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Koh Samui?


JacintaH
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This is one of our ports of call in December 2018 and I’m struggling to find something to do that interests us. In the past we have always taken every opportunity to visit a port and now feel conflicted about maybe choosing to stay on board on this occasion.

 

Our main aim for this particular cruise is to enjoy a good rest after a long and busy working year and sample some new countries. We have been to Bangkok on a previous cruise and enjoyed the hospitality and culture of the Thai people.

 

Is anyone able to point out to me anything we might regret missing if we choose to stay on the ship while at Koh Samui?

 

Thanks in advance 🙏🏼

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We did SIN-HKG on Azamara in Dec 2016 and Koh Samui was our first port. We decided not to book anything - we only had a short visit and the cooking class I wanted was aimed at resort visitors so the timing didn't work out. It's a tender port and the water was not great - a LOT of problems getting the tenders to the ship (they were locals - not the ship lifeboats - we were told that's a port requirement - but they could NOT dock at the ship) So that added to the short amount of time available on shore. And we had a small ship. I can't imagine trying to get everyone off a large ship. Anyway, we walked around the port town (Na Thon) and had a beer and a Thai foot/leg massage. Made us happy :-)

 

That said, if we hadn't been able to get ashore, I wouldn't have minded staying on the ship.

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We have spent time on Samui-toured the island. Stayed on three of the beach areas during a beach holiday/Thailand tour.

 

From our perspective the key draws were the beaches (we were not on a cruise) and the fabulous one day boat trips to the karsts and the nearby islands. Including kayaking through island caves. Not sure if these tours are offered on cruise ships or if you will disembark in time to do private ones, or return at the right time. Just our opinion.

 

We are in the area in Jan/Feb but will be giving Samui a miss in favor of another, smaller island. It is a very touristy spot. Not as bad as Phuket but certainly well in it's way.

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We did SIN-HKG on Azamara in Dec 2016 and Koh Samui was our first port. We decided not to book anything - we only had a short visit and the cooking class I wanted was aimed at resort visitors so the timing didn't work out. It's a tender port and the water was not great - a LOT of problems getting the tenders to the ship (they were locals - not the ship lifeboats - we were told that's a port requirement - but they could NOT dock at the ship) So that added to the short amount of time available on shore. And we had a small ship. I can't imagine trying to get everyone off a large ship. Anyway, we walked around the port town (Na Thon) and had a beer and a Thai foot/leg massage. Made us happy :-)

 

That said, if we hadn't been able to get ashore, I wouldn't have minded staying on the ship.

 

Funny you should share your experiences - it was one of those TV Cruise ship shows where Azamara docked at Koh Samui that prompted me to write my post. It looked like an unpleasant scrum on the dock and the "can't be bothered's" started to kick in. I do like the idea of a lazy stroll, beer and massage too so that could be as complex as the itinerary for that day gets.

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We have spent time on Samui-toured the island. Stayed on three of the beach areas during a beach holiday/Thailand tour.

 

From our perspective the key draws were the beaches (we were not on a cruise) and the fabulous one day boat trips to the karsts and the nearby islands. Including kayaking through island caves. Not sure if these tours are offered on cruise ships or if you will disembark in time to do private ones, or return at the right time. Just our opinion.

 

We are in the area in Jan/Feb but will be giving Samui a miss in favor of another, smaller island. It is a very touristy spot. Not as bad as Phuket but certainly well in it's way.

 

Thanks for your thoughts - I'm happily concluding that keeping things simple will be most suitable and keep us happy.

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. It looked like an unpleasant scrum on the dock

We did have everyone asking us to look at their tours as we walked the pier (so, if you did decide you wanted to do some sort of tour at the last minute, they were definitely there!) But as soon as we reached the end of the pier, they had moved on to other passengers and no one paid us any attention. It wasn't pushy/physical, either, just the standard "Hey, want me to drive you to XYZ beach resort" sort of thing......

 

We got our thai baht from an ATM in town - we knew we'd want money for our 2 days in Bangkok so didn't mind getting cash for the beer & massage on Koh Samui....

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One thing about the beaches (at least Lamai and Chewang) is that you do not have to go to a resort to get a recliner on the beach.

 

The beaches have lots of bars. Most bars have beach chairs and umbrellas. When we were there the rental was ordering a drink. Nor was there a push to for us to buy. Opposite in fact, sometimes we had to track down a server to order our second drink.

 

We never bother with any of the so called animal retreats/shelters and we do not shop.

 

Lots of food vendors come along the beach. Fresh fruit, chicken on a spit, salad-all prepared as you wait.

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