Lamai Beach Activities

Karate

Samui's own Karate Kid, Geoff Pickup has been teaching full time since becoming a black belt and arrived on Samui in 1992 to establish his own Dojo.

The school is located in the hills behind Lamai and has become a popular spot for local expats to develop theirchi and learn the basics of Goju Ryu Karate. One-hour Self Defence classes are available three mornings a week and are an ideal introduction to Goju Ryu. Everyone from 16 years old upwards is welcome to join and classes cost around 500 baht per hour. Bungalows for full karate retreats are available.

Spa Samui Resort

Spread over two locations in Lamai - one beachside and one in the hills, Spa Samui Resort is now famous worldwide for its fasting and cleansing programmes, and kick-started the whole trend for alternative health spas with its opening in 1992. Fasting packages range from one day to seven days and are augmented by reflexology, meditation and yoga classes.

For the passing visitor there's also massages, including Thaiatsu, Aroma Oil and Healing Clay, facials and other treatments on offer. Their mostly vegetarian restaurant (same menu at both sites) was recently voted one of the fifty best restaurants in the world by an international magazine and serves a huge array of salads and health shakes unavailable elsewhere on the island.

Accommodation is available at both locations although the hillside site is much newer and its bungalows are a higher quality than those on the beach.

Mountain Biking

One alternative way to explore Koh Samui is by bicycle. Red Bicycle in Lamai offers guided tours around the island, bike rentals and sales. They stock quality bicycle brands such as Cannondale and provide all equipment from helmets to kneepads. All trips are led by experienced guides fully trained in first aid response.

Red Bicycle also provides insurance to all riders.