Taling Ngam: Koh Samui’s best kept secret
In this post we explain why we think that Taling Ngam is Ko Samui’s best kept secret. If, like us, you love authentic environments and want to escape the mass, Taling Ngam is your place in Samui! Let’s discover why!
Until the early 1970s there were no roads in Samui and the journey from one side of the island to the other one involved a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles. However, in the early 1990s things started to change. Since then, the area has developed very fast, making of Samui the second-most popular island destination in Thailand nowadays (the first one is Phuket).
Although popular beaches like Chaweng and Lamai are overcrowded in the peak season, if you are looking for a relaxing, picturesque and most of all still authentic area, it’s still possible to find it. As a matter of fact, Taling Ngam is the little gem you are looking for! In addition to pristine jungle, stunning views of the sea and of Anthong Marine National Park, you will be able to find here high quality affordable accommodation options, that contribute to make this area still worth to visit. So, if you don’t fancy overcrowded tourist spots, get comfortable and let us tell you a bit more about this corner of paradise.
Rent a scooter to move around
Surely, the best option is to rent a scooter, so that you can easily move around like locals do, and you will be able to explore every corner. Even if a scooter rental is normally about 200 Thai baht/day (about 6$), it can normally be negotiated a little cheaper for longer rentals. In order to rent a scooter, you will need to be in possession of a passport, to be able to prove your identity, as well as of a valid driving licence.
Most of the rental agencies and shops will retain your document as a guarantee and will return it, when you return the vehicle. Even though you will see that most of the local people do not wear a helmet, it is mandatory to wear it. Certainly, we strongly recommend wearing it to avoid possible injuries, especially in this quiet part of the island, where some chicken, dog or human could cross the road anytime, expecting you to slow down.
Great sunsets in Taling Ngam
As you possibly already know after reading our posts of our blog, we love sunsets. Therefore, it’s impossible for us not to love Taling Ngam, since we found it the perfect spot to appreciate the most amazing sunsets on the island. If compared to the neighbouring islands of Koh Phangan and Ko Tao, Koh Samui is a bit penalized in terms of good sunset spots, because the most important sandy beaches are located on the east and on the north coasts. As the west shore is partially occupied by two ports, Nathon and Lipa Noi, there are just a few smaller sandy beaches here, that lack of infrastructures.
Therefore, Taling-Ngam beach remains the only good option in this area to appreciate a great sunset on a sandy beach in complete relax, and far away from the noisy tourists. With this in mind, you may find this hidden beach taking the Elephant Gate street, in the south-west area, until the end. When the road finishes, you will see a “Sunset Beach” sign. Here you will also notice a small family run beach bar, where you can sit and enjoy the sunset, while sipping a refreshing drink or while eating Thai food, if you are hungry.
Where to eat in Taling Ngam
Do you prefer to eat Western food, while in this part of the island? If so, the best option we found in Taling Ngam is La Coppola restaurant, right in Thong Krut beach. In a nutshell, it’s an Italian/Thai family run restaurant, offering the classic Thai dishes, like all variety of fried rices and soups, herbal or spicy meat or fish dishes, as well as delicious pastas, pizzas, salads, burgers and the best fresh grilled fish.
Their growing popularity is due to their wood-fired oven for the pizzas, together with the great views of the bay and the great service of the attentive staff. The wide selection of Italian dishes is very authentic and its quality is constantly supervised by the owner Angelo from Sicily.
Here you may also find Italian wines and Italian liquors and due to the fact that they have a large dining space right on the beach, it’s a great place to celebrate events like a birthday or an anniversary, away from the mass tourists. They open at noon, every day.
What about breakfast?
We loved our big and delicious breakfasts at Tenuta la Costa, during our stay there. In addition, from their large outdoor veranda, you will enjoy stunning views of the jungle and of Taling Ngam beach. Furthermore, you may also jump into their refreshing swimming pool, surrounded by the nature.
Taling Ngam is still a little gem and probably the best kept secret of the island. Here you may still witness local life scenes, including the controversial ritual of picking coconuts right from the palm trees, with the help of monkeys. Or just enjoy the relaxing surroundings and the harmony provided by the direct contact with the virgin environment, the sun and the sea.
Accommodation in Taling Ngam
Before the mass tourism will change the aspect of this part of the island too, do not miss the opportunity to visit it and to enjoy its still authentic venue! We stayed at Tenuta la Costa and the area is full of interesting options of accommodation.
How to get to Ko Samui
Ko Samui counts on an international airport, located in the north-west area of the island and at about two km from Chaweng. It was built by Bangkok Airways and started its operations back in 1989. It’s close to the Buddha Pier, where the ferries to Haad Rin, Koh Phangan depart, and at about six km from Maenam Pier, from which the ferries to Ko Tao and Chumpon depart.
Airplane or boat?
At the moment, Airasia and all major low cost airlines do not fly to Samui airport, which makes flying the most expensive way to get to the island. If you are on a budget, the best way is to get to Don Sak Pier in Surat Thani and from there you may take Seatran Ferry to Nathon pier or Raja Ferry to Lipa Noi pier.
This is also the best option if you travel with a vehicle. The journey takes about one and a half hour. There is also a night boat from Ban Don Pier, in Surat Thani, but it is a very slow boat, departing at 11:0pm, to arrive at destination 7 hours later, at 6:00am.
How to get from Malaysia to Samui via Surat Thani
Air Asia operates the route Kuala Lumpur- Surat Thani at the most competitive prices and if you book your flight far in advance, you may find rates for about 20$.
By Train
From Butterworth (Penang), you may purchase the tickets at the Jetty in Georgetown or directly at the train station in Butterworth. At the moment, there is only one daily train serving this route, train number 36, which leaves Butterworth at 2:00pm and arrives in Surat Thani around midnight. The immigration procedures are carried out at the border, at Padang Besar.
By Minivan
From any guesthouse or travel agency along Chulia street in Georgetown, you may purchase a full trip to Samui, including the ferry, for about 30$. You may also go to the bus station and purchase a regular bus ticket to Thailand, but note that the bus will leave you at the bus station in Surat Thani, which is about 70 km away from the pier and the ferry ticket won’t be included.
Best budget options to travel from Malaysia to Samui
The current best value option that we found in Georgetown is a ticket including the ferry for 110 MYR. We consider this is the best option. It takes about 12 hours to the final destination, Nathon in Samui.
In this case, because you arrive at Don Sak Pier from the south, you do not need to get to Surat Thani bus station, which is more than one and a half hour from the pier.
Is there any cheaper option?
If you have plenty of time at disposal, but you are on a strict budget, the cheapest option by land from Penang is to take a local train from Butterworth to the border (Padang Besar), then you walk to the Thai side and you take a local minibus to Hat Yai station in Thailand and from there you take another local bus to Surat Thani.
However, considering that once in Surat Thani you will need to purchase the bus ticket to the pier and the ferry ticket from Don Sak Pier to Samui, you would be saving just a few dollars, with the risk of getting stuck in Surat Thani, because the last ferry is at 7:00pm. We fully explain in another post how to travel from Penang to Thailand.
IMPORTANT NOTE: if you enter Thailand by land, you may only get a 15 days visa on arrival, depending on your nationality.
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