Thursday 13 October 2011

Choeng Mon

 
Choeng Mon is the name of a beach on the northeast peninsula of Koh Samui. It is an area that is blessed with some of the best and most peaceful beaches on the island. It is also an area that is ideally located near a number of good beaches, transport hubs and shopping areas. It is no surprise therefore that some of the best hotels in Koh Samui are located in Choeng Mon.

The beach at Choeng Mon is wide and sweeps in a crescent around a bay on the peninsula. It is blessed with the same fine white sand that is found at Chaweng and Lamai. Unlike many of the beaches in Koh Samui, especially in the south and west, the sea bed is sandy and free of dead corals that can cut the feet of swimmers.

The atmosphere of Choeng Mon is very different from the nearby beaches of Bophut and Chaweng. Despite the high quality of the beach the area is free of an urban center. There a few shops and bars but nothing that really qualifies as nightlife. This is not an area where men prowl for sex workers or young people go to listen to dance music. The peace and quiet along with the great beach are the great draw cards for Choeng Mon. Residents at Choeng Mon have the option to make the short journey to Chaweng or Bophut if they want bars, live music and other night diversions.

The location of Choeng Mon is another noteworthy point about the beach. Not only is it close to Chaweng and Bophut it is also just 10 minutes from Samui Airport. Other transport hubs nearby are Big Buddha pier (ferries to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao) and Maenam pier (ferries and speed boats to Haad Rin and Thong Nai Pan in Koh Phangan). Luckily Choeng Mon is not under the flight paths from the airport, unlike Big Buddha beach.

Choeng Mon is also not far away from Big C supermarket and Tesco Lotus supermarket that have a wide variety of products for sale at very reasonable prices. Tesco Lotus also has a cheap food court with lots of Thai dishes on offer.

Also Choeng is very close to the iconic Big Buddha statue in Bang Rak. It is a 12 meter high golden Buddha statue at the top of a wide staircase that has become one of the strongest symbols for Koh Samui.

Cheong Mon accommodation is some of the best in Koh Samui. The best hotel is the Sala Samui Resort and Spa that features some of the most stunning architecture and interior design on the island. Sala Samui has taken the best of modern Thai design to make an exclusive resort that features pool villas with open air baths. The resort has 2 communal swimming pools, a boardroom, floating massage salas and 80 meters of private beachfront.

Not as architecturally successful but very ambitious is the Imperial Boat House Beach Resort. The theme is rice barges. All the accommodations are shaped as boats. The large central pool is also in a boat shape. The effect is like a fishing fleet that has been flung into the jungle by a tidal wave.

Q Signature Samui is perched on a hill near the beach. It brings a touch of boutique style to its aesthetic using Thai sloping roofs. It is located at the southern end of Choeng Mon Bay.

For those on a budget Choengmon Buri Hotel is a 1 minute walk from the beach and has air-con rooms with hot water, fridge and TV starting at 680 Thai Baht a night.

For convenience, for tranquility, for quality of beach, for stylish accommodation it is hard to find better on Koh Samui than Choeng Mon.

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