Discover the paradise island of Koh Samui, one of our favourite Thai islands! It is the ultimate travel destination for travellers, even on a small budget. Located in the Gulf of Thailand about 500 kilometres south of Bangkok, the island is often combined with the islands of Koh Toa and Koh Phangan. Despite its growing popularity among travellers, Koh Samui still offers plenty of quiet spots and budget-friendly options for backpackers.
If you ask us, this island has it all: fine beaches, cosy villages and beautiful nature. In this blog, we share all our tips so you are prepared for your trip.
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Sights Koh Samui
How to get to the island of Koh Samui
Tours and transport on the island
Accommodation on Koh Samui, Thailand
Things to do on Koh Samui, Thailand
1. Discover Koh Samui's most beautiful beaches
2. Visit the Wat Phra Ya templei
3. See a real mummy
4. Take a hike to one of the waterfalls
5. Visit the Secret Buddha Garden
6. Explore the night markets
7. Visit Fishermen's Village
8. Take a photo at Overlap Stone
9. Opt for a snorkelling or diving tour!
10. Visit the island of Koh Nang Yuan
The best restaurants on Koh Samui, Thailand
Map sights Koh Samui
How to get to the island of Koh Samui
Transport to Koh Samui is incredibly well organised and you can choose whether to travel to the island by boat or plane.
Plane: The island has its own airport. From Bangkok, several flights go to the island every day. There are also daily flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai and Singapore.
Boat: The islands in the Gulf of Thailand are well connected and boats leave daily from the mainland (Chumphon) and the other islands such as Koh Phangan and Koh Tao to Koh Samui. The boats are comfortable, cheap and fast. We always check boat departure times and prices at our hotel and with some local transport companies. This gives you a good overview and ensures you don't pay too much. After all, this can sometimes save you dozens of euros!
| Route | Travel time | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok to Koh Samui** | 10 hours and 30 min | €38.80 (1450 bath) |
| Chumphon to Koh Samui | 4 hours and 30 min | €32.20 (1200 bath) |
| Koh Phangan to Koh Samui | 30 min | €9.40 (350 bath) |
| Koh Tao to Koh Samui | 1.5 hours | €18.75 (700 bath) |
**If you want to go directly to Koh Samui from Bangkok, we recommend buying a combination ticket from Lompreyah. You will then take an overnight bus first and then catch the boat to Koh Samui.
Tip: Are you travelling from Bangkok? Then head to Khao San Road. Here you will find a ticket office of Lomprayah. This is a well-known organisation that we have travelled with several times.
Tours and transport on the island
As on the mainland, Koh Samui is perfect to explore by motorbike or scooter. By arranging your own transport, you have all the freedom to visit the cool places below. Plus, it's often the cheapest option. Renting a bike is also possible, but we only recommend that for fanatics.
Rent a scooter
We recommend renting a scooter from your accommodation or one of the authorised rental companies. We booked our scooter through the hotel. This also gave us more security right away as the hotel would be the contact person. Can't the hotel where you are staying arrange this? Then check with them what a reliable rental company is.
Tip: Many of the rental locations have bad reviews online from people who say they have been ripped off for damage they did not do. We therefore recommend that you always read Tripadvisor or Google reviews first. In addition, always take photos or videos of the scooter when you rent it so you can show any existing damage. In addition, we recommend that you never give your passport as a deposit.
Public transport & Taxis on Koh Samui
You can forget about public transport on the island! However, songtaews (shared pick-up trucks) are available. All you have to do for these is raise your hand along the road, pay and ride along to your desired destination. Regular taxis are also available on the island. Just keep in mind that they drive a lot less frequently in the quiet parts of the island.
Accommodation on Koh Samui, Thailand
We recommend spending 3 nights/4 days on the island. You can divide the island into 4 areas:
Chaweng lies in the north of the island and is one of the most popular regions to stay. You will find resorts and can party well here. You will also find beautiful beaches, lots of restaurants and shops. The real local atmosphere is missing here.
Lamai is located in the east of the island and is very similar to Chaweng. We personally find this too touristy but the advantage is that it does have many amenities. Accommodation here is slightly cheaper than in Chaweng.
The third option is Bophut. This is a relaxing place to stay in and especially popular among backpackers. You'll find cheaper accommodation here but there's still plenty to do. The only downside is that the beaches are a bit less beautiful.
We chose the less popular part of the island namely the area Taling Ngam. This area is in the south-west of the island and is a lot less touristy. Some people call it the ”paradise corner” of the island. You will find a lot fewer restaurants here and without a scooter there is little to do. However, we found it a top spot! We stayed at the hotel Samui Hills. A simple hotel but great owners. Plus, on this side of the island you'll find an insane bakery with the tastiest croissants. Check out the map, at the bottom of the blog, for the exact location.
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Things to do on Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui is often combined with the islands of Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. Despite being similar in landscape to the other islands, Koh Samui has unique sights. Below, we share the best with you.
Check out the map at the bottom of this blog so you can create your ideal day layout!
1. Discover Koh Samui's most beautiful beaches
One of our favourite things to do on Koh Samui is beach hopping. The island has beautiful beaches such as Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach, Maenam Beach, Lipa Noi and Bophut Beach which are ideal to combine with other attractions.
Can't sit still for long either? Recognisable! Then check out these three cool games that you can easily take anywhere!
