the modern and stylish, yet homely resort of The Library. It is simple yet sophisticated in its design. Fine dining, but with a laid-back atmosphere. Basic wooden furniture mixes comfortably with sparkling chandeliers and artistic cutlery. There is an air-conditioned area, enclosed by floor to ceiling glass windows looking out on to Chaweng Beach Road, and a large expanse of decked area directly outside. Every night there is a live band or DJ to provide background music, but don’t worry, Drink Gallery pride themselves on providing an individual and unique place to eat, drink and ‘have a conversation’ ... so the music is never too loud. The welltrained staff are both informative and friendly, they know and understand the menu, and they also take regular English lessons, so communication is never a problem. The bistro food is described as ‘new American comfort food’, but is actually a great compromise, designed to meet western tastes, with a Thai twist. Some of the sumptuous delights that are on offer, and that will get your taste buds dancing include succulent and tasty starters such as Samui Rangoon - crab and cream cheese stuffed dumplings with sour
lemongrass dipping sauce. Five-Spice Duck and Fresh Spring Rolls - with Thai basil, avocado, cucumber and homemade hoisin sauce. The slices of prime duck lie atop this dish and go so well with the hoisin sauce. Masterful main dishes include; Roasted Garlic Ravioli - with pan-roasted mushrooms, creamy garlic sauce and chopped parsley. Or be tempted by the Salmon and Silky Tofu Penang Curry - with steamed jasmine rice or brown rice. How about the Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast - with sour cream and onion potato puree, broccoli and buttered pan jus, or Grilled Australian Veal Chop - with smashed potatoes, green onion and red wine pan jus. Delightful and innovative desserts include; Thai Tea Tiramisu - with Thai tea mascarpone and almond macaroons, or Chocolate Cashew Nut Tart - with toasted cashews and vanilla icecream. Whatever your selection from the extensive menu, it will be sure to deliver sheer delight at the subtle flavours and clever combinations. But it isn’t called Drink Gallery for nothing. There is a vast cocktail menu, including alcohol-free versions; they can also tweak some of the alcoholic cocktails if you would like them without the alcohol ... just ask. There is also an extensive choice of wines and spirits, smoothies, soft
drinks, and coffee. But it is the cocktails here that really stand out, they are seriously ‘beyond extraordinary’. Master mixologist Khun Jew is an artistic expert. He not only combines flavours that you would normally never think to mix, but he dreams up individual designs for the aesthetic value of the drink. Each cocktail is served in a different vessel, be it in a glass, mug, tankard or whatever best suits that particular drink, all are garnished individually and to perfection. This eclectic cocktail menu will both delight and confuse you. There are so many unique combinations of flavours that you want to try them all. Examples worth mentioning are; Ambrosial - Ketel One vodka, snow pears, fresh aromatic rosemary, Granny Smith apples, all crowned with an elderflower-scented apple and citrus espuma (foam). Ms. Rose Collins - Rose wine, Bacardi rum, peach schnapps, lychee juice, elderflower syrup and a lemon wedge, this one is refreshingly refined. Apple Crumble Martini - Ketel One vodka, Grand Marnier, apple juice, fresh lime juice and cinnamon syrup. The Parch Captain Morgan dark rum, freshly caramelised pineapple, lime, mint and notes of hazelnut. The Scarlet Note – Shiraz red wine, Appleton Estate V/X rum, raspberries, pink grapefruit, homemade sultana syrup, citrus and a dash of Angostura Bitters. www.samuiholiday.com l 31
Some of the newer Thai-inspired concoctions are based around the indigenous Thai Mekhong rum. This rum is sometimes referred to as a whiskey, but as it is 95% distilled from sugar cane and 5% from rice, it is definitely closer to rum. Choices worth mentioning here are: The Kalamao - Mekhong rum, Kahlua liquor, hazelnut, Kalamae (sweet sticky Thai candy) puree, meringue and cashew nuts, served with crispy coconut chips. The Mao Takrai - Mekhong rum, lime juice, Angostura Bitters, cane sugar, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass and ginger. The Mungmang - Mekhong rum, tamarind, lime juice, sugar syrup and Angostura Bitters. And last but not least; The Lumthan - Mekhong rum, Kahlua liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, palm sap, cane sugar and sunflower seeds. The cane sugar is pure fresh cubes of simple sweetness sitting on top of crushed ice alongside honey roasted sunflower seeds ... an exceedingly good twist to a divine tasting cocktail. Whatever your taste buds fancy, there will definitely be something that appeals. But be careful ... you may have to come back again to try them all! The wine selection here is huge and whether you prefer red, white, rose or sparkling, there will definitely be something to suit. Every glass or bottle of wine sold at Drink Gallery can also be purchased at Canvas, the wine shop fronting the outside terrace. The shop supplies the resort’s The Page restaurant as well as Drink Gallery. So try a glass and buy a bottle or two. Drink Gallery is currently open from 4:00 pm until 1:00 am every day, with happy hour from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. During these hours, if you buy one of the selected happy hour drinks, you get another free. One of the latest additions to the menu is a selection of Thai tapas, which start from 99 baht. And on Friday and Saturday nights there is a Thai xylophonist for entertainment and extra value. So if you would like to try a truly individual and refreshing venue, that has a myriad of unique choices with which to tickle and delight your taste buds, then look no further than Drink Gallery.
It’s located less than five minutes’ walk from Central Festival shopping centre in the centre of Chaweng. You can park there and then exit onto Chaweng Beach Road by Wine Connection and Starbucks. Turn right here walking south, Drink Gallery is on the left hand side of the road, just past the sign to The Library.
Karan Ladd
________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2299. www.thelibrary.co.th
MASTER This issue’s Thai cooking class features Olivio Restaurant at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa. Have you ever tried making Thai food at home? Chances are that your results may not have been exactly stellar. Maybe you willingly and enthusiastically set to work with pestle and mortar and all the right ingredients only to find the dishes were passable, but no more than that. Your companions may even have complained the food wasn’t spicy enough or, the contrary, that it burned their mouths. Ouch! The not-so-awful truth is that, yes, though Thai food is quite easy to cook, you really have to know how to balance all the ingredients. You can’t get it right simply by keeping religiously to a cookbook. It’s a much more intuitive process. You have to seek a balance and that can only be done by seeing how master chefs proceed. This is why it really is worth going to a Thai cooking class. It’s quite a memorable experience as you go about creating some of the kingdom’s most loved dishes. All you have to do is be attentive and open your mind to how the cook proceeds and you’ll end up with some great recipes – and the ability to cook them like a pro. How cool is that? At Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa, you’ll find a very professional and fun cooking class that’s been operating a good few years at Olivio Restaurant. It’s run by a Thai chef who knows all about not just cooking but teaching, too. His full name is Jakkarin Huaysan, and he’s actually the Senior Assistant Sous-Chef. More usually he’s simply called Khun Chay. He’ll take you in hand and literally pass his skills along to you.
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The first step along the way to cooking great Thai food is a trip to the local market. It’s definitely not something that’s on many holidaymakers’ itineraries, but is worth going just for the vibe alone: busy and filled with all kinds of sights, sounds and smells. Going along with a Thai chef like Khun Chay makes this a wonderful experience, as you’ll soon see what to look out for and what makes a good purchase. He will be able to explain what the different vegetables are and how you can make them tasty. What you learn here will stand you in good stead when you’re back home and visiting your local Asian market. However, you can opt to skip the market visit in Chaweng and simply come to the class itself. The classes begin every day at 10:45 am if you go on the market trip, and at 12:30 pm if you don’t. To get to Olivio, drive up the beach road northwards out of Chaweng, go past Samui International Hospital and turn right where you see the sign for Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa. Olivio is at the bottom of the hill. The cooking classes are kept small, with four being the maximum number of students, so you’ll need to book at least 24 hours in advance to reserve your place. You can either come alone, as a couple or a group of friends. As you can imagine, with such small numbers, the classes are a far more intimate experience, allowing Khun Chay to be involved with each guest and what they’re cooking. Since Thai food is even more hands-on than most cuisines, this makes perfect sense. And if you have questions, then he’ll have the time to be able to answer in full. Khun Chay will also give you lots of tips that don’t seem to appear very often in cookery books. After you’ve completed all the cooking, you’ll be able to sit down to enjoy the dishes that you’ve made. You’ll be surprised at how good they taste – restaurant standard. Thai food is so good that it’s become one of the world’s favourite cuisines. It may not have the über-popularity of, say, Italian or Chinese cuisine, but it’s certainly up there amongst the stars. And if you can cook it – just a few dishes, even – then wow, you’ll be feted by friends and family. Bon appétit? Sure – and they’ll soon be clamouring for seconds.
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But there’s more than just excellent cooking classes on offer at Olivio. It’s well-known not just for its Thai cuisine but also for its excellent Italian food, too. The team here make as much as possible from scratch. Try the homemade cappelli d’angelo, a kind of ultra-thin spaghetti which is prepared with seafood, garlic and chilli. Olivio also make delicious gnocchi, fettuccini and ravioli as well as baking their own bread and cakes. If dining here, Olivio offers a free round trip to its customers in the Chaweng area. Last but not least, this is a restaurant that’s set in a beautiful location, overlooking the bay of Chaweng with its white sands. Step down off the terrace at Olivio, and you’re right on the beach itself; you’ll be able to look out towards tiny islands, and all the way down towards Lamai. The restaurant itself is open to the breezes and is a delightful place to be. Staff are friendly and attentive, making eating here a truly pleasurable
experience. Olivio was one of the island’s first Italian restaurants, and over the years has gained a justly deserved reputation for its fine Italian food. As you can see, there’s more than one reason for heading to Olivio, and chances are that if you’ve been once, then you’ll be back again. With its sumptuous menus offering both Thai and Italian fare, and its excellent cooking classes, it’s not surprising that Olivio is a very popular venue. Whether you’re dropping in for a meal or learning how to make one, it’s always an enjoyable experience at Olivio.
Dimitri Waring
_______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 1500-8. www.baanhaadngam.com
FREEZING IN GERMANY TO SAILING IN THE TROPICS How a German mechanic swapped cold feet for a dream life.
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How many times have you been told it’d be good for you to leave your comfort zone? There’s this idea it’s in your interests to go out and suffer; that in some earnest and vague way it’ll do you good. But how about the opposite? Imagine someone telling you it’s time you left your discomfort zone? Without further ado, here’s the strange, quirky and altogether unexpected story of someone who refused the popular idea that it’s good to tolerate vexing situations. As a young German, Armin Kundke, like all men in that country was ordered to do military service. Since he was a trained mechanic, it fell to him to repair tanks and trucks. Hardly a glamorous job, not that he was expecting one, but then the winter came. As you no doubt know, winter in Germany can be brutal, but this one took even the natives by surprise: temperatures fell to minus 22 degrees. In the worst of weathers, Armin, or Kunta, as he’s been known since he was at school, was ordered to go check on the tanks, make sure they were all working and to dig them out of the snow. It was 6:00 am in the morning. He started digging a route through to the snowed-in tanks and his feet started freezing. It was fairly unbearable, but instead of putting up with it, he vowed to himself that he’d do something about it. And so, at that precise moment, a dream was born: he vowed to himself that he’d go and live somewhere warm, and exchange his army boots and socks for flip-flops – forever! He hadn’t been to the Tropics before, and certainly didn’t have enough money to finance a life away from Germany. What he did have was
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some experience of travel. He’d hitch-hiked and taken cheap trains through Europe, and more notably, had bought a second-hand Peugeot and driven it from his native Nuremberg down south to the Sahara Desert, crossed it, driving the whole way by himself, and ended up in Togo. Similarly, for his new dream, he just got going. The German economy was strong; shift-work paid well and if you had willpower, then you could save quite a lot. Kunta was soon backpacking round Asia. He travelled through India, Nepal and Indonesia, and on the way heard about Samui. A small, beautiful, and in the late 80s, relatively unknown island. “There was only one way to get there from the mainland,” Kunta recounts. “It was a night ferry that left Suratthani, travelling down the river and then crossing to Samui. I bought a ticket, and in the morning I awoke to see Samui. We arrived at the tiny port of Nathon. The island looked to me exactly like paradise, even the port. I was amazed. I returned to Samui several times, staying three weeks to a month on each occasion. You could rent a small hut in Chaweng – they all looked out onto the sea. There were no bars in those days, no entertainment of any kind at all. I loved it.” So far so good. But there was a problem. “I had time,” says Kunta, “but no money.” Kunta had to keep returning to Germany to work seasonally and save for his next trip. He also went to The Philippines, and Sumatra, but always gravitated back to Samui. He was already realizing his dream, but he
wanted to find a way to live it full-time. He had the drive and also found he had an entrepreneurial spirit. The idea came to him that he might be able to rent out some windsurfing boards. He bought five of them, second-hand. “I didn’t know a thing about windsurfing, or even the boards themselves. I had absolutely no idea. Luckily, the people who sold them to me were honest; they didn’t rip me off and the boards were good quality. I didn’t even know enough to be able to be sure of that. They were driven down to Samui and unloaded on the beach. There they were. I looked at them. I didn’t have the faintest idea how to put them together.” Kunta isn’t the sort of person who’s easily fazed, and found some backpackers to teach him firstly how to assemble the boards, then how to use them. “I’d rent out the surfboards in exchange for lessons. It took me a long while to learn, but after six months I was teaching others.” So he found himself in business, although he didn’t think of it that way. “My only goal was to get by; I just didn’t want to have to keep returning to Germany.” With a good friend of his, Khun Chee, he set up the first souvenir shop on the island. “It was a lot of fun,” he recalls. “We’d go far afield to get beautiful things. Sometimes to Chiang Mai or Indonesia. Like the windsurfing, it was a low-key affair. We didn’t buy in bulk and just carried everything we bought with us.”
