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Kho Samui Information |
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Surat Thani is southern
Thailand's largest province, covers some 12,800 square kilometres, and
has an extensive coastline lapped by Thai Gulf waters. The provincial
capital is 685 kilometres south of Bangkok. Surat Thani boasts some of
Thailand's loveliest islands, namely the Penang-sized
Kho Samui ,
Thailand's third largest island,
palmfringed jewel of a sparkling archi-pelago that includes the
stunning 250- square-kilometer Angthong (Golden Bowl) Marine National
Park. Surat Thani once formed part, and may have been the centre, of
the Mahayana Buddhist Srivichaya Empire which, steeped in legend and
mystery, dominated the Malay peninsula and much of Java some 1,500
years ago. Srivichaya was best de-scribed by the itinerant Chinese
monk I Ching after a pilgrimage he made to India during the late 600s.
Arch-aeological dis-coveries at Chaiya district indicate the former
empire's splendour.
CITY ATTRACTIONS
Khao Tapet Nature &
Wildlife Centre
8 kilometres from the provincial capital, along Highway
4009, the nature and wild-life centre covers 1,162 acres. Many wild
animals are caged. The hilltop, some 200 metres above sea level,
offers command-ing panoramic views of Surat Thani town, the Tapi River
and Bandon Bay.
Si Surat
Stupa
Known locally as Phra That Khao Tapet, and located on the
summit of Tapi Hill in the Khao Tapet Nature & Wildlife centre, this
stupa houses Buddha relics donated by the Indian government some 30
years ago.
Tapi River
Estuary
Located some 5 kilometres from Surat Thani, this area is
noteworthy for its qual-ity seafood restaurants. |
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OUT OF CITY ATTRACTIONS
Kanchanadit District
Monkey School
Located some 8 kilometres along Highway 401, the school trains
monkeys to pick co-conuts. Most 'students' are pig-tailed mon-keys
captured in local forests. Training usually takes some 3 months.
Would-be visitors are advised to check with local travel agents for
full details.
Oyster Farms
These are concentrated in the estuarine areas of the Kadaeh
and Ta Tong rivers. Oysters found there are substantially larger than
any found elsewhere. Would-be visi-tors wishing to see oysters being
har-vested may hire long-tailed boats which carry some 8 to 10
passengers. It takes some 30 minutes to reach the farms from Ta Thong
quayside. The service costs 100 Baht per person.
Don Sak District
Wiphawadi Waterfall
This is located some 30 kilometres east of the provincial
capital along Highway 401 at Pak Praek village. The picturesque and
petite waterfall enjoys bucolic surro-undings.
Wat Khao Suwan Pradit
This monastery was founded by Luang Pho Choi, one of southern
Thailand's most revered Buddhist ecclesiastics. The hill-top 45-metre
pagoda contains Buddha rel-ics and commands striking coastal views.
Chaiya District
Suan Mokkha Phalaram
Better known as Suan Mok, this 150-acre forest temple is
located beside Highway 41 some 50 kilometres north of the provin-cial
capital. Suan Mok's founder, the late Bhikkhu Buddhadhasa, was highly
respected both locally and internationally. His 'back to basics' form
of Buddhism, mir-roring that led by the Buddha's earliest dis-ciples
more than 2,500 years ago, attracted many Bud-dhist monks and lay
meditators from Eu-rope, North and South America, Australasia and
Japan.The enclave is devoid of extrava-gant ceremonial and elaborate
chapels. The forest tranquility is ideal for a life of contemplation.
Phra Borom That Chaiya
Located some 4 kilometres northeast of Suan Mok, and 1
kilometre from Chaiya railway station, this elaborately restored and
revered pagoda is believed to be more than 1,200 years old. The pagoda
con-tains Buddha relics and provides a direct link with the Srivachaya
Empire. A small adjacent museum houses artifacts from the vicinity.
Phumriang Village
Located some 6 kilomretres east of Chaiya, this settlement is
an arts and crafts centre well known for its silver brocaded silk
cloth and jute headwear.
