Things to do in Koh Samui
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Koh Samui
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Late December to February: driest months, calmest seas, about 28 to 30 degrees, peak prices and crowds. Best months.
Hot season builds, clearest water in February to March, whale sharks at Sail Rock from March, Songkran in mid April.
Hottest weeks with short sharp showers, prices drop and the island stays fairly dry; Samui Regatta in late May to early June.
School holidays: humid with regular showers but long usable beach days, and a second whale shark window opens August to October.
Northeast monsoon: heaviest rain, rough seas and cancelled boats, November is the wettest month and the worst time to come.
What's on
- Songkran 13 April, celebrations 10-15 April
Thai New Year: temple merit making in the morning and an all day water fight on Chaweng Beach Road.
- Full Moon Party Monthly, on the night of the full moon
On Haad Rin, Koh Phangan, 30 to 50 minutes by boat; Samui is the comfortable base with a booked return speedboat.
- Loy Krathong / Yi Peng November full moon
Floating krathong on hotel lagoons, Mae Nam and temple ponds, often rained on in Samui's wettest month.
- Buffalo Fighting Festival Around 1 January and Songkran
A long standing local tradition at island stadiums; culturally significant and animal welfare sensitive, listed so travellers can choose knowingly.
- Samui Regatta Late May to early June
Asia circuit sailing week based around Chaweng, with spectator boats and beach parties.
- Vegetarian Festival (Nine Emperor Gods) Nine days in late September or October, by the lunar calendar
Chinese Thai temple processions and island wide vegetarian food for nine days, in monsoon season.
- Samui Oktoberfest 2-4 October
A small imported novelty in Chaweng Square, mentioned for completeness, not a trip timer.
Best things to do in Koh Samui
Fisherman's Village Walking Street
Samui's best night market fills a shophouse street with stalls, shops and bars, biggest and best on Fridays.
Coco Tam's
Beachfront bar famous for nightly fire shows, with beanbags on the sand in Fisherman's Village.
Wat Plai Laem
The island's best temple visit: an 18 armed Guanyin and laughing Buddha on a lake, still active worship.
Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai)
A 12 metre golden Buddha on an islet off Bang Rak, best paired with Wat Plai Laem in one early morning.
Crystal Bay Beach
Samui's prettiest small cove: white sand, granite boulders and clear shallow water for swimming and snorkelling.
Samui Elephant Sanctuary
The ethical elephant visit: feed and walk with rescued elephants, no riding or shows, Thai lunch included.
Samui Elephant Kingdom
A second credible ethical elephant option, built around a skywalk above the elephants.
Secret Buddha Garden
A jungle garden of hand carved statues along a stream, high in the hills and genuinely quiet.
Where to stay in Koh Samui
Bophut / Fisherman's Village
best overall base, couples and food led trips
A real street to walk at night, the island's best restaurant cluster and Friday Walking Street, 15 minutes from the airport.
Choeng Mon
quiet, upscale family base
A sheltered soft sand bay with calm shallow water and resort hotels, ten minutes from the airport and no Chaweng noise.
Chaweng
nightlife, choice and the longest beach
Samui's biggest town and a 7 km beach: north and Chaweng Noi are pleasant, central Beach Road is the loud strip.
Lamai
balance and value base
The second town: a long swimmable beach, a cheaper looser main street, Sunday Walking Street and fast access to the south.
Mae Nam
quiet local feel and longer stays
A long palm backed beach with a small town, Thursday walking street, the ferry pier and Santiburi golf next door.
Lipa Noi / Taling Ngam / Laem Yai
seclusion and sunsets
Scattered luxury resorts and villas, empty beaches and the island's sunsets, with almost nothing to walk to.
Think twice about
- Central Chaweng Beach Road
The ARKbar and Soi Green Mango blocks are commercial and loud, with music until the early hours, touts and congested traffic. Sleep there only if nightlife is the trip.
- Nathon
The administrative and car ferry town has no swimmable resort beach, minimal tourist dining and the longest transfers to everywhere visitors go.
- Bang Rak main-road strip
A busy through road with piers and convenience stays and a patchy beach. Fine for an early ferry, a poor beach holiday base away from the Big Buddha end.
Best restaurants in Koh Samui
Phensiri Thai Restaurant
The Thai restaurant to book if you book one: old recipe and southern dishes from daily market ingredients.
Sabienglae Restaurant
Where Samui families eat seafood and southern Thai food on a big occasion, without resort prices.
Kawin's Kitchen
A small owner driven Thai kitchen with generous portions that visitors return to on their last night.
Supattra Thai Dining
Refined small room Thai fine dining, the island's romantic dinner default, with real Thai flavours.
Chez Francois
Samui's classic French fine dining splurge: a tiny chef run restaurant serving a set menu to a few tables.
Coco Tam's
The Village's best all round beachfront dinner and drinks spot, with a kitchen good enough to stay after the show.
Prego Samui
An Amari affiliated Italian institution for wood fired pizza, fresh pasta and a proper Italian wine list.
Duomo
Reviewers call it the best Italian on Samui, with authentic pasta at proven volume.