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Kunta soon found he had enough money to live on Samui full-time. He’d work all day at his windsurfing business, take an hour off to eat, then at 7:00 pm, he’d switch hats and settle down to selling souvenirs in his shop. “For the first ten years on Samui, I lived like a local. I had little contact with foreigners; all my friends were Thai.” And even though he’d now fulfilled his dream, he still kept on going. If Samui was paradise, then it was surrounded by other equally beautiful spots, all of them close by, yet unreachable. “I realized that if you had a boat, then you could explore so much more. There were an unbelievable number of places I couldn’t get to so easily. Not just Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao, but also the Angthong islands. I wanted to see them all.” Kunta just had to get a boat, and the only way to do that was to work hard and save for one. He did this, found a boat in Hua Hin, and bought it. As with windsurfing, he knew nothing about boats, but with a friend set sail for Samui. On the third day they saw it in the distance and gave wild whoops of joy. A boat also marked a new phase of life for him. Kunta recounts: “About a month after I got my new 26 foot sailing boat VIVA2, I was extremely proud to be able to ask my new girlfriend, Irene, a beauty from Norway, if she would like to go sailing down to the east coast of Malaysia. She was crazy enough to say yes, without knowing that I had very little knowledge of yachting or any navigation skills. So we took off after a last dinner. I don’t remember why I had chosen night time to leave, but we sailed into a pitch black night heading south. There were no weather forecasts we could get hold of in those days. After about half an hour, we could feel the temperature drop and the smell of rain approaching. We got into a very nasty storm, mainsail all the way up and flapping in the wind, with the boat sometimes going backwards for about an hour at a time. We managed to stay upright. I was on the wheel the whole night thinking about our coming adventure, cruising along the south coast of Thailand, and remember looking into the boat, seeing Irene having a cosy sleep on the front berth, the sunrise to the left on the horizon. But when I looked behind me I saw this big island with a shining beach, just a few miles away. I realized then that this was still Koh Samui; I was looking back at Lamai beach and thinking how the hell I would ever get down to Malaysia if it took me the whole night to sail just round the island a few kilometres?”
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Kunta wasn’t put off, nor was Irene; they kept going, and somehow they did very well after this rather slow start, and managed to sail all the way up and down the east coast of Thailand and Malaysia. One of the storms was so bad that they were unable to sleep the whole night, with continuous lightning and massive waves. It was hardly the stuff of first dates, but as Kunta says, “It was an amazing way to get to know someone. We had three weeks on a very small boat, 8 metres long and 2.5 metres wide which became our little world. This journey bonded us to the extent that we’ve never parted since. We started a life together on the island, and have two wonderful daughters, who were both born on Samui.” The boat meanwhile started coming in handy. Kunta started taking people out on charters. Gradually, over the years, that number grew ... and grew. It was enough for him to stop all other work and concentrate on sailing. He re-invested his profits and gradually built up the number of yachts he has – there are now a half dozen. Over the years, Irene became an important figure in building up their charter company, Samui Ocean Sports & Yacht Charter, to the size it is today. “She’s kept me out of trouble,” says Kunta, “and more than that, she’s been this great consultant in all kinds of situations. A lot of things have happened over the years and she was, and is, my rock for life.” Kunta has stayed faithful to the dream he had. That same sense of adventurousness that brought him here in the first place is still the cornerstone of his life. He’s forever out and about on his boats, taking people on private charters, sometimes just for a few hours, but equally for a few days, staying overnight on beautiful islands and visiting beautiful, deserted beaches. Every day brings something new, and life is always exhilarating. All of this is due to the fact that one day, long ago, Kunta decided that enough was enough, and it was time to get going with a dream. The rest has been epic.
Dimitri Waring
______________________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 819 401 999. www.sailing-in-samui.com
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GIVE THE BEACH A BREAK Escape Break is pioneering a brand new form of entertainment on Samui.
You’ve seen those puzzles made entirely of dovetailing wooden pieces that you pull apart and then try to put back together. They come in various shapes and sizes, but they all make you rack your brains and provide a break – for however long – from your day-to-day reality. But ... can you imagine actually being inside one of these puzzles and then trying to solve it? I’ll warrant you’d find it ten times more intriguing than any of the original versions. And it’d be a lot more fun too if, instead of being a solitary game, it were a group activity. Escape Break offers you a number of such activities that have been niftily designed to combine fun, exhilaration and a challenge. These are puzzles that don’t consist of staring at a board, screen or printed page until sweat starts to break out on your forehead. You’re not outside Escape Break’s games but experiencing them from the inside. How does it all work? You book a time and game and then go along to Escape Break, which is located within Beach Republic in Lamai. To get there, coming from Chaweng, simply head south to Lamai on the ring-road. As you enter town, you’ll see big signs on the right hand side of the road for Escape Break and Beach Republic. Both are 200 metres up a small lane that the signs indicate. Escape Break is open daily from 9:30 am until 8:30 pm, with the last game starting at 7:30 pm.
Once you arrive, you’ll be given a warm welcome by staff in a comfy lobby. You’ll also be asked to turn off your mobile phones to minimize distraction. You’re then taken to the room where your particular game is held. To heighten the feeling of tension, the doors are locked. Your job is simply to escape. From now on it’s just you and your friends, or whoever you’ve come with. First of all there’s a very short video introduction that outlines the predicament you’re in. Then you dive straight in and try to solve the riddles that lie between you and your escape. The room is discreetly filled with potential clues, and it’s up to you to find out what will help you and what won’t. There are red herrings, of course, and more twists and turns than in a detective film. The idea each time is to unlock various locks, chests, and doors that lead to further rooms in order to work your way to freedom. Help is at hand if you become completely lost. You can ask for hints – but beware as each hint detracts from your total score. You’ll be left to work out most things on your own, but if you get truly stuck, you can rely on your own personal Escape Master to guide you, who will be watching you from outside, via CCTV. And just in case you really need to make a fast exit, then there’s always an emergency key!
There are four brand new games at the moment. In Ghost Ship, you and your companions find yourselves looking to escape the abandoned Marie Celeste while a huge storm approaches. Can you get out alive before it’s too late? The room is filled with nautical elements and strange potential clues. Anything and everything might be one (unless it’s part of the ceiling!). Meanwhile, the room where Kowloon Captive is staged couldn’t be more different. This time you find yourself in a Chinesestyle bar, looking for a kidnapped politician’s daughter. Your task, as undercover Hong Kong police officers, is to infiltrate the gang’s hideout and find evidence that will lead to the daughter’s rescue. Outbreak takes place in a secret British laboratory, where you have to find the solution to a rather pressing problem – a virus that’s about to cause massive devastation to the human race. In Relic Rush, you have to test your wits in a totally different setting, that of a lost temple in a jungle, where you have to find valuable artefacts. No matter which game you choose, you’ll experience some of the best puzzles around and have oodles of fun while solving them. Escape Break designs original and enigmatic games, which the players are then invited to solve. They’re aimed at groups of two to six people, and are ideal for friends, families, work colleagues – whoever! The age range is from six years old, but with no upper limit. Says founder Josh Gould, “The games are all designed to be fun and to bring out the best in people. We’re constantly designing new games, refining them and testing them out before we release them. The only drawback is that once you’ve played a game, you can never repeat the same one – simply because you’ll know in advance what all the clues are. That’s why we’re always working on new games.” In other words, things are kept fresh, and the team behind Escape Break isn’t one for resting on its laurels. It has very much the feel of a vibrant company that’s offering something quite different as entertainment. As such it’s worth taking a break from the beach and heading out to experience one of the island’s most unusual attractions.
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Interestingly, there are international franchise and licensing opportunities available. Josh and his company are setting up at other locales in SouthEast Asia, and have already opened in Siem Reap, and are opening soon in Bangkok, where the company is headquartered. The idea of escape games is something that’s taking off worldwide; people have really taken to the puzzles. They originated in Japan and Hungary, says Josh, with the world escape gaming centre currently being in Budapest. Meanwhile, on Samui, Josh and his team are pioneering the games. Pit your wits against the genius minds that have come up with these dastardly scenarios, and see just how long it takes you and your friends to break out from the locked rooms. Well worth trying, Escape Break will give your brain a serious workout while being lots of fun.
Dimitri Waring
____________________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7745 8100 and ask for Escape Break. www.escapebreak.com
HAND-MADE JEWELRY MADE TO ORDER. GOLD, SILVER, LEATHER, PRECIOUS AND SEMI PRECIOUS STONES. TWO LOCATIONS IN CHAWENG: 1ST: CHAWENG BEACH ROAD, PHONE: +(66)0 7742 2594 2ND: CENTRAL FESTIVAL SAMUI 2ND FLOOR, PHONE: +(66)0 7796 3811 WWW.THAILAND-JEWELRY.COM
A WORLD APART
More than just a top-notch restaurant, Poppies Samui has wonderful accommodation too, all hidden away in Chaweng.
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Not so long ago, Chaweng used to be a tiny village where tracks led through the forest, skirting along the beaches, knitting together the community of fishing folk and farmers who lived in the area. You wouldn’t think that nowadays if you take a drive down the main beach road. The extended village is now long gone, and in its stead you’ll find a fairly large town which caters almost exclusively for holidaymakers. Samui is now an international holiday destination, with Chaweng its hedonistic capital. At first glance, it’s all bright lights, miles of neon at night, and splitting at the seams with restaurants and hotels. It looks and acts totally contemporary. But Chaweng deceives – its extravert facade hides many a quiet spot that is radically different from the main show. Chaweng grew up around its first hotels and restaurants, and they’re mostly gone now, or so revamped and modernised that you’d never recognize them. Mostly, but not all. Head down the beach road, and in the south of the town you’ll find Poppies Samui. From the outside, the facade offers no glimpse of what’s behind it. But pass through its atrium and you’re in for a surprise: you’ll find yourself going up some steps into one of the lushest, most unexpected gardens on the island. It’s a place where greenery rules supreme; it’s a welcome oasis, not in a desert but in an urban setting. It’s completely quiet here and you’ll find a sense of calm and tranquillity reigns throughout.
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Many people think that Poppies is simply a restaurant which focuses on highly tasty Thai and international cuisine. Even people who live on Samui may not even realize it’s a resort, with the most amazing accommodation. It’s not so much a well-kept secret, but the result of natural camouflage; on the way to the restaurant, you may just take in the fact there are some cottages here, but they’re well-spaced and tend to blend in with the garden. But Poppies most certainly is a resort, as well as a restaurant. It’s the brainchild of John Taylor and David Hill, two travellers and entrepreneurs. David and his wife, Khun Tim, bought the land and wondered what to do with it. John had opened the original Poppies in Bali, in 1973. They got together, worked out a resort layout for the second Poppies and then went ahead and built it. Construction took three years, and Poppies Samui opened in 1994, the first boutique resort on the island. A few larger hotels had already opened, but Poppies kept everything on a small scale, focussing on the cottages and, of course, the food. Unlike many other small hotels and restaurants, Poppies has stayed in the same hands and hasn’t been sold on, or undergone any drastic changes. Guests keep coming back time and time again as they like the way it is. “Thirty five percent of guests who stay here return,” says John Ens, who has the enviable job of running this urban oasis. “That’s way above the average for Samui. If a
RockPool Samui Holiday Magazine March-April 2016
hotel has 10 to 15% returnees, then that’s already seen as a good percentage.” There are just 24 cottages here, and they’ve just been completely refurbished, so they’re even more comfortable than before. They seem to have stepped out of a fairy story and exude welcome and friendliness. Children love them, as they appear just like illustrations in the books they read – a little otherworldly, perhaps, a tinge of magic about them and a joy to look at. But unlike fairy stories, there’s nothing sinister waiting in the wings. Every amenity’s to be found inside; there’s plenty of space and each cottage has its own porch to sit out on, enabling you to enjoy that garden. John says the guests come from pretty much everywhere. “There’s no set type of person who likes Poppies,” he says. “Guests come from all over the world to stay here. Some are in their twenties, others in their eighties. We have honeymooners who come here, many couples and families with children.” One thing’s certain; the holidaymakers don’t expect vibrant nightlife from Poppies itself. Chaweng can provide all of that, but the resort remains a quiet and relaxed place; it’s part of its attraction. The restaurant reflects this. It’s popular due to its excellent food, and only has a theme night once a week, on Saturdays, when there’s a Thai dance soirée along with local handicrafts.
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Poppies and its restaurant look right on to the beach; step off the property and you’re right there on the sands. This is Chaweng Beach, which goes on for five kilometres, and with Poppies towards the southern end, it’s definitely quieter here than in the central part. The sands shelve gently into the water, so children love to swim here (though, as with all beaches, they’ll need to be supervised). The beach is a great place to chill out and get a suntan, before returning to the restaurant or your room, where you’ll be back in the welcome shade once more. If you’re looking for further ways to relax, then head for Poppies’ Seaview Spa, a small facility (you’ll probably need to book) that offers an array of amazingly good massages and treatments, as well as packages. Poppies has also invested in the environment; beach, reef and mountain cleaning are taken very seriously. The resort is an active member of the Thai Hotel Association (THA), whose 105 members represent all the local and international three, four and five-star resorts on Samui. Poppies’ management and staff, as part of the THA, actively participate in a government scheme to teach children about garbage separation, as well as growing fruits and vegetables to use in the schools kitchens. All 26 of the island’s government schools have now received instruction – some 18,000 students. They are also part of the Nest project to install rain gutters in all public schools. The water is collected and used in gardens and for cleaning public areas. Each hotel donates 25,000 baht with the Tessaban (local council) providing an additional 50,000 baht per school. Each school is supported by two resorts, which also provide the manpower to install the necessary items. It’s very important for Poppies to be part of the island’s drive for sustainability and green living, because each and every member of the staff knows that even if it’s an oasis, Poppies is also part of a larger island which needs to be looked after in order to maintain its attractiveness. Meanwhile, plenty of guests coming to stay on Samui are booking – or rebooking – into Poppies, knowing that they’ll be not just dining on delicious food but staying in wonderful accommodation.
