Travel

Koh Samui boasts majestic temples, forest spas and… delicious ITALIAN grub


SIPPING an Aperol spritz and working my way through a board of rich salami, pancetta and plum-sized olives, I felt like I was in a chic Italian city.

But no, I was in Koh Samui, the Thai paradise island better known for its Buddhas and beaches than its high-end cuisine. Until now, that is.

 The island of Koh Samui is known for its beaches and Buddhas

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The island of Koh Samui is known for its beaches and Buddhas

Paolo Migliorini, owner of Pepenero, is passionate about sourcing and serving up authentic Italian cuisine.He tells us the cold cuts are direct from his home town Piacenza and are far superior to those from its more famous neighbour, Parma. My husband and I polish off the whole lot.

Bruschetta with burrata whets our appetite for the main event — duck ragu with thick, fresh pappardelle ragu for me and rolled pork with smoked cheese and herbs for him. There is panna cotta for dessert and a nightcap of homemade orangecello.

I would be impressed with this kind of quality in a restaurant in Rome. Here, in Koh Samui, it seems miraculous.  Paolo is just one of a host of restaurateurs sticking their flag in the sand to say fine dining has arrived.

Ten minutes away at The Social Samui, Nottingham-born Martin Selby serves up a global menu. So you can have a runny scotch egg (I couldn’t resist), tuna tartare tacos and Sri Lankan fish curry followed by peanut butter creme brulee — if you can fit it all in.

 Paolo Migliorini, owner of Pepenero, is passionate about sourcing and serving up authentic Italian cuisine

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Paolo Migliorini, owner of Pepenero, is passionate about sourcing and serving up authentic Italian cuisine

When we visit, the place is buzzing. Couples and groups of friends flock there every night — for the food, the cocktails and for fodder for their social media.

The Social Samui is made for Instagram, although getting a selfie on a hammock over the sea just as the sun sets, and without spilling my drink, was way beyond me. It’s the same story over at uber-cool Chi, a restaurant with its own infinity pool.

You can grab a frozen porn star martini and hop up on a swing by the bar. Then simply pout, pose — and post to Instagram!

You can watch movies from a sun lounger on Thursdays and join in the all-day beach club parties on Fridays — just like the Towie crew did when they upgraded their annual Marbella vacation earlier this year.

 You can't visit Thailand without having a massaman curry

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You can’t visit Thailand without having a massaman curry
 At The Social Samui, Nottingham-born Martin Selby serves up a global menu - so you can have a runny scotch egg

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At The Social Samui, Nottingham-born Martin Selby serves up a global menu – so you can have a runny scotch egg

It is serious grown-up fun, with a serious menu, all curated by French owner ­Gaetan Bertin. This is where to come for modern Thai cuisine.

The coconut shrimp in shot glasses and chicken massaman were divine, and all served with style.

The house special fish pot is to die for. Nearby in the Fisherman’s Village, you can sip beers on beanbags on the beach while fearless fire-jugglers provide the entertainment.

All of these restaurants (and many more) are at the northern end of the island, and within a short cab ride of our super-luxurious accommodation, Outrigger.

 Emma was utterly spoilt with a huge one-bedroom villa with its own private pool

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Emma was utterly spoilt with a huge one-bedroom villa with its own private pool

We were utterly spoilt with a huge one-bedroom villa with its own private pool. Each day, guests in the plunge pool suites can choose from an evening meal, a massage or a cookery class, which is a brilliant idea.

If you want to eat out one night, you can have a massage instead without feeling that you’ve lost out. We tried all three options.

We had our first Thai massage — a bespoke jet-lag massage — the day we arrived after a long-haul flight via Singapore.

I’ve never had such an energetic massage before. It was so physical, I’m sure I burned calories. I thought I’d fall asleep but it was truly invigorating and got the blood circulating again. The next day we opted for the Blue Fire cooking class.

 It is worth spending several lazy hours chilling in the Tamarind Spa

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It is worth spending several lazy hours chilling in the Tamarind SpaCredit: @ Luca Tettoni

Chef Pai showed us how to whip up three classics — Tom yum soup, (very, very) spicy beef salad and pad Thai. It is so much easier when the ingredients are prepped and weighed ready — and you don’t have to clean your own pans!

Chopping lime leaves and the inch-thick lemon grass stalks (try fitting them in a spice jar) stokes the appetite — which is just as well as you get to eat all three afterwards!

It was easily the finest Thai meal I’ve ever made — though no match for the real deal served in the hotel’s Edgewater restaurant.

Sitting under an almond tree overlooking Hanuman Bay, we had the Samui Seafood Flavour menu — Tom Yum Talay soup, sea bass red curry and prawn in tamarind sauce with an excellent Thai rosé. Delish.

 Emma learned how to make some staple Thai dishes

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Emma learned how to make some staple Thai dishes

Aside from massages and sun-lounging, the days are easy to fill in Koh Samui, with excursions to see the famous Big Buddha, island boat trips, kayaking and snorkelling on offer.

You can head down the east coast and take a peek at the Grandfather and Grandmother rocks — it’s, erm, fairly obvious which one’s which.

 

And it is worth spending several lazy hours chilling in the Tamarind Spa. It is set in a forest and you wander along stepping- stone paths to discover steam caves and plunge pools hidden between trees and boulders.

You can stand by a waterfall doing your best Timotei impression (if no one’s looking) and take a light lunch of spring rolls and tofu cakes between dips. We left Koh Samui well fed, well refreshed and ready to recreate our own Thai feasts back at home.

I just need to convince the husband to replace the dining chairs with swings, and we are all set.

GO: KOH SAMUI

GETTING THERE/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ B&B at the 5H Outrigger Koh Samui is from £1,209pp including British Airways flights from Heathrow to Bangkok and internal flight to Koh Samui. See britishairways.com For the ultimate experience, seven nights’ B&B including spa treatment, half-board or cooking class is from £2,269 for two, excluding flights. See outrigger.com

Planes land at Phuket International Airport next to popular tourist spot Mai Khao Beach







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