With the Phuket Sandbox having opened on July 1st to minimal success, Samui Plus registration is set to open this week as well. That means any vaccinated tourist wishing to travel to Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, or Koh Tao can do so once they have registered via the Samui Plus scheme. What is the…
Bangkok Airways flights to Koh Samui canceled for Friday January 4, 2019 If you planned on flying into Koh Samui airport tomorrow — Friday, January 4th, 2019 — and you had booked a Bangkok Airways flight, news today is all Bangkok Airways flights to Koh Samui are canceled due to Tropical Storm Pabuk. That also…
While Thailand is one of the safest places in the world for tourists, it has its fair share of tourist scams. Some of the places where tourists end up victims of one of these scams, usually designed to part you from your hard-earned cash, are the Thai islands of Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh…
One of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Thailand is the island of Koh Samui. Koh Samui is the third largest island in Thailand, and is popular with visitors who want to kayak, scuba dive, sail, swim or even just relax on the beach all day. It is known for its…
If you are looking at Koh Samui villas for rent, you are probably interested in what a typical Koh Samui villa looks like. While, of course, there are many different types of villa in Koh Samui, with many price ranges depending on size, so many villas are absolutely gorgeous you may be surprised at what you…
If you’re on a visit to Koh Samui and looking for somewhere good to eat, don’t miss Bophut (also sometimes spelled Bophud) and it’s huge number of restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Not for nothing is it known for having some of the best food on Samui, not only for taste but also variety. With…
Koh Samui is one of the most popular Thai islands. Located just off Thailand’s east coast in the Gulf of Thailand, and relatively close to the Thai town of Surat Thani, Koh Samui is known as an island paradise. Surprising to some though, it’s also a wonderful place for cheap shopping and here are the…
When you mention luxury resort hotel, beachside and Koh Samui, Thailand all in one breath, most people start to think “expensive”. That’s why they’re surprised when they discover many Koh Samui luxury resort hotels are actually quite cheap, particularly when they see all they have to offer. If you to put “luxury” and “expensive”…
Koh Samui is one of Thailand’s most popular island destination. It’s particularly popular with budget travelers who fall in love with the gorgeous beaches, deep blue ocean, cheap beer and fun nightlife and end up staying for weeks. Koh Samui is also home to many excellent budget hotels, where under $50 a night gets…
Koh Samui, a large island in the Gulf of Thailand, south of Bangkok, is the second most popular island tourist destination in Thailand. Every year, several million tourists from all over the world descend on Koh Samui to enjoy its pristine beaches, world-class scuba diving, famous tourist attractions, fun nightlife and fresh seafood. Getting…
According to the Bangkok Post, a nine-year-old Israeli boy was killed by a box jellyfish on the Thai island of Koh Phangan last weekend. The boy was on the island’s Hat Rin beach with his family, and was stung by the jellyfish as he played in the water. It seems as though the boy may…
Bangkok Airways resuming flights from Phuket to Samui starting August 25th The Thai budget airline Bangkok Airways has announced the resumption of direct two-way flights from Phuket to Samui starting on Wednesday, August 25th, 2021. The flights will occur in support of the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus travel programs that are being run in…
With Covid-19 cases on Samui and Phuket now surging, it is looking increasingly likely the Samui Plus program will end, along with its sister program the Phuket Sandbox. Both programs, which allow vaccinated tourists to travel to Thailand and stay on one or both of the Thai islands, are in danger of imminent suspension or…
The Samui Plus program kicked off in Thailand on July 15th, and covers entry to Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao for international visitors. Just 11 days later, and Thai News Reports is reporting today’s update for Samui Plus now shows the first two Covid-19 cases have been recorded. According to the report, 64…
With the outlook for the success of the Phuket Sandbox already appearing dismal even before the program kicks off on July 1st, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Nopakun Natapanu briefed the press on the ‘Samui Plus’ plan in Thailand today. Another government scheme being put in place in an attempt to persuade foreign tourists to…
I am away from Thailand for a few weeks, so am using the opportunity to share some of the excellent videos created by Thais and Thailand-based expats that I often find on YouTube. One such video is from Thai singer songwriter Art Thomya from his YouTube channel Art Thomya Journey, and is of the 7 Must…
Thailand’s more than 250 islands are popular tourist destinations for tourists from all over the world. Thais, too, often travel down to Thailand’s tropical waters to take vacations on a Thai island. With so many islands to choose from, what do they have to offer, which of Thailand’s islands are the best and why? Phuket…
More places in Thailand are opening to foreign tourists on October 1st, 2021, although most places tourists would probably want to travel to will not be opening until at least November 1st. The places in Thailand due to open to foreign tourists on Friday, October 1st are the following: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh…
Anyone who has spent any time in Thailand knows, should a government official set a specific date for an event, that date will often change many many times before it happens. If the event ever takes place at all. Such could be the likely outcome of the recently announced Thailand October 1st reopening for international…
Tourists planning on visiting Phuket via the Phuket Sandbox in August will be upset to hear alcohol is banned in Phuket restaurants. Again. The latest banning of alcohol in Phuket restaurants is due to a new order from Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew that prevents alcohol being served or consumed in any restaurant on the Thai…
Just over a month ago, most commenters on Thailand-focused social media warned would-be international tourists planning on visiting the country via the Phuket Sandbox they needed their heads examining. After all, anyone with more than a modicum of common sense could see the Phuket Sandbox was doomed before it even started. Plus, with the threat…
One of the things tourists considering taking a vacation in Phuket during the Phuket Sandbox in July, 2021 are worrying about is a potential lockdown while they are on holiday there. Especially as Covid-19 cases in Thailand are still rising, with 4,059 new cases recorded in the country today alone. Could Phuket lockdown while tourists…
As the Thai government comes up with scheme after scheme (most of which don’t get off the ground) in an effort to get foreign tourists to return to the country in 2021, the latest scheme is to require a 10-day quarantine for any foreign tourist arriving in Thailand from April 1st. This is down from…