Lazy Days Samui Beach Resort

At the Samui Aquarium & Tiger Show, get up close and personal to an array of marine life, colourful birds and exotic wildlife all in one stop. This family-friendly attraction certainly has enough to keep kids entertained on an afternoon outing. The aquarium features mostly creatures native to the Gulf of Thailand and its series of large tanks are filled with a range of marine life including nurse sharks, leopard sharks, manta rays, catfish and many kinds of tropical fish, and there is an area where visitors can feed the sea turtles. At the zoo, the main attraction is Bengal tigers and leopards, which provide some thrilling displays of strength and agility in the daily live shows. There’s also an opportunity to take your photograph with some of them for an extra charge.

Coco Splash Adventure & Water Park is a 10,000sqm amusement park offering a great range of fun activities for the whole family. Located off Samui Ring Road in the soi leading to Amarina Residence, the park features a long-list of activities and attractions apt to entertain little ones as well as their parents. The main attraction is the Waterpark which counts seven water slides and four pools. For those who want to enjoy a big thrill, the Air Bag Jump and the Bungee Trampoline will surely boost the adrenaline level; Bumper Boats are waiting those who like to push, bump, shove and spray in a wave of fun; Tree to Tree Adventure is a playground in the trees featuring aerial ropes courses, zip-lines and tree top obstacles (different courses are available according to participants’ age and size); two Go-Kart tracks are waiting for the would-be Michael Schumacher, while the Inflatable Castle will entertain the little ones for hours. Food and drink are available onsite.

Thai Boxing is the national sport in Thailand, and as in most villages in the country, Lamai hosts Thai boxing schools as well as an original Thai Boxing Stadium. Slightly less popular than Chaweng’s Petchbuncha Boxing Stadium which is the heart of Samui’s Muay Thai world, Lamai Boxing Stadium has some great fights every Saturday from 21:00 onwards. The originality of Lamai Boxing Stadium comes from the fact that lady fights are organised here for the great pleasure of visitors: the ladies who fight usually work at the beer bars set all around the ring. For those who would like to be initiated to the ancestral art of Thai boxing, the most popular place available in the area is Lamai Muay Thai Camp located in the southern area of Lamai, near Lamai Buri Resort. Other Thai boxing camps based in Lamai are Wech Pinyo Muay Thai Gym (on Samui Ring Road, near Lamai Temple) and Jun Muay Thai (off Samui Ring Road on the soi leading to Montra Hotel)

Lamai Night Plaza is a mini-version of Bangkok's Patpong night market located in the centre of Lamai town, diagonally opposite McDonald's and leading to a bar beer square. At first glance, Lamai Night Plaza seems like Knockoff Paradise but after a stroll up and down the lines of stands it becomes plain that there are also local goods on sale here from lots of pirated goods to copied clothes to trashy 'Swiss' army knives to the usual displays of flip-flops. It's a fun place to get your shopping in. This night bazaar is not as noisy as Chaweng’s version and even has a food centre, café and a pub to the side. Take your time and remember to smile throughout transactions and bartering. Do not pay the original asking price; you’re expected to bargain.

Lamai Viewpoint is a selection of three natural attractions and an exciting ride, all in one well-developed location. Found just off the main Koh Samui ring road, close to the access road for Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks, it offers impressive views and great photo opportunities within easy reach of Lamai Beach. The multi-lingual staff offer you a choice of two packages. For 100 baht, you can see the Valentine Stone, Siva Tara Waterfall and Lamai Viewpoint itself. For 800 baht, you get all that plus a zip line ride across the nearby valley, giving you an exciting and unique view across Lamai. The park also has a restaurant by the entrance and a bar at the viewpoint.

Hin Ta and Hin Yai, some fascinating rock formations on Koh Samui’s south coast, have been a source of mirth and wonder on the island since they were discovered by the locals many years back. Art often imitates Nature, but less common is Nature imitating Art, especially the Art of the Ribald. But in Thailand anything is possible and these rocks, known as Grandpa (Ta) and Grandma (Yai), look, respectively, like male and female genitalia. Set on the rocky coastline between Lamai and Hua Thanon, Hin Ta and Hin Yai raise indulgent chuckles or embarrassed titters from those who go to see them. This unusual and titillating sight has, naturally, given rise to a colourful legend explaining how the rocks came into being.

Wat Khunaram is the last residence of Koh Samui’s Mummified Monk. It is an unusual sight; a unique insight into Buddhist and Thai culture. The monk Luong Pordaeng died in 1973 in a seated meditative position and ever since his body has been on display in an upright glass case at the temple. Remarkably, even more than 30 years on, the monk’s body shows little sign of decay. For some visitors, having a dead man in full view might be a shocking sight, but for Thais it is something to reflect upon and revere. Aside from the Mummified Monk, Wat Khunaram is a fairly typical Buddhist temple, where local people come to make merit and pray daily. Amulets and other Buddhist artifacts may be bought, and visitors are welcome to join or observe the daily rituals and have a look around.