March/Aprill 2017

Taking the Waters The meaning of ‘spa’ has changed a lot over the years – we take a look at what Samui now has to offer.

Songkran on Samui Arm yourself for Samui’s wet, wild and water-filled party.

A Warm Welcome

Editor

Graeme Malley graeme@siammap.com

Graphic Designer Preeda Tuajob - Pui

Photographer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon - Don

Feature Writer Rob De Wet

Feature Writer Dimitri Waring

Feature Writer Karan Ladd

Webmaster

Seksak Kerdkanno - Klauy

Sales & Marketing Director Nipawan Chuaysagul - Ning 0 898 783 891

ning@siammap.com

Financial Director Outside there are all the troubles on earth – in the worlds of politics, religion, employment and inflation.

And then there’s Samui, sitting in the sun in its own little realm of tropical beauty. It’s a getaway. It’s a timeless little haven where you can live the dream for a while, and forget all about the problems of the big wide world outside.

Kasper Bjørk kasper@siammap.com

Managing Director Henrik Bjørk henrik@siammap.com

But we’re not just about miles of dreamy beaches and little fluffy clouds hanging in a turquoise sky.

There are actually a hundred-and-one things to do and see as well. There’s a richness of cultural experience here, from the usual temple trips to the quirky mummified monk in his sunglasses to the sheer wonder of Buddha’s Secret Garden that’s hidden away up the mountain.

And for the young in heart there are all the activities you could imagine, from scuba and snorkelling outings, a whole range of exciting and extreme water sports, go karting, the intriguing football golf, several water parks if you have kiddies, and even a shooting range with real guns and ammo if you haven’t!

There are also some world-class spas on Samui that offer everything from a quick manicure right through to a full course of pampering and rejuvenating treatment for newly-married couples. And if that’s not what you’re looking for then lose yourself in a different way by wandering around Central Festival shopping mall. But don’t forget to buy something waterproof for your valuables – you’ll get soaking wet at Songkran on 13th April!

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Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permision from Siam Map Company Ltd. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

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CONTENTS 40

14 Taking the Waters

The meaning of ‘spa’ has changed a lot over the years – we take a look at what Samui now has to offer.

22 More Than the Sum of its Parts Drink Gallery isn’t just a wonderful spot for a tipple, check out the great food and ambience too.

28 Anyone for a Paddle?

Explore hidden caves and lakes with Blue Stars kayaking and snorkelling tours.

34 Wat to See Wat Plai Laem beguiles with its bright colours and giant statues.

40 Recipe for Success Five reasons to choose Sheraton Samui Resort.

46 Songkran on Samui Arm yourself for Samui’s wet, wild and water-filled party.

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52 Tick-Toque

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The fastest way to learn Thai cooking is to don a chef’s toque and learn from the maestros at Nora Beach Resort & Spa.

58 There and Back Again

Locally grown, locally sourced, locally crafted.

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There’s a lot more to Poppies restaurant and seaside cottages than meets the eye.

70 Tropical Fitness How to keep in shape on holiday, whilst still enjoying the delights of Koh Samui.

76 Blooming Lovely With their vibrant colours and exotic shapes, it’s no wonder that orchids are Thailand’s most popular flowers.

82 Full Moon – New Star There’s a new top chef at Anantara’s super Full Moon restaurant in Bophut!

Damn! - It’s Dengue!

Bangkok Hospital Samui can help you make the best of a bad time – if not prevent it in the first place.

There’s lots of different ways to get around Samui – here’s what you need to know and why!

64 Hidden Assets

Samui Green Market

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All That Glisters A look at how gold is very much a part of daily life in Thailand.

106 Fun in the Sun When it comes to the sun, follow some simple guidelines to avoid spoiling your holiday happiness.

112 It’s a What?

A look at Lamai’s Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks.

118 Something to Crow About!

Cock-fighting is one of Thailand’s most popular activities – we take a look at what’s going on nationally and on Samui

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

www.oriental-living.net

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.

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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.

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.

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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TAKING

THE WATERS The meaning of ‘spa’ has changed a lot over the years – we take a look at what Samui now has to offer.

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How many of you have had a weekend away at a spa somewhere? You know, one of those getaways that offer attractive weekend promotion rates.

Somewhere you can just drive off to on a Friday night and get low rates for a couple of evening’s accommodation plus a spa package included? I would imagine, seeing that you are reading this on Sami, the answer is a lot! There are probably quite a few of you, reading this, who have already done exactly that.

As it happens, the island of Sami has turned out to be quite an interesting place. It began as a back-packers’ hide-away in the 1970s. It later acquired

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an airport and an influx of package tourists. A lot of development then occurred – new hotels and resorts, condominiums, hypermarkets, fast food chains, international rent-a-car outlets, multiplex cinemas, a couple of shopping malls, all of the multinational 5-star hotel names, and lots of other stuff besides.

Yet it did not bow down. Samui refused to turn into a citified neon-and-chrome hi-rise playground such as Pattaya or Phuket. There is still only one main road.

Nearly all the ongoing development is low rise and around the coast – leaving most of the old rustic villages still in place. And there’s mile after mile of roads with nothing on either side, unspoiled beaches to discover, remote tracks

upland to breath-taking viewpoints, and a tropical island feel that is simply dreamy. As one newcomer once put it, “After looking on the internet I was expecting downtown Miami. Instead there’s a lovely little unspoiled island!”

And so, back to where we began at the start of this story. In the process of all this development, several things happened. Cuisines from all nations appeared. Samui became food-heaven, with restaurants popping up ranging from ethnic to 5-star. That came first, with every resort bannering its signature restaurant, and doing its utmost to attract foodies in from outside. But close on its heels came the spa phenomenon. Yes,

there were already dedicated stand-alone spas, one or two of them even emerging from out of the macrobiotic post-hippy vibe of the ’80s. But suddenly, in the space of little more than a decade, as with signature restaurants, every resort just had to have a spa. And, as with restaurants, these ranged from the appalling to the superb!

It all depends on what you want. Take your back home weekend bargain spa getaway. On Samui there are hundreds of these. Just about every resort is offering you massages and a range of well-being treatments from facials to pedicures to eyebrow plucking and bikini and leg waxes.

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Many will have a steam room or sauna or a plunge pool, too. A few years ago, we featured the general manager of a Samui hotel who had previously worked all his life in Las Vegas. He was amazed at our island.

He stated without hesitation that there was a better range of quality international cuisine here, and much more of it. If he were still here today, he would be saying the same thing about our spas.

Spas on Samui come in three flavours. The in-house day-to-day kind has already been mentioned. But do be careful here. There is a tendency for resort owners to cut corners. The most expensive item is staff wages. It is far cheaper to hire a young Thai woman who speaks little or no English and has minimal training, than to take on an experienced and time-served professional. It has been known for just such as masseuse to vigorously 18 l www.samuiholiday.com

apply a coconut scrub to a hairy European male. The result? He had to shave his body to rid himself of the congealed and tangled lumps of body hair and coconut. (Hotel manager’s response: “. . . but it’s always been OK for women . . .”)

The second kind is more reputable. Take a 5-star resort. Their signature spas take some beating – yet are welcomingly open to visitors from outside.

Even before you begin, you’ll be questioned and assessed as to your medical condition and your personality type. This is an holistic approach: whatever treatment or package you want will be tailored to your physical and psychic constitution. And then you can opt for a simple massage or something more esoteric, together with type-matched aromatherapy included. Typically, a spa of this integrity will also include a range of alternative therapies, such as Ayurvedic treatments and/or reiki, too.

Finally, there are the live-in spas, most of which specialise in detox and cleansing. But all of them are easy-going enough to offer short courses and treatments as well. Plus they all have excellent restaurants, with both veggie and happy food – usually also beers and wines, if they’re laidback. Such places are often said to be great social levellers, where you will find a millionaire sitting on equal terms next to a truck driver. Social status means nothing. Because they’ll both be discussing the weather, the difference between iPhones and Android, what’s on TV tonight, and then without a hitch they’ll start comparing their bodily functions!

just have to try it and see. (Alternatively, you could cut out some of the indecision and look at the excellent Samui Spa Guide instead for an unbiased look at some of the best.)

Try looking on Google for ‘Samui spa packages’ or add the word holidays to it. There are thousands of listings. And every one of them undoubtedly ranges from the diabolical to the divine. Who can tell? You

Rob De Wet

At one time places throughout Europe emerged as ‘spa’ towns – the Roman conquerors liked their comforts. But what is certain is that our little Samui is now a spa haven. And that means a whole lot more than merely sitting around all day in a hot mineral spring, as it used to do, back in the age of the Caesars.

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MORE THAN

THE SUM OF ITS PARTS Drink Gallery isn’t just a wonderful spot for a tipple, check out the great food and ambience too.

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Even amongst the bold, bright lights of Chaweng’s main strip, Drink Gallery is one place that stands out. Located half way down the beach road, it attracts many a curious stare and raised eyebrow. People pause as they walk past its long frontage, and it certainly challenges perceptions. For a start, the name alone is a conundrum: it seems to have stepped straight out of film noir territory, and suggests a grainy, endlessly long bar at which tightlipped loners sit in hats and overcoats, slugging back small glasses of highoctane booze. But it isn’t that at all, it oozes sophistication and conviviality instead.

It’s run by the same creative minds who built The Library, just behind Drink Gallery, a very avant-garde resort that’s unique for its artistic style which is effortlessly blended with minimalism. The Library is one of those places that made a name for itself from the moment it opened its doors. As a one-of-akind place to stay, it’s delightfully unforgettable.

Drink Gallery is a similarly creative space, too, though there’s no minimalism here. Instead there’s a lot going on, and wherever you look you’ll see that enormous effort has gone into the decor here. But maybe what’s even more noticeable is that there’s plenty more going on here than just drinking. Food’s being served, and there’s that culinary, busy hum that all good restaurants have. But, whatever, an important consideration is price, and given the chic feel of the place, taking a seat here looks like it’s going to set you back armfuls of money. Expensive, then? Surely, it’s got to be!

its many possibilities. For a start, there are three very different areas to sit in, and this is a lot more than choosing whether to sit inside or outside.

First and foremost, there’s a large cube-like structure of steel and glass.

It’s air-conditioned and you can sit at the bar, or on comfy seating or at a long, long table if coming as a group. Never mind the menu, your eye will be caught up with checking out this venue. A vast red painting of a young woman, dominates the room, her expression both questioning and enigmatic.

Drink Gallery also has a largish open-air space right outside, and it’s here that you can listen to a DJ or a band every night. It’s low-lit, providing a very intimate feel, ideal if you’re on a romantic holiday. You get a bit distracted from your partner, however, not just because of the excellent food, but also because this space is so ideally geared to people-watching; you’re facing onto the beach road itself, always a mesmerizing stage with a random, seething cast of islanders and holidaymakers.

In a third space, guests seem to be oblivious of most of the street action, even though they’re even closer to it. If they’re distraction-proof, and they really do seem to be, then it’s because they’re totally caught up in the food they’re eating; they’re at a section of Drink Gallery which is simply called Tapas Bar, eating, well, yes, tapas.

But once you check out the menu, you realize that both food and drink are really great value for money, with prices that are definitely affordable. Eat here and you see that the food, which comes in satisfyingly large portions, is also exceedingly tasty – there’s no skimping on taste just to enable those great prices. There’s substance to the style as well.

Each of the Thai-themed tapas dishes (there are now 38 of them, including four desserts as well) are 99 baht net each, and with largish portions, these are some of Chaweng’s best deals. Feast on Gai Hor Bai Toey (chicken wrapped in banana leaves), or See Klong Moo Yang (grilled pork ribs), served in a mesh scoop. Then there’s Satay Ruam, also popular with most guests. Skewers of pork and chicken rest on top of a clay barbecue pot, along with a cucumber relish and of course peanut sauce.

