GruffyddA Journal Entry
Leaving Koh Pha-Ngan felt like leaving a fever dream, all flashing lights, fire shows, and hangovers. Nut, our ever-smiling host, waved us off and drove us to the pier himself. Another ferry ride later, we were on Koh Samui, the final stop of our Thailand journey.
From the moment we arrived, it felt different. Bigger, calmer, but still buzzing with life. Samui had everything: the backpacker energy of Phuket, the natural beauty of Krabi, and the peaceful charm of Koh Tao, all stitched together in one island.
Koh Samui – The Island With Something for Everyone
Leaving Koh Pha-Ngan felt like leaving a fever dream, all flashing lights, fire shows, and hangovers. Nut, our ever-smiling host, waved us off and drove us to the pier himself. Another ferry ride later, we were on Koh Samui, the final stop of our Thailand journey.
From the moment we arrived, it felt different. Bigger, calmer, but still buzzing with life. Samui had everything: the backpacker energy of Phuket, the natural beauty of Krabi, and the peaceful charm of Koh Tao, all stitched together in one island.
Where We Stayed
We checked into Ubox Hostel, a lively, modern spot that felt immediately social but not chaotic. Our dorm of six quickly became its own little community: two lads from England, two from Scotland, and later two girls we met in the common area who joined our crew for the next few days.
There’s something about Thailand that makes friendships effortless, you might meet someone over breakfast and end up exploring temples or beaches with them that same afternoon. Ubox had that vibe. Clean rooms, cold air-con (a blessing by this point), and a buzzing social area where everyone seemed to end up at some point during the day.
Exploring the Island
Koh Samui is one of those rare places that truly has something for everyone. Backpackers, couples, families, all somehow sharing the same space without clashing. The island is bigger than people expect, with beaches that stretch for miles, luxurious resorts hidden in palm trees, and lively towns filled with motorbikes, beach bars, and food stalls.
One morning, I met up with a friend from Koh Tao and we explored the Big Buddha and nearby temples. The sheer scale of it was incredible, golden statues glinting in the sun, the smell of incense in the air, monks moving quietly between shrines. It was peaceful, grounding, and a nice reminder of Thailand’s spiritual side after weeks of social chaos.
Another day, a few of us went to a foot golf course, which turned out to be way more fun (and competitive) than expected. Naturally, I won, something I’ve made sure everyone still remembers.
Afternoons were spent how every traveller dreams of spending them, cold drinks, slow walks, beach swims, and spontaneous food stops. One evening, me and my friend from Koh Tao found this bar high up in the hills with a breathtaking view over the island. The sun was dipping below the horizon, a saxophone player was performing live, and for a moment it felt like time just stopped.
Nights Out & Hidden Moments
Koh Samui’s nightlife had its own rhythm, lively but not overwhelming. One night, me and my mate stumbled into a small local bar with just a pool table and two staff members who immediately challenged us to a game. We stayed for hours, trading shots of beer and pieces of fruit they kept insisting we try, laughing over broken English and questionable rules.
Down the road, bigger bars were showing the Euros and F1 races on projectors, the atmosphere electric, fans draped in flags, cheering, sweating, drinking cheap beers under giant fans spinning above. Every night seemed to blur between beach bars, street food, and laughter.
The ArkBar Beach Club had its own magic, music thumping, torches flickering, and fire shows dancing against the waves. It wasn’t as crazy as Pha-Ngan, but still had that same buzz that made you want to stay up just a bit longer.
By day, we explored waterfalls, viewpoints, and beaches on scooters. The island’s roads wound through palm forests and hidden fishing villages, each turn revealing a new stretch of coast or quiet café. We stopped at beach bars to cool off, ordered smoothies, and let fans blast the heat away, a little ritual we’d come to love across Thailand.
One evening, I met up with my mates aunt, uncle, and cousin, who happened to be on the island at the same time, for a game of padel after sunset. It was surreal going from backpacker chaos to a casual family game under floodlights in Thailand, but that’s Koh Samui in a nutshell: balance.
The Last Few Days
After four nights in the lively part of the island, full of bars, energy, and late nights, we switched things up. We booked two nights in a quieter area to unwind before the long journey home. Mornings were spent at cafés with ocean views, afternoons walking barefoot along the sand, and evenings watching the sun disappear into the sea.
By then, the trip had started to sink in. The months of planning, the ferries, the faces, the chaos, all of it had led here, to an island that somehow managed to feel like every version of Thailand combined.
Final Thoughts
Koh Samui was the perfect finale. It had everything: beaches, parties, food, calm, and community. You could spend one day living like a backpacker and the next like you’d booked a luxury holiday. It was a reminder of why Thailand is so special — because it offers a version of paradise for everyone.
We stayed six nights in total, four in the buzz of it all, two in the quiet, and it felt like exactly the right balance. Leaving wasn’t easy, but it felt complete. Koh Samui tied everything together, a final chapter of laughter, sunsets, and the kind of contentment that only comes when you know you’ve truly made the most of every moment.
