Koh Samui: the two-faced Gulf island

Koh Samui is Thailand’s third largest island and the gateway to the Gulf of Thailand archipelago. In the 1980s it was a coconut island with few paved roads where backpackers slept in bamboo bungalows on Chaweng’s beaches. In the 1990s the tourist boom transformed it, and today’s Samui is probably the most cosmopolitan Thai island, with its own airport, international private hospitals, luxury chains, high-end cars and European-chef restaurants. But this transformation has not been total: today’s Samui coexists with the rural Samui of the west and south, where there are still fishing villages, coconut plantations, remote Buddhist temples and a completely different pace of life.

Understanding that Samui is at least two islands in one is key to choosing where to stay.

The zones: a quick tour of the coast

Chaweng (east). The most developed zone. 6 km of beach, one of the best on the island, but with the whole commercial strip behind: hotels, bars, restaurants, money changers, shops, discos, go-go bars. The party zone and the noisiest. Good if you want nightlife and maximum convenience; bad if you seek rest.

Lamai (southeast). Second zone in development, 7 km south of Chaweng. More relaxed, with good beach and more reasonable accommodation offer. Retains something of Samui’s old spirit: local restaurants, less noise, fewer package tourists.

Bo Phut (north). The most elegant and tasteful zone. Includes the Fisherman’s Village, a traditional village reconverted into a pedestrian area with old wooden houses, boutique shops and quality restaurants. Smaller beach than Chaweng but with better views (Koh Phangan’s silhouettes visible to the north). Excellent for couples.

Maenam (northwest). West of Bo Phut. Long family beach, quiet, with a mix of mid-sized resorts and small bungalows. Constant light breeze, ideal for yoga. Perfect for families with children.

Choeng Mon (northeast). Small bay at the northeast tip, very quiet, with some high-end boutiques (Tongsai Bay, Six Senses Samui). No nightlife but charming.

Taling Ngam (west). The west coast is the least developed. Taling Ngam has InterContinental Samui and few other resorts. Spectacular sunset over the open sea. Little infrastructure, ideal for disconnecting.

South (Hin Lad, Na Muang). Rural zone, coconut plantations, temples, waterfalls. Some niche boutique hotels. More to explore than to sleep in.

What to do in Koh Samui

Temples and culture. Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha), the 12-metre golden Buddha on an islet connected by causeway to the north of the island. Free, 15-minute visit. Wat Plai Laem, 200 metres away, has an especially photogenic statue of the 18-armed goddess Guanyin. Wat Khunaram houses the mummified body of monk Luang Pho Daeng, who died in meditation in 1973 and whose body never decomposed.

Na Muang waterfalls. Two falls in the centre of the island. Na Muang 1 has easy car access. Na Muang 2 requires a 30-minute walk. Swimmable in rainy season (May-November).

Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks (Hin Ta, Hin Yai). Rock formations in Lamai of unmistakably phallic and vaginal shape that have been a source of jokes and tourist attraction for centuries. Free.

Angthong Marine Park. The star excursion. A 42-island archipelago west of Samui declared national park, with spectacular karst cliffs and an interior lagoon (Koh Mae Ko) accessible on foot from the beach. Full-day speedboat trip 1,500-2,500 THB with kayak included. Essential.

Koh Tan and Koh Mudsum. Small islands to the south with decent snorkel and calm atmosphere. Half-day trip 700-1,200 THB.

Thai boxing. Chaweng’s stadium has weekly fights. 1,000-1,800 THB depending on seat.

Night markets. Fisherman’s Village Walking Street (Friday night in Bo Phut) is the best on the island, with street food, crafts and live music. Chaweng Walking Street (Sunday night) is more touristy but fun.

Family activities. Samui is especially easy with children: Aquapark Samui, Splash Jungle Water Park, ethical elephant trips (Samui Elephant Sanctuary).

Getting there

Direct flight to Koh Samui (USM). Bangkok Airways operates the airport and has a monopoly on direct routes, making flights expensive. Bangkok-Samui 1h15m, 3,000-6,000 THB. Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong also have direct flights.

Cheaper alternative. Flight to Surat Thani (SCR) or Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST), operated by AirAsia and Nok Air (800-2,500 THB), + combined bus+ferry to Samui (2-3h, 300-400 THB included). Saves half or more vs. direct flight.

Bus+ferry from Bangkok. Overnight VIP bus from Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai to Donsak, 10-12h, 650-900 THB. Donsak-Samui ferry 1h30m, 150-250 THB.

From Phuket/Krabi. Bus+ferry 8-9h, or Bangkok Airways direct flight Krabi-Samui or Phuket-Samui in high season 1h, 2,500-4,500 THB.

Where to sleep: recommendations by profile

First time, want everything nearby. Central Chaweng. Melati Resort, Centara Grand Beach Resort, Hotel M Chaweng.

Couple with no rush, good taste. Bo Phut. Anantara Bophut, The Scent Hotel, Peace Resort.

Family with children. Maenam. Santiburi Koh Samui, Maenam Beach Hotel, Lamai Coconut Beach Resort.

Luxury. Six Senses Samui (Choeng Mon), Four Seasons Samui (west), Banyan Tree Samui (south), W Koh Samui (Bophut).

Backpacker. Bill Resort Lamai, Lipa Lodge (Lipa Noi), Chill Inn Beachfront Hostel (Chaweng).

Getting around

Rental car. The most comfortable. 800-1,500 THB/day. The main road (4169) loops the island in 2 hours.

Motorbike. 200-400 THB/day. Useful but beware: Samui has high accident statistics.

Songthaew (shared taxi). Circulate on the main road. 50-100 THB per leg. No fixed schedules.

Grab/Bolt. They work in Samui with fairly good coverage. Reasonable prices.

Taxi. Expensive compared to the rest of Thailand due to the same taxi mafia problem as Phuket.

When to go

February-April. Best season. Sun, calm sea, reasonable heat. Tourist peak at Easter.

May-September. Still viable. Occasional rain but with sun windows. Lower prices.

October-December. Rainy season. November especially strong. Not recommended unless there are other reasons (Phangan post-season, Koh Tao diving).

January. End of rainy season, starting to stabilise. Still high prices due to New Year.

How many days

Three-four days in Samui as sole base: enough to see the essentials and a beach day. One week: ideal. Combines beach, excursions (Angthong essential), culture and nightlife. Samui + Phangan + Tao: 10-14 days in the Gulf is a classic and highly recommended circuit.

The full Far Guides Thailand guide includes a detailed Samui zone map, beach comparison table, local restaurant recommendations and guide for combining Samui with Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.