And friendliness, too. You’ll get a warm welcome from the very efficient bar staff, and this is not the kind of place where you need to be formal. It’s all laid-back and fun. People love Drink Gallery, return over and over again, and it always seems fresh, with something new to its vibe or the food each time. You can in fact come back quite often before you’ve even exhausted

Most of Drink Gallery’s food is actually western, and features an entire range of appetizers, soups, salads, pasta and burgers, all of which represent truly great value for money. And then there are a few more expensive dishes – the cost only being higher because they’re using imported ingredients – such as Tasmanian Salmon at 570 baht net, Braised

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Australian Lamb Shank at 580 baht net and Seafood Paella at 690 baht net (Drink Gallery’s most expensive dish). No need to worry about overspending, and you’ll be all the more willing to finish off with some truly decadent desserts, such as the Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème, a temptation that’s pretty much irresistible.

But there’s need to even eat anything at all, however, as Drink Gallery has a full range of beers, wines and spirits, along with both traditional and innovative cocktails. Open daily from 4:00 pm till late, some people come just for drinks alone, as this is a very popular watering hole. You’ll find many islanders turning up here to take advantage of the daily happy hours, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm, which feature a buyone-get-one-free deal on selected drinks. There’s parking just behind the premises at The Library itself, but many people leave their cars at Central Festival, just up the road.

To step into the world of Drink Gallery is like being part of a film, but it’s one that’s never noir; instead you’ll find it cheerfully beguiling.

Coming here, whether for food or drink or both is always an enjoyable experience and like many a guest you’ll be hankering to come back for your next visit.

Dimitri Waring

___________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2299. www.thelibrarysamui.com

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ANYONE FOR A PADDLE? Explore hidden caves and lakes with Blue Stars kayaking and snorkelling tours.

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Established as a marine national park in 1980, Ang Thong National Park is an archipelago of 42 islands covering 102 square kilometres, and is situated between the Thai mainland and Samui island in the Gulf of Thailand. The islands themselves cover 18 square kilometres of the park, and consist mainly of amazingly rugged and steep limestone hills, sinkholes, caves, inland marine lakes and forests. There are two nomadic villages, one at Koh Wua-Ta-Lap and the other at Koh Phaluai, all other islands are uninhabited. Best visibility for snorkelling is around March and April, lucky you!

Blue Stars have been organising and running kayaking and snorkelling tours to Ang Thong like a well-oiled machine for over 20 years. They know all the best seasonal spots around the islands, and how to stay

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away from the potentially busy areas in peak seasons. You get picked up from your hotel or resort around 7.15 am, and whisked off to Nathon pier, board the boat and depart around 8:00 am. From here you have the shortest distance to the marine park.

Your full day tour includes your pick up and drop off, a light breakfast, full buffet lunch, an afternoon snack of fruit and banana cake in case you get peckish and unlimited tea, coffee, water and soft drinks throughout the day. Also included are full insurance, national park fees, lifejackets in varying sizes (which must be worn for insurance purposes), kayaking instruction, snorkelling equipment and waterproof dry-bags for cameras and small personal effects. The boat is officially licenced to carry 96 passengers, but a fully booked Blue Stars tour will only take a maximum

of 50 people, and more often less than that, providing a roomy and spacious environment. The tours go out four days a week, every week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays. At peak times, there may be additional days added to cope with demand.

The fully-equipped boat is 23 metres long, meaning it is very stable and safe, and it has three levels. The lower deck houses the kayaks and has plenty of sheltered seating in the event of bad weather. There are two toilets also located on the lower deck. The main deck provides comfortable and shady seating, and is where food and drink are served. For those who like to catch the fresh ocean breeze, there is open-air seating at the front of the boat, where you take in the view with the wind in your hair. Upstairs there is a large sundeck with plenty of

mattresses and beanbags, so you can sprawl out and do a bit of relaxed sunbathing.

During the hour and a half journey out to the marine park, you can stroll around the boat, enjoy a cuppa or a soft drink and enjoy the gorgeous views as you head out west towards the cliffs and peaks that start to become visible as you get closer to the many islands in the marine park.

The great thing about having the kayaks on board is that the boat has the total freedom to go where it wants. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, the crew have the experience and flexibility to change their destination, and divert to a more suitable and sheltered spot for the kayaking and snorkelling. If you do start to feel a bit seasick, don’t worry, the crew carry sea-sickness pills, just ask.

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If the weather report is bad or the water already too rough for a safe journey, the boat will not go out. In this case, all guests will be informed either personally or via their hotels. And if rescheduling is not possible, a full refund of any money paid will be offered. But don’t worry, March and April normally provide good clear weather.

After a leisurely journey back to Samui, enjoying your afternoon tea or an ice-cold beer (which can be purchased on-board), you arrive back at Nathon pier around 4.30 pm. The efficient and careful drivers then transport you back to your hotel or resort, arriving around 5.00 to 5.30pm.

Once in the park, you will have the opportunity to participate in the two kayaking sessions at different locations. Don’t worry if you have never been kayaking before. The guides are very good with beginners and are excellent instructors. The first stop is along the coastline of Koh Mae Ko which translates to ‘Mother Island’. This is the island with an emerald saltwater lake, fully enclosed by immense limestone cliffs and connected to the sea through underwater caves. After kayaking you get an opportunity to walk the trail that leads from the beach to a great viewpoint high up on the cliffs overlooking the sparkling green lake. It’s about a 15-minute uphill walk, steep in places but not overly difficult.

Swimming in the lake itself is not allowed.

Judging from the many positive reviews on TripAdvisor, this is clearly a day trip which Blue Stars have perfected. “A great day out.”, “Great scenery, a must try when in Koh Samui”, “Awesome experience”, “Best trip ever” and “Worth the money, good tour operator”, are just a few.

Blue Stars have an administration office on the lake road that runs between the roundabout at Central Festival and the traffic lights on the ring road near Tesco Lotus in Chaweng, but most bookings are done through their website.

Lunch is served on the boat as you journey to the more northern islands.

The second kayak session involves exploring a number of small caves, hidden lagoons and beaches on the island of Koh Tai Plao. The kayaks allow you to visit areas you would never normally see. You also get the opportunity to do a bit of snorkelling here in the crystal-clear waters. Or if you fancy it, jump off the sundeck of the boat, yelling and shouting as you make a big splashy entrance into the turquoise blue! Alternatively, just relax on the boat and catch some rays.

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These tours are very popular at busy times and are often fully booked, so it’s definitely advisable to book in advance to avoid disappointment. So dust off your paddling skills or try something new. Go and explore the limestones cliffs, mystical lakes, caves and beaches that abound in the amazing Ang Thong National Marine Park.

Karan Ladd ______________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7730 0615. www.bluestars.info

WAT

TO SEE Wat Plai Laem beguiles with its bright colours and giant statues.

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Samui’s foremost tourist attraction is the Big Buddha temple, and you’ll no doubt have seen many references to it. There are scores of tours that stop by daily. But for some strange reason, an equally amazing temple, just a few kilometres away, remains much less visited. Wat Plai Laem is on the agenda of far fewer holidaymakers, and it tends to be the local islanders who come here. Big Buddha is in fact merely an outlier of Wat Plai Laem, which is considered to be the main temple in the area. To reach Wat Plai Laem, just drive past Big Buddha and keep following the road north and then east as it leaves Bangrak, and then on your left you’ll see Plai Laem temple. It’s easy to spot: you’ll see a massive statue with 18 arms!

Wat Plai Laem is much quieter than Big Buddha, and has none of its in-yourface commercialism, but it’s definitely not an earnest kind of a place. On the contrary, it’s filled with colour, and there’s light-heartedness here, even if it may seem filled with symbols, motifs and ideas that are incomprehensible to most westerners. Even people who follow a religion may be bemused by what they see. Speaking of the differences in religions, the abbot, Phra Maha says, “I believe that all religions are essentially the same and that it’s really a question of following one’s chosen religion in the right way, with true understanding.” He acknowledges that the temple complex here is hard to comprehend if you’re from outside Thailand, but even without understanding, it’s an unusually uplifting experience to come here. And sometimes just witnessing what’s going on may somehow cause a shift in mood and perspective.

You may think that the entire temple is as old as the hills. It isn’t. It was only built in 2004, and is the design of well-known artist, Khun Jarit Phumdonming, who spent three years on the decoration, which follows traditional styles.

That’s why it looks ancient.

Step inside the main temple and you’ll be amazed by the interior walls, which contain dozens of paintings telling the story of the life of the Buddha. They’re all bright and have a hallucinogenic sharpness.

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Bring your camera – nobody minds you taking photos, so long as you don’t disturb the people who have come to pray here. It’s a working temple, and worship here is taken seriously. Everything here is covered in artwork; even the shutters on the windows are carved and painted with symbolic scenes. Whether you’re taking pictures of tiny details or large scenes, there’s plenty to engage the eye.

The grounds of the temple also contain two absolutely giant figures.

The 18-armed goddess we mentioned already is a statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. Her origins go back some 2,000 years, and she represents unconditional love, fertility and health. She rose out of obscurity in China, but nowadays you can find statues of her as far away as Japan.

She is a bodhisattva – an enlightened being. The Bodhisattva vow is one taken by Mahayana Buddhists to attain complete enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. The goddess began her work by reaching out to help all who were suffering. The legend goes that their need was so great that it shattered her arms. This was seen by the Buddha Amithaba and he gave her a thousand arms so she could help more people.

Her statues symbolically show just a few of those arms. Traditionally, each one of her hands holds out some kind of help for those who are suffering. The goddess goes by many names, with Kwannon and Kanon, being just two of them. There are hundreds if not thousands of stories about her, and she’s much beloved throughout the region.

You’ll also find a very different figure at Plai Laem, that of Budai, who is a Chinese deity. His name simply translates as ‘cloth bag’ and indeed he’s depicted as holding out a largish bag. Budai is traditionally depicted as a fat, bald man wearing an amazingly happy expression.

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He’s poor but content. He likes fun and is often depicted with adoring children. He’s seen as an incarnation of the future Buddha, a holy figure who will come to the Earth and herald a time of happiness and abundance. He’s also known as the Laughing Buddha, but should not be confused with the Buddha that we all know, Gautama Buddha.

Wat Plai Laem is definitely not to be missed when you’re visiting Samui – many people make a regular visit here. As we’ve said, it’s an uplifting place, even if it seems a far cry from any usual kind of religious place.

Dimitri Waring

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RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Five reasons to choose Sheraton Samui Resort.

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When it comes to tropical holidays, everyone has an idea of what they want. There’ll be a beautiful blue sea backed by coconut trees, lush green vegetation, plenty of sun and, of course, a gorgeous place to stay. It’s a vision that’s long since become part of the psyche for most of us, a kind of holiday archetype, languid, sun-drenched, and filled with relaxation and fun. It seems as if it’d be a simple matter to build a hotel that embodies that dream. But only very astute hoteliers actually get it right, and create a venue that meets all our expectations.

Sheraton has a blueprint for the hotels they’re famed for building; they know exactly what makes a wonderful vacation. One of their main aims is to create properties where everything needed is right at hand, easy to access and convenient to use. In Thailand, the properties then have to dovetail with those tropical dreams we all have. The results are bound to please.

On Samui, they have a resort that’s extremely sought after; it draws in many newcomers, returning guests, and plenty of people who visit for the superb dining. To say it has a lot going for it is a bit of an understatement.

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Guests could probably suggest many more, but here are the top five reasons to choose Sheraton Samui Resort.

The Location Sheraton Samui is incredibly well-situated. It’s near the southern end of Chaweng Noi, allowing you to experience the best of both worlds: the peacefulness of a serene cove, alongside the easy, almost instant access to central Chaweng. You can be dozing in the early evening hush that descends on the area, and then in the space of ten minutes be right in the heart of all the action. The resort is also very close to the airport, but equally, it’s a good stepping-off point for any expedition around the island.

