So the wedding day passed, our true adventure began and we thought it time to see the rest of this island. With little trust in our ability to hire bikes or a scooter, we opted for the paid tour option which took in the main sights.

Like much of Thailand, Samui has its very own Golden Buddha, a Big Buddha and before long we had the tacky joy of visiting the coconut farm (think coconut palms with trained monkeys who’ll climb up and pick the coconuts).

Golden Buddha

This little jaunt did present a couple of highlights however, both at our final two destinations. The latter of these was a beautiful waterfall, reached only after a near vertical climb up a dirt patch. Our reward at the top of this ascent were beautiful panoramic views, coupled with the chance for a quick dip (a small area of the waterfall had been dammed, providing a wonderful swimming hole).

The cascading falls

The reward for our climb

The watering hole

Our previous stop had been Samui’s famous Mummified Monk. According to local legend, upon he’s death, his body became perfectly preserved, without the use of any embalming agents or other such mummification processes. As his fame grew in death, sunglasses were added to his attire so as to not shock too many new tourists.

The Mummified Monk, complete with sunglasses

As others from our small tour group explored an adjacent temple, a local vendor hovered nearby and it was from him that I enjoyed my first ever banana pancake. This may sound anti-climactic, however to appreciate where I am coming from here, I should explain further. All over Thailand (as I would come to learn), this sweet street treat is sold for as little as 10 baht. It involves an extremely thin roti, cooked in a hot pan with sliced banana within (some people also add chocolate, cinnamon, nutella or any number of “enhancements”). The roti is folded to create a delicate parcel, which is cooked until slightly crisp. The article is finished with a drizzle of condensed milk and in some instances, a sprinkling of raw sugar.

This was bliss, and a fitting way to end our time in Samui, return to Bangkok and continue the rest of our adventure.