The Bionic Salesman
A Journey around Thailand
And then to Koh Samui, an island where the tourism industry is fully developed but the rainforest is still intact. From the approaching car ferry it looks like a shagpile rug thrown over a patient etherised upon a table.
It’s an isle of surprises because the road that takes you right around the island doesn’t promise much at all. Many of the beaches look muddy, and beach bungalows are packed in too close to the road. A surprising number of shops are either vacant or looking for a new tenant.
But then you take a random turn off the main road and off on some meandering route. The next thing you know, you are face-to-face with a resort as sublime as The Banyan Tree or Six Senses.
Six Senses Samui
Having visited a few Thai islands now, I can say that there are places that do the low end of the hotel scale better than Samui (Koh Tao, Phangan away from Haad Rin, and Koh Samet), but nowhere can match Samui at the luxury end.
Of the two main beaches, Chaweng is the more attractive, but overbuilt. Lamai is a less attractive beach, particularly at the north end, but it is a quieter, more relaxed vibe. I found myself living on Lamai and driving to Chaweng for food in the evenings.
You’ll now find Waboba retailers in both Chaweng and Lamai.
Stockists in Chaweng include Planet Scuba, opposite the Marriott, 7-Express, Top Minimart, Savermart, and M.J. Minmart and Color Lab, all on Bohput Road. On Lamai, there’s Daily Mart and Friendly Freshmart, both on the main beach road.