The Beach Chaweng Yai is Samui’s favourite beach, and has an endlessly long stretch of fine, powdery sands. The Sheraton is right at the southern end of Chaweng Noi, and is separated from the main beach by a rocky headland. This means it’s harder for the general public to access, and is

therefore much quieter, with a more exclusive feel to it. Some residents who’ve lived on the island for decades have yet to visit the beach. If you’re staying at Sheraton Samui, then it’ll fast become one of your favourite spots.

Family Friendly Sheraton Samui Resort is an extremely friendly place, no matter what age you are. However, if you’re a child, you’ll particularly love this resort as there’s so much to do. There’s even a beachfront kid’s club, and it’s a lot more than a room filled with coloured balls and giant stuffed rabbits.

At Starkid Kid’s Club, you can enjoy a generously large space with both indoor and outdoor areas. Go on your own adventure, run along wooden walkways, get soaked as a giant barrel empties its contents over you, play in a safe place... but that’s not all. There are lots and lots of activities. These vary daily, but there’s a full range including batik painting, beach football, weaving coconut palm leaves, kite making, movies, and the popular and entertaining treasure hunt, where adventurous kids can explore the resort collecting stamps on a map.

Inspirational Dining Breakfast at Sheraton is a leisurely and mouth-watering buffet, which you can explore day after day and still have plenty to choose from. And when it comes to lunch or dinner, then you’re spoiled again, whether you’re a guest or have stepped in from outside. The main restaurant, Long Talay, has a relaxed charm all of its own, where you can simply ease back in an elegant dining room, open to the air and all the sea breezes, or enjoy sitting on the outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean just a few metres away. Whether you’re hankering for International or Thai favourites, you’ll find a whole range of both here. Enjoy a diversity that features lamb cutlets, nasi goreng, fish and chips; or try their signature dish, Khao Soi. It’s one of Thailand’s most famous dishes, half way between a curry and a soup and features tilapia fish with a blend of exotic spices and herbs.

Long-beloved of gourmet chefs around Thailand, this dish is quite hard to find outside its native north. But here it’s made to perfection by a chef from Chiang Mai.

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Beachfront Bar For a many of us, no tropical holiday would be quite complete unless there’s a great beach bar to hand. And at Sheraton there definitely is.

Head for the memorably named Blue Monkey, take a seat and you’ll be able to enjoy the beachside ambience at its best. The bar serves all manner of drinks: beers, wines, cocktails and long drinks. But what makes it even more outstanding is that you can also dine here. Sheraton has a global food and beverage programme, and at Blue Monkey you can experience it with ‘Paired’, a select menu of snacks that’s brought together with wines or craft beers. You can try unique combinations such as Fisherman’s Prawn Satay on roti with peanut dipping sauce paired with either Penfolds Koonunga Hill (Chardonnay) or 8 Wired, Semiconductor or American IPA (craft beers).

There are plenty of further draws when it comes to a dream holiday on Koh Samui. You can relax at Sheraton Samui’s two large swimming pools, stay fit with a workout at the gym, enjoy a game of tennis, or treat yourself to a pampering massage at Glow Spa. Guest rooms and suites all guarantee maximum comfort and each features Sheraton’s specially designed beds, so as to give you an even better sleep. You’ll find a fullyequipped bathroom with separate shower and tub, a 42-inch LCD TV and, of course, your own private balcony, ideal for admiring the sea views.

Spend just a little time at the resort and you’ll find yourself enjoying the Sheraton lifestyle.

After all, there are plenty of reasons to stay at this hotel and all of them are valid ones. Everything has been thoroughly considered in order to make it a real pleasure to be here; no matter if you’re on holiday or have just stepped in for a meal. Try it for yourself.

Dimitri Waring

______________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2020. www.sheratonsamui.com

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SONGKRAN

ON SAMUI

Arm yourself for Samui’s wet, wild and water-filled party.

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It’s billed as the world’s greatest water fight, but some people don’t believe it – until they’ve actually seen it and got soaked umpteen times. When it comes to hyperbole, Songkran takes home all the prizes. In fact when people tell you about it, they’re probably not exaggerating, but playing it down!

However genteel your holiday is (or isn’t), when it comes to Songkran, it’s party time. And you won’t actually need to seek it out: it’s so big, so all-encompassing that it’ll come to you. If you really want to avoid it, you definitely can, but it’ll mean taking fairly drastic measures such as staying holed up in your hotel room, or leaving for a deserted island the day before. Songkran recluses are few and far between, however, as this is one party where the fun is guaranteed and literally on tap.

Thursday 13th April marks the start of this three day festival, with the Thursday being the big water fight day. The following two days are remarkably quiet on Samui, and if you want to continue the festivities then travel to Bangkok; here the aquatically-minded citizenry will be drenching each other for the entire period of Songkran.

Speaking of travel, the days leading up to Songkran and the days after it are peak times for all kinds of journeys, and you may need to book tickets extra early to avoid disappointment. For many Thais it’s a time to return home and spend time with family and friends.

Unfortunately, it’s also peak time for road accidents, as there are so many people on the roads, and there’s also, as with western New Year, plenty of drunk driving.

As you no doubt know, Thailand is a country that excels in having fun. And Songkran is the time when that fun reaches its monumental peak. Water is the biggest component of the fun at Thai New Year, and symbolizes purity and bad luck being washed away. In days of yore, families would pour a little water over each other, as a kind of token. That was then, but somewhere along the line, things got out of hand. Then it became an aquatic roller-coaster ride of chaos and mayhem. To say that everyone’s invited to the party is to put it very conservatively. Appear in public and someone will pour a bucket of water over you. Not just once, but again and again.

The great water fight kicks off in Chaweng not on the day, but the late afternoon the day before, and you risk a total soaking even then.

Take a stroll through the streets at this time and you may think it’s not really much to get excited about – just some people with buckets, right? But these folk are just practicing. This is just a warm-up for the coming marathon.

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The following morning may also not look like it’s going to be a very different sort of day. If you’re up early, you can still go to the market, but by 7:00 am, you’ll see people wheeling enormous bins and containers out onto the street in front of their houses and shops, and filling them up.

Not so much going on, eh? In fact they’re just getting ready.

Slowly, people come out of their houses and continue what seems like sleepy preparation (they have a very long day ahead of them!). Not just children but adults too are armed with muscled-up super-soakers, often wearing water reserves on their backs. They mean business. The watery blessings of yesteryear are replaced by squirting, hosing and pouring water over as many people as possible. It’s everyone versus everyone.

In order to have even more fun, lots more people will pile into flat-bed trucks, first loading them up with the biggest plastic barrels they can find, and then setting off for some drive-by soaking. Truck riders sling out the water at house dwellers as they slowly go past – only to get soaked in return by those standing outside shops, offices and houses. There are so many vehicles on the road that it’s more like a parade than anything else. By mid-morning the ring-road is awash with water. Pedestrians get soaked as they walk along the road, but no matter, as they’re also armed with super-soakers and give as good as they get.

Some of the water has been chilled, and then there’s the talcum powder which gets patted onto people’s faces. Talc is also often mixed in with the water that’s thrown so that people don’t just get soaked, they’ll turn

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white as paper as well. Tiger balm may also be mixed in with the talc to give that extra ‘cooling’ effect.

Unless you’re actually driving a truck filled with Songkran enthusiasts, it’s pointless setting off on any journey unless it’s just down the road.

It’ll take you a long time to get anywhere. Taking the scooter is a fairly scary option; you’ll be amiably stopped at makeshift roadblocks every few metres, and a fresh bucket of water will be poured over you. Your face will be white from all that talcum powder, and your knuckles will be white from driving in such weird conditions.

Chaweng Beach Road is the most crowded and hedonistic place to experience Songkran. The very same people who started throwing water the afternoon before, will now be in true party spirit. There’ll also be foam parties, lots of music and impromptu social gatherings. There’ll be plenty of drinking as well, with foreigners often tending to lead the way on that front.

Lamai, Chaweng’s little sister, is fairly raucous and provides much the same scenes. Nathon is more traditional, and since its shops are largely open to the main road, there’s less water-throwing here. (Incidentally, don’t even think about taking that super-soaker into a shop, anywhere on the island.) In the south of the island, where the population’s not so dense, there’ll be correspondingly fewer people taking part. Maenam also seems a quieter option – though not on the ring-road.

Probably though, you’re just better off staying where you are. It’s not like the western New Year’s Eve where you have to weigh up options for finding a wonderful party and hope you’ve made the right pick. Here, unless you’ve specifically planned for it, Songkran is going to pick you.

If you’re on Samui with small children, then you’ll need to think about them. Many take to Songkran like ducks to water, but not all – what’s endless fun for some, may just be overkill for others. For the small and eager, water pistols through to military-style supersoakers are available just about everywhere. Most children will be eerily adept at picking out the weapon of their choice. Best indulge them; keep in mind there’s nothing sadder than the sight of a child without fire-power on the day.

Is Songkran enjoyable? It’s one of the best times to be on Samui, without a doubt, and it’ll be a time to remember. Perhaps though, it’s one of the few times when the camera’s best forgotten, unless it’s of the type that you can go swimming with.

Dimitri Waring

TICK-TOQUE The fastest way to learn Thai cooking is to don a chef’s toque and learn from the maestros at Nora Beach Resort & Spa.

For many of us novices, learning Thai cooking, in all its glorious messiness, is its own reward. There are plenty of accidents along the way, and much of it is a chance thing anyway. But out of all of this, given enough determination, we can make something that’s truly tasty, and gradually improve on it over time. But all this takes patience and dedication – months, if not years. Is there a way to wield the wooden spoon and proceed to make a few great dishes that we can savour before our calendar, if not our patience, runs out?

Happily there is, and better still, it’s possible to learn while on holiday, at a steady pace. And this is something that many holidaymakers now do.

Thousands of people come to Thailand every year not simply to visit beaches and beauty spots, but also to learn the art of cooking Thai food. Some courses are for professionals only, and can stretch out over days and weeks.

But if you would just like to be able to make excellent Thai dishes for your friends and family, then a cooking class will probably be just right for you.

If you drop into Nora Beach Resort round 1:00 pm, any day of the week, you’ll see one of the island’s most professional cooking classes getting underway. The first thing you’ll notice is how relaxed the ambience is.

There’s always a sense of fun and a lot of laughter; people are cooking dishes they’ve never attempted before, and doing it with what looks like joy rather than gritted teeth. The proof of the pudding is literally in the eating, and when they sit down to eat what they’ve made, they’re wowed by the results. The food’s good enough to be eaten in a restaurant. This is no exaggeration. So how is it that complete novices can produce such professional-tasting fare?

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It’s all thanks to the cooks who teach them, and the way the classes are set up. At Nora, once you arrive, you’re in the hands of Khun Sittichai, the resort’s executive chef, or Khun Walai Tubtavee, more affectionately known as Khun Paula, who is his sous-chef. Both, naturally, are great cooks themselves – they run a top quality restaurant, after all. But they’re really good at teaching, too, and have all the requisite talents; they’re patient, can explain complicated concepts in simple terms, and last but not least, they’re able to put everything across in clear English.

To enrol in a class is very easy. Just reserve your place by telephone.

Classes are run daily, and are deliberately kept small. The minimum number of people? Just one. So, yes, you could end up having one-onone training with a professional chef! But no worries if you don’t. With just a few other participants, the class won’t feel anonymous in the least. The maximum is usually six participants. However, Nora can also hold bigger classes, should you decide to come in large numbers. In this case, the format’s different, with classes broken into different teams headed by an individual chef. That way, the teaching always remains personal.

Once you arrive, you’ll be taken down to the restaurant, Prasuthon, where you’ll find your own individual cooking station. And it’s not in the back room of the kitchen, but is in a special outdoor spot overlooking the sea. You might be a little distracted at first by such amazing surroundings, but you’ll find that the classes are extremely captivating.

The chef doesn’t simply keep talking about how things are done, she actually shows you while she gives you the instructions; the idea is that you copy her as closely as you can. It’s a method that works very well and is very easy to follow.

