Relaxing in Koh Samui

One of the unexpected perks of living overseas is visiting places that we have never heard of before.  Everyone knows about major tourist destinations in Europe, Asia, and America (like Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty), but sometimes it's the unknown places that are the most memorable and surprising experiences for us.
Case in point: the relaxing island of Koh Samui.

We were lucky to reserve a villa right on the beach.

We even had our own private pool!

This was the view from our bedroom.

We have never stayed somewhere so close to the beach.

The beaches were so clear and beautiful.  It felt like we had the entire Gulf of Thailand to ourselves.  Where are all the people?  Not in our backyard!

Of course, the gorgeous views inspired me to break out the watercolors.

There were lots of beach activities to try, but this was the first time we had seen this one!

We enjoyed dining on the beach and watching the sky change colors before our eyes.

At dinner one night, I was harassed by a GIANT praying mantis!  Can you see him on the banister?

Don't laugh.  He looked a lot scarier close up.

One of the hotels had this cool monkey sculpture.  I couldn't resist posing with it.  Can you tell which one is me?

On our final night, we splurged on a delicious, five-course meal at the opulent Six Senses Hotel, which was perched atop the seaside cliffs.

We could see stars and ocean for miles.  The clear, full moon and the cool, gentle breeze accented the perfectly prepared meal.

Sadly, our trip was nearing its end so it was time to head to the airport.  Yes, this is part of the airport - Koh Samui style.

They even had a hut filled with complimentary snacks and drinks. 

The shuttles to the airplanes looked like they came straight from Disneyland.

Two thumbs up for Koh Samui!  We hope to go back there again some day.