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Adventures in a Thai paradise

Thailand's Koh Samui has beaches other islands can only dream about - dazzling white sands, a fringe of palms, the bluest of seas, tiny, picturesque islets tantalising just off shore. Widely acclaimed as the best beaches in south-east Asia they were even the inspiration for the book, The Beach. In fact, when it came to making the film, another site was chosen - Phuket in a different part of Thailand. But if Leonardo DiCaprio didn't make it to Koh Samui, he should have done, because he would have seen some of the most perfect beaches the planet has to offer.

Not surprisingly, holidays in Koh Samui revolve around those perfect beaches. Most visitors tend to lie on them all day, occasionally venturing into the water for a leisurely swim. The most beautiful are Chaweng and Lamai on the east coast and these are the most developed part of the island, offering the greatest range of hotels and restaurants. There are quieter, if less spectacular, beaches on the south and west coasts with Ao Phangka (Emerald Cove) and Ko Mad Sum being particularly worth a visit.

However, the island has much more to offer than just lying in the sun all day. There are waterfalls at Hin Lat and Na Muang, a massive seated Buddha on Fan Isle in Plai Laem Bay, a herbal garden at Bam Makam; a butterfly garden and honey farm in Lamai Bay; and a monkey training centre at Ban Khao Phra. You can get around in air-conditioned taxis or try the songthaews, which act as a cross between a taxi and a bus, travelling on a variety of set routes during the day or just picking people up and delivering them to their own destination. (Make sure you negotiate a price first, though.) Alternatively, you can hire a motorbike from one of the main beaches - watching out for the unmade roads, of course.

Koh Samui is spectacular on land but its waters are as great an attraction. Situated in the Gulf of Thailand (also known as the South China Sea), in the south-east of the country, the 247-square-kilometre island is surrounded by a warm, unpolluted sea. The water is alive with dolphins and mysterious manta rays, as well as brilliantly coloured reef fish like the blue and gold striped angel fish and the scarlet and white anemone fish. The best way to see them is to snorkel, especially around the 40-odd islands that form the Ang Thong National Marine Park. You can take tours through the park by boat, visiting rain-forested islands with extraordinary names like Koh Wua Talap (Sleeping Cow Island) or Koh Prayat (Economical Island). At Koh Sam Sao (Tripod Island) there are extensive coral reefs and a huge arch of rock. On Koh Mae Koh is the park's most famous feature - an emerald saltwater lake, Ang Thong or Golden Bowl, that gives its name to the entire park and was the original inspiration for The Beach.

The islands within the marine park have lots of animals to see when you go ashore, such as macaques, leopard cats, sea otters - all of them friendly due to the lack of predators. Birds include swiftlets who live in the caves and whose nests are used in bird's nest soup. Just watch out for the pythons! There are island walks to fantastic sunset views but remember to take walking shoes or sandals and plenty of water. As the Thais themselves say, they have three seasons - hot, very hot and too hot.

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