You’ll find that you have all the ingredients right in front of you, completely ready; everything’s carefully arranged so there’s no wasted time while you wash, chop and prepare. You concentrate instead on the job at hand, preparing highly tasty dishes. Flavours, aromas and tastes are soon the topic of conversation as you and your group learn how a professional goes about her work.

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The cooking class has a different menu for each day of the week, but the staff are happy to make changes when possible. Each class runs along the same lines, and you’re taught how to make an appetizer, a soup and a main course. The appetizer could be salmon with mango salad, chicken satay, or sumptuous dish of scallops, prawns and crab. Then you might whip up a soup of chicken in coconut, or make a classical tom yum. And for mains, there are favourites such as pad Thai, or chicken massaman or chicken penang. The dishes are then all eaten, making this a very convivial experience. At the end of your course, you’ll also be presented with a chef’s hat, certificate and wooden spoon.

As we’ve said, Thai cooking isn’t as exact as western cuisine is; here, it’s all about combining tastes to get the very best in flavours. It’s really up to you to seek what suits your palate. There are all sorts of variations possible, with the most obvious being fieriness. As we know, some people love chillies, whereas others look askance if there’s more than a smidgen in the dish. All these factors are taken into consideration during the course; the real question we face is not just what, but also how we’re going to cook, and a lot of cook books never really take this approach into consideration. This isn’t the case at Nora and instead they’ll teach you the way to balance the recipes according to your own preferences.

It’s a great way to learn cooking and once you get home, you’ll be a star when your friends and family know that you can cook Thai. And where exactly did you learn it, they’ll ask? ‘Oh, from a Thai professional chef,’ you’ll reply coolly. Though short, your training at Nora Beach Resort & Spa will stand you in good stead for years to come.

Dimitri Waring _______________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 9400. www.norabeachresort.com

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THERE AND BACK AGAIN There’s lots of different ways to get around Samui – here’s what you need to know and why!

Let’s see how much you understand about Koh Samui – you’re here on holiday after all! The following are four popular international holiday destinations. Which is the odd-one out: Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya or Casablanca? Puzzled? Good. It’s a trick question. But only partly so.

Because two of these places have developed with care and thought and planning, and two of them haven’t. Two of these places began with dozens of little coastal fishing villages, then became popular and suddenly there were grids of streets, planned areas of connected construction and post office areas with developments, buildings and numbers growing logically. And the other two just . . . happened.

Yes, it does matter! Because once you’ve gained an insight into the thinking that underlies a place, then lots of odd little things begin to make sense. Both Samui and Casablanca just happened to have beautiful, unspoiled stretches of pure white palm-fringed beaches that stretched for miles. The other thing they share is they’ve both got just one main road. Plus the fact that anyone could build anything they wanted without needing much in the way of permission. But, then, Samui exploded into a 20-year frenzy of unregulated development which made some things very strange indeed – unlike Casablanca.

Take, for example, the simple concept of public transport. A local government buys a load of buses and they run backwards and forwards between towns and villages, with passengers paying money to go 60 l www.samuiholiday.com

from one place to another. What could be easier? Phuket is a big tourist destination, and it has lots of public buses all running around on a timetabled schedule. Pattaya is even better – here the little covered trucks (known as ‘songthaews’) pay a licence fee to the local government, and they charge passengers just 10 baht to go anywhere they want that’s on their route. Get on. Get off five minutes or 30 minutes later; it’s still 10 baht. Samui? Well, this is where things get strange.

Samui has one small public bus. Yes, just one. It’s a mini-coach with 22 seats, and it just goes round and round the island. It has no markings on it, and very few people can say truthfully that they have ever seen it. I have been living here for 19 years, and I have noticed it on three occasions. In fact, I’m not even sure it continues to run, but have been assured that it still does. This is the point at which the intelligent reader will be prompted to ask “. . . what’s this all about, then?” And this is the point that I offer a blanket explanation for a great many facets connected with getting around – and regarding Koh Samui in general – and reply mysteriously “politics”. And that’s all you’re going to get.

Samui has its ‘songthaews’ too. But knowing how to use them is an untaught skill all of its own. It’s a kind of Zen thing. You can’t ask where it’s going; you have to know. You’re on holiday here.

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You’ve been told about these songthaews. And so you wait for one to appear, heading roughly in the direction you want to go. You wave and it stops. But as soon as you open your mouth to speak to the driver, the fare you have to pay increases by 300%. Because if you have to ask, then you’re a tourist and therefore fair game. So the way to do it is not to even ask. Just climb into the back and keep a very sharp eye on where it’s going. (And then when you get off offer 50 or 60 baht – the driver will soon let you know if you are wrong!) But if you are a total stranger without a map or a handheld GPS device, then this is probably not the most relaxing way to get around. So stick with something less worrying.

(Plus the fact that after dark all prices have to be negotiated anyway.)

So there are taxis. I’m going to say nothing about these, other that they charge rates that are 400% higher than everywhere else in Thailand.

That is why there are more taxis on Samui than anywhere else. Oddly they haven’t yet been able to figure out that no matter how many taxis are here, the number of tourists remain the same, and that charging even higher fares to make up for this doesn’t work so well.

In passing, however, we have to mention the motorbike taxis. These are exactly what they sound like. In this case you’ll have to ask for a fare to where ever you want to go. In the last few years these guys have also jumped on the bandwagon, and the 20-minute ride that used to cost 50 62 l www.samuiholiday.com

baht now is well into triple figures. As with everything else, try to avoid taking one from a busy venue like close to the airport or the immigration offices. Just walking to the road outside drops the fare from 300 baht to well under half of that.

And then there’s renting. Think carefully and very hard about doing this.

Samui is nothing in the least like anywhere you have driven before.

Despite what it looks like there are no rules or laws, no speed limit, no correct side of the road to drive and most locals appear to have a death wish which, only too often, becomes fulfilled. It might seem a sunnysummery-holiday thing to do to cruise around on a little motorbike, but if you have never ridden one before, Samui is absolutely not the place to start.

I’ve kept the most rational compromise of all these things until last. It’s Samui’s own variation of the international ‘Uber’ concept – an online GPS trackable taxi call-and-pick-up service. It’s more expensive than Uber on the mainland. But it’s cheaper than a normal Samui taxi cab. Plus you can scan it online and watch for it arriving. The name is Navigo, and it’s just the thing for getting you there and back again afterwards!

Rob De Wet

HIDDEN ASSETS There’s a lot more to Poppies restaurant and seaside cottages than meets the eye.

The cottage is set up a winding garden path that might well have stepped out of a fairy-story. There’s even a little stream, a waterfall and a pool where fat Koi carp lazily swim about, as if they too are on holiday. Up ahead there’s a cottage with its own little garden. An oldfashioned brass key turns in a lock, and doors open to reveal a room so cosy that it might seem like home; the best of both worlds – the one you’ve left behind in your home country and the fabled one that you’ve just entered.

Mesmerizing and filled with surprises, the cottages and gardens are a haven unto themselves. The meandering paths, seemingly so random, are the work of a maestro architect who laid them out over two decades ago, with each part meticulously planned. The cottages are hard to count, as they’re hidden by trees and foliage in the neatly-tended yet jungle-green garden; they’ve also been angled so that there’s maximum privacy. They bring guests a delicious sense of well-being. To sit out here on the porch in the evening, under the gentle, romantic lights is to savour tropical life at its most beguiling. You might be somewhere far more remote; there’s no real way of knowing.

Each cottage, a mixture of traditional Thai style Ayutthaya architecture dabbed with Balinese grace notes, looks old-style but turns out to be contemporary. Inside you’ll find everything you might possibly need or desire for your holiday. A large flat screen TV with internet connection (you can also hook up your smart phone), a DVD player, all kinds of mood lighting that’s easy to adjust and an air-conditioner that’s no more obtrusive than a whisper. The bed is utterly comfortable, and each day when guests come back to their cottage, they’ll find a small cake or other treat on the table adjacent.

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There’s both an outdoor and indoor sitting area; the latter has a sofa which can double as an additional bed. The bathroom is as spectacular as the rest of the cottage. It has a Balinese outdoor rain shower (it includes a skylight mosquito net so you can bathe safe from insects of any kind) over a sunken bath. Small, thoughtful touches abound as they do throughout the rest of the cottage - an ornate antique-looking pot holds perfect squares of facial tissues; a vanity mirror telescopes out from a niche of teak wood, and there’s even an indoor garden with busy plants. As for lotions, creams, shampoo and so on – no need to even ask. It’s all there and right at hand.

And this is one of the main points about Poppies. Everything has been considered and thought out, and then maintained. And as for the cleaners, they must check their work with a microscope – everything throughout the resort is immaculate.

Poppies is located on southern section of the beach road in Chaweng.

That’s to say the nightlife of the town is easily accessible, yet the resort’s at the quieter end. And thanks to all the trees and foliage it’s quieter still, and guests do a double-take when they see the garden. Can it really be so close to Chaweng?

Maintaining a resort like this takes not just effort but creativity. And even though Poppies has stayed faithful to its original charms, it’s constantly seeing what can be made better. The lucky travellers who came upon Poppies in its early days, 22 years ago were in for a treat and knew it.

They knew it because back then Poppies was one of the very few spots on the island that guaranteed both a luxurious stay and food to match.

It made a name for itself very quickly and everyone who lived on the island was familiar with it.

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Over the following two decades, Samui became an internationally sought-out destination, with many a luxurious resort setting up here. But today, Poppies still maintains its leadership. As a resort, it’s number one on Trip Advisor. Suffice to say, the people behind it know what they’re doing. Poppies is an offshoot of Poppies Bali, which opened in the early 1970s – it’s still going strong today. Some exhaustive landscaping took place and the cottages were built with maximum privacy in mind. Usually resorts can get away with curtains of greenery, but here it was a lot more. Not only were the lushest imaginable gardens planted, but something that’s really innovative was also planned, just so guests wouldn’t always see countless staff making their way through the property. It’s something that’s unique on Samui, and rare enough elsewhere: a completely hidden tunnel was built to connect the kitchen and beach end of Poppies with the lobby area.

And it’s not necessary to be staying here to fall under the influence of Poppies’ magic, as they also offer superb dining. Their restaurant has always been one of Samui’s top eateries, with top-notch chefs in charge.

And from the beginning, they brought quality foods and ingredients to the island that were, in those first years, impossible to find here. Over the Wat Sila Ngu Temple years they’ve built on their successes. Staff seem to like Poppies as much

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as the guests: many have been working here for over ten years or more, which is highly unusual. Chef Wan, for example, has been here since the resort opened, all those years ago, and provides amazing dishes for her guests, in addition to running a sought-after cooking class.

And the new General Manager, James F. McManaman, is very familiar with Poppies, as he originally came to Poppies shortly after it opened. Invited back to take the helm once more, he’s been tasked with implementing new plans for the resort and its restaurant. Some are already completed, such as the building of Poppies Fitness Studio, possibly one of the world’s few gyms to be found in a teak room. The majority of the plans, however, are still under wraps, but only for the moment; the first quarter of 2017 will see them coming first to light and then to fruition, making this popular resort an even better place for a holiday or a wonderful meal.

Dimitri Waring

____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2419. www.poppiessamui.com

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TROPICAL FITNESS How to keep in shape on holiday, whilst still enjoying the delights of Koh Samui.

Everyone will experience an interruption in their exercise or healthy eating habits from time to time. Holidays, as well as injury or illness, can force you to take some time off no matter how dedicated you are. People are creatures of habit, and holidays can alter your normal routines. So, how can you keep in shape when you fly off to exotic Koh Samui and your schedule changes?

Well, there isn’t one right answer for everyone; it all depends upon your goals, current level of fitness and normal habits. If your main goal is to maintain your fitness level during a few weeks of holiday time, then some moderate exercise for 30 minutes, every other day, is all you need. If your current level of fitness is high, and you want to keep it that way, you will need to adjust your exercise time, type and intensity accordingly. If you have set eating habits with specific foods and times of eating it can be a bit more tricky, but not impossible.

