This beautiful tropical island has been charming its visitors ever since the first tourists arrived in 1971. Those who experience Samui are rewarded with an idyllic tropical retreat with little traffic, white-sand beaches, a sapphire-blue sea, an abundance of tantalising Thai cuisine and an unusually warm and friendly people.

Koh Samui's natural attractions include the coral beds at Laem Sed and Tong Takien, the Hin Lat and Na Muang waterfalls and the phallic rock formations at the southern end of Lamai bay.

And beyond the main island are many others well worth exploring - Koh Phangan (world famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties), Koh Tao (one of the best diving locations in Thailand) and Ang Thong National Marine Park (a compact archipelago of small and virtually untouched islands which are best explored by sea kayak).

Samui's weather patterns are a little different from the rest of Thailand. In April through September, when most of the country has its monsoon, Samui stays fairly dry, but from October to December, it's wet in Samui and drier elsewhere. The driest season of all, though, is January through March.