Chaweng Beach is where most travellers end up, tons of hostels and resorts, lots of danceclubs and miles and miles of great beach, but it is worth to explore the rest of the island which is quieter and still has lots of other nice beaches. Transport on Samui tends to be on the expensive side, so it might be wise to hire a scooter, prices in Samui generally are higher then the rest of Thailand.

definitely nix on the bike then ;^) -- i tried learning several times when i lived on koh phangan, but realized that the learning curve was going to take a while, and it wasn't safe for me or for others on the road in the meantime. i might try again when i move to chiang rai, but for now, we're all better off if i'm not on a bike ;^)

have a fantastic trip!

I do appreciate you giving me some legitimate advice, so thank you. I didn't really take the suggestion of spending a few grand island hopping seriously but I just wanted to avoid another war of words with people on this particular tribe. Look, I'm merely someone who gets one chance every few years to spend a limited amount of time taking a big trip to a part of the world that interests me. I'm not going to Asia to traipse around carelessly or thoughtlessly. I am someone who travels with the greatest preparation and respect for the cultures of the countries which I visit. Plus, a budding career, along with all of the work involved in getting it on track, bars me from the luxury of living overseas for months at a time getting to know every nook and cranny of foreign countries. I have no idea what kind of ugly or boorish behavior you've encountered while living abroad, and maybe there's a lot more of it in Thailand (judging from the number of uptight reactions I've gotten to my travel plans). Hell, I know that when I lived in France I'd cringe to see how my fellow americans behaved when they'd tour around. I guess the lesson to be learned is - please don't make judgements until you get to know a person or situation, or at least walk in their shoes. Why become annoyed by people who are excited to go on a trip and who seek out advice from what are assumed to be fellow travelers and enlightened, worldly souls?

Isn't it simply great that we are curious about the world and that we are afforded any opportunity, whether big or small, to get out there and see the it? Something which I wish more people would do, it can only make the world a better place if we all were to obtain the wisdom gained from exposure to many different ways of life and ways of being. To me, travel is the most uplifting and positive experience to be had and I will strive to maintain that.

i've spent years in thailand too... so? i mostly live in san francisco... if someone wanted to know the best things to do in a few days, would i get all snarky with them, since to really experience san francisco, you should live here? of course not.

so thanks for giving some real information to vanessa, since you're an expert in the area. i've been intending to see that side of the country, and have koh chang near ranong on my list. met a guy who lives there, off the grid, when i was stuck in taipei during the bkk airport protests, and it sounds lovely. my old haunts have gotten overbuilt, and i need a new simpler environment for my island time.