Dimitri Waring
____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2419. www.poppiessamui.com 54 l www.samuiholiday.com
Welcome to Morya Pharmacy, your one-stop healthcare destination on Samui. 欢迎来到苏梅岛度假胜地之一的 Morya Pharmacy The new definition of a full service pharmacy. 以全方位服务理念为新定义的药房
The best and largest range of healthcare and organic products, gifts and souvenirs on Samui. 是苏梅岛规模最大，产品最优的生产有机产品、 礼品和纪念品的制造保健中心
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THE DREAM On Samui, the name ‘Ohm’ means superbikes – the story behind one of the island’s most successful personalities.
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Once upon a time, there was a small Thai family. They were Samui folk, part of the island’s community, stretching back for generations. Unlike some, they weren’t wealthy. They didn’t own huge plantations or long strips of beach. But the head of the family, Khun Cherd, was savvy. He had watched his island change. He’d seen more and more white faces coming to town. He’d looked on as more little huts and houses were built, and family-owned resorts bloomed on the beach. And so he began to supply a need. He opened a small shop, called it ‘Friendship Motorcycles’, and rented-out scooters. But wait – you have to think of the Chaweng of 30 years back, kilometre after kilometre of nothing. The beach road was made of dirt, and on almost all of its length, you could walk across a fringe of untidy scrubland to the beach. There was a muddle of small beach resorts around where Soi Green Mango now is (but at that time, no Green Mango Disco). One big hotel, Chaweng Regent. Somewhere around where McDonald’s is now, Chaweng just stopped. And, south of this, there was almost nothing until you hit the ring-road. Khun Cherd set up his motorbike rental up at the other end, near Chaweng Regent. But back in those days, there were no big bikes, just little scooters. He had three children, and the eldest son was named Ohm. Khun Ohm was keen to help his father from an early age, taking care of the bikes, checking them in and out and assisting with the service and repairs. The years passed. Samui gained an airport, and more people came. Khun Cherd cleverly moved his shop to a more central position to maximise his customer potential. Meanwhile, Khun Ohm grew up and headed off to one of Thailand’s top colleges, in Trang, to study ‘mechatronics’ – the advanced technology of electronics related to mechanical engineering. Motorbikes, engines, engineering, and electronics - they all came together in one course of study. And for the first time, away from the tiny rural island of Samui, Ohm discovered the excitement of big four-stroke bikes. He bought himself a Honda CBR 400 and got in with the local chapter of bikers, Trang Superbike. Graduated and qualified, he returned to Samui in 1998, not quite sure what to do next. By this time, the island was buzzing and there were tourists all over. He brought his old CBR 400 back with him and it caused a stir. There was only one scooter rental shop that had a 400cc bike parked outside, and before long, it was being rentedout every day, at four times the price of a scooter. Ohm wasn’t happy – he now had no bike! So he and his father put their heads together, Khun Ohm called on his biker buddies in Trang, went off with a bag full of cash, and came back with three more big bikes. “And this was the way it kept on going,” Ohm told me with a chuckle. “But every time I bought something new for myself, someone wanted to rent it. Much later, after I’d set up the big shop and got myself a hi-lift custom truck with big wheels, people wanted to rent that too. Today I’m a family man with four terrific kids. So my wife and I drive around in a really nice Hummer. And guess what? Everyone wants to rent it. But this is my family car, so no way. I just don’t need to do this anymore. The ‘truck’ stops here!” In 2005, Khun Ohm branched out on his own. He’d found the perfect place – at the very southern tip of the beach road, on the T-junction where it meets the ring-road. Right in front of where everyone coming out of Chaweng has to wait for the traffic. In a year, he’d doubled his stock. Then he started adding choppers and cruisers as well. The following year he took over the shop next door, knocked them into one, and put glass all across the front.
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Khun Ohm is an outgoing man, intelligent, lively and alert, full of energy and always on the go. Sometimes loud and direct, but with the disconcerting ability to suddenly soften, smile gently, and make you feel that you’re his new buddy. And he’s instinctively smart, business-wise. He managed to tune-in to everyone’s holiday dream – even before most of us knew what we wanted. Harleys. Ducattis. BMWs. Superbikes. Then little open-top Suzuki jeeps, chopped and modded in his own workshops. Then big chunky Wrangler Jeeps. And now, a couple of open top Mercedes SLK sports and BMW Z4 convertibles, too. And then there are the franchises. Today we have Ohm Cycles, Ohm Cars and Ohm Custom Wheels, with salerooms for Lifan and KTM motorbikes. Plus an exclusive supply of Harley Davidson spares and custom parts. There’s the stock and fitting of ‘Ironman’ custom parts, the exclusive Würth franchise. And a big workshop for the repair and custom-building of bikes and cars. Plus a café where people can meet and chat. But it’s not all take. “If we take, then we must give back also,” Khun Ohm continued. “I am a Samui man and I make money from tourists. And I’m also president of the Samui chapter of the Dark Knights Motorcycle Club. Samui has maybe eight or nine motorcycle clubs now. All are separate. But I can bring them all together. In 2010, we organised a Red Cross Charity Run and raised more than one million baht. Last year we collected 100,000 baht for Baan Haad Ngam School. We have also increased tourism, because every year in May we hold Samui Bike Week. A thousand bikers come from all over the nation, as well as Singapore and Malaysia. This is normally a quiet time for Samui, a mini low season. But for a week the resorts are busy, there is a carnival atmosphere with music and laughter, old friends meet again, and my island is happy once more.” Dreams come in all shapes and colours. Some you can’t even remember. But a million visitors to the island of Samui remember the name of ‘Ohm’. It’s become an icon, woven into the story of Samui, a part of the legend, constantly hovering under the surface of everyday life – and very much a part of it, too!
Rob De Wet
____________________________________________________________ www.ohmcyclessamui.com
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treat yourself at least once the dining room
Probably the most beautiful restaurant on the island and definitely the best food. Dine outside on the rocks by the sea or inside the open air ‘dining room’. Our exceptional chef and his team present a wonderful cross-over of Mediterranean and delicious French cuisine. The Dining Room is open every day for lunch and dinner. We hold regular events and often live music. Rocky’s Boutique REsort, Koh Samui. Reservations 077 233 020 dining@rockyresort.com www.rockyresort.com. On the ringroad just south of Lamai.
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STRANGE DAYS Are you a stranger in a strange land, or are you merely here on holiday? How old are you? I’m serious! Because your years determine your outlook. Even old people (like me) go to the Full Moon Parties. Like we would to Stonehenge or the Taj Mahal. Just gotta do it and go there! But age prescribes activities. Meaning that pensioners don’t usually ‘party’ and uni gappers aren’t known for being particularly sensible. So what you get up to in Thailand has a lot to do with your age and your testosterone levels (or whatever the alternative female thing is). Ever seen the movie ‘Dumb and Dumber’? This is a generation thing, too. My (30-something yearold) daughter has, but I skipped it after watching the trailer. I reckon I’m just so much older and that much wiser. But she doesn’t agree. She just thinks I’m old. This is what I meant by ‘the age thing’. My generation is going to fall for Thai fake gem scams. Her generation is going to fall off scooters. But (being old and wise) I reckon that, overall, it balances out. We just fall down in different ways, that’s all. Particularly over here. In Thailand in general, and on Samui in particular. There are things that you ‘just don’t do!’ It’s nothing much to do with some kind of style or trend. It’s to do with staying alive and safe. Or simply not being ripped off. Even if you’re young and here for ten days, how many lives do you have if you are not a cat, but just a cheery teen-twenty foreign tourist? Answer – not so many. Thus this little story is an attempt to clue you in, whether your age is gap-year or pensionable. In your country, in the West, in Europe or any other of the so-called ‘first world’ nations, you have a God-given right to free speech. You can express your opinions. You can demand your constitutional rights. You have grown up in an environment of clearly prescribed laws, and layers of enforcement that provide the order to uphold the law. Now you’re in Thailand for a week or a month. And you have to forget everything you’ve ever known or believed. The role of the police is not the same. So when dealing with the police, or any other officials, including immigration officers, don’t even dream about your ‘rights’. Be humble, never even assertive. Tug your forelock submissively and allow the official his moment. If you don’t, you may have visa extensions denied or, at very least, find yourself waiting around, frustrated and ignored, for hours.
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And, linked in with the role of the police, more advice: don’t ride your motorbike after you’ve been out drinking. Seems obvious? You’d be amazed at the number of beer-swilling Westerners who head to places like Chaweng, drink 10 pints of lager and, having not ridden a motorbike before they got here, decide that they can navigate the twisty island roads at 3:00 am. OK, so you’ll see Thais doing this, but they’ve been on motorbikes since they were old enough to walk. And, goodness knows, enough of them fall off every year as it is. Whilst on the subject of being on the roads – also forget everything you’ve ever learned to expect back home. Here people drive on whatever side of the road they feel like, have no sense of road discipline or positioning, and will often sail out of a side street without even a pause or a glance. The rule: always, always, use your mirrors. Spend even more time looking sideways and backwards then you do at what’s coming in front. Another thing we don’t experience back home is the regard the people here have for their monarchy. Indeed, so revered is the present King that he has now become a demi-god. Whatever your opinions, never, ever, speak critically about the Thai Royal Family. You might like to know that it’s the law here that any foreigner using the internet is logged, just in case they do this very thing. And, yes, email is vetted (from time to time, anyway) and several websites have been blocked by the government. People have ended up in jail for being too outspoken on their blog. It’s all very serious stuff. On a much more day-to-day basis, it’s also worth being aware of several things. Thai people are fastidiously clean and always remove their shoes before going indoors, and this often includes shops. (Look for the shoes outside and follow suit.) Likewise, don’t walk around barefoot, unless beachside. It’s considered dirty, and only the lowest of the low can’t afford cheap flip-flops. Plus then you’ll go inside someone’s house with your black-soled feet! Similarly, know that the head is a sacred part of the body, so try to resist patting people on the head. Feet are considered mean and base: recently a chef appeared in a publication with his feet up on the table – laid back and relaxed. But he had no idea how much he dropped in the estimation of his staff. The lesson: don’t point your feet at people, or publicly display them! It’s a minefield. My daughter has been here a lot, and has had years of instruction from me about the differences in the respective cultures, but she still finds it all difficult, even though she’s now more aware than most. Admittedly, the Thai people in tourist areas have learned to be a lot more tolerant. But always keep it in mind that we are the strangers here, not them. Even though you’re on holiday, in your Western-style resort, outside on the street, you’re still a stranger in an even stranger land!
Rob De Wet
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HANSAR Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa 154 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: +66 77 231 500 Mob: +66 81 751 6073 Fax: +66 77 231 520 Email: info@baanhaadngam.com, booking@baanhaadngam.com, www.baanhaadngam.com
Romantic views, soothing sounds and classic Italian fare with a modern approach combine to please the most discerning diner. Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike. Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort Chaweng Beach. Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500
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HEAD FOR
THE HILLS Azur Samui is a tropical idyll set in beautiful hills offering a dream lifestyle.
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It’s said of Venice that everybody wants to see it, and that those who’ve already seen it want to return. The same goes for Samui, but with the critical difference that, unlike Venice, a lot of people want to come and live on Samui permanently. Many holidaymakers wish that they could have more of a foothold here than a week or two in a hotel. It might seem impossible, as dreams go, but it turns out not to be true. All sorts of people are coming to Samui and are setting up here, living on the island for months at a time, or permanently. A millionaire’s game? Not at all. With extremely reasonable prices, you can afford to buy a property on the island and live here for as much of the year as you care to. And if, for any reason whatsoever, you’d like to be away for a while, then you can rent out your property, make a tidy profit, and have it looking spick and span for your return. This is one of the ideas behind Azur Samui. It’s the brainchild of Tim Dean-Smith, who developed Beach Republic, an architectural gem on the coast at Lamai. He’s been on the island for over a decade and is in a good position to know what investors and buyers are looking for. Azur is located up in the hills just outside Maenam, on Samui’s north coast. When you arrive, you’ll be impressed by the sheer calm and privacy of the place. You can look down onto a plain of palm trees that
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fronts the sea itself, and beyond that the view stretches away to Koh PhaNgan and Koh Tao. None of this means that the development is isolated; it’s a few minutes’ drive down to the ring-road and Fisherman’s Village at Bophut, and just 20 minutes to Chaweng and Samui Airport. As such it combines the best of coast, countryside and all the modern amenities that the island now offers. Azur offers a range of luxury apartments, villas and pool penthouses, which are all well designed with top-notch finishes. If desired, you can even have an optional interior furnishing package, too. It’s therefore entirely possible to buy into this development and have everything ready for you as you open your front door for the first time. (Some buyers are simply opting to purchase with a view to letting out their property and thereby simply using Azur as an investment.) The apartments are spacious, beautifully designed and all have sea views. Plenty of natural light abounds thanks to the windows and openair nature of the properties. The combination of layout and setting makes them extremely desirable places to live. Designed in an elegant, contemporary architectural style, these superb residences offer their owners an idyllic tropical lifestyle.
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The Private Pool Villas, with three to five bedrooms, have been designed to allow a maximum of living space both indoors and outdoors, with between 400 and 750 square metres of living space. Balconies are on the large side, even for tropical living, and include barbecue areas and extremely well-finished infinity pools from where you can gaze out to sea. You’ll also find that Azur isn’t just a place to live, but a community too; there’s a stylish club house, with spa services such as massage and steam rooms, tennis courts and dining options, as well. There’s a professional reception, because Azur will be renting villas and apartments on behalf of its owners to holidaymakers, and a very effective 24-hour security system offering safety, security and peace of mind for everyone staying there. If you’re away from the property, you’ll be able to check out the CCTV cameras on your smartphone. Another great advantage to Azur is the sheer flexibility of the architects. Most purchasers change the floor plans in some way or another, and this is never any problem at all. If you would like to have an indoor cinema or a bonsai garden, then if it’s feasible, it can be incorporated into the layout. The owners come from very diverse backgrounds, so it was never envisaged in the first place that the layouts should always be left as standardized templates. Ecological construction materials have been used wherever possible, and the buildings are oriented so that the sun doesn’t overheat the interiors. Natural cooling, breezes and savvy ventilation keep the properties cool, and in addition the walls contain high insulation material so as to keep the heat out.
