Thailand is a land of immense beauty – pristine beaches with blue waters, beautiful temples with immense Buddha statues and dense rainforests with elephants (of course there’s elephants! Who doesn’t love elephants?). If you could pick one place in Thailand to experience all of the above, it has to be KohSamui.

A quick internet search enables you with the knowledge that it is “Thailand’s second largest island, lies in the Gulf of Thailand” and is “known for its palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves and dense, mountainous rainforest, plus luxury resorts and posh spas.”

Yet, to fully appreciate the beauty of KohSamui, you need to skip the (in)famous Thai nightlife for once and rise nice and early. You wake up at 5AM, walk along the meandering well-trodden path from you resort to the golden sands of Lamai Beach for the perfect start to the day– a cool sea breeze greeting you as the sun rises from behind a veil of clouds across the sea.

By 6AM, it’s warm enough for you to head back indoors and catch up on any vestiges of sleep that might still remain.The day trip finally begins at 8AM (you can easily book a day-long conducted tour of the island that covers the most popular places), a simple tour around Route 4169, which is a 51 kilometer–long road encircling the island.

The first stop is the stunning WatPlaiLeam – a collection of multiple temples spread across a sprawling garden complex. The massive statues of Laughing Buddha and Guanyin - the goddess of compassion and mercy – are as beautiful as they are majestic. The nearby temple is an explosion of color, that is stands out in the bright sunlight.

The next stop is perhaps the most famous landmark of the island – the “Big Buddha” statue at WatPhraYai. The temple is situated atop hillock on KohPhan, a small island offshore from the northeastern area of KohSamui, and is connected to the main island by a short causeway. The huge golden statue of Buddha can be seen from a distance as during the approach to the temple.The long flight of stairs leads to the temple, and the 12m tall Buddha statue depicting Buddha in a state of calm and purity and resolve.

Once you’ve had your fill of gold, you move on to the next colour in the itinerary – blue. The Lad Koh Viewpoint is a small coastal stop that offers panoramic seaside views & has a small shaded pavilion with seating. Those interested can climb down a few flight of stairs on to the rocky cliffs that overlook the sea. The brilliant shades of blue on display offer a beautiful contrast to the bright colours on display at the different temples across the island.

A short distance away is HinTa - HinYai, the “Grandpa” and “Grandma” rocks. These natural rock formations have been shaped into forms resembling the human genitalia (hence the name), and are a popular tourist location.  The dark brown rocks provide a beautiful contrast against the blue.

Local restaurants provide a quick and short respite from the afternoon heat, and once the lunch is done, it’s on to the next destination – WatKunaram. This place is famous as the shrine of "the Mummy Monk", Luang Pho Daeng, who died in 1973. His mummified body is put on display as a reminder of the transience of human existence.

The late afternoon provides some much needed respite amidst the tropical jungle at surrounding KohSamui’slargest mountain, KhaoPom. The Na Muang waterfall is situated inland, far from the blue waters which have been a constant companion throughout the trip. The majestic set of two cascades shows that the island's beauty is not limited to its beaches.A quick dip in the cold waters provides welcome relief from the tropical heat.

The most interesting part of the Na Muang waterfall is the elephant safari that is available here. Instead of the short walk and quick trek down some rocky pseudo-stairs to the waterfall, one can opt for the more scenic elephant ride along the shallow river bed to the waterfall.

However, the time is better spent enjoying the playful elephant calves present near the safari point. They are perpetually hungry, and are always keen on grabbing a quick snack from the hands of doting tourists who simply can’t seem to get enough of them.