Samui is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, and it holds a special place in my heart as a destination I know particularly well. If you’ve ever planned a trip to Thailand or even Asia, chances are you’ve encountered this name a couple of times. With the recommendation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), you’d hardly miss this gem. For those who haven’t heard of it before, you can take a quick look at tourismthailand.org or continue reading my blog post. 😉
Samui isn’t a new place for me. I grew up and spent my teenage years there. My parents moved to the island when it was still all about relaxation and diving. They even started their own diving school, which, if you ask me, is pretty cool. Looking back, I regret not encouraging them to continue their business. After many years, we decided to leave the island, and I moved to Bangkok for my studies, missing the cozy, beautiful island life.
Time flies. A bridesmaid role knocked at my door, and suddenly, I had a good reason to go back and revive my childhood memories for a week.
After my friend’s wedding, I began ticking off boxes of things I always wanted to do when I was young. It was time to make it happen!
Samui Nightlife
The first box I ticked was experiencing the nightlife in Samui. Right after the wedding, I grabbed the motorbike’s key from my handbag, put on my red dress and high heels, and rode back to the Citin Urbana Samui hotel.
I quickly changed and ta-da! Ready to enjoy the night with my high school friends, whom I hadn’t seen in about 10 years. First stop: Ark Bar. If you’re looking for a place to kick back all night, you shouldn’t miss this spot. I started by ordering an apple-flavored shisha followed by some seafood appetizers.
Listening to good tunes with the sound of rolling waves just a stone’s throw away from me was pure bliss. An hour later, the DJ grabbed everyone’s attention. Let the fire show begin. And let me tell you, it was amazing. They started the show on the beach, then moved to some sort of scaffold set in the sea, and performed a mesmerizing fire dance.
After such an amazing show, it was time for the audience to experience the fireworks show up close. Some might like getting up close to the fire, while others might be a bit scared. Those lucky – or unlucky, depending on your perspective – enough to get picked by the performers would put on their dancing shoes! It was time to throw your best moves, engulfed in the heat of the torches.
After the adventurous fire show, make sure to keep your flip-flops safe by your table if you don’t want to wander around Chaweng Beach looking for a new pair. As the DJ slowly turned up the music, the beat accelerated and intensified to the point where you couldn’t just stand or sit. With the music, the location, and the background of rolling waves, I felt so free, dancing the night away, oblivious to my friends around me.
After the party at Ark Bar, I headed to Green Mango Club, a favorite among tourists and locals alike. By this point, my dancing marathon had been going on for about two hours – say hello to sore feet tomorrow. Between Ark Bar and Green Mango, I preferred Ark Bar – it suited me better.
My Trip Reviews
Transportation: Bus from Bangkok to Suratthani / Ferry from Suratthani to Samui
Cheap and comfortable yet time-consuming. Seven hours on the bus + 2 hours on the ferry.
Hotel: Citin Urbana Samui booked on agoda.com
Nice and clean room with fast Wi-Fi. Decent service but a bit far from the nightlife.
Nightlife: Ark Bar and Green Mango
Five stars to Ark Bar and three and a half stars to Green Mango.
Activities: Riding across almost half of the island / ATV / Go Kart
If you have time, I strongly recommend exploring the island by motorbike and ATV, especially if you’re traveling to Koh Samui with a group of friends.
Photos taken at the hotel
AMBER YOGA 