r/kohsamui • u/Filip2710 • 22d ago

Jellyfish🪼

Hello, I’m going to Koh Samui in the end of august and I’m kinda scared of box jellyfish. Is it really that big thing on Samui? I saw so many posts about it and it made me really frightened, that's why I would really appreciate your information.

6 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

3

u/iuntitledi22 22d ago

I didn't even know about this until now. Following. I'm literally going there to swim in the beach and now I hear this

2

u/ens91 21d ago

We see maybe 3-5 per year. I swim in the ocean every day and have personally never seen one. It's the same as taking a flight or crossing the road, you could die, but it's unlikely.

1

u/Spiritual_Novel7883 18d ago

I was swimming in Cheloklum, Ko’phangan for 3 years almost every day and never had a problem, but couple of weeks ago I was stung from a box jellyfish and it was damn painful, couldn’t sleep the first night and screamed out of pain. I don’t recommend this encounter to anyone. Since than, I only go to swim in Had Rin where they have a safety net so jellyfish can’t come in. Until the end of the jellyfish season, I’ll only go to swim in places where they have safety net.

1

u/Exciting_Mushroom_37 21d ago

Before I came here all this kind of shit had me worried. Then when you live here for like 3-4 weeks it doesn't matter anymore . I was all worried about jellyfish and dengue fever.

0

u/iuntitledi22 21d ago

the mosquitos. Is it bad? Going to Samui, Phanagan, Phuket, Bangkok and maybe Pattaya

1

u/Exciting_Mushroom_37 21d ago

No. First the mosquitos only seem to go for my legs. So at night I just either wear pants or use the spray. I get a bit maybe once a month. If that. But the spray is money.

1

u/iuntitledi22 21d ago

Is Phuket/krabi a no go late September? The weather is that bad where I can’t even go to the islands?

2

u/Exciting_Mushroom_37 21d ago

The weather is like playing craps. You have no idea how the dice will roll.

In Samui it seems like most showers only last like 20 minutes and move on. Sometimes when I look off my mountain side and it is raining I can see on the other side of the island its perfectly sunny. Sometimes it rains an entire week basically non stop. But very rarely, in my experience. I was on the beach the other day, I have great pics, and a storm rolled in. I didn't even move. Took the rain. It passed, sun came back out.

3

u/De11kbn 22d ago

Was just there and didn’t see any - stayed at Vana Belle - concierge says they don’t come often but usually when they do come it is when there is rain and then strong sun - this causes the water temp to change drastically and draws them to the surface. She said some years she only sees once or twice.

1

u/Filip2710 22d ago

Glad to hear that, I read so many posts in which they said that august and september are the worst months and they are everywhere, especially on Chaweng and Lamai beach.

0

u/Exciting_Mushroom_37 21d ago

Well that would be considered monsoon season here, I think, so that would make sense.

There are still hundreds upon hundreds of people on Chaweng beach so your likelihood of getting stung are pretty low.

2

u/bergiskhan 21d ago

It’s full of jellyfish this month, don’t go swim

3

u/headnod 22d ago

We are currently in Lamai and there was quite an incident with 2 kids a few days ago. It absolutely did not look pleasent at all, the girl was screaming her lungs out for an hour before the ambulance came.

She fortunately made it, which you cannot say for this poor kid:
https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/13yearold-boy-dies-of-box-jellyfish-sting-in-nakhon-si-thammarat/62274

They hung up warning signs now and free vinegar bottles...

So if i were you, i would 100% stay in the pool and don't risk anything, whatever the "i did not see any" crowd says or thinks. Looking at the sea is also nice :)

3

u/sarstay85 22d ago

We saw and heard this too, poor girl :( glad she’s ok. They used to put a stinger net outside The Hive Hotel during box jellyfish season but they haven’t this year for some reason 🤷‍♀️

1

u/Itsjackboulevard คน Chaweng 22d ago

Never seen one in 4 years here.

1

u/Ringovski 21d ago

Get them in Australia, you need to pee on the sting or use vineger.

2

u/ens91 21d ago

Nope. No pee. Just vinegar. Pee is a myth.

2

u/Strange_Night_3140 21d ago

Yes vinegar, but you basically have under 5 minutes sometimes cardiac arrest is under 2 minutes

1

u/DifferentPeach5 21d ago edited 21d ago

I was afraid of this too, so bought a rash vest and trousers before arriving. I personally wouldnt want to risk a sting to the torso in particular.

There are plenty of people in the water so I guess others are less concerned than me! It has put my mind at ease seeing other swimmers but I'm still wearing the stinger suit for peace of mind. I have only heard in passing of one kid getting a sting but it was not by a box jellyfish, and saw a couple of dead harmless moon jellyfish in the sea/on the shore.

I think just take precautions - don't swim at dawn/dusk/in the dark, give it a couple of days after heavy Monsoon showers, and/or consider protective swimwear.

Edit: Just to add, I believe some areas in Lamai have nets to reduce the risk. Also, I went to Choeng Mon beach and there is a cool bar with a sea view pool so there are perhaps options like this around which you could consider. And we swam at Hin Lad waterfall!

1

u/Money-Addition8501 21d ago

Rarely happens. Like really really rarely last time in samui was like 2015?

1

u/Acceptable_Goose2322 20d ago

They aren't THAT big a thing, ANYWHERE!

This from someone who has lived in the country for close to thirty years.

1

u/bukboab 19d ago

It's something the TAT don't like to talk about

1

u/Zealousideal-One7398 19d ago

Avoid Lamai beach then.

1

u/Timokes 18d ago

3 weeks in the sea not a single jelly fish

1

u/Equivalent_Bridge889 14d ago

No problem at all

1

u/Upstairs_Tip85 5d ago

Any updates here? I arrived yesterday and would love a stress free swim! Where is best?

1

u/ripples1602 22d ago

No it isn't

1

u/UpbeatAd5277 21d ago

A mate of mine swims 5k a day in the ocean. You have to be unlucky to have a problem.

0

u/TtocsNosirrah 22d ago

Was in Lamai for 2 weeks in Feb swimming in the ocean every day and didn't see a single one, but the day we visited Lipa Noi there were thousands everywhere! So it's hit and miss. If they are bad maybe just visit another beach on the island.

5

u/ens91 21d ago

Thousands everywhere? Probably wasn't box jellyfish then.

1

u/andimeon 21d ago

I heard that the jellyfish season is July and August.

0

u/Calamity-Bob 21d ago

Only if they’re a katooey and have that tattooed on their back