Koh Samui: palms and golden temples in the Gulf of Thailand

The Wat Phra Yai, a temple of the Great Buddha over twelve meters high, dominates the northeastern coast of the island visibly from afar thanks to its golden color.

A few minutes away, Chaweng beach, the longest and most frequented on the island, offers white sand and calm waters protected by a coral barrier offshore.

Continuing inland you reach Na Muang Waterfalls, two waterfalls immersed in jungle where you can swim in natural pools.

Toward evening, the Fisherman's Village in Bophut, a former Chinese fishing village, animates restaurants and evening markets along cobbled streets by the sea.

The Great Buddha of Wat Phra Yai was completed in 1972 and remains visible from practically every point on the island's northeast coast, becoming a landmark even for local fishermen.

Ko Samui remained isolated and undeveloped until the nineteen-eighties, when the opening of a local airport rapidly transformed the island into one of Thailand's most visited tourist destinations.