Experts say that you’ll start losing fitness in about two weeks if you stop exercising altogether. Once lost, it takes nearly three times as long to recondition as it took to ‘detrain.’ Studies have shown that you can prevent declines in cardiovascular fitness for up to three weeks simply by doing higher intensity exercise (70-75 percent of maximum heart rate)

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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.

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.

for as little as two days per week. If your goal is just to stay in shape, remember that any type of exercise is better than nothing, and you might try something new, find that you love it and can start to incorporate when you get back home. Don’t despair; there are many options here on Samui that you can do in-between sunbathing, enjoying the beaches, culture, sightseeing, shopping, eating out and nightlife.

Samui has an increasing number of gyms that have cardio equipment as well as free weights and weight machines. Some have personal trainers and some also offer classes such as CrossFit, BodyPump, Zumba and kettle bells. There are other types of exercise studios that you can explore and try out for an added and unique ‘holiday experience’. There are yoga, Pilates and dance classes as well as the Thai national sport of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) for adults and children alike, and many hotels have a gym and offer some classes (research and book this before arriving if you can). Or ask about private classes - many resorts or villa managers know local teachers, either Thai or western, that give private lessons.

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!

And then there is a football arena which is on the ring road close to Chaweng Post Office. Visit www.facebook.com/Samui-Arena for more information. If running is your thing, email samuirunnersclub@gmail.com for the latest information about group runs, or for information on routes or running tips specific to Samui. We also have The Hash House Harriers.

The Hash run or walk is designed for a group of individuals to follow a trail of two or three other individuals. The distance varies from seven to 10 kilometres, and the finishing point is usually the starting point, though not always so. Afterwards, there is a social event where some banter takes place and beer is drunk. Visit their website www.ksh3.com for further information. Another such group is the Samui hill walking group.

They organise weekly walks into Samui’s mountainous interior. Find more information at www.facebook.com/Koh-Samui-Hill-Walks.

Most hotels, resorts and villas have a pool, and swimming is a great way to maintain cardiovascular fitness and keep your body toned, as well as keeping you cool in the tropical climate. If you don’t have access to a pool, most hotels will allow you to use theirs for a small fee or if you buy a drink. Or bring along your running shoes and go for a walk, jog or try some sprint training on the beach. Or join the locals along the wide and flat pathway around Chaweng Lake, where they also have some outdoor exercise equipment. Try some basketball, there are courts and hoops at the far end of the lake, just across the road, but you will need to bring your own basketball. If you just want to eat healthily and keep off any extra holiday pounds, then Samui has an increasing number of great places to eat out, including vegetarian and vegan options, so you can keep on track, whilst still feeling that holiday mode.

None of those options for you? Then be creative, think outside the box of your normal exercise routine. Try to remember exercises, stretches and

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routines that you do each week in a class or with your trainer at home and do these on your own. Use the internet to research and download exercise videos and apps that have a variety of exercises, or check out the million online classes available wherever you are on YouTube.

Pack a skipping rope, borrow a yoga mat, hire a bicycle, take a standup paddleboard class, learn how to scuba dive or kite surf, go kayaking or horse riding or learn how to dance salsa. Before you know it you will be pushing those fitness boundaries and waking up muscles you never even knew you had!

But do listen to your body. If you are tired and in need of this holiday, rest, relax and eat healthily to recharge and rejuvenate. Find exercise while you are away that seamlessly fits into your day, creates a moment to switch off and helps you to explore your new environment. Stroll along the beach to watch the sunrise or sunset and enjoy the panoramic views across the twinkling turquoise Gulf of Siam, or look towards the verdant green and mountainous interior.

Regular short, quality exercise sessions also create lasting change.

Health and fitness is a lifestyle, so try and incorporate a daily routine no matter where you are. If you really want to keep up an exercise or healthy eating regime, do some research before departing or soon after you arrive. It is relatively easy to enjoy the exotic delights Samui has to offer whilst still keeping your body and mind in shape.

Karan Ladd

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Come and visit Waterline to experience a journey on a plate.

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BLOOMING LOVELY

With their vibrant colours and exotic shapes, it’s no wonder that orchids are Thailand’s most popular flowers. www.samuiholiday.com l 77

Whilst you’re reading this, scores of people here and there on Samui are inordinately busy with an extremely delicate task. If you glimpse them at work, you’ll see lots of dedication in their eyes, and patience, too.

It also takes great skill to do what they do each day. They work with flowers. But not just any old flowers. Their attention is focused a flower that epitomizes Asia in general, and Thailand in particular. And that’s the orchid.

Some of the orchids are simply cut and placed in vases, whilst others are wrapped carefully in thin wire to make sure they hold up during the long hot day. And still others are made into garlands which are given to guests and dignitaries. At some resorts, orchids appear in flower bouquets on tables, and they’re even used to spell out words of welcome that are left on guests’ beds.

Their population has boomed over the last 30 years, due to this love and demand. Hotels and resorts are filled with orchids thanks to farms producing millions of them every year. Most of the farms are to be found in the cooler north of Thailand, but they exist just about everywhere, showing just how popular orchids have become.

You may even wish to take some home. And, surprisingly, you can do this with ease. There’s no problem with taking entire orchids out of the country, or taking them into Europe. Conveniently, you can even pick up an orchid or two at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and take them along with you. Naturally, you can also ask at your resort if they can spare you an orchid to take home.

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Undoubtedly, you’ll have seen orchids within a day of being on Samui.

You may not recognize them as such, and just think they are local flowers. There are, after all, so many varieties of them. Order a fruit shake and the chances are it’ll come with a small orchid gracing the rim of the glass. And if you’re staying in luxury accommodation, you may well find your towels are topped with a small purple orchid. Flower displays at weddings often include plenty of orchids mixed in with other tropical flowers, making brilliant bouquets.

In many people’s minds, orchids are synonymous with exotic lands, and Thailand is indeed home to many species of these beautiful flowers.

Although they’re most plentiful in the tropics, it’s an exaggeration to say that orchids are only to be found in hot places. You can actually find them almost anywhere in the world, and you may come across them in quite extreme climates. If you’re in Scandinavia or Canada, for instance, and know what you’re looking for you, can find quite a few examples.

Meanwhile, in Thailand there are over a thousand types of orchid, with many new varieties awaiting discovery. If you’re walking off the beaten track in tropical rainforests and jungles, you might be very lucky and come across an unknown type of orchid, but you’d have to be an expert

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to realise your good fortune. What’s astonishing is that even horticultural experts themselves can’t agree how many types there are. The numbers fluctuate according to who you talk to. Some put the number as low as 15,000, whilst others proclaim that there are at least 25,000. The point being that there’s a lot about these beautiful flowers that remains a mystery.

And this is compounded by the fact that even if orchids are all part of a single scattered family, they’re incredibly diverse. It’s almost as if they take a peculiar pride in being different from each other. The ways in which they reproduce are individual, too, and often downright chancy.

For some kinds of orchid, you’ll find there’s only one kind of insect that can assist in pollination – no other will do, apparently. And in other cases, the insect is put through its paces and has to negotiate a maze of petals in order to get to the pollen.

You may think that orchids look very pretty, but their beauty is extremely functional. Without it they’d probably die out. As with most flowers, their colours serve to attract their pollinators, who may be very few in number. Orchids also use scent and even shape to make sure they get propagated. Their glamour is of a ruthless kind, and sometimes they even

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use their looks to repel. Orchids don’t want any old insect near them, so some have shapes that vaguely resemble spiders and other off-putting creatures.

Orchids, like all plants, need water, and get it in a variety of ways. Some are like air plants, and simply drink in the natural humidity around them. Others store rainwater in sacks that they’ve grown, or live in nooks and crannies in trees and rely on rivulets of water to feed them, whilst a very few are true scavengers and survive from decayed vegetation, which tends to have a high water content.

Even though they look so delicate, orchids are tougher than you’d imagine. The strange, still unexplored world of these plants has inspired many people to become serious collectors. Who knows, you may be ready to don a pith helmet and venture into Samui’s deepest jungles in search of these truly awesome plants. You certainly wouldn’t be the first to do so.

Dimitri Waring

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FULL MOON – NEW STAR There’s a new top chef at Anantara’s super Full Moon restaurant in Bophut!

You’ll find Anantara Bophut fronting onto the ring-road, not so far from the traffic lights near Fisherman’s Village. This strip, running maybe a kilometre northwards, is special. There’s lots of space here between the road and the beach, and the plots of land are effortlessly spacious. In fact, if Samui was in Europe, this is where we’d find the grand Victorian mansions; opulent, elegant and refined. The big difference being that instead of mature oaks and elms, here you’ll see a landscaped riot of lush tropical foliage beneath the gigantic trees that tower above.

Like all 5-star resorts it has a restaurant to match; in this case two. As you come through from the reception area you’ll come down a few steps and see the cool and shady High Tide, the resort’s all day restaurant on your left. But if you keep following the path through the greenery and past the constant murmur of the water features, you’ll emerge close to the beach and Anantara’s signature fine-dining restaurant, Full Moon. The word ‘anantara’ itself comes from ancient Sanskrit, and literally translated means ‘water flowing without boundaries’. But apply this to a selective and exclusive group of hotels which are under the umbrella of the famous Minor International Group, and it translates into ‘sheer quality’.

It’s always a temptation to describe a restaurant by its location or décor.

And, yes, it’s elegant, simple and modern in style, on two floors and with an open-sided aspect that faces the sea. All very pleasant. But this says nothing about the attitude. The quality of service and attention to detail. It says nothing about the degree of customer care, or how deeply it’s ingrained into every aspect of the dining experience. And immediately let it be said that the staff here are second to none - their English is excellent and the balance of their friendly, open interaction and their professional competence is just right.

To give you just a glimpse of the ethos here, certainly there’s a sommelier to help you. But there’s also a salt ‘sommelier’ – the ‘salt guru’ – to recommend which of the five different sorts of ground-at-the-table rock salt best complements your meal. Or there are the live at-table preparation trolleys for dishes such as the carbonara or the Caesar salad. Or the presence of an award-winning cocktail mixologist.

The menu is described as ‘Koh Samuian-style Char-grill cuisine’. In practical terms, for most diners this means that the char-grilling here has been taken to the extremes of the art, and then perfected some more. For example, in many cases it’s a complex and integrated process, with selections being seared according to taste and then, where appropriate, this being continued on the broiler. None of the fare is marinated before grilling, the sauces coming in separate small dishes. This is a statement in itself, as the meat has to be absolutely prime, and at the peak of freshness to be prepared like this. And in keeping with the overall ethos of care at Full Moon, you’ll then be offered a choice from four different meat/steak knives, according to your need!

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And into this heady blend a new face has recently appeared. New, that is, in the sense that this is his first involvement with Full Moon, and even with Samui. Certainly this doesn’t apply to his experience, as it’s exactly what you’d expect from an internationally-accredited executive chef at this level. He’s Australian born, has previously been in charge of top restaurants around the world, and his name is Martin Kindleysides.

“I was always aware of cooking and food,” Martin told me, “because I grew up in that environment. My mother was the manager of a Chinese restaurant, and I’d usually be in there after school. I use to be mesmerized by the chefs working with the Chinese cleavers and woks.

It just seemed like a natural progression to go on in that direction when I finished school.” Martin began a four year chef apprenticeship under his brother (who is also a well-known chef in regional Australia), and soon after finishing this he moved on to Sydney, and worked in fine dining restaurants before eventually finding himself working for international 5 star hotels.

“When I wasn’t in the kitchen I was reading all I could; the biographies of legendary chefs, the history of famous restaurants or how different

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trends or cuisines came about, and sourcing different ingredients to experiment with my approach to food,” Martin explained.

