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Animals and Animal Shows

Monkeys
On Samui, the monkey undoubtedly qualifies as man's best friend. This isn't surprising, since for centuries the people here have used monkeys to do the hardest part of the work climbing the trees to pick ripe nuts on their coconut plantations. To see the monkeys at work just watch out for signs at the roadside which say "Monkey work coconut" or go to the monkey theatre which offers shows in which the monkeys display their dexterity, and not just at picking coconuts. Look for the theatre on the main road behind Bophut village. Show times at 10:30am, 2 pm and 4pm daily. Contact: Tel.: 071380018 & 091189688
> Do you know? Monkeys are trained at the monkey school in Surat Thani and can pick 700 - 1000 coconuts per day!

Buffalos
These heavyweights are mostly involved in fighting as there is no (rice) farming anymore on Samui. This is a sport specific to the south of Thailand and on Samui it generates a great deal of excitement. There are about a half dozen rough " stadiums" around the island, most being no more than a cleared area under the palms with a wall of bamboo matting or coconut leaves to hinder the view of those who haven't paid for a seat. Contact: Tel.: 077418680
> Do you know? The Thai swamp buffalo is called "Ai Tui" in Thai language which means "it is an honest royal worker".20 years ago the buffalo population in Thailand was app. 6 million which has now declined to app. 1,5 million. A female buffalo weighs app. 350-450 kg and a male app. 450-600 kg and they can work for 14 years and get up to 20 years old.

Butterflies
Visiting a butterfly farm is a great way of getting up close to some beautiful creatures that one would otherwise only ever see as a flash of vivid color against green forest. The butterflies on the Samui farm flit about naturally amid tropical foliage, but they can't completely escape from view. Open: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Fee: 120 Baht for adults, 60 Baht for kids under 12 years.
> Do you know? There are app. 520 species of butterflies in Thailand.

Snakes
Samui snake farm is located at Talingngam on the south of the island. As its name implies, it is where all kinds of snakes and reptiles are gathered. An exciting part is a fight between man and scorpion, and even centipede (a show unique here). These natural shows are presented in line with the highest standards of Thailand. Visitors can be assured of 100 percent safety during the performances. Showtime: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. daily. Fee is 250/150 Bahtadult/kids
> Do you know? There are about 163 species of snake in Thailand, 85 of which are venomous. The largest snake ever discovered was a 32 foot long python, found in the jungles of Thailand.

Marine Life / Tiger / Birds
Watching all kind of marine life requires to go snorkeling be a diver and moving around the surrounding islands.
BUT you do not have to get wet to enjoy Samui's stunning underwater world.
Just visit Samui Aquarium & Tiger Zoo which has been fascinating visitors with their marvelous collection of tropical marine life such as sharks, tropical fish and innumerable other colorful species of aquatic creatures, including turtles which are displayed in vast tanks that line either side of a 120meter long cave-like tunnel.
> Do you know? Thailand has more than 900 species of birds, app. 250 wild tigers and app. 650 species of freshwater fishes. The largest freshwater fish ever recorded - a Mekong Giant Catfish - was caught in Northern Thailand in May 2005. The fish was 2,7 meters long and weight 293 kg.

Sea Lions
Would you like to be a Sea Lion Trainer for a day? International Sea Lion Search and Rescue (ISS&R) is currently in residence at the Samui Orchid Resort on Samui Island in the Gulf of Thailand. ISS&R's principal mission is to train sea lions for use in search and rescue efforts that can save lives.
-- Daily sessions -- 10:00, 12:00 and 15:00 -- Monday Sea lion day off....

Crocodile Farm
Samui Crocodile farm is located behind the airport and easy to find. On an area of 7,000 sqm you can find app. 100 animals of various kinds like Siam crocodiles, caimans, Saltwater crocodiles, snakes, lizards, monkeys and many others. Showtime is two times daily, at 1400h and 1630h.
> Do you know? There are three types of crocodile in Thailand, two of which are believed to be extinct in the wild. Of the third, the Siamese crocodile, there are less than 200 left in the world. Crocodiles can go up to 18 months without eating.

Elephants
Did you ever want to ride an elephant? If the answer is yes just head down to Namuang Waterfall where you can find the elephant camp at Namuang Safari Park. The ride lasts app. 30 minutes and costs about 500-700 Baht. You also can join one of the safari tours which mostly includes a elephant ride.
> Do you know? Elephants are herbivores and will consume about 2-300kg of food per day, and 150 liters of water. Elephants may be heavy animals, but they can run up to 15 miles per hour.
Samui Mountain Tours
Samui Safari