Our 3rd Honeymoon in Koh Samui

A lot can happen in two years of marriage. In two years we have lived in 3 homes, 2 different states, and 2 different countries. In 2 years we have traveled to 6 countries, 8 states (technically more if you count simply driving through them on road trips), and countless beaches. But of all our travels, our recent “3rd honeymoon” trip is among my top favorites.

If you ever have a chance to visit Koh Samui, Thailand- go! Honestly, it wasn’t even on my list of places to visit while living in Thailand. I figured it was overly touristy and there were far better beach options, until I saw the luxurious Koh Samui villas available for rent for next to nothing. While Thailand does have a plethora of incredible secret beaches, I now understand why Samui is so popular. The water is perfect, the weather is incredible, and the views are breathtaking. We did not want to leave! Oh, and did I mention you can get coconut oil massages in serene beachfront bungalows for $12/hour? Yes, we did get more than one.

We stayed at the Marina Beach Resort on Lamai beach for about $26/night- score! Our resort was located near the end of the beach strip which meant we were close enough to walk to all the shops and restaurants but not deep enough in the strip to be overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle- and our part of the beach was quieter! Lamai is considered the second prettiest beach on the island but we love it for the incredible night markets! The street vendors here have THE best food, fruity drinks are available everywhere, and you can buy all types of gifts and goodies. And the local artists are phenomenal. If we had an actual home, I would have bought far too much art! When we return to Samui, we will definitely have to keep Lamai as a home base option- it will all depend on prices :)

If you ever visit Samui, we highly recommend visiting Chaweng for the beach- best at sunrise, it is empty and the sunrises are INCREDIBLE {which you may have seen on my instagram}. We got our first massages on this beach. Chaweng also has endless shopping and dining options. Although, I would avoid this area like the plague at night… It gets quite rowdy. When visiting Chaweng you MUST drive to the viewpoint between Chaweng beach and Lamai beach. It may be one of the prettiest views I have ever seen. Caleb and I brought a bottle of champagne and some goodies there and just soaked in God’s glorious creation during sunset. And a local Thai woman sells homemade coconut ice cream up there for less than $1- need I say more?

One of our other favorite beaches was Mae Nam. This was easily the quietest beach with the prettiest resorts. It is much more family oriented and much more our style. We even became friends with an Italian couple on this beach. While the water is not quite as breathtakingly blue, it is still spectacular. And you can see a plethora of the surrounding islands while you lounge in your hammock or beach chair. Caleb and I spent the day walking the beach, playing paddle board (we got ours’ from https://www.ourbeautifulplanet.org/best-paddle-boards-for-beginners/) in the water and basking in the sun- oh, and of course getting a couple more massages.

Our time in Samui was filled with infinite ‘I love you’s, too many breathtaking views to count, moments of pure bliss, and endless praises to our Heavenly Father for creating such a gorgeous little island. If you visit Samui rent a motorbike- I promise it is THE best way to get around the island. Trust me, you won’t regret it!