Koh Samui -- a quick festive introduction

Season's greetings, everyone. I just arrived in Samui by train from Bangkok via Surat Thani then ferry across to the island. That little 14 hour journey will be a blog in itself in the the next few days once I've scrubbed the smell of Koh Panghan-bound backpackers out of me completely!

I am now writing this from a lovely pool villa at the all-new Anantara Lawana villas at north Chaweng, the ound of gushing spas and birds chirping from bamboo trees outside an utter, utter distraction to my writing as you can imagine.

Over the next few days, I will throw myself into researching the Anantara, the Kirimaya resorts (x 2), Coral Cove Resort, and Mai Samui Resort. It's the sort of selfless thing I do for you, dear readers, festive season notwithstanding. While others nurse egg nog round a log fire, I am working, working, working. Still I don't look for sympathy from you, becuase I know it won't be forthcoming ... not even at Christmas time.

I'm looking forward to checking out and sharing Samui with you. Been about 7 years since I've been here, and I hardly recognize it. But, the quality of the development is what excites me: a lot of good taste on show ...