A Resort in an Airport: Koh Samui ( USM )

 

 

Why I liked Koh Samui Airport and you too would

 

The moment I got my Visa on Arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport we rushed towards our connecting flight to Koh Samui a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand. It is a short flight from Bangkok and soon the land gave way to turquoise waters of Gulf of Thailand below and the azure heavens above us. The clouds were playing hide and seek and from the height of 30000 + feet Bangkok Airlines jet was flying, it was tough to say where the kingdom of Zeus ended and the Poseidon started to play with waves.

 

Where the heavens end and ocean begins ?

I kept my Sony Xperia Z3 compact on flight mode and clicked some pictures as we descended towards the Koh Samui Airport.

We could see boats in the Turquoise waters of Bay of Thailand

We could see boats parked anchored next to the airport and I was wondering where will we land, as one side was water and on the other side was a small hill. But there was a runway below me which I could not see as I was not flying the plane, but I am sure the pilots could see the same as they landed the plane without any hitch.

Tram like buses of Koh Samui Airport

 

Some believe that the Garden of Eden was on a tropical island, though there was no mention of the garden being in an airport.  But Koh Samui airport ( IATA code: USM ) comes close to the same.  As I got out of the plane, I thought by mistake the pilot has landed the plane in a tram station or golf resort.

 

Koh Samui Airport looks like a Golf Resort

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For soon our plane was surrounded by old tram shaped small buses to take us to the arrival lounge. While we waited for our luggage to arrive a few clicks were in order. Take a man to a tropical island and see the boy in him come back to play.  There were no signs to warn us of the consequences of clicking pictures,  one of the staff at the airport volunteered to click our pictures.

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My fellow travelers Mr. Deepak Arora, TAT Delhi, and  Mr. Sanjay Pahwa, Editor in Chief: Voice of Chandigarh Newspaper

 

Who will not click pictures with such Welcome Signs?

 

But the true charms of the Koh Samui airport we discovered on our return journey. We reached the airport on time but our flight got delayed, with no clear announcement. But the modern traveler can forget all his woes the moment you give him free Wi-Fi, soon all those who were irritated at the delay were found sticking their nose in their phones.

As for your friendly neighborhood desi traveler, he decided to explore the Koh Samui airport designed as a tropical resort.  After security, you actually pass from a covered corridor looking at shops displaying gifts, souvenirs and designer clothes. Everywhere you look or click some flowers come in your frame, forcing you to slow down with their bright smiles.

No matter where you looked Koh Samui Airport has flowers smiling at you    

 

Bougainvillea flowers and those in the background are Frangipani trees

 

These Red Flowers dominated the walk towards the lounge

The main waiting lounge had comfortable sofas but our modern travelers were checking the selfies posted by the second cousin twice removed and not checking the snacks counter of Bangkok airways. I made no such mistake and did complete justice to the different types of coffees, fruits, and sandwiches and other snacks, etc. all because the flight got delayed, otherwise, I don’t eat much. But give me a delayed flight and my hunger pangs start troubling me and all kinds of weird questions come to my empty I mean mind, and only way I can keep my mind from thinking useless things is to keep my taste buds busy. Wifi or no Wifi. I need some food for thoughts and stomach.

The lounge opened to the runway with stunning views of planes landing and taking off

 

 

I don’t think even 10% of the people were interested in snacks, give folks free Wi-Fi and they don’t even care about free food. Such is the power of free Wi-Fi.

Well nobody seems to be hungry when you have free Wi-Fi around

Clicking pictures, enjoying snacks and free Wi-Fi we totally forgot the delayed flight, but soon an airline employee came to us informing us that our flight has been announced. We walked towards the plane, but not before one last picture at the Koh Samui Airport.

Good Bye Koh Samui: Mr. Sanjay Pahwa, Editor in Chief, Voice of Chandigarh Newspaper

 

Koh Samui airport is well connected to Bangkok and many other international cities and Visa on Arrival Facility is available for 28 countries and territories including India.

I was invited by TAT New Delhi for my trip to Koh Samui and I had a great time. More posts to come.

All pictures in this post were clicked using my cellphone Sony Xperia Z3 Compact 

Other posts in the Amazing Thailand series

Elephant Parade

Visa on arrival checklist for Thailand 

Top 10 Experiences in Amazing Thailand

Anantara Riverside Resort Bangkok

 

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