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LIVING IN KOH SAMUI<br />
Koh <strong>Samui</strong>’s enduring appeal as one of the world’s<br />
top holiday destinations has inspired many people to<br />
relocate to the island, either choosing to make it their<br />
permanent home or spending extended amounts of<br />
time living what those in less blessed locations would<br />
understandably consider an idyllic lifestyle.<br />
In the last ten years, the island has developed into<br />
a full service destination and the range of facilities,<br />
amenities and services has therefore expanded<br />
considerably, making <strong>Samui</strong> one of very few places<br />
in the world where you can literally choose your<br />
preferences, both in terms of the way you pass your<br />
days and nights and also the amount of money you<br />
want to spend.<br />
Although the island’s tourist and residential worlds<br />
often collide, they can also be very distinctive. But<br />
in terms of choice, both groups benefit from the<br />
island’s incredibly diverse and eclectic offerings,<br />
whether in terms of accommodation, retail, dining,<br />
entertainment, health or adventure. As a long term<br />
resident on <strong>Samui</strong>, if you stop to consider the sheer<br />
extent of comfort and convenience on offer around<br />
the island<br />
today it’s sometimes difficult to remember that you<br />
are living on a small island in the Gulf of Thailand.<br />
As soon as you leave the beach you are spoilt for<br />
choice - shopping malls such as Tesco Lotus and Big<br />
C stock all the daily necessities and more, specialist<br />
outlets like Tops Supermarket and Villa in Lamai offer<br />
indulgent imported goods, while 7Elevens, Family<br />
Mart outlets and local shops make impulse buying a<br />
an easy option, even at 4 in the morning. A selection<br />
of fresh food markets also cater to an ever growing<br />
Thai community with everything from rice by the kilo<br />
to fresh Tiger Prawns sold by the kilo at what are very<br />
reasonable prices when compared to the deli<br />
counters of most western supermarkets.<br />
For those who prefer to dine out, <strong>Samui</strong> has<br />
developed a deserved reputation a s gourmet<br />
paradise with an enviable choice of restaurants,<br />
their menus often created by chef’s of international<br />
repute and wine lists that rival those in some of the<br />
samui phangan real estate 115
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