Ban Suriya
Dreaming next to the soft sand of Samui island's serene Lipa Noi beach, Ban Suriya is the ultimate absolute beachfront getaway, with sparkling views out across islands and on, to the sunset. With six spacious bedrooms that can sleep up to 15 people in comfort, this is the ideal family retreat or friends reunion venue. Arranged around a shady garden, huge deck (ideal for wedding parties) and 20-metre pool, this Samui villa has it all: hyper-efficient staff of seven, personal chef, five-star cuisine, a spa room, a tree house for massages, and all the entertainment you can devour.
Koh Samui is not a big island – it’s just under 230 square kilometres, and much of that is still pristine forest-covered hillside – but it offers a wealth of fun and interesting things to do. Let your villa manager know what sort of activities you’re interested in and he or she will help guide your choices and can also arrange transport to take you there.
In the meantime, to whet your appetite, here are some suggestions.
- Dusit Deva Cultural Centre is a slightly eccentric garden filled with creatures from Buddhist and Hindu myths. Kids will love it.
- Koh Samui has two golf courses; Santiburi (18 holes and really distracting ocean views), and Bophut Hills (nine holes).
- Treat the family to Sunday Brunch by the pool at the internationally famed Nikki Beach Club, just a few minutes away along the beach.
- Visit nearby Nathon Walking Street Night Market on Thursdays or the bigger Fisherman’s Village Night Market in Bophut on Fridays.
- Go island hopping! The Ang Thong National Marine Park encompasses a cluster of islands – the ones you can see from Ban Suriya. The heavily jungled islands are carefully controlled to keep them in pristine natural condition. A trip to them is a must.
- There’s a kite surfing school on the beach at Nathon where you can rent a rig or learn how to do it.
- Regular Thai boxing tournaments are staged at the largest stadium on the island, the Petch Buncha near Chaweng. These are not tourist demo fights; they are the real thing.
- Samui has a number of spectacular waterfalls. We would recommend starting with the Namuang Falls. Take your bathing costume; there’s a very inviting pool at the base of the falls.
- Have an adventure atop Khao Pom mountain on ATVs or the zipline, or just gaze out at the scenery below from the viewpoint.
