I first came to Koh Samui 13 years ago when it was still a bit of a hippy paradise. It was about the time that the film version of Alex Garland’s book The Beach – starring Leonardo DiCaprio – was released.
Suddenly there were lots of people all milling around Thailand looking for the perfect stretch of sand and hoping to find a never-ending party.
But while it had undoubtedly changed a lot rom the island coconut plantation it had been when first discovered by tourists in the Seventies, it still seemed very authentic to me.
Happy as sandgirls: Denise and daughter Betsy on the beach - there was plenty for both to do
What I particularly loved were the local people, who were really kind and very nice – I remember how much I’d enjoyed that first visit and had been waiting to go back ever since.
This time around, however, I would be seeing the island in style. And I wasn’t simply coming on holiday, I was in Koh Samui for a friend’s wedding, someone very close to me whom I’ve known for 22 years.
A big group of us had flown over: it was a real gathering of friends. There would, of course, be a hen party and the climax would be the marriage ceremony on the beach. While it sounded as if it might turn out to be a bit like a tropical-beach version of the movie Bridesmaids, I knew that it was going
to be a pretty sedate affair.
After all, I was travelling with my two-year-old daughter Betsy, and the trip came just before the start of the series of Strictly Come Dancing in which I was competing. So this was my last chance to recharge the batteries before what I knew was going to be a pretty intense period of work.
In Koh Samui, most of my friends stayed in private homes because they knew people who lived there. But Betsy and I stayed at the W Hotel, and I was delighted because over the years I’ve become a bit of a fan of these establishments.
Steps to serenity: The Big Buddha sits tall in Koh Samui, a colourful destination
I’ve stayed at the W in New York and I’ve been to the one in London, which I think is great. I had been keen to visit the W Retreat in Koh Samui because I’d heard good things about it. The hotel’s website paints a gorgeous picture, describing ‘the azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand’ meeting ‘palm tree groves boasting more species of coconuts than any other place on the planet’.
My expectations were high and I wasn’t disappointed. (The Tripadvisor reviews are an endless
stream of unmitigated praise, so I knew I was in for a good time.)
As soon as I arrived, I was astonished to see just how much Koh Samui has changed since my first visit. When I went on that trip with a boyfriend, the island was really not built up at all. There were little shacks on the beaches and the market at Chaweng had little old stalls.
Now everything has become so much more Westernised; there are ‘proper’ shops. I was amused to see that they’ve even got a Tesco there – and, of course, a Starbucks. If I were living on Koh Samui,
obviously I’d want to have a Tesco and a Starbucks, but I could understand how people who remember the island as it was are nostalgic for the way it used to be.
Sea of tranquility: White sand and azure water at Lamai beach on the island
However, as far as I was concerned, it was still just as lovely as I remembered. The locals are still warm and hospitable and I had every bit as much of a good time as I had on that first trip. Of course, I’m not the same person I was 13 years ago: I’ve travelled more and my expectations have changed.
In recent years, I’ve seen some fabulous holiday places. My favourite holiday destination is the Maldives – I don’t think there is anywhere that can compete. The islands there are just exquisite.
But while the Maldives is ultra-relaxing for me, it’s not an ideal destination for a two-year-old. I think Betsy would find the attractions of the Maldives slightly limited. Thailand, however, offers lots of fun and games for a toddler.
For example, we went on an outing to Fisherman’s Village, where there were loads of little market stalls. It was good fun. And we loved the Walking Street Market, which is a riot of colours, sounds and scents.
It’s a bargain-hunter’s paradise with everything from flip-flops to the latest in fashionable cosmetics. We also did some exploring, visiting the Big Buddha Temple which sits majestically on a small rocky
island off Koh Samui’s north-eastern corner.
Beach belles: Denise with Betsy at her friend's celebration, which proved to be an exotic affair
The golden, 36ft-tall seated Buddha statue, at the top of a huge flight of steps, was built in 1972 and is one of the island’s most popular attractions.
When you’re in Koh Samui, you have to do some of the classic tourist things. Ten of us, all different ages, went to a ladyboys show for my friend’s hen night, which was fun. Then came the wedding on
the beach, and it was just amazing.
The bride and groom arrived at the ceremony on an elephant. There were fireworks, and we all launched lanterns into the night sky.
It was really magical and probably one of the best weddings I’ve been to. It was a two-day celebration, because my friend had a traditional Thai wedding and then a Western wedding, so we had plenty of time to celebrate.
I can recommend a Thai wedding as a great way to tie the knot. The absolute ultimate pleasure of a Thai holiday for me, however, is the food: I love Thai food, and it was particularly good at the W Retreat, where the Kitchen Table restaurant served fabulous local fare and everything from curry to gourmet pizza and salads – a perfect selection if you have children with you.
Buzzing: The main street at Chaweng where Koh Samui comes alive at night
Another popular eating place was Namu, where they served Japanese cuisine. I loved the hotel’s Away spa, where I managed to find time for a couple of massages which were excellent. I never have spas at home because I don’t have enough time due to work commitments and looking after Betsy,
so to have a spa on holiday is a real treat for me.
Betsy coped well with the 12-hour flight to Thailand. It took a little while to adjust to bed times because of the six-hour time difference, and a couple of days to adjust to the humidity, which is normal for children, but after that she was fine.
I was really impressed by the way the staff helped her make the most of her holiday. Her favourite outing was going to get something to eat in Chaweng, which was buzzy and had lots of shops.
There was one little bar that we used to go to that was on the beach, and quite often they would have fireworks and things going on late at night. So a group of friends and I would go there to have
cocktails and Betsy would sit and have her juice with my friend’s little kids and watch all the fireworks. That was great fun.
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It was a shame that my husband Lee couldn’t have been with us in Thailand but he was travelling between London and LA a lot for jobs at the time. With both us in entertainment, it’s difficult to synchronise our working schedules so that we can have holidays at the same time.
Our next family holiday will also depend on work commitments, and we haven’t really got anything in the diary at the moment.
Hopefully we’ll be able to go to Disneyland Paris later this year. Betsy turns three next month, so we’re hoping to do it this year. I’ve been there before with friends, so we’re going to try to do that, because it’s pretty easy travelling over on the Eurostar.
Whatever we decide to do, it will all be very last-minute as I’ve got a theatre show that I’m working on. It’s a one-woman show, and that will be my main focus this year. That white beach and those massages seem such a long time ago now!
Travel Facts
Seasons (01244 202 002, www.seasons.co.uk) offers seven nights at the W Retreat Koh Samui (www.whotels.com/kohsamui) from £2,375. This includes flights from Heathrow on Thai Airways (www.thaiairways.co.uk), B&B, aromatherapy massage and transfers. For further information, visit www.tourismthailand.co.uk.