TEFL In Koh Samui

TEFL In Koh Samui

TEFL is based on Koh Samui, in the Gulf of Thailand. It is the ideal location to do your TEFL course, before venturing to other locations in Thailand, Asia or beyond to begin your TEFL career. A 4-week TEFL course from Samui with equip you with the knowledge and ability to obtain a TEFL job worldwide. In order to feel the beauty and vibrant culture of Samui we do conduct the our teching practicals at local temple schools, meaning that these children really benefit from our lessons. Being immersed into a real school environment, also prepares you for entering the school system, should you decide to teach at a school. For those preferring to teach adults, we have arranged adult teacher practices at the school, in the way of teaching the Thai staff, as well as at local businesses in the area. We also do practicals at the International School of Samui. With lot od adventurous sports like Canopy rides, Kayaking,Thai cooking Classes and Messages life is beautiful in Samui. Samui has no limit in what it offers in the way of dining experiences, bars and clubs. Food ranges from roadside vendors, to fancy fine-dining establishments. Many expats have relocated to Samui meaning that one can savour authentic cuisine from all over the world. At night, the beachfronts convert to a romantic dining scene, as palm trees don fairy lights and lanterns, restaurants set out seafood buffets, play chill music and set tables at the water’s edge.

Location

Koh Samui first entered the world of tourism in the early 1970’s, when discovered by backpackers. Samui and its neighbouring islands were first inhabited by Malay fishermen from the mainland as well as immigrants from Southern China, taking advantage of the sea that at that time was teeming with fish. The Chinese influence is still evident on Samui, especially at Fisherman’s Village, where rows of Chinese Shop houses sit next to European influenced buildings to form a quaint village atmosphere. There are several Chinese temples on the island, and Chinese New Year is celebrated with a bang, literally, at the temple near the Mae Nam walking street market.

But if you're hunting for white sand beaches, turquoise waters and all-day sun, Samui can be a fine choice. Use Samui as a base to explore the neighbouring islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, as well as the Anthong National Marine Park. The islands and the park are both only a short boat or ferry trip away.

There is very little recorded history of the island, and there are two schools of thought on how the name came about. The first is derived from a commonly found tree called a ‘mui’. The second, and more popular theory is that the name comes from the Chinese word ‘Saboey’, meaning ‘safe haven’, which it was to the original Chinese fishermen.

Before the crowds drag themselves out of bed popular Chaweng and Lamai remain pretty, while on the north side, quieter Mae Nam has a growing reputation. Of course there are many other beaches worth investigating, such as Choeng Mon and Bophut, and quiet secluded bays in the west and south -- don't make the mistake of spending your entire Koh Samui sojourn on just the one stretch of sand.

Koh Samui has a large expat community, with the majority being from the UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia and Russia. The island has several good schools, and boasts the UK affiliated International School of Samui to cater to both the expat family needs as well as those of wealthier Thais. Most locals can speak a fair amount of English, being exposed to so many foreigners, and with tourism being the island’s main income. Samui offers all the modern conveniences, with supermarkets such as Tesco Lotus, Big C and Macro. The island has a bowling alley and cinema, five hospitals, and an abundance of optometrists, dentists and pharmacies. It does not at this stage have the large shopping malls of Phuket. With all of these western influences, Samui may no longer be considered ‘real Thailand’, but there are still areas of culture to be found. One only has to attend a buffalo fight, bird singing competition, or authentic Muay Thai fight to see where the locals congregate in their free time. Samui has a number of excellent viewpoints, though you'll either need to be on a tour or have your own transport to reach them. The most popular is Secret Garden, a large sculpture garden off the Airforce road towards the centre of the island. Built by a fourth generation Samui native who died a few years ago, the sculptures are based on the Buddhist scriptures and are certainly worth taking a peek at. The big selling point here though, are the stunning views. Other viewpoints include Woodlands Resort and the Yod Khao Restaurant. Both are marked on maps of the island. A road constructed in 2010 now joins Lamai to Mae Nam. From Lamai, it leaves the Ring Road near Tamarind Springs, and from Mae Nam, turn left at the bridge opposite My Bar. This road winds through the jungle, banana and coconut plantations and over hills, offering spectacular views as well as scenery from old Samui, as it is not yet developed along the road.

Accommodation

We have sourced great accommodation establishments for our students. The first option is the Leelawadee bungalows, right opposite the training centre. There are only a few of these. Simple bungalows, but they have aircon, hot water and WiFi. www.leelawadeebungalows.com and the rate is 10,000 baht per bungalow (one person) 12,000 baht for 2 people sharing – double beds only, for the period of the course (one day either side).

The second option is Waanbung Bungalows -- lovely 2-bedroomed bungalows right next door to our training centre. They charge 17,000 baht for the course-period stay including utilities. This would be a good option for those not planning on hiring a scooter/moped. Please note that check in can only happen from the Sunday before the course starts, and check out is by 11:00am the day after the course. They don't have a website, but see their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/waanbung.bungalow/photos .

For both bungalow options, if you are arriving earlier, you may need to find alternate accommodation beforehand, as check in is only from the weekend prior to the course.

The third is about 2km from our training centre, located near a fresh food market and good restaurants. This accommodation option is a new urban-style hotel called Boutique the Green Bay View Hotel. www.thegreensamui.com. Here a one-bedroom room with cost 12000 baht/month for one person or 18,000 baht for 2 people sharing, including water and electricity as well as free WiFi and the room is cleaned twice a week. These are hotel rooms, so do not have kitchens, but do have fridges. All accommodation options have restaurants, markets and shops within short walking distance.

Apply Now →