Your best Exercise is to walk away from the Restaurant

edited Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

According to medical wisdom, 10,000 steps a day keeps the doctor away. It's easy to do when you're at home - running errands, chasing kids or striding down long office hallways. But what about when you're on vacation? The journey from your recliner to the ocean's edge might count for 50 steps, maximum.

Recognizing that not all guests are content to lounge poolside all day, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui has found a way for adventure-seekers to test their vertical limits on this Thai island in the Gulf of Siam: The Koh Samui K2.

Take a Hike

Not quite as tall as its namesake, the Four Seasons trail begins its ascent at "base camp" — the entrance to beachfront restaurant Pla Pla — and ends at the Hotel's arrival pavilion 400 feet above sea level. You won't get to plant a flag on top, but you can ring the gong at the entryway to celebrate the pinnacle of your achievement.

The best part? The hike up the trail is about 2,500 steps and once you're at the top, it's all downhill from there. By our calculation, one round trip is 5,000 steps, which is half the daily goal — not bad considering you're on holiday, after all.

Ready to scale new heights? The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui might be the place to start.

And I expect to see a whole new series of exercises based on walking away from a restaurant.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves the food of Thailand. Read her stories on www.travellady.com,  www.carladynews.com,  www.yogayaya.com,  www.chocolateatlas.com,  www.cocktailatlas.com,  www.teaAtlas.com,  www.coffeeatlas.com