Thailand Things to Do

Koh Samui has undergone a major transformation since the island’s early days as a hippie backpacker paradise. Today, you’ll find five-star resorts and spas as often as budget beach shacks, but the beauty of Thailand’s third largest island remains constant. Travelers of all styles and budgets tend to agree on one thing: Koh Samui is pretty darn close to paradise.

Some people come for the food, others for the culture and still others for the natural scenery, but Thailand has and probably always will attract visitors to its miles upon miles of powdery white sand beaches. Whether you’re looking for a raging party under a full moon or a quiet, secluded spot to relax, you’ll find it in Thailand.

The Songkran Festival that coincides annually with the Thai New Year is, among other things, a no holds barred water fight that has left many an unsuspecting tourist scrambling to find a towel. Traditionally, young Thais have long celebrated the lunar new year by seeking the blessing of their elders by pouring scented water over their hands (and bathing images of the Buddha), after which all bets are off and a good-natured aquatic battle ensues.

Ah, the time-honored tradition of the full moon party in Thailand. Backpackers across the globe tout this once a month drink fest along costal Koh Phangan as one of the best parties on earth, drawing up to 30,000 attendees who mingle and party from dusk till dawn. During the event, the many bars of Haad Rin town along the sunrise beach remain in full swing all night, offering drinks in ‘bucket’ form, as well as other terrific specials.

Trying to pick the best beaches in Thailand is like nominating candidates for the most beautiful tulip in the Netherlands. Some destinations, however, stand out as obvious contenders. The following are three of the best.

Famous with the backpacker set since the mid-1980s, the monthly Full Moon Party held on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand is the stuff of legend. Begun by an impromptu group of less than 50 revelers, this gathering has grown to include more than 20,000 people on the evening of every full moon like clockwork twelve months out of the year. Is it a tourist trap of epic proportions? Yes. Is it amazing and worth checking out nonetheless? You bet.