Ko Samui

After a very long train journey without much sleep, we finally arrived on Ko Samui by ferry! Our bungalow was located on a side street in the middle of greenery and we were greeted by a cute cat that climbed on us. We also met some dogs, chickens, geckos, and a 20cm long centipede. We had to escort the latter outside with the trash can.... That's how it is in the middle of nature 😉

We rented a brand new scooter at our accommodation and zoomed around the island. We visited a few beaches and two temples. The Big Buddha is probably the landmark of Ko Samui, the view from above of the sea was very beautiful. There is also the Plai Laem Temple, which includes various buildings and figures. The 18-armed Guan Yin is the goddess of mercy and compassion and impressively large. The next day it was a bit cloudy and we experienced the first rainy day of our trip. The Fisherman's Village is the origin of the settlement of Ko Samui, where fishermen used to rest or seek refuge. We didn't find it particularly special but very very expensive and touristy, but the history behind it is interesting. The next day it was cloudy again, but we still made our way to the Tree House Café in the north of the island. After a very steep up and down, we reached our destination. The café is located in the treetops, and next door, you can zip through the forest on a zipline. From there, we headed towards the Jungle Route, a more or less paved road, partly consisting only of sand, which leads from Mae Nam in the north to Lamai in the southeast. That was an adventurous ride, but thanks to Philip's phenomenal scooter skills, we arrived safely. A stopover was the highest mountain on Samui, where a Buddha statue stands and the wind blows quite strongly. The view was still great! On the way home, we stopped by the mummified monk. After he died, the monk was placed in a meditative position and remains there without decay (allegedly without preservation) in a glass showcase. Only his eyes are not so fresh anymore, which is why he wears sunglasses. An absurd location but somehow also interesting. We ended the evening on the beach, where we devoured our newly discovered favorite snack: a fresh dragon fruit to spoon out.

All in all, Ko Samui was much less crowded and touristy than we had feared and we liked it.

Now we are continuing to Ko Tao, the smallest of the three islands.