“Some weeks are measured in miles. Others are measured in moments. This week in Koh Samui was measured in 100-baht notes, pounding seas, unforgettable food and the wonderfully weird theatre that only Thailand can deliver.”
The Unofficial Currency of Chaweng Beach: Everything Costs 100 Baht
Everything in Koh Samui seemed to cost exactly the same this week. Forget exchange rates. Forget inflation. Forget Bitcoin. I’d somehow stumbled across the unofficial currency of Chaweng Beach: one hundred baht.
A bowl of sensational chicken noodle soup? 100 baht.
A sunbed overlooking one of Thailand’s most famous beaches? 100 baht.
A photograph with the resident beach iguana? 100 baht.
A selfie with one of Chaweng’s wonderfully flamboyant ladyboys, proudly displaying what appeared to be three rather impressive assets — two boobs and a willy? You guessed it — 100 baht.
Only in Thailand. Only in Koh Samui.
My Daily Koh Samui Routine: Gym, Massage, Beach, Repeat
Every morning followed the same wonderfully predictable routine — gym, massage, beach, repeat. It sounds idyllic, although I’ve discovered there really can be too much of a good thing. After treating myself to a massage almost every day, I’ve somehow managed to turn my lower back into something resembling an old suspension bridge.
Ironically, the massage ladies have dropped their prices this week from 500 baht to 300 baht as the quieter season begins to bite. Even paradise isn’t immune from the realities of supply and demand.
Chaweng Beach: The Greatest Free Show on Earth
Chaweng Beach remains one of the greatest free shows on Earth. You don’t even need to swim — just sit back beneath the umbrella and watch the world perform. Every few minutes another aircraft glides dramatically over the beach before disappearing towards Koh Samui Airport.
Then come the characters: the ladyboys in matching pink bikinis stretching like Olympic athletes, the influencer filming take number forty-seven while everyone else simply enjoys the sunshine, and the extraordinary balloon seller somehow carrying enough inflatables to open his own water park.
And my personal favourite — the legendary “Soup Nazi.” For just 100 baht this quiet genius serves what I genuinely believe is the freshest chicken noodle soup anywhere in Thailand. Forget Colonel Sanders and his eleven herbs and spices — this bloke deserves twelve. Fresh herbs, crystal-clear broth, tender chicken, perfect noodles. At barely four Australian dollars, it’s one of the greatest bargains I’ve found anywhere in my travels.
By the middle of the week I’d realised everything revolved around that magical little green note. Soup, 100 baht. Sunbed, 100 baht. Iguana photograph, 100 baht. Ladyboy photograph, 100 baht. If someone had offered me beachfront property for 100 baht, I’d probably have reached for my wallet.
Friends Fly In: Discovering Koh Samui All Over Again
The week became even better when Mari and Mario arrived from Australia aboard Scoot Plus. After breakfast we headed straight for Chaweng, where the water was crystal clear, the sun was shining and life slowed to exactly the pace it should.
Watching friends discover your favourite places is one of travel’s greatest pleasures. You begin seeing them all over again yourself.
Sunset Dinner at Coco’s, Bang Por
That evening I introduced them to one of my favourite discoveries — Coco’s at Bang Por. I’ve eaten there before for their sensational Khao Soi, but this evening belonged to the sunset. As the sky exploded into orange and gold, I tucked into one of the finest Massaman curries I’ve eaten in years.
Building “Little Japan”: My Next Koh Samui Project
Away from the beach, another dream has quietly gathered momentum — Little Japan, my temporary bolt-hole before Skyfall becomes reality. Japanese-inspired interiors. Minimalist design. Beautiful lighting. Every decision brings the project another step closer to becoming exactly what I’d imagined.
Sometimes travelling isn’t about moving. Sometimes it’s about creating somewhere worth coming home to.
Ang Thong National Marine Park: Was the Boat Trip Worth It?
Then came the adventure we’d all been waiting for — Ang Thong National Marine Park. Private limousine. Private speedboat. Professional crew. Everything looked perfect. Until we left the shelter of the coastline.
The Rough Ride Out
Then came the thumping. Twenty-five-knot winds, heavy chop, one hour and twenty minutes of being repeatedly launched into the air before crashing back onto the sea. Mari absolutely loved every second of it. Mario and I? By the time we reached Ang Thong we were two old blokes with broken backs questioning every life decision we’d ever made.
Emerald Lagoon Crowds
The famous Emerald Lagoon was undeniably beautiful. Unfortunately, several hundred other tourists had exactly the same idea. Queues, crowds, noise, the smell drifting across from the public toilets, someone enthusiastically smoking dope nearby. It simply wasn’t the tranquil paradise I’d imagined.
The Freedom of a Private Charter
Thankfully, chartering your own boat has one enormous advantage: freedom. I simply rang the skipper. “Let’s go.” No waiting, no whistles, no timetable. Just point the bow somewhere quieter.
The Forgotten Park Fee
Our only comedy moment: we’d forgotten to pay the National Park entrance fee. Cue one of the crew jumping off the boat and sprinting back to pay our 300 baht each while we floated offshore laughing. Sometimes the best travel memories are the unexpected ones.
Final Verdict: Is Ang Thong National Marine Park Worth It?
By day’s end we’d spent close to 25,000 baht between the boat, transfers, park fees and lunch. Here’s my honest opinion — I don’t think it represented good value, not when I compare it with the spectacular marine parks around Krabi and Phi Phi on Thailand’s Andaman Coast. Those remain some of the finest days I’ve experienced anywhere in the world. Add Raja Ampat in Indonesia and the Philippines, and Ang Thong simply doesn’t make my top tier.
Phaluai Island: Hornbills and the Best Seafood Lunch in Thailand
Then, just as I’d almost written the day off, everything changed. Our skipper suggested lunch on Phaluai Island. Waiting for us were two magnificent Oriental Pied Hornbills, perched high above the restaurant like they owned the island. With their enormous ivory beaks they looked more like something you’d expect to find deep inside the Amazon than the Gulf of Thailand. They happily posed for photographs, accepted a little food and reminded me exactly why travelling always rewards patience.
Then came lunch — quite simply, one of the best seafood meals I’ve eaten anywhere in Thailand. The local fish, I’m almost certain it was sea bass, was beautifully cooked, but the real star was the sauce: fresh tomatoes, onions, chillies, chilli oil, fragrant herbs, hints of jasmine. Every mouthful demanded another.
I’ve eaten in Michelin-starred restaurants all over the world. This humble little restaurant on Phaluai Island produced a sauce worthy of joining them. It was extraordinary.
The Storm Chase Home
The trip home? Imagine putting two old blokes into a cement mixer for another hour while racing a tropical thunderstorm across the Gulf of Thailand. Lightning flashed, thunder rolled, the skipper buried the throttles. We reached the mainland literally minutes before the heavens opened. Perfect timing. Terrible backs. Great story.
What’s Next: World Tour 2
Back at Rockpool Villa the swimming pool suddenly looked more inviting than ever. Suitcases have started appearing. Boxes are slowly filling. World Tour 2 is now only weeks away. Another chapter is closing. Another extraordinary adventure is about to begin.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, this wasn’t a week measured in kilometres. It was measured in characters: the Soup Nazi, the iguana man, the inflatable salesman carrying half of Toys “R” Us across the beach, pink-bikini ladyboys doing morning aerobics, hornbills perched high above a tiny island restaurant, a bowl of soup worth flying for, and a seafood lunch so good it almost made me forgive one bloody uncomfortable boat ride.
Almost. Because that’s travel. Not every day has to be perfect. It just has to leave you with a story worth telling. This week gave me plenty.
