Exploring Koh Samui
Big Buddha
In the morning we pick up our rental car from the airport. Koh Samui is expensive for Thailand and South East Asia.
They drive on the left side of the road. John adjusts to this no problem. Between that, all the motorcycles and the road conditions, I have no interest in driving.
Our first stop is the Big Buddha. I love the South East Asian Buddhist temples. They are so vibrant ànd colourful but still very peaceful. The sea in the background is the perfect foil. The Temple is located not far from the airport so from time to time we see airplanes arriving.
Just outside of the temple are a bunch of independent shops and restaurants. John and I stop at a waterfront restaurant for my daily fresh coconut water and John’s mango juice.
We are keeping track of the Canada and US hockey game. Gotta love having data.
Lad Koh Viewpoint
Our next stop is Lad Koh Viewpoint which gives us a gorgeous view of Chaweng Beach.
We are now travelling into the other side of the island so the traffic is a bit calmer.
Mummified Monk
Our next temple is Wat Khunaram which is known for its mummified monk. The monk (Luong Pordaeng) died during his meditation in 1973. He was mummified in his meditation pose and placed in a glass case. For some reason he is wearing sunglasses and there are offerings of all kinds of sunglasses around the case.
Lame Sor Pagoda
Laem Sor Pagoda is our next stop. This beautiful, golden temple is situated between jungle vegetation and the sea. There are not many people here which makes it even more lovely. I love the Naga (a sacred spirit snake). They usually have one to seven heads but always odd numbered. These are usually seen on all the temples.
For lunch we go to an out of the way restaurant called Mor Din Restaurant. This is run by a middle aged couple in a jungle like surrounding. We are the only ones here. It is an outdoor garden seating and chickens are running around. We make our order and salivate over the delicious smells coming out of the kitchen. The Thai meal is every bit as tasty as it smells. Yum.
Tarnim Magic Garden
Our final stop for the day is the Secret Buddha Garden also known as Tarnim Magic Garden. To get there we have to drive up a narrow, steep and serpentine road in the jungle covered mountain. You never know what’s going to be barreling down around the next corner. I am a bit stressed but John seems to be enjoying the drive.
And the drive is well worth it. The gardens are wild and beautiful. As John says, it is Hobbiton with a mythical Thai theme. It really does feel magical. I have to keep watching the ground when I walk because the ground and steps are very uneven and mossy in parts. There are enchanted houses and statues throughout the 
vegetation. So very whimsical.
Our Airbnb Accomodations
It’s time to check into our accommodations for the next three nights. These are our splurge nights and the Airbnb is well worth the splurge. There are six villas in a jungle setting. Our villa is big with lots of windows, a kitchen, livingroom, large bathroom and huge bedroom with a king bed. Best of all is the large covered deck.
A stream runs through the property and the beach on the edge of the property is a two minute walk away.
Sunset at Island View Restaurant
We walk (about ten minutes) to the Island View Restaurant on the beach where we watch the sunset.
The tide is out so we walk back to our villa along the beach.
