The Samui Archipelago was first discovered’ as a budget traveler’s paradise back in the 1970s, but has since moved considerably upmarket. Together with Phuket, the main island of the group, Ko Samui, is Thailand’s premier beach resort, and is truly a lovely island. The chief seaside destinations are Chaweng Beach on the island’s east coast and Lamai on the south coast. The island is ringed by a well-maintained metalled road, and the hilly interior is simply packed with more coconut trees than it seems possible to imagine.