Also be sure to stay to admire the sunset (or for the early birds, the sunrise) from Chaweng Beach, another beach, or at the Hin Ta and Hin Yai viewpoint. Wherever you look, island sunset always has something magical and is the perfect end to a beautiful day!
2. Visit the Wat Phra Yai temple
In the north of Koh Samui, you will find the temple Wat Phra Yai. This temple is characterised by the 15-metre-high Buddha statue and you can visit for free. You walk up a long staircase and immediately have a beautiful view over the sea. Keep in mind to wear appropriate clothing when visiting the temple. We therefore recommend bringing a sarong that you can easily wrap around.
If you are around here then also visit Wat Plai Laem, the Chinese Laughing Buddha and Wat Laem Suwannaram!
3. Watch a real mummy
May not sound very appealing but it is certainly an interesting sight on Koh Samui. In a remote Thai village lies the treasure of Luang Phor Daeng, who died 20 years ago. His body incl sunglasses rests in a specially designed glass case, according to his wishes.
4. Take a hike to one of the waterfalls
Several waterfalls can be found on the island. The most popular are Na Mueang Waterfall 1 & 2. We only went to Na Mueang Waterfall 2, and we recommend this waterfall to everyone. Despite having to climb quite a bit with the heat, it is definitely worth it. At the top of the waterfall, you have breathtaking views while you can cool off in one of the natural pools.
Although the waterfalls on Koh Samui are not the most spectacular we have ever seen, they are definitely worth a good sweat! Other famous waterfalls on the island include Hin Lad Waterfall, Wanorn Waterfall and Tan Rua Waterfall.
5. Visit the Secret Buddha Garden
Discover the Secret Buddha Garden, hidden in the hills of Koh Samui's interior. This unique collection of statues are a creation of fruit farmer Nim Thongsuk, who placed several statues and temples in his family's land in 1976. Besides, you'll also have a great view of the island from here!
6. Explore the night markets
One of our favourite pastimes is visiting night markets in Thailand. After all, we never get bored watching them prepare mega simple but delicious dishes for a small price! But besides food, you can also wander around, score souvenirs or incense for home.
You have night markets that alternate in different parts of the island. These include Mae Nam on Thursdays, Bophut on Fridays and Lamai on Sundays. The night markets usually get going around 5pm and stay open until 11pm. So, for the foodies among us, bargain hunters or evening enjoyers, the night markets are a must-see!
7. Visit Fishermen's Village
If you have had enough of the well-known tourist spots like Chaweng and Lamai for a while, take half a day to visit the fishing village of Bophut. It is a nice place to walk around, do some shopping and grab a bite to eat. The fishing village is home to original wooden houses built in the 19th century by Chinese immigrants. Although many of the fishermen have moved to other parts of the island, they still bring their catch to the restaurants here every day. If you happen to be on Koh Samui on a Friday, definitely stick around for the night market!
8. Take a photo at Overlap Stone
Unfortunately, it has since ceased to be a hidden gem but if you want to take some instagrammable photos, this is the place to be! The Overlap Stone is literally in someone's backyard and the owners make good use of it. Once you turn off the main road and follow the steep road up the hill, you'll come across several ‘car parks’ where you can park your scooter. We recommend driving as far as you can (if your scooter can make it) as this hill is considerably steep.
Parking will cost you about 50 baht (EUR 1.30). Then you can just follow the signs and you will automatically come to some kind of barrier. Here you will have to pay around 200 baht (5.20 EUR) per person, though you will get a free drink. If you are unlucky, you will have to queue and wait a while for your instagrammable snapshot. Our opinion? Skip it!
9. Opt for a snorkelling or diving tour!
Explore the underwater world with a snorkelling or diving tour! You will find several diving schools on the island and you can rent snorkelling equipment at many accommodations. You can go out by yourself or book a tour with SangThong Tour, for example, for a great experience. On a day tour, you'll discover the best spots including Shark Bay with reef sharks and the island of Koh Nang Yuan.
View all organised trips on Koh Samui
10. Visit the island of Koh Nang Yuan
A trip to the Thai islands is not complete without a visit to Koh Nang Yuan. Despite being mega touristy, the island is definitely worth a visit. You can do fantastic snorkelling there and take a short hike to the iconic viewpoint. The SangThong Tour takes you there, where you can enjoy this beautiful island for an hour and a half. For us, that was perfect, considering how crowded it was. If you want to stay longer, you can hire your own boat or kayak to go there.
The best restaurants on Koh Samui, Thailand
When you're on the road, you need to eat well! Luckily, there is plenty of choice on Koh Samui too, and we recommend you take a look at the following restaurants.
First up, our favourite! Going for a day of touring? Then drop by Dad's croissant. You can find the most delicious croissant in all of Thailand and tasty Thai snacks on the go! Besides, the people are incredibly nice and we wish them as many customers as possible. Furthermore, for a good cup of coffee you can go to Boys Organic Coffee, ’SO CAFE' x SAMUI, THE COFFEE CLUB and Flo.
For delicious authentic thai dishes you can visit from Haad Bang Po. The best burgers can be found at Stacked Burger Samui (Chaweng). The most local Thai cuisine can be found at street food stalls in markets such as your night market in Fisherman's Village.
Map sights Koh Samui
We hope this blog helps you plan your trip to Koh Samui! Planning a round trip? Then check out our other Thailand blogs. Did you like our blog? Then don't forget to pin it for later!
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