ofThailandandaresituatedinthecentreofisland,whichis
mountainous.Monkeysaretrainedtoharvestthecoconuts,
duetothedangerousnatureoftheprofession(andbecausethe
monkeysaresoefficientatthejob!),andassuchareconsidered
prizedpets.Coconutdominatestheisland’scuisine,fromthe
fresh juice to the cream used in a variety of curries and desserts.
Food lovers (and lounge lizards)
arespoiltforchoicewhenitcomes
to accommodation on the island, but
The Libraryisthepickofthebunch.
Namedaftertheideathatguestswrite
theirownstories(eachvillaorroom
also takes its name from a chapter), the
quietlysophisticatedhotelissituatedin
themiddleoftheaction,butmanages
to feel completely separate from the
vibrant party bars scattered on the
northendofChawengBeach.The
service is remarkable. We were greeted on arrival at 7.30am
with a scoop of orange sorbet and homemade lemonade, which
made our kids’ day.
Withonly46studiosorsuitesspreadover12,800square
metres,theelegantbutlaid-backvibeisunique(itsappealing
mantra is ‘zero attitude’), with plenty of space for families
andhoneymooners.Perhapsoneofitsbiggestdrawcardsis
itsInstagram-worthy,spectacular‘redpool’.Thereisalsoa
bookandCDdepositorywhereyoucanborrowafewgreat
reads,andoursuiteboastedthelargestbedwe’veeverseen
(Brangelina-style, sleeping 6-8), which emphasises the
impression that everything in the resort is dedicated to comfort.
Even if you’re not staying on site, the restaurant or wine bar
isworthavisitforitshigh-qualitylocalfood.ResidentchefEric
Adnanissoaccommodatingofourdietaryrequirements,heeven
createsnewdishesforusandsendsmeawaywithyamflourand
bags of roasted chickpeas to try. He tested some fresh menu
ideasonourkids,andgotthethumbsupona‘tomyum’pizza.
CanvasWineBarisTheLibrary’sbottleshop,andnext
door, theDrink Gallerysellsaselectionofgoodwinesand
Champagnebythebottle.It’sanupmarketbar(hardtofind
in Koh Samui) sitting on bustling Chaweng Beach Road among
budgetsupermarkets,tailorshopsandstallssellingfake
designermerchandise.There’sa‘cocktailbuffet’,whichsounds
grimbutisreallyjustgoodvalue.Fortwohoursyoucanorder
as many drinks as you can handle for 1500 baht (about $65). The
cocktailsarestandout,andyounameit,they’llmakeit.There’s
an excellent Thai sharing menu (Thai tapas) – the mini massaman
curry was a highlight.
The resort’s signature restaurant,The Page, features a
beachfront deck and exceptional interior design. It’s hard to
imagine somewhere better to soak up another day sipping on
a cocktail or coconut sitting metres from the ocean. Specialising
in traditional old-kingdom Thai food that
has disappeared from many modern
menus,theseafoodisexceptional,and
smalltoucheslikeatamarindsorbet
palate cleanser lend a special feel
among the bejewelled-sandals set.
Breakfast Culture is another unique
offeringatTheLibrary,whereyoucan
delightinbreakfastinbed...onthe
beach, and the Beach Bar cranks up every
dayforHappyHour.Bewarned:stayfor
acocktailandyoumaywellendupmaroonedonabeachbean
bagasyoucontemplatetheridiculousplasticpooltoysor
purchases you’ve just succumbed to from a very persistent
beach vendor.
Forothersophisticateddiningoptions,localsrecommend
Dining on The RocksatSixSensesSamuiandTree Tops Sky
Dining & BaratAnantara,orpopuptotheJungle Club,which
sitsontopofamountainashortdrivefromChaweng.After
whatseemslikeyou’vemotoredupaverticalincline,the
resultingviewisunrivalled.Beanbags,lanternsandarelaxed
bar make it a great spot for a drink while you watch the sun set
over crystal blue waters.“IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE
SOMEWHERE BETTER
TO SOAK UP ANOTHER
DAY SIPPING ON A
COCKTAIL, JUST METRES
FROM THE OCEAN.”
An extravagant movie
night at The Writer villa.POSTCARD.
delicious.com.au 23