Martin moved on to one of the largest hotels in Australia, the Four Points

by Sheraton Darling Harbour, and worked his way up to executive sous chef. But after three years there it was time for him to evaluate his career.

He then ran the kitchens in his first executive chef position in a boutique resort and winery, before getting a job offer at the Perth Sheraton. But by this time he was curious about working abroad. He moved onto a western executive chef position in South Korea, experiencing and coping with the language and cultural issues.

Over the next six years, Martin worked as executive chef in prestigious hotels and resorts in The Philippines, Bangalore and Mumbai, where he was Director of Culinary at the St Regis Hotel, and responsible for the establishment, organisation and management of ten associated outlets.

Martin and his wife, Saet Byul, had recently celebrated the birth of their first child and were looking around for a less hectic location. “When I found out about the opening at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort I was eager to take on the role, and join a well-known luxury brand,”

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Martin continued. “It’s very different on Samui. But the laid-back atmosphere is deceptive; it’s just as demanding but in a different way. I’m now getting used to it and settling in, but my first real appearance will be at the forthcoming Wine Dinner.”

And so this will be a doubly-decisive date! The quarterly Wine Dinners at Full Moon have become a firm favourite on Samui’s gastronomic calendar, and this one is happening on March 17th. It’ll feature a 5-course dinner put together by Martin, and this time hinge around a selection of pairings from an excellent range of Australian wines, in his honour. Do look out for this or call to enquire, because these dinners are super value, at around 2,200++ baht person – and that’s another star feature!

Rob De Wet

_______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 8300. www.samui.anantara.com

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 info.irch@impiana.com www.samuihotels.impiana.com.my

SAMUI

GREEN MARKET Locally grown, locally sourced, locally crafted.

Homemade and heartfelt is what Samui Green Market is all about. And people come to it not just to trudge around and make a few purchases, but to enjoy the fun, vibrant atmosphere. Since it kicked off some years ago, it’s been happily free of the earnestness that seems to hallmark some of today’s new-style markets. It’s a chance to get to know other people – it’s surprisingly friendly – and to enjoy food, drink, locally made goods and a relaxed space. The market’s not really a commercial venture per se, but originated with the Samui Mala, a loose coalition of ad hoc volunteers on Samui, who support a vision for a clean and green Samui.

Some islanders may remember how nine years ago, Tamarind Springs hosted the first Samui Mala festival, in 2007. Originally the organizers wanted to arrange a little yoga festival, but ended up hosting a full day event with yoga, healing, environmental education and a great party. Says Shelley Poplak, a leading light in both the Samui Mala and the Green Market, “We realised how much everyone wants connection, and how hard that is on our island with everyone coming from other parts of the world or of the country. Since that time, Samui Mala has helped coordinate various events, but we realised that we needed a regular community forum, rather than an annual event. Once we found a venue that was open to hosting this on a regular basis, at Elysia Boutique Resort in Fisherman’s Village, the market really came to life.” Since the first Green Market was hosted there in October, 2015, it has become the home base every six weeks. “Sometimes for special occasions, the market moves to other locations as we did with the highly successful event hosted by Six Senses Resort, in August 2016,” says Pat Kell, owner of Elysia and Greenlight Cafe and Bar. Even if Samui is a small island, it can be tricky to bring everyone together, and even harder to make that happen on a regular basis. Samui may look to the outsider as if it simply comprises Thai inhabitants along with a varying percentage of holidaymakers, but the truth is that there’s an incredibly diverse community here. Most people are Thai, certainly, but then there are scores of different cultures also present here. How to bring all these different groups together? For the Samui Mala the answer was to start with something that really does unite everyone on the island - food! And on Samui, food isn’t just something to fill stomachs, it’s as diverse as the cultures on the island, and there’s a real enjoyment of it. Says Pat, “Breaking bread (or sharing rice) with others emphasises what we have in common, and brings groups of people together who hold a vision for a clean, green Samui.

Clean, green world really, but we start on Samui, where we can make a difference.”

And so the Samui Green Market was born. As a social occasion it works extremely well, taking its cue from the Mala’s successes. Up to now, Samui Mala has staged successful events and fundraisers at various resorts, usually on or around the 21st September (the UN Day of Peace). The Mala’s events have always had a very convivial aspect, and Shelley goes on to say, “It’s really what most people comment about at our events – where else can we meet and chat, catch up with old friends in a ‘unbranded’ and stress-free environment and meet new like-minded folk? www.samuiholiday.com l 91

The Samui Green Market as a regular event has quickly become a place where healthy foods can be bought and sold, and of course, sampled and enjoyed. A whole variety of other products have also come to be represented. But it’s more than just artefacts, food and fun. Whereas at many a market the underlying note is little more than the sound of the cash-register, this one’s different. People are fired up by the idea of the wider community and, as Shelley sums it up, are simply asking the question: can we be kinder to our planet, to each other, and live simpler, more connected lives? Can we see solutions instead of complaining about ‘the powers that be’ not fixing the problems?

The market is certainly having an effect as businesses have been inspired by access to this outlet to grow successful enterprises with a natural or organic flavour; Island Organics, Samui Chocolate and BioFizz are showing that small, locally grown solutions are welcomed by locals and tourists alike. These companies are growing partly due to their exposure in this community. “For example, we just heard that after Garth Welsh, Director of Culinary & Service at Resort W Koh Samui, visited our market, the hotel is now stocking local chocolates in their minibars, and offering a Samui cheese platter on the menu,” says Pat. This is to be applauded on an island where at least one hotel chain imports its coconuts from Vietnam!

At the market you’ll come across organic juices, breads, locally produced cheese, great baked goods and raw foods. And as a common denominator, a wonderful sense of creativity from the multi-ethnic community. More and more Thai people are also involved as vendors and shoppers, and the general demographic is much more diverse than in the past.

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There is now an organic farm in Lipa Noi, and more restaurants on the island are offering ‘as good as it gets’ options for non-toxic products and even organic produce. At the market you’ll also find locally sourced offerings from a growing list of establishments like Greenlight Cafe & Bar, June’s Art Cafe, Kamalaya, Magnolia Cafe, Peace Resort, Six Senses Samui, Sweet Sisters Cafe, Samui Health Shop by Lamphu and Yoga House and Spa. The Green Market is concerned about the environment – and it actively encourages people not to use any plastic at the events, to use recycled signage and provides a forum from which to launch campaigns like Trash Hero and #savesamui - both local initiatives to reduce plastic on the island. “We try to be inclusive, and educate and inspire, rather than make rules,” says Shelley.

The green market starts at 3:00 pm, and there’s usually live music as well. You’ll sometimes find activities too — past markets have seen children’s art, laughing yoga, presentations by groups such as Samui Snake Rescue, Flying Arrow Archery, Samui Circus Studio and even poetry readings. It’s a casual up-to-you atmosphere. But generally everyone seems more interested in lively conversation, sharing and fun with the community. Parking is easy, and everyone is welcome.

“We have room for more vendors,” says Shelley. Vendors donate towards keeping the market sustainable, and in turn the market has donated surplus fund to charities. “Recently we dedicated the entire proceeds to ‘Yoga Gives Back,’ and the local ambassadors for the charity were on hand to describe their work in India.”

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The market is a place that’s run by people who care deeply about what we’re consuming, and who have a passion for not simply going along with mainstream offerings. Instead they’re bringing new, creative products to Samui. There’s a freshness to the market – not to be confused with the food itself – and it feels innovative; here are people trying out something new. It’s not about business and balance sheets; it’s about connection and making a difference.

You’ll find the Green Market at Elysia Boutique Resort, in Fisherman’s Village, and it takes place roughly once every six weeks. It’s well worth making your way there to enjoy all that’s on offer.

Elysia is easy to find. Turn off the ring-road at the Bophut traffic lights and go straight on into the heart of Fisherman’s Village where the road narrows. At the T-junction (just a few metres from the sea), turn right and go straight on until you see Elysia on your right.

Dimitri Waring

______________________________________________________ For further information, email samuimala@gmail.com www.samuimala.org/samui-green-market

DAMN! - IT’S DENGUE! Bangkok Hospital Samui can help you make the best of a bad time – if not prevent it in the first place.

Sunset. Out comes the mosquito repellent, windows are closed and rooms checked for the tiny yet just visible black bodies of mosquitoes.

We listen out for their miniscule whine. We swear if we have the misfortune to get bitten – we know we’ll feel the sting for a while. But basically, we know that here on Samui, they’re more of a night-time nuisance than anything else. During the day, we go about our business quite happily, mosquitoes all but forgotten. This is our playtime and we do as we please.

But unfortunately it’s also playtime for Aedes aegypti, another type of mosquito, and one that’s a lot more dangerous. We’ll probably not feel its sting, as it’s so mild – the creature merely sips, as it were, rather than does a full-scale bite. Then it moves on. It’s hard to see because its body is white and tends to be camouflaged against many surfaces. We can recognize it very easily, however, due to its unusual stripy legs. By night it’s all but gone, and we may never realise it was ever there at all. It portends nothing remotely good, of course – it’s the bearer of one of the world’s emergent diseases, dengue fever. An infected mosquito picks up the disease from someone who has it and passes it on. Dengue is therefore not a contagious disease, which is good news for us humans.

Many people are afraid of dengue, but often that fear is partly based on not knowing quite what it is or what to do about it. On Samui, dengue fever affects relatively few people in the population, but there are times

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when that number increases. As elsewhere in the tropical world, this usually happens after severe rain. It’s a disease that peaks every few years (no-one’s really sure quite why) but it’s quite likely that 2017 will be a bad year, given the amount of rain we had in January.

Fortunately there’s plenty of help at hand. At Bangkok Hospital Samui, as with the other hospitals on the island, the doctors are all used to prescribing treatment. They’re also very good at giving information about the disease and what to do. Follow their advice and you can usually protect yourself from it.

Hopefully, they say, you won’t get dengue but if you do, you’re likely to experience a high fever along with at least two of the following: • • • • • • •

Headaches Feeling of being exhausted Painful joints and muscles Severe pain behind the eyes Swollen glands Mild bleeding, for example, from nose or gums, or easy bruising Rash

There is no actual cure for dengue fever, as it is a virus, but there are effective ways to combat its symptoms. It’s very important to have plenty

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of rest and enough fluids. Many dengue fever patients become dehydrated, and worsen their feeling of being sick. Tylenol with Codeine may be given for the joint and muscle pain. Fluid replacement is crucial to combat dehydration.

Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs should only be taken following a doctor’s orders, as it is possible to have haemorrhaging problems. Also avoid Naproxen and drugs containing Ibuprofen.

If you think you have dengue fever, go to a hospital where you can be tested for its presence. The doctor will be able to give you advice on what to do and any precautions you may need to take.

Go to hospital immediately if you have any of the following: • • • • • • • •

Severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting Red spots or patches on the skin Bleeding from nose or gums Vomiting blood Black, tarry stools Drowsiness or irritability Pale, cold, or clammy skin Difficulty breathing

Bangkok Hospital Samui, on the ring-road in Chaweng, provides professional treatment for patients with dengue, some of whom may simply be asked to visit several times as out-patients, while others may need to be admitted. Doctors make their decision largely on two factors: the level of dehydration the patient is experiencing and the blood test results.

Dehydration is a very common symptom. In order to be re-hydrated, a patient will need to drink three litres of water per day. This is quite often no problem, but for some, it’ll be impossible as they’re vomiting so much that they can’t keep the water down. In this case an intravenous drip is the only solution – it can only be administered as an in-patient.

Blood tests are important too. Platelet counts tend to go right down once dengue fever gets underway. It may be enough to come in as an outpatient a few times for a platelet test, but if levels are already alarmingly low, it’s best to stay in the hospital due to the risk of haemorrhaging. The patient can be easily monitored and if an acute situation arises a platelet infusion can be given.