Water is captured as it flows downhill through the development, and three deep wells guarantee the water supply. In short, everything’s been well thought out to provide comfortable living. The finish is pretty much unparalleled on Samui, according to Tim, who is adamant that it should be highly durable. Two apartment blocks have already been completed and handed over, and five villas are under construction. Properties here are selling fast; nine out of 26 villas were sold by the end of 2015, along with approximately 50% of the apartments. Not surprisingly Azur is proving very popular. Interestingly, unlike many developments on Samui and in Thailand, you don’t have to pay for a property outright. Fifty percent of the total price can be financed by the vendor, and in all cases, payment can be made in instalments. The price for a studio at Azur is 3.8 million Baht, and villas start at approximately 21 million Baht, with the price for an enormous pool penthouse with private elevator access being in the region of 25 million Baht.
KHAO SOK
The Cliff and River Jungle Resort
Come and Relax with us at The Cliff and River Jungle Resort in magnificent Khao Sok. Enjoy the natural beauty and fresh air at this Scenic Riverside location. Sightseeing Info - Canoeing - International Restaurant Luxury Recreation Facilities - Elephant Trekking
for more information and reservation please call 0 872 718 787, 0 812 721 221, 0 7791 3050 Fax. 0 7791 3099 www.thecliffandriver.com
P. CHAWENG GUEST HOUSE
100 ISLANDS RESORT
Located at the end of Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Grand Beach Resort. Thai owned and managed, offering the beauty of Thai style architecture combined with European comforts.
The first boutique hotel in Suratthani. Reasonably priced with friendly service and a family atmosphere. Relax by the pool or ease your tensions at the luxurious spa.
If, like an ever increasing number of people these days, you’d like to experience a bit more of Samui than just an annual holiday, there’s no reason in the world why you shouldn’t head for the hills and an ideal lifestyle.
Dimitri Waring ___________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 815 678 083. www.azursamui.com
Recommended by Lonely Planet
Tel.: 0 7723 0684
Tel.: 0 7720 1150-8
KART BLANCHE
FOR FUN EasyKart and EasyFly Samui provide huge thrills on the land and in the air.
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Have you ever been go-karting? If you have, then you’ll need no persuading that this is a great way to get an adrenaline rush. If you’ve yet to try, first off, it’s an amazing amount of fun. It’s basically a scaled-down version of motor racing. It’s fast, furious – and fun, fun, fun all the way. Even as a spectator it’s enjoyable to watch, but that doesn’t even remotely compare to being in the driver’s seat. From the stand at the EasyKart track in Chaweng, you can see lines of rubber tyres, tarmac raceways and black-and-white striped concrete kerbs. All that changes when you’re actually sitting in the cockpit: the road’s right in front of you and immediately starts ribboning out once you get going. And because you’re low down in the kart, the speed seems a lot faster than it actually is. Skill is required to negotiate the bends and tight turns – just like in any form of motor racing. EasyKart has not one but two tracks. The first is for beginners and children, and is 350 metres in length. The go-karts are 100 and 160 cc. Then there’s a much longer track for more advanced drivers. It’s 750
Located on the tropical stretch of golden sands and turquoise waters off Koh Samui’s up market Bophut bay, Beach Bar offers wide variety of cocktails, champagne, wines, snacks, delicious home made ice cream and freshly blended fruit drink Come and join our happy hour as day turns to dusk before strolling down to the quaint cobblestone ‘Bophut Fisherman village’ Good things come in three, enjoy our Happy Hours daily at
01:30 - 02:30 pm 06:30 - 07:30 pm 09:30 - 10:30 pm
- buy one get one free -
metres in length, and the go-karts here are a lot more powerful – 250 cc. Go-karting is an activity that’s suitable for all ages. The only requirement is that you must be at least 120 centimetres in height. But whether you’re old or young, you have to exercise responsibility. You’ll find the track is very professionally maintained, as are all the vehicles. Each driver on each track is timed by a special computerized system with printout, allowing you to see your fastest times. The team here can also provide basic training and can deal with private parties and groups. EasyKart’s facility in has room for up to 500 guests, making the venue an ideal one for large gatherings and corporate functions. Naturally, there’s also a panoramic bar, overlooking both the race tracks. Here, you can partake not just of drinks but a range of snacks such as French fries, chicken nuggets and Mexican chicken wings. It’s ideal for parties too, as there’s a powerful sound system.
HANSAR SAMUI
101/27-28 Moo 1, Bophut Koh Samui 84320 Thailand +66 77 245 511 | www.hansarsamui.com
You’ll find EasyKart on the peninsula that juts into Chaweng Lake. It’s close by the Reggae Pub, and is open daily from 10:00 am until 1:00 am.
used to train parachutists who are free-falling from planes. The wind that’s generated mimics what happens from the moment you jump from the plane until the parachute opens.
EasyKart has two other branches, both in Thailand. You’ll find these in Bangkok RCA and in Pattaya at Bali Hai Pier. In Bangkok, EasyKart has the largest indoor track in the whole of Asia, with a layout of some 7,000 square metres. So, even if you’re travelling around the country, you certainly don’t need to miss out on go-karting and all the fun it provides.
You’ll find the wind tunnel near the stand at EasyKart and, naturally, you’re welcome to have a look at it first before you decide to go ahead and try it or not. You’re kept aloft by a wind speed of approximately 240 km/per hour. All the equipment necessary is included and the instructor will make sure you’re ready for your flight and will be there to assist you throughout. The experience is the freefall equivalent of two jumps out of a plane at a height of 12,000 feet.
EasyKart in Chaweng also boasts something else that virtually no other go-kart circuits have in the world: a vertical wind tunnel. That sounds very scientific and you may wonder if it’s part of some kind of meteorological experiment. But rather than testing out what happens when it gets windy, this is about people realizing a commonly-held dream: the ability to fly. Yes, you can fly! It’s one of mankind’s oldest dreams, and in these days of planes and helicopters, everyone can go flying. But the dream still remains – we want to be able to fly unaided: no wings or rotors. And thanks to the wind tunnel, you can do this. All you have to do is to listen to a brief 20-minute presentation, then don a special suit that helps keep you buoyant. The trainer is with you the whole time, and first holds you horizontal when the wind starts. Then you’ll lift off from the ground. Is it exhilarating? You bet! You can fly unsupported up to a height of five metres, and literally hover in the air. Most of us tend to think that this kind of wind tunnel is a brand new invention. Yet they’ve been around since 1971, and are traditionally
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EasyFly is proving incredibly popular. Once you’ve received the instruction necessary, each ‘trip’ takes two minutes. It’s an incredibly exciting procedure and may be the first step in a longer journey towards learning to fly. Incidentally, you may be wondering what happens if there’s a power cut. The short answer is: nothing at all. The wind won’t suddenly stop and everything will keep on as normal. This is because the wind is powered by diesel generators. With not just one but two amazing adrenaline rushes on offer, Chaweng Lake is the place to head for if you’re looking for thrills, on land or in the air ... or both!
Dimitri Waring
__________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information telephone 0 7741 3302 www.easykart.net
Let Waterline’s menu take you on a journey. Globally inspired, highlighting seafood, meat and poultry the menu is infused with Chef Roberto Belletti’s worldwide culinary passion. A story teller through his food, the menu will delight the palate while evoking words, thought and memories. Come and visit Waterline to experience a journey on a plate. Manathai Koh Samui Samui Ring Road Lamai Telephone 0 7745 8560-4 www.manathai.com Serving daily between 11:30am – 10:30pm
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ALOO GOBI TO VINDALOO Pure authenticity and more at Noori India. You have arrived in Samui, sampled a selection of Thai dishes, but what you suddenly hanker after is some really authentic and satisfying Indian food. Luckily for you, in the heart of Chaweng, you will find Noori India, the longest running Indian restaurant on Samui. Noori India has the taste, the atmosphere and just that extra bit of pizzazz. Desh Deepak, more commonly known as D.D., is the very charismatic, charming and knowledgeable general manager. He has accumulated a wealth of food, beverage, organisation and training knowledge through managing some of India’s top hotels. He went on to open the first Indian restaurant in Mongolia, and then taught in various hotel training schools in Jaipur, northern India. His university education also gifted him a flawless use of the English language, and he loves to use it discussing philosophy. If you get the chance to have a chat with him, take it. He has some very interesting and comical life observations and experiences to share. D.D. prides himself on the fact his restaurants only prepare and serve authentic Indian style food. You will not find any Thai food, burgers, pasta etc. here. Ah, except for French fries ... according to DD, the English tourists insist on asking for them! The staff are all super friendly and speak excellent English. There is an extensive menu, which is available in English, Chinese and Russian. It even includes some interesting astrology information, matching your star sign with foods that should agree with you. There is something for everyone on the menu, including approximately 25 different vegetarian dishes, 20 different types of naan bread (the traditional Indian flatbread) and a kids section which is slightly adapted. For example fish fingers, are actually Fish Pakora. The language is just easier for children and allows fussy eaters to feel happy with their choices. On the rare occasion that you would like an Indian dish that you can’t find on the menu, just ask. The chef is more than happy to oblige, and loves to get creative in the kitchen. The same applies if you see something you fancy, but want a milder version or without some of the ingredients listed. Noori prides itself on ‘healthy’ Indian cooking. No dish is too oily, and fresh local ingredients are used wherever possible. Spices are freshly ground every day, and come from India if not available locally. Noori is a well-known and very popular restaurant with the local Indian community on Samui. They love it’s no frills, good honest Indian food, at extremely reasonable prices, making it exceptional value for money.
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Poppadoms, onion bhajis, samosas, chicken tikka masala, tandoori dishes, sizzling platters, the chef’s signature dish of Tawa which is served on a hotplate and comes with vegetable, lamb, chicken, fish, prawn or squid. Go crazy and order a selection to share. On the beverage menu, you will find authentic Indian drinks such as mango lassi (a cooling yoghurt drink), Kingfisher beer and Masala Chai (Indian tea). Don’t forget to check out the desserts too. Try some Kheer Badami, a traditional Indian rice pudding, made with raisins and nuts. Halal food can also be prepared on request. Noori also has a dedicated and experienced ‘outdoor catering team’. They offer fantastic food planning, preparation, creative presentation and meticulous service standards for any event you may be hosting. They cater for dinner parties at private villas, for birthdays, wedding receptions, office parties, award ceremonies, product launches, gala dinners, in fact, any event you can think of. They are available to discuss your specific requirements, offer advice selecting the most suitable venue and will prepare a personalised menu for any number of guests. Private group dining can also be arranged at the restaurant itself, which can accommodate up to 80 people. Always wanted to learn how to cook Indian food from scratch? Now is your chance. Whether you’re a complete novice in the kitchen, an amateur cook keen to further develop your skills, or a professional chef wishing to widen your repertoire with one of the world’s favourite cuisines, joining one of D.D.’s cooking classes, is a great way to spend three hours of your time on Samui. The skills you learn will still be there, long after your tan has faded! D.D. is an informative and interesting teacher, able to explain everything in a fun and relaxed way, making the class a most enjoyable experience. There is a choice of menus that
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Nora Buri SH Sep - Oct 2015
B a r g e & Te r r a c e
you can prepare and cook, including vegetarian or vegan options. The menu choice can be further customised if you have any other specific requirements. On completion of the course, you will be presented with your very own ‘Noori India Cooking Center’ apron to take away, and a certificate of achievement to display proudly on your kitchen wall at home. A unique memento of your visit to Samui. Classes are held every day from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm until 7.00 pm in a separate location, close to the restaurants.
Fine Beachside Dining at The Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine Daily A La Carte and Thai Set Dinner No visit to Samui is complete until you have dined at The Rice Barge & Terrace
There are two Noori India restaurants on Samui, and both are located on the beach road in Chaweng. The main branch is on the one-way section, just south of Chaweng Buri Resort, and just north of Burger King and Elite Exclusive Gym. The other is further south on the 2-way traffic section, past Centara Grand Beach Resort and before Chaweng Cove Resort. Both restaurants are open every day from 11.30 am until 11.30 pm. There is also an outlet in the food court at Central Festival shopping mall. From Rajasthan to Samui, authentic Indian food served within a family atmosphere. Eat and savour the spices and tastes, learn how to cook it yourself, organise catering for any function. Noori India is so much more than just a restaurant.
Karan Ladd
_______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7730 0757 or 0 867 407 873 www.nooriindia.com
Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com
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MINDFULNESS
AND MEDITATION SCL International School is adding to their curriculum Samui Centre of Learning, more commonly known as SCL International School, was originally established in 2004, and is now a respected international school located in the bustling town of Lamai. The school first began teaching from a small wooden building with just two primary aged students. The wooden huts multiplied, and then became concrete structures. They employed more teachers, offered more and more subjects, and after a lot of hard work, they began offering secondary education as well. The school has always prided itself on providing high quality teaching and learning, within a caring family-orientated environment. They utilise individualised learning, and employ holistic teaching methods, ensuring that every student is learning at their own pace and ability. Every year, the school has attracted more and more interest. Parents talked with other parents, and as the word spread about the fantastic learning opportunities at the school, a steady increase of parents enrolling their children began. This has enabled the school to continue growing at a firm and steady pace, and they now have approximately 200 students. The school offers the British Curriculum, which means it operates within the framework of the National Curriculum for England and Wales. Lessons are taught in English from nursery to secondary; all the way up to year 11 (ages 15-16). SCL is accredited by the University of Cambridge’s International Examinations body, and is an Edexcel Accredited International School. This means that students can take their IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams here. This is the equivalent of the High School Diploma and students can then go on to college to pursue any higher level education. SCL is also a Thai Ministry of Education licensed International School, one of only two schools on the island and the southeast of Thailand, with this title. In addition to the British curriculum, students have an hour of Thai language tuition every day, and learn about Thai culture, music and dancing. Where necessary, students receive EAL (English as an additional language) support. Classes are taught only by qualified and certified teaching staff, who are predominantly British nationals. As you would expect at an International School, other language studies are readily available, with French, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin) and Thai all offered. Lessons are taught by specialist teachers as part of the normal school day, but in addition, they offer ‘After School Language Clubs’. All language support and the extra ‘after school’ clubs are included in the school fees. These clubs are ‘fun’ sessions and intended as an extension of what was taught during the day, with games and activities helping to cement the days learning. If your child requires further private tuition outside of school hours, this can be arranged directly with the teacher. School Director, Emma Dyas, is a dynamic and energetic leader. She is continually thinking about how to improve both the learning experience and the general wellbeing of the students in her care, and how to do this in a way that is affordable to all parents. Because of this, SCL is continually growing and expanding its facilities, extra-curricular activities, staff and students. At the beginning of this academic year, the school moved premises. Change always means new opportunities, and Emma has many new ideas for the expansion and improvement of what they currently offer. Planned for September 2016, are more new classrooms, a dance and drama studio, a gym and an organic farm. Emma is keen to teach students about healthy living, including fitness and healthy eating, and she is working hard to make that a reality. Any produce grown on the organic farm will be used in the school kitchen, and the lunch menu will be altered to include even healthier options. This is no mean feat on a tight budget, but Emma works exceedingly hard to achieve her aims, one way or another.
