There are two theories as to how the island was named. The first suggests that the name of a commonly-found tree called "mui" was lengthened at some point. The second, and probably more likely notion, is that "Saboey" which is a Chinese word for safe haven (certainly an apt description of the island's largely protected waters) was adopted by Chinese fishermen, and later become the name we use today. Vestiges of the once thriving fishing communities can still be seen in villages such as Nathon and Maenam. Lucrative coconut and rubber farming industries also developed, and harvesting of these crops still takes place in the hills of the island's interior. Samui is home to more varieties of coconut palms than any other place on earth.
Until not much more than a decade ago, folks on Samui had scarcely seen foreigners. With the influx of tourists an industry sprung up, and thousands of jobs were created. Foreign currency flowed in, benefiting many.
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