Statues in the jungle
Carved by a farmer from 1976.
אברהם שוורץ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · אברהם שוורץ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · אברהם שוורץ — CC BY-SA 4.0
A strange, enchanting garden high in Samui's central hills, created from 1976 by a local fruit farmer named Nim Thongsuk when he was seventy, who filled his forest land with stone statues he carved himself over years: figures from legend, animals and scenes from daily life, among rocks, streams and small waterfalls. The garden feels like stumbling on a forgotten world in the jungle, the statues covered in moss, the air cooler than on the coast. Its creator is said to have been buried here after his death, with his family continuing to care for it. Foreigners pay about eighty baht, and the garden opens in daytime. The road up is a very steep mountain one, not advisable by motorbike or small car for anyone unfamiliar with it; a four-wheel-drive tour is easiest. Allow an hour to wander and photograph, and combine it with Na Muang Waterfall and the viewpoints on a mountain tour. Wear proper shoes, as the paths are stony.
Carved by a farmer from 1976.
Moss, streams and small falls.
High in the island's hills.
High in Samui's central hills, about 12 km from Lamai
The road is very steep and narrow in its last stretches, so an ordinary car may struggle and a motorbike is dangerous for the inexperienced. A 4x4 tour is safest.