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Another exciting change is morning sessions of mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. It involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them, without believing, for instance, that there’s a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune in to what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Mindfulness can be accessed through meditation when our minds are calm and peaceful. There are many benefits for students including; • Improved happiness levels. • Helps to tune out distractions, improves memory and attention skills. • Increases the density of grey matter in brain regions which is linked to
learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy. • Reduced behavioural problems, stress, anger, frustration and aggression. • Makes them more likely to help someone in need, and increases activity in neural networks involved in understanding the suffering of others and regulating emotions. Evidence suggests it might boost selfcompassion and confidence. • It is good for their bodies: practicing mindfulness meditation boosts the immune system’s ability to fight off illness. • Practicing ‘mindful eating’ encourages healthier eating habits and maintains a healthy weight. • Encourages good relationships with peers, teachers and parents. • Teachers trained in mindfulness also show lower blood pressure, less negative emotion and greater compassion and empathy.
SCL has held fast to their original vision; to provide a safe and nurturing environment where children are free to express themselves, whilst receiving a high-quality education and learning individually at their own pace. The staff at SCL are an amazing team, and they genuinely love what they do. They are proud of their family-oriented atmosphere, their caring environment and their excellent curriculum. SCL international School is located at the south end of Lamai. If you are coming from Chaweng, go all the way through Lamai on the ring-road; continue past the sharp left at the temple. It is on the right-hand side of the road before Lamai Post Office and Makro. If coming from the other
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direction, go past Makro and the post office on the left-hand side, it is about 200 meters after the post office on the same side of the road. If you would like to visit the school, please phone ahead to confirm your time of arrival.
Karan Ladd ___________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7741 8789. www.sclinternationalschool.com
PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
Oriental Living is the only logical choice when buying your holiday home.
Let’s take a close look at Oriental Living. To say it’s a furniture store is overly simplistic. Most establishments in this field merely act as middlemen; they collect furniture and objets d’art from different sources and then resell them. But Oriental Living has become far more than a curiosity shop – although it has to be said that owner and founder, Michael Dietvorst, is constantly acquiring fascinating artefacts from his travels all over the world. Now there is also a branch in Phuket, together with an in-house design team creating custom-made furniture in wood, metal and rattan, plus artists producing original and striking paintings on canvas. But what scores all the brownie points is the client-service offered by the team. The Samui-based sales and customer relation manager is the very capable Dew (Khun Peedinan Somnongsook), who previously lived in the UK, where he gained his initial degree in Fine Art. “Some years ago the approach was for house buyers to go for Thai-influenced décor – after all, we are in Thailand,” he explained. “But architectural trends have become dramatically more simple and elegant, such as Gary Fell’s stunning project at Samujana, for example, which won Asia’s Best Resort Residences by Property Report 2015. Although the occasional highlighted feature of antique Asian craftwork is certainly admissible, the overall dynamic of the furnishings and fabrics needs to be in harmony with the clean and almost minimalistic lines of the buildings. And that’s where we at Oriental Living come in. We provide a series of in-depth consultations with our clients, whatever their budget, helping them to select styles of furniture for each of the rooms – living space, bedrooms and so on – and providing them with differing sets of choices and combinations at each stage.” “We’re keenly aware of current design trends, and have extensive catalogues of the exciting range of Scandinavian-modern furniture that’s currently in vogue,” Dew continued. “Plain, simple lines are dominant, with solid, light-toned woods, and the occasional highlight of an electric hue in the fabrics. As well as co-ordinating schemes that feature work from our own designers, we can supply an entire range of items from leading manufacturers, such as furniture from Mobella, Box Furniture, Galeri, Tipota or Eastwind, and fabric collections from Jim Thompson, Sunbrella Outdoor Fabric and VC Fabric.
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You only have to spend a few minutes with the team here to realise that they are all very clued-in, and avidly up to date with the latest in international design trends. At the moment, and tied closely to current architectural directions, there’s been a swing away from chunky, boxy furniture and safe earth tones. Now clients are going for slimmer, more streamlined forms, with more than a hint of retro-Scandinavian in their make-up. Heavy dark woods are a thing of the past; today’s designs feature timber that’s blonde or light brunette, satin-finished, and with a predominance of straight lines offset by the occasional harmonious curve. Of interest here is that although seat cushions are still to be seen, there are more adventurous alternatives, with soft woven and interlaced fabrics predominating, often in high-key dynamic hues. Tipota Furnishings are market leaders here, and everything is hand-made to a high standard by Javanese craftsmen. As well as ‘casual’ furniture – occasional and coffee tables, informal chairs and desks – there’s a super range of living room and bedroom items, too. At one time a sofa, say, would have dominated a living room, making a powerful visual statement. But today’s style is simpler and cleaner. The form, the actual mass and dimensions of furniture, in 2016 is low key and understated, forming a harmonious whole with the room that it’s in. Sofas, tables, chairs are subdued and elegant in their shapes and dimensions; the room accents come from jolts of vibrant colour in upholstery, cushions and other soft furnishings. And the same holds true for bedroom décor. The Tipota workshops design and manufacture solid, simple, harmonious furniture. The essence of successful interior design is to create an entire unity, an environment, where no one item shouts loudly or dominates. And with this year’s range of stylish and subtly sophisticated beds, side tables, cabinets and lamps, you’ll need the insight to combine it all together – which the Oriental Living team does with flair and aplomb.
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At which point it must be said that Oriental Living holds the enviable position of being the contracted furnishing and décor consultant and supplier for Samujana – if you’re buying a property there, then they’re the company of choice. Not to mention having also furnished other 5-star clients such as Belmond Napasai, Koh Samui, The Minor Group’s Anantara Lawana, The Tongsai Bay and Kanda Residences. However, having said all of this, you would never for a moment imagine the scope of this company when you walk through the door of their Samui showroom in Maenam. It’s a visual riot of items and styles, with handcrafted ethnic tables, vases and statues vying for attention, and contrasting with elaborate stained glass lamps from Morocco, Oriental fabrics, contemporary oil paintings, Swedish-modern chairs and a plethora of other fascinating objets d’art. There’s so much stock in fact, that they regularly rotate and change the display. And, of course, this is one of the very few places where you can view and buy authentic curios and hand-made artefacts from around South East Asia. As well as supplying the wider needs of homeowners on the island, Oriental Living has an established trade with visitors, and offers a shipping service to go with this. No matter what way you’re ‘putting things together’, this is one stop you need to make!
Rob De Wet
_______________________________________________________ For further information telephone 0 7724 7675. www.oriental-living.net
Fine Beachfront Dining serving Thai, Seafood & International Cuisine. Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North Tel: 0 7742 9400 Fax: 0 7742 9498 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com
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GREEN CREDENTIALS Samui Health Shop and Cafe by Lamphu, has it covered.
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Located diagonally across the road from Tesco Lotus in Lamai, you will discover a true treasure trove of healthy and organic products, a onestop health shop for all your needs. The small shop front belies the sheer number and range of products available inside, as well as a hidden gem of a cafe which offers home-cooked healthy food and fresh organic juices. With the growing trend of healthy eating, and more people developing allergies, an increasing number of people are seeking to eat organically grown food, and use products which are made with as few chemical additives as possible. The term ‘organic’ refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Specific requirements must be met and maintained in order for products to be labelled as such. Organic crops must be grown in safe soil, have no modifications, and must remain separate from conventional products. Farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products. As a result, organic farming is more labour intensive, as natural methods of maintaining the growth of crops and produce must be used, therefore it is currently more expensive. Khun Benjaphon Lamvatcharin and his wife Khun Monticha, better known as Khun Best and Khun Benji, have been involved in the health business for more than 10 years. Their self-confessed mission is to bring Thai produced organic and natural products to the consumer, at a reasonable price, making natural lifestyle choices accessible to a wider market, and especially to those who have never dabbled in natural or
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organic products before. They select only the highest quality food, ingredients and products, all of which they test themselves. They believe wholeheartedly in supporting the local farmers on Samui as best as they can. All the fruit and vegetables sold and used in the cafe come from local organic farms, helping the farmers to promote their produce and keep them in business. Everything they sell must reach or exceed their self-imposed high standards. The shop itself has a product list of over 800 items. Approximately 20 percent are certified organic; another 15 percent reach the Lamphu organic standard. Most of the products on sale are ‘natural’ and all products are better for you than other commercial alternatives. Khun Best believes in education and transparency, as well as providing true and accurate information to customers, as best as he can. He wants everyone to be able to afford highquality natural products, so there are prices to suit every wallet. He is always available to offer advice on any of the products and help you to decide which may suit you best, whatever your needs. So whether you are looking for essential oils, personal care products, cleaning products, superfoods, herbal supplements, nuts, seeds, flours, honey, organic eggs or juices, certified coconut oil, homemade cakes (made by Khun Benji), chocolate and energy bars, handmade pottery or clothing, or just a healthy lunch or drink - Lamphu Health Shop has it all. You can also order and pick up a regular box of local organic produce such as eggs and seasonal fruit and vegetables, straight from farmers. Think kale, carrots, cucumber, celery, sweet potatoes etc.. You get to choose your own
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Green Resort Green Spa Detoxifying and Slimming Program Healthy Thai Restaurant Natural Wing Health Spa & Resort 11/5 Moo 6, Maenam, Koh Samui, Thailand Tel: 0 7760 2111, 0 7760 2112 Fax: 0 7744 7243 Mobile: 0 819 682 796 Email: info@naturalwing.com, www.naturalwing.com
combination from what is available. A minimum order is required; eggs, for example, require a minimum order of one tray, which is 30 eggs. Bulk buying at wholesale prices is also available. Some of Samui’s most popular resorts and spa’s already make use of this system. Khun Best strongly believes in connecting local business with local farmers. Keeping organic farming on Samui alive and profitable is at the forefront of his vision for a healthier future for everyone. If reading this article is making you hanker after some fantastic natural and organic food or juice, you really must pay a visit to the cafe. There is a choice of air-conditioned seating to the rear of the shop or, in the shady garden outside with fans to keep you cool and free Wi-Fi throughout. Service is quick and friendly, water is provided on every table, and from presentation to smell and taste, the food is divine. There is definitely something for everyone here. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or a meat eater (chicken and fish are your options) you will certainly find something to enjoy. All the dishes are the creations of Khun Benji. Khun Best is in charge of creating the subtle delicate flavours of his awesome juice recipes. These juices are not just a few veggies thrown into a high-speed juicer. His recipes have been carefully created, with lots of testing and attention to detail. All of the juices are extracted using a slow juicer. This means they are cold pressed (unlike centrifugal and
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masticating juicers), with low oxidation and no heat. This maximises the nutrient density and enzyme content, making them exceptionally good for you. The Lamai Health Cafe is open every day from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm. There is also a smaller store without a cafe right in front of Vikasa Yoga Retreat. This is located on the hilly road between Chaweng Noi and Lamai. This store is open from 10:00 am until 8:30 pm. As a local family run business, Khun Best and Benji both believe wholeheartedly in conducting their business in a fair, honest and responsible way, showing goodwill and respect to both their customers and suppliers. They plan to continue supporting local organic farmers, so that in the long term, their businesses can expand and, as a result, begin to bring down the costs of organically produced food, so that everyone can afford access to healthier alternatives.
Karan Ladd ___________________________________
For more information, telephone 0 7723 1079 or 0 966 348 752. www.samuihealthshop.com
KOH SAMUI
THA CHARITY MIDNIGHT RUN SATURDAY MARCH 26 th 2016
WELCOME TO THE KOH SAMUI THA CHARITY MIDNIGHT RUN JOIN US FOR 5 KM OR 10 KM FUN RUN! The cost of participation is 500 Baht for a single entry or 1000 Baht inclusive of the Grand Raffle Participation (win a Scoopy 1 mortorbike) or 1500 Baht if registred on race day for the 5 km or 10 km Run. Registration and payment can be made at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa, Bophut beach (tel: 077 425 085) from March 1st until March 20th. Runners may register onsite at the Reggae Pub on race day from 2pm onwards. Start & finish line will be from the Reggae Pub in Chaweng Beach. Contact Details For all information about the Midnight Run, please check out www.samuimidnightrun.com For all queries please contact info@samuimidnightrun.com Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa, Bophut beach (tel: 077 425 085)
www.samuimidnightrun.com
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BASKING IN THE PARK
Blue Stars guarantee a blissful day out at the Angthong National Marine Park.