There’s no reason for alarm with dengue fever. If you have it you’ll need to see a doctor, and once in proper hands, in 99% of cases there’ll 98 l www.samuiholiday.com

be no complications. For that other 1%, patients may need a platelet infusion, but that can easily be arranged. Complications arise with early symptoms of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) looking so similar to those of dengue fever. This syndrome affects mostly children under 12, but can affect anyone. Some symptoms are: pain in the abdomen, haemorrhage and circulatory collapse (shock). It is a dangerous condition, but once you’re admitted to hospital you’ll be on safe grounds. If you have DHF, you’ll definitely need to stay in hospital.

Symptoms of dengue fever may easily be confused, especially at the onset, with other problems. You may, for example, not have dengue at all, but food poisoning (acute gastroenteritis) or influenza, or it may just be a non-specific fever. Fortunately it’s incredibly rare to get dengue fever and influenza together.

Bangkok Hospital Samui, as with all hospitals, advocates prevention of the disease in the first place. They advise you to wear long, loose-fitting clothing during the daytime. The dengue mosquito won’t be able to bite through it, though the night-time mosquitoes will be able to do so. Aedes aegypti needs clean, fresh water to breed, so make sure that there are no residues of water in your immediate area. Dirty water is ironically no problem as the mosquito cannot breed in it. During the day wear

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mosquito repellent, but it’ll need to contain at least 10% DEET, otherwise it won’t work. Herbal repellents will also be ineffective.

Since the dengue-bearing mosquito likes the shade, you’re safe on the beach, but beware of shady plants and the darker spaces under tables – the mosquitoes may lurk there.

As you can see, prevention isn’t so difficult, but you’ll need to start as early as possible during your holiday. However, it you do succumb, seek medical assistance and you’ll soon be on your feet again. When it comes to dengue fever, Bangkok Hospital Samui is making Samui a better place to stay.

Dimitri Waring

______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7742 9500. www.samuihospital.com

ALL THAT GLISTERS A look at how gold is very much a part of daily life in Thailand.

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“All that glisters is not gold . . .”

William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice; Act II - Scene VII. When I first came to Thailand, I wasn’t interested in gold. I knew nothing much about it. So my awareness of Thai gold was fragmented.

It was formed from bits and pieces of rumour and gossip picked up in bars and via the internet. And that’s where the 400 year-old quotation from the Bard of Avon comes in – as far as I was concerned, in my ignorance, I had the impression that Thai gold was far too glittery and the wrong colour to be much good. Gold jewellery was put together with old-fashioned and inferior technology. And the whole business was a minefield of schemes and scams to fleece foreigners, and not to be trusted. Oh boy, was I ever wrong!

Yes, as in every big city all over the world, there are some who seek to prey on the weak or uninformed. Gem scams in Thailand (and unfortunately therefore also gold, by implication) are legendary, tarred by the same brush as is usually applied to the jet ski ‘mafia’. But I read the other day that far more people are ripped-off, and for far more money, by the extortionate currency conversion rates of reputable institutions like Western Union or Amazon. So it all boils down to the instinct to trust something familiar, as opposed to the suspicions of being a stranger in a strange land, especially when you can’t speak the language or read the small print. However, unlike gemstones (which are still something of a grey area when it comes to ‘bargains’), Thailand’s gold industry has an excellent worldwide reputation, and is probably more unified, regulated and scrutinised than is the nation’s general banking system.

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Thailand’s gold business has been in existence for more than a thousand years. In the past, there were extensive gold mines in Thailand, and the gold trade was believed to be the first contact that Thailand ever had with the outside world. Indeed the word ‘Siam’ actually means ‘gold’ in Sanskrit. And if you’ve ever thought that the name of Bangkok’s international airport was a bit of a tongue twister, I can tell you that ‘Suvarnabhumi’ translates as ‘golden land’. If all of this is giving you the impression that gold is very much part of the culture and the lives of Thai people – this is true. It is! And for more than one reason.

For instance, gold is even threaded through the nation’s religion.

In sacred writings, The Buddha is described as having a skin of gold. A golden complexion is the eleventh of the 32 characteristics of The Buddha. And you’ll find that many Buddha images in Thailand are made of gold, with gold leaf frequently being stuck onto images as part of religious rituals. The largest Buddha image anywhere in the world is the Golden Buddha, housed in Bangkok’s Wat Trimitr. It is made of pure gold and weighs over five tons, making it worth around $70 million just for the gold content alone, without even considering its incalculable antique worth. Try planning to steal that one!

But back to Thai gold today. The impressions and misgivings that I voiced at the beginning are entirely rooted in my western thinking. You see, in the West, it is rare to come across pure gold.

One hundred percent pure gold is deemed to be ’24-carat’. In this form, it is quite soft. And so western nations have traditionally

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always tempered it to make it more durable by adding an alloy of silver and bronze, reducing its gold content to the 75% of 18-carat gold. This also dulls the naturally buttery lustre of pure gold. To western eyes, the 98-99% pureness of Thai gold looks unreal – more like yellow brass than gold. But this is the real thing! This is what pure gold really looks like.

When it comes to my other misgiving – being cheated somehow – then, really, with gold in Thailand this is most unlikely to happen. Except for the . . . ‘buy a Rolex from a man in a pub’ syndrome. Certainly, there’s one born every minute, but shopping at an accredited and reputable gold shop is probably one of the safest purchases you can make over here. Every shop in Thailand is subject to random spot checks and has to adhere to the gold price set by the Thai Gold Traders Association.

But just one thing: something that you’ll hear a lot in connection with all this is the word ‘baht’. A ‘one baht chain’ isn’t going to cost you one baht! In this context, ‘baht’ is a measure of weight. A baht unit is equal to 15.244 grams in raw bullion form (a little less than half an ounce), or 15.16 grams when it sold as jewellery. (Smaller items are measured in ‘salung’, where one salung is a quarter baht, or 3.81 grams.)

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The gold price in Thailand does not fluctuate much, unlike the world gold market, because it only can change in multiples of 50 baht and, in this event, gold shops are required to immediately change their display prices when a new price is announced. To be sure of any purchases you might make, enquire as to whether the shop is a member of the Gold Traders Association. And some of the longest-established and reputable of these are to be found in Bangkok’s Yaowarat district.

On a day-to-day basis, there’s a much more practical reason that the Thai people love their gold. It’s instantly saleable, and for only between 1-5% less than its purchase price. This means you can ‘bank’ your cash in the form of gold attached to your wrist and neck – thus additionally displaying your social standing –or even keep it under the floorboards.

And in hard times lose very little time or money by cashing it in (unlike trying to sell your motorbike). Leaving me only to say that, in Thailand, all that ‘glisters’ is, in fact, 98% pure gold!

Rob De Wet

FUN IN

THE SUN When it comes to the sun, follow some simple guidelines to avoid spoiling your holiday happiness.

Can you imagine going on holiday in the tropics and not having the sun play a major part? Probably not! The sun makes us feel good, lightens our mood and makes our days positive. It can help us health-wise by putting us in the mood for fun and relaxation, and of course, it gives us vitamin D. For many of us, holidays are a time to go on an all-out solar binge. Unfortunately, as soon as you’re spending large amounts of time outside (here in the tropics that could be as little as 20 minutes) exposure to the sun presents some dangers. Every year in Thailand hundreds of holidaymakers put themselves at risk or end up sick because they’ve misjudged the sun. Here’s a brief guide to keeping safe on sunny days.

Sunburn’s always a worry when it comes to hot climates; it’s easy to go red. Just because it’s a bit cloudy doesn’t mean to say you can’t get sunburned. A few hours, albeit under a hazy ceiling of cirrus cloud can leave you groaning with pain by the evening. Similarly, driving along the road with your elbow sticking out of the open window may seem innocuous but it can give you nasty localized sunburn – though of course you may not end up with any elbow at all given the dangers of the roads here! Possibly the most unexpected of all sunburns happens when travelling on an open boat. How come? Because it doesn’t feel hot thanks to the sea breeze, and you may be lulled into a false sense of security. Thirty minutes at sea is quite enough time for you to begin that short metamorphosis from human to lobster. Likewise, if you’re constantly

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going in and out of the sea or the swimming pool, you may not feel hot at all, and psychologically you may believe you’re not at risk from sunburn. Even if you’re used to the heat and sun of the Mediterranean, here the sun is more ferocious still.

You should take be very careful of the sun if you if your skin is pale, white or light brown, if you have freckles or red or fair hair and if you have a lot of moles. While sunburn is usually short-lived, it is best avoided, since it can boost the likelihood of developing serious health problems later in life, such as skin cancer. Babies under six months old should avoid the sun altogether. Remember to cover their head and face, and use a stroller with a canopy. Children should be encouraged to play in the shade during peak hours of sunshine. If children get blistered by the sun at an early age, it can double their chance of getting melanoma later on in life.

If you do get sunburned, the first port of call is your nearest pharmacy – there are many on Samui and they should be able to help. If not, you’ll need to go to a hospital and see a doctor. But maybe you can treat yourself in your hotel. Here are a few home remedies that may be of help.

Sponge the skin with cold water, or have a cold shower and place a cold compress on affected areas. Drink plenty of water to cool you down

and prevent dehydration. You can also apply a water-based emollient or petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to help with hydration. Should you need to take pain medication, choose ibuprofen or paracetamol. Remember that aspirin should not be given to children under 16. Cover up the sunburned areas until the skin has healed and avoid all sunlight, even through glass. If you’re sunburnt over a large area then home remedies and pharmacies won’t be enough, and you should see a doctor at one of the local hospitals. Definitely also go if your skin is blistering or swelling up, if you have the chills, or if you’re experiencing headaches and feel sick. Head for hospital in all cases if the person who has sunburn is a baby or a child, as their skin is more fragile than an adult’s.

Hospitals often recommend hydrocortisone cream for a few days which will help to reduce skin inflammation. In addition, if burns are severe, you’ll need them dressed. Severe sunburn may require special burn cream, too.

But why go through any of this agony at all? It’s avoidable. Stock up on sunscreen labelled ‘broad spectrum’ meaning that it protects against two types of harmful light rays, ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B, usually abbreviated as UVA and UVB. Wear sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 15 or higher. If you have fair skin or light hair, you definitely should use a sunscreen with an even higher SPF. The longest protection is given by waterproof sunscreen.

Reapply the sunscreen every two hours, but more frequently if you’re in water or are sweating a lot. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen everywhere. Miss out a bit and you’ll get locally burned, so remember those areas that can be easy to forget, such as your ears, eyelids, lips, nose, hands, feet, and the top of your head. And keep out of the sun as much as you can from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, when the sun is at its strongest. The same applies even if the weather is cloudy. Research has shown that most people do not apply enough sunscreen, and it also shows it’s good to put on half an hour before going out and then again just before leaving your house.

It naturally helps to wear a hat, and the best ones for the purpose should have a wide brim. You should also wear wrap-around sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection to protect your eyes. When buying sunglasses it pays to check that they do provide 100% protection – cheap sunglasses won’t, no matter how chic they look. For clothing, avoid being skimpily dressed and opt instead for lightweight but tightly woven fabrics that cover as much of the body as possible. Avoid fabrics that are thin or have a loose weave, since UV rays can pass right through them.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two other conditions that can result from spending too long in the sun, or simply too long in a hot place.

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They can also occur when doing very tough physical exercise. Heat exhaustion happens when you get very hot and start to lose a lot of water and salt from your body. Symptoms may involve simply feeling unwell, or they can include tiredness and weakness, feeling dizzy or faint, headache, muscle cramps, feeling nauseous, heavy sweating, fast pulse, dark urine and infrequent urine. Heatstroke symptoms include feeling confused or disoriented, having seizures and passing out. If not dealt with, heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke or sunstroke (too much exposure to the sun). Heatstroke is very serious and can endanger the brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. So aim to spot heat exhaustion early on, and deal with it quickly. Both conditions can develop quickly over a few minutes, or gradually over several hours or days.

If you’re suffering from either, immediately go into the shade or better still somewhere with air-conditioning. Cool down as best you can.

