Location
The Locale
Located high in the lush green hills above Samui's popular Bophut resort area, Suralai is just 6km from Samui's international airport and 7km from the beautiful, palm-fringed, sandy beaches of the island's main tourist centre, Chaweng and Chaweng Noi.
Thanks to its elevation, the villa enjoys spectacular views of the island's north-east coastline and the Gulf of Siam all the way to offshore islands such as Koh Phangan (popularly known as 'Full Moon Island'), as well as of the island's striking mountainous interior with coconut palm-clad slopes, natural rainforests and dramatic waterfalls.
Circumnavigating Koh Samui by car takes just over an hour, so nothing is very far away. The key jumping off point for boat trips and excursions to many off-shore islands is a merely 6km away at Big Buddha.
Highly accessible and convenient, Suralai is always a peaceful sanctuary away from all the noise and activity, waiting to envelop you in luxury.
Distances
- Fisherman's Village
- 3 km
- Big Buddha
- 6 km
- Samui International Airport
- 6 km
- Chaweng Beach
- 7 km
- Santiburi Golf Club
- 8.50 km
- Nathon
- 10 km
- Nikki Beach Club
- 22 km
Things to Do
Fisherman’s Village & Night Market | Friday is the ‘Night Market’ at Fisherman’s Village, just 3km from your villa. Along the charming narrow beach road, traditional Thai wooden houses transform into chic boutique stores, trendy restaurants and bars. On Friday evenings, the village explodes into a riot of colour and activity as vendors from all over the island set up shop selling everything from Thai and international street food, to chic fashion, electronics, local souvenirs and much more. And don’t miss the fire-eating entertainment on the beach in front of Coco Tam.
Luxury Island Cruising | Charter the luxury 44-foot catamaran Odyssey for the day and sail out to glorious coconut-palm-covered islands for a sublime day of swimming, snorkelling and exploring beautiful, untouched beaches. Pull in for lunch at one of several beachside restaurants or order a luxury picnic basket and choose your anchorage for a taste of unspoiled paradise. The catamaran is available for private charter for daytime, sunset and overnight cruises to Samui’s neighbouring islands of Koh Phangan, Koh Madsum, Koh Tan, and the archipelago of Angthong National Marine Park – a protected collection of 42 dramatic karst islands surrounded by sea teeming with exotic fish and beautiful corals.
A Day at the Beach | Spend a day with your toes in the sand at one of the island’s many beautiful sandy beaches. Just nearby are the bays of Bophut, Big Buddha, Chaweng and Choeng Mon, all with a variety of beachside facilities and restaurants. Further afield, the deserted palm-fringed beaches at Bang Po and Laem Nai on the north-west coast are a popular spot for their rustic beachfront restaurants and stunning views of Ang Thong and Koh Phangan islands.
Meet Samui's Gentle Giants at Elephant Haven | Minutes away from Suralai is one of Samui’s leading ethical elephant sanctuaries, Elephant Haven. Home to 18 magnificent Asian elephants and their offspring, Elephant Haven offers visitors a wonderful up-close-and-personal experience with these extraordinary, gentle giants in a safe and natural environment. The sanctuary offers tours hosted by professional, informative and empathetic guides. Visitors are invited to feed the elephants, follow them around the sanctuary as the young ones play and frolic in water pools, and observe them in their natural habitat. For more information, see: https://samuielephanthaven.org/
A Unique Thai Cooking Experience in the Heart of the Jungle | Samui’s celebrated jungle cooking school, Tamarind Tree, offers an authentic and thoroughly enjoyable Thai cooking experience. High up in the island’s lush green mountains, Tamarind Tree invites guests into its organic gardens to gather exotic ingredients for the dishes they will prepare, using tools and techniques unchanged from the traditional methods used for centuries. Thereafter, you get to enjoy your culinary handiwork accompanied by singing cicadas and the greenery of the jungle. Tamarind Tree offers half-day classes as well as private classes. For prices and information: https://www.tamarindtreesamui.com/
World-class Golfing in Samui | Santiburi Samui Country Club is one of the most beautiful golf courses in Asia and the island’s only championship 18-hole, par-72 golf course. Stretching along the hills of the northern coastline with spectacular elevations from 25 - 180meters above sea level, it is often called a ‘slice of heaven’. This challenging course is surrounded by natural rainforest and coconut-palm plantations, with distracting views of the mountains and ocean at every turn, which makes it an oasis of pure golfing pleasure.
Samui’s Spirit of Adventure | Sports and adventure enthusiasts of all ages will be thrilled by the variety of action activities available on Samui. Choose from kite surfing at Nathon, off-road safaris on three and four-wheeled ATVs or 4WDs, bungee jumping, zip-lining through the rainforest, canopy walks and waterfall hikes to Muay Thai boxing tournaments and high-speed go-karts to name a few.
Tour the Island’s Temples and Waterfalls | Take a tour of this beautiful island to see the waterfalls and temples. Nearby is Samui’s most iconic landmark, the golden Big Buddha and its impressive neighbour, Plai Laem Wat. Further south in Lamai, visit the enigmatic ‘Mummy Monk’ at Wat Khunaram the island’s most famous mummified monk, and nearby Wat Sila Ngu or Red temple. Then head home through the mountains via stunning waterfalls, magnificent scenery and aerial views of the island.