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Now that you’ve arrived on Samui, you might just want to relax and soak up all the sights that there are here – and there are indeed many. But it might seem a bit strange, even counter-productive, to have arrived on one island only to go and visit other islands, albeit just for a day. Isn’t this just the kind of thing you’d do only if you’d exhausted all of Samui; seen and done everything that was notable here? The answer is a definite no. Thousands of holidaymakers every year head off to visit the amazingly beautiful islands that make up the Angthong National Marine Park. And that isn’t because they’re bored with Samui, but because a visit to the park is a wonderful day out. The park is a group of some 40 islands that vary in size. Some are just rocky islets, while others are massive landforms in their own right. This amazing archipelago has been entrancing travellers for decades. You might think that these islands must be quite like Samui. After all, they’re not far away and Samui itself is also part of the archipelago. But it turns out these islands are remarkably different. You can see this just by looking out at them from Samui’s west coast. Their formation is jagged and torturous, whereas Samui appears a lot smoother. Once you get closer to them, the strangeness of their shapes becomes even more pronounced. This is because they’re made of limestone, and when rain falls on them, it reacts with the limestone to produce acid, which over thousands of years eats into 102 l www.samuiholiday.com
the rocks, pitting them and slicing into them to produce the contorted shapes you see today. They’re incredibly beautiful though, and without doubt have some of the best beaches in the region. We’re talking white sandy beaches with the bluest of water – just the kind you imagine when you think of the tropics. What’s even better is that these islands are totally undeveloped. And that’s because they’re protected territory. Most are uninhabited and in the whole of the park you’ll only find the barest of communities. In other words, it’s a completely different world from Samui or Koh PhaNgan. An untouched paradise where nature reigns supreme. A silent world of greenery and quiet beaches. How brilliant is that? And that’s precisely why people like to go there. There’s just one slight problem. Because these are islands – a whole chain of them – you can’t get to them too easily. However, that problem has been solved, with various companies ferrying people out to see them. Blue Stars Kayaking is one of the longest-running tour operators to the islands; they started in 1997, and have specialized exclusively in sightseeing, snorkelling and kayaking in the marine park. They have a vast knowledge of the area, and the best places for kayaking or just lazing on exceptionally beautiful beaches. With nearly 20 years of experience, they’re well-organized and have worked on providing the best possible service to their many guests. www.samuiholiday.com l 103
When you book with them, you can rest assured that they will take care of absolutely everything. Your day out starts with their minibus service picking you up from your hotel, and taking you to the point closest to the park – Nathon, on Samui’s north-west coast. From there, a 23 metre fully-equipped tour boat takes you on the 90 minute journey to the marine park. A light breakfast of croissants and tea and coffee is served to you while the boat steadily makes it way to the park. The boat, by the way, has recently been renovated and you’ll find it spick and span, with protected seating downstairs. It’s definitely a sea-going boat, and is very efficient at transporting everyone to and from the park and around it. Blue Stars prefer a large boat to a series of speed boats. The distance to the park isn’t far in any case, and the ride is much more comfortable. There’s none of the bone-jarring that you get with speed boats when they encounter water that’s on the choppy side. On arrival, there’s a first stop with a session of kayaking, whereby you get to see the beauty of the islands close-up. By the way, kayaking isn’t difficult, even if you’ve never done it before. You can swim and snorkel in the beautiful waters, too. The island here also holds a big surprise. With just a little stamina you can climb up a ridge and take in the totally unexpected sight of an inland crater lake surrounded on all sides by cliffs. Next up is lunch, a Thai-style buffet, with mild dishes to suit western tastes, which is served while the boat heads northwards to some of the most stunning islands in the region. They’re ideal for kayaking. The boat makes a second stop here and you can kayak past amazing rock formations, even zipping under overhangs; the area’s also brilliant for swimming. Blue Stars are normally the only company visiting the far north location. And if weather conditions permit, there are some amazing tunnels to venture through with the kayaks, and an amazing hidden lagoon. Blue Stars has accident insurance for all who travel with them and also lifejackets. In fact, they’ll insist you wear one when kayaking, no matter if you’re an Olympic-standard swimmer. They’re dedicated to your safety and security.
Impiana Samui Holiday March-April 2016
The kayaks are for two people, but if you have a young child, then he or she can sit quite easily between you and your partner. If you have two children, then Blue Stars might suggest two kayaks, each with one parent and one child. But it all depends on the size of the children. They can accommodate pretty much every kind of combination – but just let them know in advance if you have any special requirements. Soft drinks and water are freely available throughout the day, so if you tire of all that exercise you can take time out and enjoy a drink while you get back your energy. In addition there’s also an afternoon snack, so there’s not much chance of anyone going hungry or thirsty on the tour. There’s also a small shop on one of the beaches that sells ice-creams, so it’s a good idea to bring a little pocket money, especially if you have children! On the way back to Samui, if time permits, there’s a quick swim somewhere along the way, and then once you’re back on land, you’ll be taken back to your hotel or villa, arriving back around 5:00 pm. It’s a great day out, and going to the Angthong National Park is probably one of the most memorable day trips you could make in Thailand. Thousands of people have now spent a blissful time in the park, and for many, it’s thanks to Blue Stars that they’ve been able to enjoy such a magnificent adventure.
Dimitri Waring
______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7730 0615. www.bluestars.info
Daily Theme Nights From 7pm. Monday Classical Thai Night Buffet - THB 590 Tuesday Catch of the Day - from THB 250 Wednesday Italian Night Buffet - THB 490 Thursday Steak Supreme - from THB 300 Friday Beach BBQ Buffet featuring live music and a fire juggling show - THB 690 Saturday Surf & Turf - THB 790 Sunday Roast Chicken Sunday - THB 390 Daily Happy Hours at Beach Bar Buy 1 get 1 free beers and cocktails from 12pm - 2pm l 5pm - 7pm l 9pm - Midnight Sentinel Band Enjoy music from the Sentinel Band - Monday to Saturday from 7pm – 10pm Dining on the Beach Moonlight beach dining with your own private chef, from THB 1,500 per person
Chaweng Noi Beach For reservations please call: +66 77 448 994 www.impiana.com.my/hotel/impiana-resort-chaweng-noi-koh-samui/
DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Franz J. Estermann, the new Executive Chef at Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui and Sheraton Samui Resort knows how to wow diners.
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Just what does it take to be an executive chef? The short answer is a huge number of different skills. First off, there are all the cooking techniques you need to master. Then you’ll need to exercise a great amount of creativity – you’re an artist of the kitchen, after all. And then you need to know how to gather a dedicated team around you. Fail here, and no matter if you’re the best chef in the universe, then your diners will never know how good you are – teamwork is everything. You’ll also need to know how to train your team, present food to make it attractive, and manage all of the documentation that goes with running a restaurant and maintaining food, safety and hygiene levels. Master these and you’re in the door, just about – but then every day you have to prove that you’re dependable and reliable. And make sure, of course, that the food is startlingly good, always.
Franz has many years’ experience. He is a culinary expert who lives for food: preparing it, giving it some subtle twists, presenting it and sharing it. It’s always been that way. He says, “My parents owned a hotel in Switzerland and I grew up there, and saw on a daily basis how they worked and ran the place. I learned a lot from them, and always had an intense love of cooking and food.”
Franz Estermann has all of this and more under his belt. The proof of it isn’t just in his cooking, but the fact that he’s in charge of all the restaurant facilities at not just one major resort, but two. He was specifically chosen by Starwood Hotels, which manages both Vana Belle and the recently opened Sheraton Samui. They recognized his abilities and put him in charge of both. Luckily for him, the two properties are close together, in the quieter Chaweng Noi area, and are handily linked by the ring-road.
But no matter where he cooks, health is a priority for Franz. Healthy food is becoming ever more important, he says, and this is a direction that’s going to continue; it’s definitely not a fad. “Health is perhaps the most major consideration when cooking these days. It’s a must. We also have to think about individuals’ needs. We have gluten-free dishes and we need to know about allergies and avoid culprit ingredients for diners who suffer from them. We need to address all these things.”
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Not surprisingly, Franz turned his passion for cooking into a career; he trained to become a chef, and specialized in Mediterranean cooking. From conception to reality, he’s able to put together dishes that will win over even the most jaded of diners. And his work has taken him to very different parts of the world. As well as Switzerland, he’s worked in Sweden, Saudi Arabia and extensively in China and Thailand.
Samui Discover authentic Indian Cuisine
Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng Center Chaweng Beach Road, opp. Chaweng Buri Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng South at Chaweng Cove Resort Noori India - Central Festival at Chaweng Beach Road For reservation (English) - 0 867 407 873 or 0 7730 0757 For reservation (Thai) - 0 839 687 912 E-mail: nooriindia_samui@yahoo.com www.nooriindiasamui.com
2012 WINNER
2013 WINNER
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SCL International School It’s all part of Franz’ background to incorporate healthy recipes into the dishes; when asked about his style of cooking, he says it’s ‘basically Mediterranean’. So already this kind of cuisine has a cachet for being healthy, and Franz says it’s possibly one of the world’s healthiest cuisines. He also loves its versatility and the fresh flavours. “Mediterranean-style means there’s a lot of tasty seafood, and the meats are delicious, too. For example, along the Mediterranean coasts you’ll find excellent lamb – it seems to have a salty flavour, no doubt due to the sea. You also get plenty of fresh herbs that are always used in dishes, really bringing out their flavours, and on top of that, you’ll often find Middle-Eastern touches.” He’s very happy to make Mediterranean dishes for his guests but he’s not limited to them. Thanks to his experiences in China and Thailand, he’s extremely versatile. “Fresh herbs are also very important in Chinese and Thai cuisines,” he says, “and I use them when making Asian-style dishes.” Since his second home is Hong Kong, he’s more than familiar with the cooking styles there. He’s a globetrotter who can make an enormous variety of dishes: Middle-Eastern, Chinese, Asian, American – there aren’t many recipes he doesn’t know about. But whatever’s on the menu, he aims to make it as healthy as possible.
International Education from Pre-school to Secondary Educating the Mind Nurturing the Soul
Small classes Individual education plans Fully qualified teachers A family atmosphere
With these qualities, it’s not hard to see why the children at SCL are achieving so much A warm welcome is extended to anyone who wishes to visit the school
SCL International School
127/40-50 Moo 3 Maret, Lamai, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand Phone: 0 7741 8789 Mobile: 0 810 910 714 Email: emma@sclinternationalschool.com www.sclinternationalschool.com
His day is certainly a busy one, and by the end of it he’ll have averaged some 13 hours. If it’s not high season, he can take two days off every week, otherwise just the one. He divides his time between the newlyopened Sheraton Samui and Vana Belle, as we’ve mentioned. Both are top-notch resorts with discerning diners expecting high quality food and drink. The ethos in both is for the culinary team to be close to the guests. Franz fits in perfectly; he’s a very approachable person and goes to great lengths to satisfy individual diners. And it’s not just a question of waiting for them to ask for something. He’ll check with guests if they’re happy with the food and makes sure he’s around to do so. However busy today’s chefs are, they can’t afford to have their head down in the kitchen and not know what their guests are thinking. Franz says, “You have to be a bit of a mind-reader, too – you have to be able to sense diners’ needs and wants.” How does he cope with such a full work load? “You have to love cooking,” says Franz. “You have to have a heart for it – absolutely! If a diner comes to me after breakfast and says they’re booking again for dinner, then this really makes me feel happy. The job’s all about satisfying the guests.” Judging from the number of guests who love Franz’ food, it’s hardly surprising that many indeed return to savour another lunch or dinner that he’s prepared. And with two popular venues to choose from, guests are indeed spoiled for choice.
Dimitri Waring
____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 5555 (Vana Belle) and 0 7742 2020 (Sheraton Samui Resort). www.vanabellekohsamui.com www.sheratonsamui.com 110 l www.samuiholiday.com
The Beauty Secret Perfection is Closer Than You Think
GOODNESS GRACIOUS,
GREAT BALLS OF FUN! For a day of family fun, Samui’s paintball playground takes some beating.
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Once upon a time, somewhere back in the ’70s, paintball was invented. And for years it was hugely popular. Of course, in the early years, it was somewhat rough and ready. Technically it was crude; it was hard to limit the power of the guns, and the real paint that it splashed on you made a bit of a mess. But as time went on, quality improved and standards were established, and the sheer fun of paintball spread all around the world. Except for Japan, where for some reason it was banned, and this upset a great many people. The curious result was that Japanese manufacturers created an alternative, just for the home market. These were authentic replicas of real military weapons, but using low-power springs, and firing tiny lightweight plastic balls. Within a few years they’d progressed to compressed butane gas as a power source and were producing fully automatic rifles that looked and felt like the genuine item. This took not just Japan but also the rest of the world by storm. And to go with the new genre they’d created, a new name was coined – ‘Airsoft’. Almost overnight Airsoft spelled the death of paintball. The original players, the teens and American college kids who craved increasingly more dangerous thrills and spills, turned away from paintball – in comparison, the quaint and clunky CO2-powered paintball guns looked like cast-off ray guns from a 1950’s space invaders movie. Plus they were low-powered and had a range of only about 60 or 70 feet. They were slow, too; you had to cock a lever by hand to load the next shot.
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Lamai Beach: 0 7723 0855 & Lamai Valley: 0 7742 4666, 0 7725 6615
And so paintball faded out of the public eye for almost 20 years. Except now – new and improved – it’s back! All those previously negative aspects – low power, slow rate of fire, short range – are precisely the aspects which are making it so popular today. For families, for mums and dads and kids having fun on Samui, it just couldn’t be better. There’s football and Frisbee and mini golf, volleyball too, and trips out with snorkelling and fishing and zip lines and safaris. But nothing is more of a challenge; nothing is more exciting or better fun, than chasing your father/mother/brother/ sister/buddy around a field – then symbolically blasting them! You’ll be impressed right away when you get there, up Soi 1 in Maenam (hotel pickup is included in the price). It’s sensibly laidout and well-organised, and the owner, Dave Chou, is at pains to reduce any risk or danger to absolute zero. The playing field is a big rectangle measuring about 120 metres by 80 metres, surrounded by four metre-high netting. The paintball guns themselves (now semi-auto and full-auto firing) are carefully maintained and monitored, and not allowed outside of this area. And the lightweight safety suits, gloves and facemasks in differing sizes are neatly racked and stacked towards the entrance to the ground. But the first thing that will happen is that you’ll be greeted, provided with refreshments, then sit and listen to Dave going over the rules before you begin.