Outdoor things to do in Koh Samui
Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park
The best day trip from Samui: 42 limestone islands, kayak lagoons, snorkelling and the Emerald Lagoon.
Koh Tao
The Gulf's best snorkelling day trip, with bays chosen by conditions and blacktip reef sharks at Shark Bay.
Koh Nang Yuan
Three islets joined by sandbars off Koh Tao, with the famous viewpoint hike above them.
Sail Rock
The Gulf's signature dive: a pinnacle with a swim through chimney, huge fish schools and whale shark odds.
Chumphon Pinnacle
The other advanced favourite dive site from Samui, a deep pinnacle with big marine life.
Silent Divers
Well reviewed Samui dive operator for Sail Rock and Koh Tao trips, with boats running one to two hours each way.
Discovery Dive Centre
Samui dive centre with repeated five star reviews for Sail Rock and Koh Tao trips.
Koh Madsum
Pig Island: pigs roaming the beach on a short, cheap half day that families love, best by small longtail.
Best hotels in Koh Samui
Hansar Samui Resort & Spa
Design led luxury beside Fisherman's Village, home to H Bistro and walking distance to everything.
Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort
Established luxury on Bophut Bay with gardens and a noted spa, quieter than Village front properties.
NH Collection Samui Peace Resort
Mid range resort directly on Bophut Beach near the Village, the easy pick for beach plus evening wandering.
Smile House
A solid Thai run small hotel in Fisherman's Village, typical of the Village's good value guesthouses.
Kimpton Kitalay Samui
The Choeng Mon benchmark for families: strong kids club, breakfast and staff, on a sheltered bay.
SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort
Adults leaning pool villa luxury on Choeng Mon beach, on a par with the Kimpton.
The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui
Large scale destination luxury on a rocky headland bay, a resort contained stay with full facilities.
Six Senses Samui
Destination luxury known for sustainability, spa and dramatic Gulf views from a northern headland.
Is Koh Samui expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | THB 1,800 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | THB 4,600 a person |
| Splurge | THB 12,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Fisherman's Village Walking Street: a few days ahead
- Samui Elephant Sanctuary: a few days ahead
- Samui Elephant Kingdom: a few days ahead
- Thai cooking class: a few days ahead
- Island Organics Thai Cooking Class: a few days ahead
- Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park: a few days ahead
- Koh Tao: a few days ahead
- Koh Nang Yuan: a few days ahead
- Weeks to months ahead in December to March, Songkran and Christmas: Four Seasons, Kimpton Kitalay, Banyan Tree, SALA properties, Supattra and Chez Francois.
- Two to four days ahead: small group Ang Thong boats, Koh Tao speedboats, Santiburi tee times, Jungle Club sunset tables and Friday Village front dinners.
- Book Samui Elephant Sanctuary two to four days ahead in high season, and Ang Thong two to three days ahead December to March.
- On Full Moon Party nights, Samui to Phangan ferries and Bang Rak area rooms spike; buy return transfers from a named operator and keep the ticket.
- Book any boat tour in October to December, and golf or zipline in any month, on free cancellation or reschedulable terms.
Is Koh Samui safe?
- Roads are the real risk: Samui's ring road has hills, sand on corners and dogs, and Thailand's road injury rate is among the world's highest.
- Swim where locals swim, respect red flags and monsoon surf, and ask about seasonal box jellyfish; vinegar stations sit on main beaches.
- Waterfalls after rain can flash rise and turn slippery; obey closures.
- Dengue is present: use repellent at dawn and dusk, especially in the jungle interior.
- Any dog bite means a same day clinic visit for rabies assessment; Bangkok Hospital Samui and Bandon International are the main private hospitals.
- Drug laws in Thailand are severe and enforced, including at party venues and on party boats.
- Get travel insurance that names scooters, ATVs and diving as covered; standard policies often exclude all three.
Koh Samui travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Jet ski damage scams: photograph the machine, rent only from resort linked operators and never leave a passport.
- Elephant riding camps and any sanctuary offering rides or bathing performances; choose the two named ethical operators instead.
- Pig Island sold as a snorkelling tour: it is a beach novelty, and Koh Tao is far better for snorkelling.
- Chaweng touts selling Muay Thai and boat tickets at double the box office or operator price.
- Timeshare and holiday club scratch card approaches in Chaweng: walk away, always.
- Booking a headland resort for its beach name and finding rocks, not sand, in front of it; check the actual beach on a map first.
Getting around Koh Samui: public transport and more
- Songthaews loop the ring road for about THB 50 to 200 per person; state destination and price before boarding, as at night they act as private taxis.
- Taxis are unmetered and expensive: agree the fare in baht, total not per person, before the door closes.
- Grab works but coverage is limited, fine in Chaweng and Bophut and unreliable for an early pier run; pre book early transfers.
- Scooters cost about THB 200 to 350 a day: you need an international permit with motorcycle endorsement, a helmet, and never hand over your passport as deposit.
- A rental car is the underrated family answer: the ring road is about 51 km and interior crossings take far longer than the map suggests.
- Flying direct to Samui is pricey because Bangkok Airways owns the airport; the Surat Thani flight plus bus and ferry combo is the money saving route.
Who Koh Samui suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Koh Samui your trip
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