On entering Koh Samui's newest and most unique attraction you could have forgiven for believing you will be sharing warm jokes and vodkas with Polar Bears or Eskimos.
Bar Ice Samui, the world's first tropical island -7 degree ice bar opened its doors on 15th March 2008 and already the icy temperatures have made it one of Samui's hottest attractions. However, as the management is keen to stress Bar Ice Samui is not just about Ice. With three distinct areas it is assured the discerning can freeze, chill or warm with the coolest vibe in town.
Located by the side of Chaweng Lake, customers are welcomed in to a glittering star walled air conditioned main bar area, a welcome retreat from those humid Samui nights – with its relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff it's the perfect place to chill with friends and enjoy all your favorite drinks and sounds.
Adjacent to the main and Ice Bar there is a cozy landscaped garden area where you can share an intimate moment under the Samui stars . The management is keen to promote Bar Ice as a truly unique experience and "not just another bar". First and foremost we want people to have fun and enjoy themselves . People get excited when they are putting on the warm capes and furry hats and gloves. Drinking from ice glasses is something that most people have not done and for the Thai locales just to experience below 0 temperatures is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity .
Bar Ice offers the visitor something different. As well as creating their own flavored vodka (some of which are out of this world) plans are in motion to introduce an outdoor bar where customers can amongstst other things, enjoy their favorite drink served in – you guessed it- your very own ice glass The three areas are likely to appeal to everyone.
There is a small cover charge to enter the ice bar but the other areas are free to enter. Customers are welcome in order to get away from the heat or to escape the hustle and bustle of Chaweng.
Currently there is a special promotion for Samui residents if they show their work permits or resident cards and for the month of May any hotel staff wearing their hotel name badge will get free entry into the Ice Bar.
So how did this project come to fruition? We spoke to Scott Davis one of the partners involved for an insight into this intriguing venue. "Bar ice Samui is owned by several British and Thai entrepreneurs who are located in Koh Samui, Dubai and the UK. What you see to today is the result of a truly international effort. Crucial elements were sourced from several countries including UK, UAE, China, Germany, Italy and of course Thailand. The dream was to create and be able to maintain the world's best ice bar ". Scott explains "Although the concept of the ice bar is not new It is the only Ice bar located on a tropical island and it is also the only ice bar to be themed . "
"We wanted to create the complete experience of part ice bar, part museum. Much emphasis was also placed on lighting and thanks to lighting designers in the UK our customers are treated to magical lighting scenes , color changes and moods." Scott is quick to give credit to the many people involved in making the whole thing possible. "Obviously to create something like this you need good people working alongside you."
"There is so much that can go wrong especially when importing from so many different countries, a lot of pressure was placed on all our sub contractors. tons of ice all the way from Canada to Thailand had never been done before. "He said.
Today Bar Ice Samui is considered one of the finest examples of them all. Stunning examples of Thai culture are everywhere beautifully sculpted from pure ice. So if you are living in Samui or just visiting one thing is for sure, this is an attraction that should not be missed. Good times and lasting memories are guaranteed and if you're really clever you can even take home your ice glass as a souvenir.