This is the original health destination on Koh Samui offering only the best Vegetarian, Raw and Healthy Thai Food. Listed as one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. Over 17 years serving the freshest mouthwatering healthy food. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. Daily @ both locations 7:00 am until 9:30 pm. Radiance is a part of The Spa Resorts.
Lamai Beach: 0 7723 0855 & Lamai Valley: 0 7742 4666, 0 7725 6615
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“I do this with everyone,” Dave explained. “It’s all quite simple and it’s just common sense, really. There’s not that many rules, but the main thing is that, in the excitement, players sometimes get in too close. These guns are not powerful enough to do any damage. Even if you were to shoot someone on their bare skin from a couple of metres away, it would only sting for a moment but not break the skin – the ‘paint’ is water-based, non-toxic and even edible! But I’m not taking any chances in any way. So faces are protected with a mask and light overalls cover the rest of the body, along with thin gloves. And if I see anyone shooting from less than about three metres then I’ll pause the game.” Dave oversees every game personally from a neutral corner, using a battery-powered megaphone to project over the excited shouts, and backing this up with an attention-grabbing air-raid klaxon. The playing field is dotted with piles of tyres, crates, bunkers and trees in the middle. There are a couple of low towers for snipers, and it’s bordered by a trench which runs along the length one side of the field. But this is deceptively filled with hides and barricades, making its use a point of some strategy. Even the young trees and vines over at this side need to be deployed thoughtfully; they don’t appear to provide any cover at all but will actually get in the way of 60% of what’s being shot at you. There are different ways to go about playing. If you insist, you can have a free-for-all, with everyone getting splatted and just carrying on. But the usual format is that, when anyone is hit, they drop out for a moment and report to Dave in the neutral corner before re-joining the game. However, if you’re playing with two opposing teams then it all becomes a bit more 116 l www.samuiholiday.com
purposeful. “Quite a lot of Samui’s resorts come here to develop teambuilding – we had Four Seasons last month,” Dave continued. “And in my pre-game talk I always discuss the need for strategy and preplanning. In this kind of format each team has to try to work together and capture their opponent’s back line. And you just can’t achieve this without following an overall game plan.” There’s not really an age limit but, again, it’s common sense. A big 8 year old boy might have more weight and strength than a more slightly built 12 year old girl. As a rule of thumb, if the kids can hold the gun, aim it and hit a target, they can play the game. And if there is any problem here, then there are simple, numbered, circular targets scattered around that can be used for supervised shooting practice to develop confidence and skill. There’s no time limit on a game and players can simply carry on until they’ve had enough – usually about two hours or so, but sometimes four or even five. And, as well as the full deal with hotel pickups, Dave is also offering special resident’s rates, particularly over the low season, with schools more than welcome to attend. Maybe next it’ll be a pub team paintball league, like they have in pool? Goodness gracious – how much fun is that!
Rob De Wet
____________________________________________________________ For more information, telephone 0 869 778 859.
S A M U I
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sales@naraikiri.com yochaweng@hotmail.com www.naraikiri.com
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www.samui-ultimate-samui.com
KOH SAMUI www.samuiholiday.com l 117
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TAPAS PASSION Traditional Spanish tapas are still rare on Samui, but at The Cliff Bar & Grill you’ll find them in glorious profusion.
www.samuiholiday.com l 119
Usually governments seek to restrain bars from selling their wares, rather than encourage them, but forward-thinking King Juan Carlos I of Spain had the opposite idea. In order to solve the problem of inebriation in the populace, he decreed that alcohol could no longer be sold unless the drinker had something to eat as well. No more drinking on an empty stomach for his subjects. And that’s how tapas came into being. These small dishes of appetizing food were presented along with each drink. Go to Spain today, and you’ll find tapas on sale just about everywhere. In fact there are now tapas bars the world over. Out here in Asia, however, tapas has become a far more eclectic proposition; it covers just about any kind of small mouth-watering snack, and so there are now tapas dishes that you’d never be able to find in Spain itself. Tapas can now include spring rolls and sushi as well as even
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more exotic ingredients. The original dishes have been lost in a welter of fusion, and as often as not, confusion. It’s far more rare, though not quite unheard of, to find the real thing, genuine Spanish tapas. You may have to go far afield to find it. However, on Samui, it’s no problem at all; simply head for The Cliff Bar & Grill. It’s located south of Chaweng, conveniently set on the ring-road just a kilometre before you get to Lamai. You can’t miss it as it’s wellsignposted. The Cliff’s open daily from midday, with last food orders at 9:45 pm. Drinks continue till a lot later, and on Friday’s DJs play in The Cliff’s air-con cocktail bar. The tapas menu however is only served during the day from noon until 6:00 pm. The kitchen team is headed by Chef Sergio Martelli, who is a maestro
at creating the Mediterranean-style food you can enjoy at The Cliff. The tapas, however comes under the charge of a highly skilled Spanish chef, Nicolas Vicens. He grew up between Valencia and Alicante, an area renowned for its tapas. He started his training in the Basque country, in its capital, Bilbao, before completing an internship in a three-star Michelin restaurant in nearby Azurmendi. As such, he knows all about tapas! A bit like sushi in Japan, tapas is a form of cooking that has evolved into a whole cuisine of its own. Just as there are sushi chefs, so there are tapas chefs who are specialists in their field. Nico is one of these, and his tapas, though they’re far from their source, remain faithful to their origins. Nico was on holiday on Samui and dropped into see Sergio and Lionel Helena, the manager at The Cliff. It’s not every day that a
tapas chef appears on your doorstep, and so they were eager to see what he could do. Impressed by his skills they immediately hired him. There’s a whole array of exquisite treats in store for you. You can enjoy ‘raviolis de rabo de toro’, or cow’s tail wrapped in ravioli and cooked to perfection in a red wine sauce. It may be a staple in Spain, but that doesn’t mean to say it’s a cinch to prepare. At The Cliff, Nico first marinates the dish for a couple of days in a mix of rosemary, black pepper, bay leaf and vegetables, and after that it’s carefully stewed for four to five hours, guaranteeing it’s extremely succulent. Not only that but Nico also takes out the bones, making it a less crunchy experience than the original and more rustic one would be. “The flavour,” he says, “is exactly the same as you would have in Spain, if you were eating the dish there.”
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One of Spain’s all-time favourites is also on the menu: ‘patatas bravas’. It’s one of the most traditional Iberian foods. The potatoes come with a duo of sauces, alioli and the slightly pungent harrissa, which adds bite to the dish. The presentation of the dishes is a little bit different to how it would be originally, and at times, some of the flavours have been changed and are more contemporary in style, but this is basically tapas as you’d experience it in a neighbourhood bar in Spain.
In Spain’s tapas bars, you’ll normally find people standing up to eat tapas; the plates line the bar itself, and are constantly being replenished. Guests drink wine or beer while eating them and it’s all very informal. It’s often a very indoor experience. However, at The Cliff, the setting couldn’t be more different. The restaurant is light and airy, open to the breezes from outside. It overlooks Thong Takian Bay, one of the island’s most beautiful beaches, and has amazing views. The Cliff also has a wonderful terrace (but make absolutely sure you book in advance if you want to be seated here).
You’ll also find ‘gambas alajillo’ or Spanish sizzling prawns, done in garlic and olive oil, ‘almejas con ajo fresco y chilli’, or fresh garlic and chilli prawns and the popular ‘navajas ajo jengibre y lima’, or razor clams with garlic, ginger and lime. Portions are larger than they would be back in Spain, however, so you won’t need to order so many of them. You can either order dishes individually, or as tasty combinations.
You’re sure to enjoy eating here as its popularity has been vouchsafed by Thailand Tatler, with The Cliff being designated as one of the country’s best restaurants. Not only that, it has received numerous wine awards, and at the back of the restaurant you’ll find a passage lined with chilled bottles that come from an astonishing variety of sources. There are 140 different wines from all over the world, so there’s always plenty of choice.
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KAYAKING Explore the caves and beaches of the Angthong National Marine Park Offices located behind Bondi Pub in central Chaweng and on Chaweng Lake Road opposite Lake View For reservations please call 0 7730 0615 or 0 878 866 097
www.bluestars.info
Wine Spectator magazine awarded The Cliff with an award of excellence ‘for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world’. What better than to enjoy traditional tapas and quality wines than at The Cliff, a wonderful restaurant perched high over one of Samui’s most beautiful bays?
Dimitri Waring
______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7744 8508. www.thecliffsamui.com
COSY, CALM, CONTEMPORARY Nora Beach Resort & Spa completes its make-over.
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At the very far north end of the Chaweng Beach Road, and just before you reach the summit of the hill that then heads down towards Choeng Mon, lies Nora Beach Resort & Spa. On entering the grand Thai style reception area, you begin to sense a feeling of calmness, and you’ll wonder if you’ve been transported back to the Siam of old. The exceptionally high teak style ceilings and pillars, the ultra-polite and helpful staff and the cosy but spacious lounge and bar area, create a quiet and gentle ambience. This is heightened as you overlook the pool into the luscious green gardens that surround the rooms and villas. The beautiful garden features sky-high palms and a terraced stream that flows through the grounds and over waterfalls into the clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The luxurious villas at Nora Beach are very spacious, and are spread throughout the grounds with stunning views of the lush gardens or across the sea. Some of the garden view villas overlook an area around a series of small ponds, creating a calm and tranquil oasis. Great for unwinding and de-stressing if you have just arrived from a busy city or work environment. The reception and garden areas are impressive, but also misleading! Nora has now completely upgraded and revamped all 113 of their spacious rooms and villas within eight different categories. This beautiful resort now combines a traditional Thai-style exterior with very up-to-date contemporary and luxurious interior designing. The overall look is clean, white, fresh and modern. Traditional Thai silk and furnishings impart a Siamese flavour, while the modern fittings ensure that guests experience every possible comfort. Each room has its own flat-screen TV with satellite access, and the villas and suites have their own DVD players, perfect for a lazy day in bed. All the furniture is new; including beds, wardrobes, sofas, curtains and mirrors. All bathroom fittings have been upgraded, with marble counters, and state-of-the-art showers plumbed in, each having a rain-water attachment as well as the usual shower head.
You can literally shower in the rain, and here is the modern twist ... you can even control the temperature! The new tempered glass walls and large mirrors now allow much more natural light into and around the bathrooms. The villas have outside showers and bathtubs, some even have a Jacuzzi. Having a romantic evening in? Have work to catch up on? You’ll enjoy the new lighting system. You can take control of the lighting and create the right mood, making the light as soft and gentle, or as bright as you wish. Consistent with its attention to detail during the upgrade period, no area was missed out. The large swimming pool and Jacuzzi right by the beach also received attention by the design team. It might have looked great before, but consistent with the new modern feel, the surrounding wooden deck was replaced by a light grey sand-wash, the overflow guttering is now inset for extra safety and the tiling has also been replaced. The most impressive change here is that the once chemically chlorinated water has been removed; now you can swim and cool off in the much healthier, natural salt-water alternative, making it much gentler on the skin, hair and eyes. In need of refreshment with your cool down swim? Head for the swim-up bar and try one of Nora’s signature ‘Mui’ cocktails – a holiday treat doesn’t get much better than this! Don’t want to get wet? For those who fancy a bite to eat during the day, the pool bar boasts a range of sandwiches, salads and other dishes. You don’t even need to leave your sun lounger. The staff are happy to bring you refreshment as you relax the day away by the pool or under a palm tree.
Prasuthon beachside restaurant hasn’t changed too much, but a lot of thought has gone into making it the perfect place to eat. It opens early, at 6.30 am, perfect for a sunrise breakfast. But don’t worry, it continues until 10.30 am if you are not an early riser. The amazingly varied buffetstyle breakfast has a huge range of options. They cater for many different nationalities, so you’ll find all kinds of fruit, cereals and freshly cooked breads with everything to go with them – from butters and jams to cheeses and hams. Don’t miss the bacon and eggs, the chef will custom cook eggs for you, any style you choose. Speciality teas and coffees are plentiful; you will be spoilt for choice, so enjoy the most important meal of the day! Prasuthon also offers all-day dining, and is open until 11.30 pm. From sunset onwards, in-house guests and outside visitors head here for the amazing cocktails, dinners and entertainment, all alongside the ocean, with its refreshing breeze and the sound of the waves on the shore. The menu is à la carte and features Thai, international and fusion dishes. Every Tuesday evening is Siam Kingdom Thai night, your opportunity to try a variety of mouth-watering traditional Thai dishes. Thursday nights feature East meets West, a special buffet of the chef’s best creations, alongside a Polynesian show. Want some privacy? Enjoy a private dinner on the beach with a customized evening including personalized menu exclusively for any special occasion. Don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your own room? No problem, all the dishes at the restaurant can be enjoyed in the comfort of your room. Just call from your room to organise. Fancy a nightcap? The lobby bar is the perfect place. Listen to the classical Thai music mingling with the sounds of nature from the surrounding gardens, a great way to end the day. Feeling restless? Head to the fully-equipped, air-conditioned gym, where Nora’s personal trainer will help you devise a personalised work-out program. Fancy some pampering? Wander over to Anodas Spa, open from 10.00 am until 7.00 pm. They offer both Thai and Western style spa and massage treatments in private open-air or air-conditioned rooms.
