I stayed in Koh Samui for a week in 1994. Overnight train from Bangkok to a little station in the middle of nowhere, bus ride to port then ferry full of Aussies (had to change my Wigan Rugby shirt to stop being thrown overboard !!). Loveley island (back then) - stayed near Chaweng.
We hired a jeep for a day - silly idea, drove along the coast road for a hour and half - only to find ourselves at back our hotel !!. Had lunch and did the journey the other way, dropped the car off, sod it, straight to the beach & chill !!
My favourite resorts these days are Hua Hin & nearby Cha-Am, though these get more & more developed as time passes. TIP - A couple of miles south of Hua Hin on the coast road is a small army training barracks, just go to the sentry box across the railway line and ask for a beach ticket, 70 Baht. Drive down to the beach & park. Miles of clean, empty beach lined with tall palm trees behind - all yours (very few visitors) - No Farangs !!! and no beach peddlers (well, just one or two locals selling food). No trouble either - the army sees to that. A small shop sells drinks & snacks. Wish we were there right now !!
Have a nice stay.
Lid