Samui: A Resort Where There Are Few Russians

2023 Author: Amber Richards | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 00:24

Of course, my daughter and I went to Thailand exactly at the time when the political turmoil began there. TV channels broadcast disturbing reports from the streets of Bangkok. The picture, however, rarely changed: CNN played the same video every hour, where a group of demonstrators fearfully ran away from a smoke bomb. Upon learning that we were not going to change our plans, the parents were hysterical. "Never mind. There is a political coup all the time,”the agency shrugged. Just in case, we, without leaving the airport in Bangkok, immediately flew to Koh Samui. An hour flight from the rebellious capital, and you are on the "coconut island" - this is how Koh Samui translates.

Coconuts, elephants, waterfalls, serious diving parties on neighboring islets, full moon beach parties, monkeys, tropical wilderness, white powder of sand, the Gulf of Thailand of incredible color, countless fragrant spas scattered along the coast, where you will be oiled and exfoliated and massaged for ridiculous money, the famous "French village", where real French live and cook real French food, 12-meter Buddha. And why don't we Russians go there? “There are no outright disgraceful practices that are practiced in other parts of Thailand, better known to Russians,” the experts smile. The island, originally inhabited by foreigners (dominated by the French, Scandinavians and Americans), is conducive to a meditative family vacation. But if you want, you can find adventures on your own head, and there is plenty.

We didn't want adventure at all. The first stop is the KarmSamui hotel. We will have only three hotels: we decided to arrange a spa tour for ourselves. After many hours of flight, my head is spinning. It is early morning in Moscow, here it is four hours later. Just ten minutes from the airport, and now we are eating scalding rice with seafood at the Padma restaurant while the villa is being prepared for us. The design and dimensions are mind-boggling: a mix of temperate ethnicity and minimalism, floor-to-ceiling windows, private kitchen, pool and garden. We turn on the TV: there CNN is still playing a picture with a smoke bomb. It is impossible to imagine that in just an hour of flight something resembling military action is happening from here. “It's not dangerous at all,” they smile at the reception. "It will be over soon." However, they always smile here. One gets the impressionthat the smile of an invisible Cheshire cat is dissolved in the local air. So, KarmSamui: design and personal space. I will give two main words-associations for each of our stops, so that it is easier for you to navigate in your choice.

In two days we are moving to the trendy north coast of the island to the Napasai hotel. The first thing that boggles the mind is a huge tropical garden of almost seven hectares, hiding luxurious villas, decorated in classic Thai style.

The beach is small and very cozy, but we prefer to spend time in our pool: we love that it is tiled with dark green tiles, which gives the feeling of a tropical backwater. We hang in the thickness of warm water, like frogs, and shudder from an unexpected ringing knock … A coconut is lying nearby. We raise our heads and realize that just from a ten-meter height, a nut of a dangerous size has flopped down on us. I read somewhere that every year, on average, three tourists in the world are killed by a coconut falling on their heads. When I read this, it was almost funny, but now not very much. Keep in mind! There are no more dangers.

We order a luxurious dinner at the villa and open a bottle of wine. A disapproving exclamation is heard from the bushes: "Oh!" We almost jump up. “And she says in a human voice …” I'm sure it's a bird, but the waiter who comes with the dessert explains that it's a gecko. For our relaxed drunkenness, the harmful animal reproaches us all evening: “Oh! Oh! Oh! " So Napasai: tropical paradise and closeness to nature.

We hang in the thickness of warm water, like frogs, and shudder from an unexpected ringing knock …

For the last five days of our stay in Koh Samui, we are moving to Six Senses. Honestly, I don't want to go to any Bangkok from here, and we only periodically turn on the TV, feeling our involvement in disturbing events. Nowhere else have we dissolved in nature as it happened to us in Six Senses. Suitcases stuffed with dresses and high-heeled sandals followed us to the villa with a useless load (before leaving, my daughter stubbornly repeated that she would dress up for dinner and generally hang out). In five days, we only leave the villa for the spa and breakfast: at Six Senses it is absolutely amazing! Chinese steamed shrimp dumplings, sushi, freshly prepared milkshakes, and anything else your heart desires. Tiny Thais from the service staff are taken aback by the number of dishes we eat,and they smile confusedly. We walk barefoot, in pareos and swimsuits, on soft, unpainted wood flooring. Even the coffee cup is streamlined, has a pleasant bluish color and feels like a pebbled stone to the touch. There is not a single straight line around, all furniture, cutlery and accessories are a little "crooked" (exact design calculation!). The daughter, who wanted to hang out so badly, spends the whole day with a book in the pool, sleeps like a king in a canopy bed and receives gifts from the hotel in the form of rag animals for the night. Having received another elephant, she rejoices as if she is not even 20 years old. The hotel follows clear instructions: "Madame Byvsheva will arrive with her daughter." With a child, then. If we order dinner at the villa, Masha is brought a green plastic fork and spoon just in case. So Six Senses:naturalness and peace. Can I have another word? Smile.

Visa. For up to 30 days for Russian citizens is not required.

Flight to Thailand. There are about a dozen airlines flying (Aeroflot, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Transaero, etc.), but if you go to Koh Samui, it is better to choose Thai Airways (tel. In Moscow (495) 647-1082, www.thai -airways.ru) - they have the most convenient connections in Bangkok.

Where to live. KarmSamui VillResort, www.karmasamui.com; Napasai Resort (www.napasai.com), owned by the famous Orient-Express company (www.orient-express.com); Six Senses Samui Resort (www.sixsenses.com).

Season. You can go to Thailand all year round, but it is most comfortable there from December to March, when it is not very humid. The rainy season in Thailand is from May to the end of October, but it is easily tolerated - the rains are short and light.