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Zico's is an electric combination of colourful calypso, vibrant carnival rhythm and dance. A unique party experience not to be missed! Every night is fiesta night at Zico's. The beat goes on, and so does the dancing. Tuck into a superb selection of all you can eat grilled seafood and meats, prepared just for you, complemented by large salad bar. CHAWENG BEACH : OPPOSITE CENTARA GRAND BEACH RESORT SAMUI T : 077 230 500-10 | E : zicos@chr.co.th Open daily : Bar 17.00 - 01.00 hrs., Restaurant 18.00 - 23.00 hrs. WWW.CEN TARAHOTELSRESORTS.C OM
SAMUI’S BEST DETOX Nora is proud to be one of the leading wedding planners on the island. They have a team of specialist wedding planners to make your day extra special. The beach area where they set up the wedding venue and reception has also been upgraded in Nora’s makeover, and is kept separate from the main hotel. They offer a Thai wedding ceremony or a tropical beach wedding. The Thai wedding ceremony begins with a spiritual binding common to all Buddhist ceremonies and proceeds to the exchange of rings, prayers and a blessing from monks. White beaches, calm azure waters, lush green landscape and swaying coconut palms make for the perfect venue. Nora’s wedding packages organise everything; from floral arches to bridal bouquets, bridal hairstyling and make-up, catering, music, fire shows and wedding cake to sparkling wine. The staff at Nora are trained to pay close individual attention to each and every aspect of each individual wedding, leaving the happy couple to enjoy the most unforgettable day of their lives. Nora really does take the stress out of wedding planning, organising everything including accommodation for you and your guests, all at a fraction of what it would cost overseas. Nora is named after the traditional mystical dance of southern Thailand. It is hoped that the resort’s service and relaxed ambience will emulate the grace and charm of this ancient art of dance. The resort enjoys a spectacular hillside setting, overlooking a secluded bay just north of the famous Chaweng Beach. Although only a few minutes from the island’s airport and a short drive from central Chaweng, Nora is quiet and private, a cosy, calm and now contemporary oasis, within lush gardens and alongside the gentle ocean.
Karan Ladd
_______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeachresort.com
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HELP IS AT HAND Bangkok Hospital Samui has you covered even if you’re on Koh Pha-Ngan or Koh Tao. When you decide to go on holiday, your first thoughts will probably revolve around wonderful weather, beautiful beaches and comfy hotel rooms. You want to have a brilliant time and for everything to be as much fun as possible. But of course, if you’re far from home you’ll want to know what happens if you fall sick. You probably know that Bangkok, being a capital city, has world-class hospitals – Thailand is now a thriving medical tourism destination. But what about Samui? After all, it’s far from the capital, and besides, it’s an island. If you’ve never been to Samui before, you might be forgiven for thinking that it only has a low-grade hospital and scant medical services. But this is very far from the truth. Five hospitals are located on the island and form an impressive medical base. The majority of cases can be handled without patients having to be evacuated home or referred to specialist hospitals in Bangkok. Should the worst happen you’re not far from help that’s both speedy and professional. Bangkok Hospital Samui is the largest of the international, private hospitals on the island; it’s now 12 years old and has a large array of medical amenities. It’s internationally accredited and has over 25 highly trained specialists and physicians offering a variety of services. Medical facilities include a modern emergency and trauma unit, 12 fully equipped ICU beds, two ultra-modern operation rooms, a haemodialysis unit, a CT scanner, 4D ultrasound, a fully equipped laboratory with blood bank, a well-stocked pharmacy and a physiotherapy unit. One way to judge a hospital is to appraise just how effectively they can respond to an emergency. Dr Somkid Udomkijmongkol, the director of the hospital, is justly proud of the emergency and trauma care that is offered to patients. He says that an ambulance can be dispatched within three minutes, and is able to attend any kind of accident or emergency scene. There are four ambulances, and naturally there are the professional teams to go with them. This kind of care is to be expected of a hospital, but in this case, the scope of operations isn’t just limited to the local area; they can also bring in patients from the neighbouring islands of Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao.
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In case of emergency it’s not possible for patients to wait for the next public ferry over to Samui. Thanks to Dr Somkid and his team, there are now two medical evacuation boats on hand 24/7 for emergencies. The boats are called ‘hydrolances’, and are the maritime version of ambulances. Simply by offering this service, it’s given a major health care boost to both of the outlying islands. Patients can now be transferred from Koh Pha-Ngan to the harbour in Samui in 20 minutes, while from Koh Tao, it’s 60 minutes. Hopefully, however, treatments can be completed instead at the PhaNgan International Hospital, which is run by Bangkok Hospital Samui, or if you’re on Koh Tao at the affiliated Koh Tao International Clinic. Both these entities can help in many cases. In worst-case scenarios, patients know they can reach the main hospital on Samui very quickly. And once there, they will go straight into ER for immediate evaluation and help. Bangkok Samui Hospital has three orthopaedists, a neurosurgeon, two general surgeons and a plastic surgeon. The hospital, incidentally, is able to contact patients’ insurance companies if they are admitted to the hospital and check if treatment can be covered. All this is thanks to the hospital’s multi-lingual team of coordinators who can communicate very precisely with the doctors and insurance companies. Their aim is to get a guarantee of payment from the insurance company, meaning that the patient doesn’t have to pay the hospital directly. Should the hospital need to refer a patient still further, they can arrange for either a commercial or special flight to Bangkok and to appropriate facilities there, whether it is within their own hospital group or another. Bangkok Hospital Samui is accredited by the Joint Commission International, and on Samui it’s currently the only hospital to have this. The commission is the oldest and largest standard-setting and accrediting
Welcome to Sa-ard’s Watersports Center on Koh Samui. Where everyday can be an aquatic adventure – above and below the crystal clear blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Join us and discover what r eally makes these islands so very special.
body in health care in the United States; it evaluates more than 20,000 organizations and inspires them to excel in providing safe and effective care. Gaining accreditation is a tough and stringent process; it means that a hospital is on par with internationally recognized benchmarks of medical safety, quality and excellence. Thailand has the highest number of JCI-accredited hospitals in Asia. The majority of those who come to Thailand on holiday will never need any medical attention at all. But it’s just great to know that the options are there, should you ever need them. Bangkok Hospital Samui gives you peace of mind while you’re in Thailand to do what you came for – to have a brilliant holiday. But more than just that, they can also help you in one or two areas that you might not have thought about. For example, their dental unit can also assist you with a range of treatments and at prices that may be cheaper than back at home. You can also take advantage of one or other of the hospital’s health check programs. And last but not least, they also specialize in aesthetics, and offer skin and beauty services at Bangkok Clinic, handily located right in the heart of Chaweng at Central Festival Samui.
Our brand new catamaran Fountaine Pajot Belize 43 “Kindred Spirit” can comfortably take 15 people on a day trip and sleep 6 people on over-night excursions. The starboard hull has a double stateroom with ensuite bathroom and living area. There are also two double state rooms in the port hull with a shared bathroom. You’ll also find a large galley and a living area with CD/DVD player and a 28 inch colour TV. All the cabins and living areas are fully air-conditioned. Sa-ard’s Watersports Center also offers Private Speedboat tours to the beaches and snorkeling destinations of the surrounding islands. Manager and Skipper is Sa-ard, one of Thailand’s most celebrated windsurfers. He took part in the Olympics 1984 in Los Angeles and 1992 in Barcelona, was a long time member of the Thai National Windsurfing Team, has been Asian Champion and 5 times Gold Medal Winner in the South East Asian Games. You simply could not be in better hands!
Bangkok Hospital Samui is making the island a better place to stay whether you’re on holiday or if you live here. And you can be sure that it’s always looking to improve upon its services, and at the same time to add new ones.
Dimitri Waring
_______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7742 9500. www.samuihospital.com www.samuiholiday.com l 133
FULL ON Koh Pha-Ngan’s Full Moon Party shows no signs of flagging.
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Imagine a party that’s so good that its hosts decide to hold exactly the same party again and again. You can’t repeat a good thing, right? Wrong! The same party’s just as good the following month. The process continues not just over months but years, getting bigger and bigger and more and more famous, until eventually it plateaus - but still keeps going. Turn up at one of today’s Full Moon Parties and you’ll probably not see anyone who was at the first, but like a relay race, the fun is handed on ... and on. The party’s now so big that it probably couldn’t stop even if it wanted to – people would still turn up. It’s the party version of a runaway train, and one where there’s no shortage of people who want to climb aboard for one of the world’s most deranged, giddy rides. You might wonder how this steamroller of hedonism ever got going in the first place. After all, Koh Pha-Ngan is basically a small, quiet jungly island with beautiful beaches. It seems an unlikely venue for an on-going party. You’d think it’d be more suitable for a placid beachside barbecue for a small group of friends. Low key is indeed the way it started out. A few friends gathering together by the sea, according to legend. The original party is said to have started in 1985, or thereabouts. Oddly, 136 l www.samuiholiday.com
nobody seems to remember exactly when. I once met a rather elderly hippy on Koh Tao, who claimed that the very first party was fuelled by drugs brought in by air by someone who’d gone to London expressly to fuel up that first occasion. But who really knows anymore? What’s certain is that the same party was held again just a while later. People heard about it and the demand grew for a monthly get-together that very quickly became the very opposite of genteel. Over the years it became ever more famous (or rather, infamous) until it became the veritable institution that it is today. All partygoers know that drugs are forbidden in Thailand, but it still doesn’t deter some people. Not only are there searches going on at the party itself, but there are undercover police. And, of course, drug dealers themselves may be playing both ends and informing the police about who’s buying. Walk along the beach and you’ll have plenty of people offering illicit substances. Although the party has a reputation for drugs, it’s safe to say that a good deal of the inebriation you’ll see is due to alcohol. There are the awesomely powerful ‘buckets’ – pails filled with alcohol and Red Bull (but not necessarily limited to these). When the
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If you are looking for something wonderful and different, Zazen restaurant is the place for you to discover. Zazen is truly one of the most romantic and serene beachside dining restaurants on the island. Every night this charming establishment lights up over 100 candles to set the ambiance for you to experience.
Tel: 077 425 085, 081 737 8771 Email: fb@samuizazen.com Website: www.samuizazen.com
gain ove r a e all t v n o a l r u n a i st Fall Zazen Re at
Samui Every conceivable Indian dish is on offer here – and they are all delicious! Conveniently located in Central Chaweng, the restaurant is open from 11:00 am – 11:30 pm. For further information, reservations, and take-away orders (free delivery in Chaweng area), telephone 0 7741 3315.
Asia Travel
buckets kick in, then it’s cliché time: one minute you’re quite in control of yourself, then the next it’s like being hit over the head with a frying pan. There’s definitely something orgiastic about the event. While a small low-season Full Moon Party might only have 5,000 partygoers, 20,000 is more like the average, with the largest being 30,000. But as anyone knows who’s ever tried, it’s hard to count a crowd, especially when it’s dark. The beach is packed. Not packed as in sardines in a can, because sardines remain utterly still. It’s shoulder-to-shoulder packed. And most of those shoulders are in motion. If you arrive in the afternoon, when the beach is still setting up, then you might think it’s no big deal, and it’ll just be a small event: everything looks too laid-back and well, there’s not a lot that seems to be happening. It’s only after 10:00 pm that the party really starts. By then you’ll be revising all your expectations upwards, and you’ll know beyond a doubt that the party is going to be huge! Twenty thousand people? That’s a small town. And those townsfolk are all standing on the beach.
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And they’re off their heads. It can be a daunting feeling to be in that crowd.
motorbike accidents, swimming while inebriated and rip tides. This list isn’t exhaustive, either.
Most people manage to have a good time. Like any party, some will enjoy it more than others; some will think it’s absolutely wonderful while others just want to go home early. There’s music and dancing all night and the party only comes to an end after dawn. There are impressive fire shows and an atmosphere that’s hectic, buzzy and raucous in the extreme. But many come back over and over again, and never tire of it. And for many, a holiday on Koh Pha-Ngan is synonymous with going to the Full Moon Party. It’s one and the same thing.
What’s certainly true is that the Full Moon Party is so big an event, that much like New Year’s Eve, it has its own aftermath: a day in which few people seem to have the inclination to do much. After a particularly big party the whole island can have a feel of being worn out; partygoers and islanders alike appear jaded. Massive hangovers are common, and there’s the chance not just to hear a solitary drinker, but entire crowds of friends declare, hand on heart, that cheap old resolution: “I’m never going to drink again!” Some of those who’ve taken illicit substances may take a lot longer to get over the effects and experience lasting paranoia and panicky feelings. You’ll see some very blanched faces over the next couple of days following a party, as well as trembling hands. Some people end up in psychiatric care and are even taken to a local centre on the mainland, which translates cheerfully from the Thai as ‘The Garden of Joy’. It’s also not unknown for people to go physically rather than mentally missing, until the effects of the night have worn off and they find their way back to their accommodation. If you’re on Koh Pha-Ngan and don’t want to participate in the Full Moon Party, or its lingering after-
If you’re travelling to Koh Pha-Ngan for the party and want to stay in its epicentre, Haad Rin on the island’s south coast, then you’ll need to book in advance. You’ll also need to be aware that burglaries can take place during the party and that you’re also advised not to carry valuables with you in bags, which can get lost or stolen. If you’re coming over from Samui you can avoid any and all accommodation problems as there’s a flotilla of boats that make their way across to and from the party. Other dangers to watch out for are broken glass on the beach,
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Private real estate with incredible 180-Degree views The actual view from this house is the picture above. This 4-bedroom house has been built according to European standards on 972 sqm. It is centrally located near Nathon and only 500 metres from the main road in a small, warm and tidy community. Priced very competitively, this house is ideal for couples or young families ready to live in paradise. Price: 8 Million THB only
effects, then it’s best to stay as far from Haad Rin, as possible and head for the quieter north. But even there, the day after a party, you’ll be bound to hear stories about the night before and how good it was. Or not! The Full Moon Party however rises above such differences. It defies them. Even if it sounds like a single party, it just isn’t, and you can’t ever lament that you missed it, for just a month later it’ll repeat itself, as it has done well over 300 times so far. Some half a million people have attended, and any teenagers who went to the first ever party are now about to turn 50 years old. Even those who wag their fingers at all the hedonism tend to fall silent at the sheer staying power of the Full Moon Party. For the true hedonist nothing succeeds like excess and, love it or hate it, the Full Moon Party is certainly one of the most successful parties on the planet.
Dimitri Waring
Tel: 0 819 709 632 Email: asiatravel_international@yahoo.com
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