Phanom District
Khao Sok National Park
Comprising largely jungle with complex mountain ranges, the
park contains a great deal of wildlife, including elephants, bantengs,
tapirs, bison, bears and black panthers. The park office is 1.3
kilometres off Highway 401 (Surat Thani-Takuapa) at Km. 109. Places
within the park worth vis-iting, largely by foot, include the Sip Et
Chan (Eleven Stages) Waterfall, some 4 kilometres from the park
office, the Tang Nam pool 6 kilometres from the park office, the Bang
Hua Raed Waterfall, 3 kilometres from the park office, and the Tan
Gloy Wa-terfall, 9 kilometres from the park office. Dormitory and
camping facilities are avail-able. Advance booking is necessary for
food and lodging. Would-be visitors should contact the National Parks
Division in Bangkok (Tel: 579-0529 or 579-4842).
Ban Ta Khun District
Ratchaprapha or Chiao Lan
Dam
Located some 82 kilometres from the provincial capital, via
High-way 401 with a right turn between Kms. 52 and 53, this scenic dam
offers accommodation for those seeking tranquility. Contact the
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Bangkok at 436- 3170,
or the Ratchaprapha Dam Office (077) 311-364, 240-740 for further
details. |
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ANGTHONRINE NATIONAL
PARK
This comprises
some 40 islands about two hours by boat northwest of Kho Samui. The
park covers 250 square kilometres, of which approximately one fifth is
land mass. The most attractive islands include Kho Wua Talap (Sleeping
Cow island), Kho Mae Kho (Mother island), Kho Prayat (Economical
island), Kho Sam Sao (Tripod island), Kho Nai Put (Mr. Put's island)
and Kho Wua Te (Kicking Cow island). Most islands com-prise limestone
masses reaching heights of up to 400 metres, and fringed by beaches
and rain forest. An emerald saltwater lake known as Tale Nai (Inland
Sea) on Kho Mae Kho is the park's major scenic attraction, and entails
a mildly strenuous climb. The resultant views are well worth the
effort. Another popular venue is Kho Sam Sao where an extensive span
of coral reef and a huge rock arch offer scenic fascination. The park
office is on Kho Wua Talap where bungalow-style accommodation is
avail-able. Visitors wishing to stay overnight should make advance
bookings and specify whether meal services are required, either
through the Angthong Marine Na-tional Park office, 26/1 Noo
5,Talatlang-Paknam Road Road, Surat Thani 8400, Tel: (077) 288-992, or
the National Parks Divi-sion in Bangkok, Tel: 549-0529 or 579-4842. |
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KHO PHANGAN
This
increasingly popular 191-square-kilometre island is 60 minutes north
of Kho Samui. Attractions include a hilltop temple, Wat Khao Tam,
ideal for meditation, the Tan Sadet Waterfall some 30 kilometres from
the district office, the Hat Rin Beach, some 12 kilometres from the
district office, the Paeng National Park, some 4 kilometres from the
district office, and satellite islands such as Kho Tao where pristine
beaches and coral reefs are found.
Kho Tao
Kho Tao can be beach from Kho Samui and Kho Phangan. This small
island is a paradise for divers. |
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SPECIAL EVENT
Rambutan Fair (during
August)
The fair celebrates the delicious fruit, first planted in Surat Thani
during 1926. High-lights include floats adorned with rambu-tans and
other fruits, exhibitions of local products and ornamental plants, and
dem-onstrations by specially trained monkeys who harvest coconuts.
Chak Phra Festival
(mid-October)
Surat Thani celebrates the official end of the annual 3-month
Buddhist Rains retreat (Phansa) with the Chak Phra Festival (lit-erally
'the procession of hauling the Buffha image'). The tradition stems
from the belief that the Buddha as-cended to Heaven during Phansa to
preach to his mother. The fes-tival marks the Buddha's return to
Earth, and is an occasion for reli-gious merit-making and general
celebrations. Local people organise dazzling land and water-borne
processions of revered Buddha images (to symbolise the Buddha's return
to Earth) and boat races on the Tapi River where long boats, each
manned by up to 50 oarsmen, are ebulliently raced. Religious devotion,
spec-tacle and merriment combine to make Surat Thani's Chak Phra
Festival a memorable annual event. |
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Information
provided by T.A.T
(Tourism Autority of Thailand) |
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