Koh Samui Guide: A relaxed beach vacation on a picturesque island

Koh Samui, Thailand is one of the 3 major islands in the Gulf of Thailand along with Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan. The beauty of the dense jungles and breathtaking waterfalls inland match that of the Koh Samui’s coastline. This guide to Koh Samui tells you all about this picture-perfect island, where to stay, what to do, the best spots to eat, and the day trips to take from here. 

Your Koh Samui itinerary can be quite relaxed, like ours, mostly spending time at the private beach strip of the resort, trying out new restaurants, and taking in a couple of day trips to nearby islands. Or, it can be packed with adventure and many fun things to do in Koh Samui.

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Is Koh Samui worth visiting?

Koh Samui offers a calmer, more relaxed atmosphere with beautiful beaches and a more laid-back vibe as compared to other popular islands of Thailand. We prefer a quieter atmosphere with fewer crowds, so a week’s beach vacation on this island worked well for us.
 
Koh Samui is often compared to the immensely popular Phuket. Both Phuket and Koh Samui have a great nightlife scene as well as plenty of scenic spots. Phuket is known to have better beaches, but it’s also more crowded and noisy for my taste. I have been for a short trip to Naka Island Resort off the coast of Phuket, but never to bustling Phuket itself.

Koh Samui is known for its luxury resorts, world-class spas, and vibrant nightlife, the island draws high-end travelers. Koh Samui is definitely worth visiting for both a relaxed beach stay or packed with several activities. If you are wondering how many days do you need on Koh Samui, I would recommend at least 4-5 days to enjoy this island. 

How to get to Koh Samui

By Flight: We had booked a international flight to Bangkok, and then a domestic connection to reach Koh Samui. It is easy to break your journey and spend a day or 2 days in Bangkok exploring Thailand’s capital city.

By Ferry: If you’re travelling to Koh Samui from elsewhere in Thailand, there are regular ferries that run from the mainland.

Getting around within Koh Samui: It is easiest to move around on the island by renting a scooter. But we found it super easy to book taxis via the Grab app.

Best season to visit Koh Samui

The dry season in Koh Samui runs from mid-December to June. The best time to visit Koh Samui is considered to be from January to April when the weather is at its finest, offering sunny days and ideal conditions for beach activities and sightseeing. However, the weather tends to improve significantly starting in mid-December.

But do note that the dry season of January to April is also the peak season and brings more crowds. Prices for hotels go up and you will find restaurants and activities crowded. So, if you visit the shoulder season between April and June, you should still find great weather and avoid the hoards of tourists. You should avoid monsoon season which is between October and mid-December.

Best Things to do in Koh Samui

As I mentioned earlier, you can spend a week just chilling out at beaches, trying out cafes and restaurants, and doing some water sport activities. This is how we spent a week on a family vacation in Koh Samui. But for a first-time visit, there are many places to visit on this island.

Enjoy the best beaches on Koh Samui

Chaweng Beach is the most popular one in Koh Samui. This beach strip offers a vibrant nightlife scene so is packed with young people in the evening. During the day, you can enjoy water sports and lively cafes. Those looking for a slightly less crowded experience should head to Lamai Beach. Lamai also offers plenty of water sports facilities. Bophut Beach near Fisherman’s Village is a long strip with a relaxed vibe. We were lucky to have access to one end of the Mae Nam beach with our stay at the luxurious W Koh Samui.

There are other quiter, more secluded beaches and coves on Koh Samui. Nestled in a secluded cove, Silver Beach boasts a serene and peaceful atmosphere that stretches just 250 metres. Located near the northern end of Koh Samui, Thongson Bay treats visitors to breathtaking views of Koh Phangan. Located just 10 minutes away from the more bustling Chaweng Beach, Cheong Mon Beach is home to fantastic white sand and swaying palm trees. Maenam Beach is a 7-km stretch of golden sand, perfect for strolls, swimming, kayaking, and watching sunsets.

Visit the Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)

Wat Phra Yai is the modern Golden Buddha (sitting in the Mara posture) at the island’s northern end. The statue provides an alluring silhouette against the tropical sky and sea, and offers excellent sunset views. You can consider this 4-hour sightseeing tour that includes Big Buddha Temple, Wat Plai Leam, Lad Koh Viewpoint, Na Muang Waterfall, and Hin Ta Hin Yai.

Since this is a sacred place, do dress modestly. Maintaining this temple etiquette is essential, so add some modest clothing for your South East Asia packing list. Wear shirts or scarves to cover the shoulders, trousers or long shorts. Beachwear isn’t allowed when visiting the Big Buddha Temple.

Visit the Wat Plai Laem Temple

Like the nearby Wat Phra Yai or “Big Buddha Temple”, Wat Plai Laem is a modern Buddhist temple. The temple’s design incorporates elements of Chinese and Thai traditions. It features a striking white, 18-armed image of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. The temple is surrounded by a lake teeming with fish, which adds to its feel of tranquillity.

Na Muang Waterfalls

For those who wish to explore the beauty of Koh Samui beyond beaches and blue water, visit Na Muang Waterfalls, a majestic set of 2 cascades. The Na Muang falls can be reached by taking a walking path from the entrance to the park. Set in lush jungle, the first waterfall, Na Muang 1, flows down into a pretty natural pool that provides a cool escape from the heat. During the rainy season, the water cascades over ethereal purple rocks, to land in a superb, large pool for swimming at the base. About 30 minutes’ walk further uphill is the smaller yet equally inviting Na Muang 2.

