(Also published in Skift)
Like hotels/resorts are classified as ‘leisure,’ ‘spa,’ etc, if there is a classification for airports, then the Samui airport in Koh Samui might well be called as a leisure airport. Right from the time we hit the tarmac, the airport amused us. With thatched roofs, well-manicured green lawns and gardens close to the runway, it seemed that we landed in the midst of a resort. The next surprise was the electric- powered buggies that ferried the passengers from the flight to some of the thatched roofs, which happened to be the terminal. After that, everything we saw was interesting. Except for a few gift shops and the new waiting hall at the departure, the airport really has no indoor area.
Samui airport is considered one of the most beautiful airports and a “successful experiment in building an airport that is kind to both the natural and cultural environments of a tropical island resort.”
The leisure and stress-free airport—see them in pictures.
Koh Samui is an island off the coast of Thailand and the third largest after Phuket and Ko Chang. Samui airport is Thailand’s sixth busiest airport and is privately owned by Bangkok Airways.
What a beautiful airport – that’s how they all should be. Instead what we have are prisons really.
With all the tight security, our airports indeed are like prisons! 🙂