Wrap yourself in a wet sheet, use cold packs or sit in front of a fan, and drink water, fruit juice or a rehydration drink. Get someone to stay with you. Generally you should start feeling better within a half hour. If you don’t feel better after that, then it’s best to go to a hospital, and crucial if you’ve had a seizure or are feeling confused. Dehydration is also a problem on hot days, whether or not the sun is present. It may also affect you on Samui if you’re doing sport or even walking around in the heat.

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Make sure you drink plenty of fluids. Pharmacies also stock rehydration sachets and these usually work unbelievably fast. Symptoms of dehydration include any of the following: increased thirst, a dry mouth, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and heart palpitations.

If you’re on holiday, the idea is to have fun, and as much of it as possible. And in order to maximize it, the best thing you can do is to observe a few simple rules rather than give a shrug and a grin and try and play things your own way. When you’re faced with the biggest thing you’ve ever set eyes on – the sun – you can be sure that in any competition with this outlandishly over-sized ball of fiery gas, it’ll win.

Let’s face it: the sun can and will turn you into a crisp. It doesn’t mean to do this, and it’s not malicious, but its job is to heat things up. If you’re holidaying in northern Europe, you don’t need to worry overmuch about the above, especially if you’re there in the dark winter months. But if you’re on Samui or anywhere in the tropics, it pays to be wary of the sun. Sure, it’s playing a crucial part in your holidays, but you don’t want it to ruin them. And since it doesn’t care either way, it’s entirely up to you.

Dimitri Waring

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40

21.951 m.

22.237 m.

0

40

18.138 m.

18.138 m.

14.298 m.

18.000 m.

T 1 .m.

PLO.00 sq

22.249 m.

21.972 m.

22.237 m.

18.000 m.

PLOT 9 SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

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SOLD

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PLOT 15

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PLOT 11

PLOT 16

PLOT 6

PLOT 4 PLOT 3 SOLD

PLOT 10 SOLD

SOLD T 19 PLO PLOT 7 er PLOT 8 SOLD form Tran

Canal

PLOT 18

PLOT 17

SOLD

PLOT 13 SOLD

PLOT 2 SOLD

PLOT 14 SOLD

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KOH SAMUI

IT’S A WHAT?

A look at Lamai’s Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks.

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It’s always puzzled me. I mean, look at it this way. Suppose somebody said to you, “Hey! What should we do while we’re in Paris? Shall we go to The Louvre and see some art treasures? Or would you rather go and see a rock which looks like a badly deformed penis instead?”

Well, surely no contest. And there are two quite alarming aspects to this proposition anyway, assuming you apply it to the famous landmarks on Samui. First of all, what possible reason might there be for anyone over the age of 13 years to want to go out of their way to see a rock that’s shaped like a penis?

The other aspect touches upon the darker side of Man’s nature. The sort of thing that FBI profilers spend years being trained for, and then sneakily slip into psychological tests alongside inkblots that look like two fish and a violin. Because, you see, the Grandfather Rock looks nothing at all like a penis. Some kind of wobbly mushroom that’s been trimmed to a point; perhaps. Put a photo of it in front of a psychopathic serial rapist and ask him what he sees. If he says ‘penis’, that’s it. Conclusive proof of a warped imagination, and being abnormally disturbed. And yet every year, thousands of tourists haul themselves and their camera114 l www.samuiholiday.com

phones off the road, down a narrow track and towards the sea, to take photos of it.

I suppose it’s just conceivable that being alongside the more-or-less believable cleft in the rock that’s grandma’s gigantic vagina might give the rocky up-cropping some sort of credibility. Although the same question again: why would anyone want to go and look at a pensioner’s petrified private parts? Not to mention the fact that it’s located further down the rocks and you’ve got to slide your way down to be able to see it. And if you think that’s vagina-like, then why not save yourself the trouble and stay at home taking photos of crumpled towels, or close-ups of piles of laundry or knotty pine tables instead? The world is filled with things that have nooks, crannies and cracks in them. It could become a full-time hobby.

But if the truth is told, and given the choice, all those thousands of geological genitalia gawkers probably wouldn’t bother – very few are in a hormonal frenzy of adolescent tension, after all. But the fact is that in the first place Samui hasn’t got much in the way of a history: nobody

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knows anything about it. There are few written records of any kind – even the temples and monks kept no documentation of events.

Also, there are very few local legends. But there is the story of these two rocks. And so it’s come about that, in just about every ‘round the island’ organised tour, the ‘Hin Ta’ (grandfather rock) and ‘Hin Yai’ (grandmother rock) rocks have been included as something that everyone needs to see.

It seems strange about Samui’s lack of history. To a Westerner it’s almost impossible to imagine. All around Europe there are hundreds of tiny remote islands, yet all have a history going back thousands of years, telling of visits by this voyager or that holy man, describing the inhabitants and their lives and recording the lie of the land, local monuments or historical ruins. There are even records from the 16th and 17th century of Dutch and French explorers who came into the Gulf of Thailand and described and sketched the island of Samui – notably the French diplomat and adventurer, Simon de la Loubère, who in 1693, was the first person to map Thailand and who named our island ‘Pulo Cornam’.

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But none of the Thai people themselves ever did this, or even kept any kind of historical records (other than those of royal kingdoms and glorious battles). It’s believed that Samui was inhabited as far back as 1,500 years ago. How could this be, without a trace of any kind of records? It’s easier to believe in stone penises!

The answer is that Thailand’s never been conquered or colonised.

Whereas Europe has many times, by many conquerors, the most significant of these being The Romans. They brought with them their systems of law, government, engineering and education. Monks and other clerics learned to write a unified language, and saw it as part of their secular function to document and record the life around them. In Thailand this never happened. When Simon de la Loubère was making notes about, and mapping, Samui, there was nobody on the island

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(and very few in all of Thailand) who could read or write. Certainly the monks learned their religious responses and conventions. But it was an oral tradition, learned by rote and passed down to each new generation by word of mouth. And that’s exactly the way in which the legend of the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks came down through the generations and is still told today.

“Many years ago there lived an elderly couple, Hin Ta Kreng (Grandfather Kreng) and Hin Yai Riem (Grandmother Riem). They had in their care their only grandchild, a delightful young man and an orphan.

When he came of age they looked far and wide for an equally steadfast wife for him. Eventually they finally found one on Samui island and made all the arrangements with her family. This done, they set off from the coast of Nakhon Sri Thammarat to sail to Koh Samui. Alas! They

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were wrecked off the coast of the island in a sudden storm and perished beneath the waves.”

Curiously, no mention is made of what became of their grandson.

(Surely there ought to be another rock penis?). However, as proof of their commitment and love, they still remain, turned to stone for all time. Or, more accurately and for some insane reason, just their genitals do! A strange story indeed. I wonder what the tale was originally, before being passed on by word of mouth over all those years? Maybe something more sinister? Perhaps there’s more to these dismembered petrified genitals than meets the eye!

Rob De Wet

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort 99/9 Moo 1, Bophut Bay, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320 Thailand T +66 (0) 77 428 300-9 F +66 (0) 77 428 310 E bophutsamui@anantara.com

SOMETHING

TO CROW ABOUT! Cock-fighting is one of Thailand’s most popular activities – we take a look at what’s going on nationally and on Samui.

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This is something that goes back to the beginnings of recorded time. There are images of cock-fights surviving in fragments of Phoenician pottery from 3,000 years ago. The Ancient Egyptians loved such sports. It was the same with the Persians and the Greeks; the Greek general Themistocles used to hold cock-fights to inspire his troops. But the Romans found this all very curious and were astounded that rooster-eating was banned by the ancient Britons – they were bred and trained only to fight. Indeed, this was the reason that cock-fighting went on to become popular in Rome.

There’s something almost spiritual about roosters. They’re proud, fierce, handsome and majestic. In many cultures they’ve been attributed with demigod status, and frequently used in divination rituals; a favourite of the Roman Oracles who weren’t at all happy when cock-fighting caught on. In Thailand, too, the roots of cock-fighting were closely linked with the honouring of ancestral spirits, as you’ll discover in a moment!

It’s difficult to convey quite how high-profile this activity is. Or used to be, at any rate. You have to keep it in mind that roosters are territorial and aggressive, as any farmer will tell you. ‘Cock of the roost’ is not a groundless term; put two cocks anywhere near each other and they will do battle with a vengeance. Many English kings were supporters of this ‘noble sport’, and Henry VIII even had his own royal cockpit at Whitehall Palace. This activity was considered to be England’s national sport for almost 150 years, and schools were set up to teach the finer points, including breeding, exercise, training and conditioning.

But today all of this has virtually disappeared. Our civilised societies cry out at the thought of animals being harmed; and who can argue with that.

In fact, today, cock fighting remains possible only in a very few places; in Appalachian farmyards, Venezuelan favelas, Grand Canarian garages and Pakistani back yards. And it’s huge (although in theory illegal) in the Philippines. There, however, they really go to extremes, with long knifeblades bound to the roosters’ spurs, and it’s not thought to be fun if the loser isn’t slashed to death.

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In Thailand many consider cockfighting to be the national sport – although fights to the death are now illegal, thanks to a law passed in 2014, and rarely ever happen. In fact all the roosters are supposed to have their spurs taped-up, and fights are won on points of technique which include persistence and bravery. It’s all very much a part of traditional Thai culture, with its origin having been tied to the very ancient ceremony of ‘faun phi’, a north-eastern tradition which honours ancestral spirits and encompasses cockfighting in a religious and symbolic context.

and conditioned – indeed, champion birds attract a cult following like their kickboxing counterparts, and there are several glossy magazines dedicated entirely to the sport. Plus it has to be said that these birds are in superb condition; big, strong, glossy, brilliantly-coloured, and highly alert.

There are a lot of very influential people behind cockfighting, who benefit from the industry that has risen around it; from the feed supplements and hormones used to plump the birds, to the special wicker baskets they are reared in.

There’s also a Thai legend which describes how, in 1562, the young Prince Naresuan was taken captive by the Burmese. When he went to Burma he took with him his pet cockerel. The prince was well-treated, and would often pit his own cockerel against Burmese birds. And it is said that Prince Naresuan secured his early release by making a bargain that his rooster could beat the Burmese King’s champion, which in fact he did.

The story spread and the sport was quickly taken up by the Thai Royal Court and nobility. But today it’s now the rural population and urban working classes who keeps it all very much alive.

Bangkok has the nation’s biggest cock-fighting arena, holding up to 2,000 spectators, in Samut Prakan. But there are ten times that number engaged weekly, all over the city, in vacant lots and on waste-ground under the capital’s motorway bridges; anywhere that 50-or-so noisilyenthusiastic men can gather together uninterrupted. You know how in South America, living in a shanty town somewhere it’s every young boy’s dream to be the next superstar footballer? So it is with cockfighting in Thailand, with champion birds going on to be sold for millions of baht. Even though gambling is illegal, registered cock-fighting venues are exempt, and even the birds have to be registered and issued with an ID card. But, legal or not, gambling is an intrinsic part of the game everywhere, and money will furiously change hands after every bout – the

The whole thing is a very serious business, and has been likened to ‘muay Thai’ (Thai boxing) in the fanatical way that fighters are selected, trained

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known record here being an astonishing 22.2 million baht – some $630,000.

Closer to home, on Samui the scale of things is far less grand.

As you tour around the island, if you get away from the ring-road you’ll quite often see the domed wicker cages which hold these gamecocks, alongside houses and out in their yards; there are a lot of them about. There are often impromptu fights in remote spots but also several stadiums, too. There’s one in Lipa Noi, near the Raja Ferry port and another in Lamai, the Saket Stadium, which also hosts buffalo fighting. There was additionally one more, in Mae Nam Soi 7, but their Facebook page has been dormant for a while now. So I guess that if it’s crowing cocks you’re after, it’s probably best to ask around!

Rob De Wet

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