The paths leading to the falls can be steep or slippery in places. So be sure to wear some sturdy footwear and take care when walking. You can consider this private sightseeing tour that includes the best of Koh Samui attractions – Big Buddha Temple, Wat Plai Laem, the temple with the mummified monk, Lad Koh viewpoint, Namuang waterfall and the Grandmother-Grandfather rock formations.

Grandfather & Grandmother Rocks (Hin Ta Hin Yai)

These granite rock formations are located near Lamai Beach, set on the rocky coastline between Lamai and Hua Thanon. Known as Grandpa (Ta) and Grandma (Yai), the rocks look, like male and female genitalia. Naturally, they raise indulgent chuckles or embarrassed titters from those who go to see them.The views from the rocks and the area around them are spectacular, stretching across the sea to nearby islands. 

Visit Fisherman’s Village and the night market

The Fisherman’s Village is a potpourri of restaurants, bars, hawkers and traders and much more. You can fid restaurants and bars to suit every budget. Every Friday (from 5 to 11 pm), The Fisherman’s Village walking street brings the quiet, sleepy town of Bophut to life. There is a Night Market sees the narrow Beach Road and adjoining streets crammed with market stalls and shoppers from across Koh Samui, with diverse wares available at low prices.

Day Trips from Koh Samui

Ang Thong Marine Park

This park consisting of 42 limestone islands surrounded by bright blue sea is just breathtaking.  There are numerous opportunities to have fun including snorkelling, kayaking, or simply relaxing under the shade of beach front trees. Look at these highly-rated day tours to see which one appeals to you:

Half-day Tour to Pig Island

Koh Madsum or Pig Island is a popular island for enjoying its white-sand beach. There are a lot of pigs on the island. You can play with them and take a nice photo there. 

The adventurous can take a Jet-Ski tour to the nearby Pig Island. Although the tour information says it is great for everyone, including children, make sure the adults and kids are all swimmers and comfortable with choppy ocean. The Jet Ski’s wide body, big engine make it very stable on the ocean. But if the sea turns rough, like it did during our tour, it can be a scary experience, unless you are comfortable with the water.

Or you can opt for a speedboat tour to Pig Island and Koh Tan. Koh Tan is surrounded by pristine coral reefs and is a nice place for snorkelling.

Koh Tao

This is one of the best places in Thailand to go snorkelling and diving. You can take a Small Group speedboat tour to visit this secluded paradise island in the Gulf of Thailand. What you will get is pristine white sand beaches and clear water where you can snorkel. There is also a cheaper version available to visit the coasts of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan.

I had booked a dive trip to Koh Tao, but the ocean was so choppy that the captain had to divert the boat to Ang Thong marine park and we did a couple of shallow dives there. The diving season is best from January until May.

Koh Phangan

Visiting Koh Phangan from Koh Samui is easy. You can take a traditional Thai sailing junk to sail towards Koh Phangan Island, home to snorkeling spots and sandy beaches.

Where to stay in Koh Samui

The one reason where Koh Samui fares far better than Phuket is the sheer number of luxury resorts and hotels here. 

You will likely stay at one of the 3 main areas: Lamai, Chaweng or Bophut. If you want a party atmosphere on Koh Samui, then Chaweng is the place for you. It has the liveliest nightlife on the island, with lots of nightclubs, pubs and beach bars. Lamai is a good place to base yourself if you want to have a more relaxed break, but still have access to a great selection of bars and restaurants. 

Fisherman’s Village in Bophut is in the north of the island. This is where you will find more upscale luxury resorts and large hotel complexes. Bophut has some of the best beaches on Koh Samui, boasting long stretches of soft, clean, sand. We stayed at the luxurious W Koh Samui using Bonvoy points. The best part of this 5-star resort is its own sandy beachfront on Mae Nam Beach. Open from day to night, WOOBAR offers iconic views of the northern coast of the Gulf of Thailand.

Where to eat in Koh Samui

There are plenty of cafes, restaurants all over the island with fresh, excellent Thai food. Food was the highlight of our Koh Samui itinerary, besides beaches. SIP, the beach bar at W Koh Samui, combined the 2 beautifully. Open-air setting, spectacular ocean views, creative menu, and nice cocktails. Can you ask for more?

If you are looking for fine dining restaurants in Koh Samui, there are 2 I can recommend. Namu at W Koh Samui offers Japanese cuisine with a creative mix of Asian flavours. This stylish restaurant by the beach is one for celebrations, the food and the service is flawless. Another fine dining restaurant we tried is the Fisherman House at Anantara Resort. Excellent food, but the service needs to be improved.

You needn’t spend top dollars to get good food in Koh Samui. We had an excellent meal at Kapi Sator in Chaweng. This restaurant is recommended by Michelin Guide and offers excellent authentic Southern Thai food. Phensiri in Bophut is another restaurant recommended by Michelin Guide, that offers Southern Thai cuisine. The popularity of this restaurant is so high that the staff is not able to handle the crowds. We had to wait almost an hour to get our food! Another Michelin Guide recommendation that we tried was an unpretentious, open-air eatery named Jun Hom. You have an opportunity to taste simple, local dishes on a blissful beach location. Another local eatery in Bophut that I recommend is Mr Kai’s Kitchen. Everything we ordered was delicious and fresh.

Summary: Guide To Koh Samui

Tropical beaches and lush landscapes. Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand delivers on both. For the beach lovers, the island boasts some of Thailand’s most beautiful beaches. High-end resorts and fine dining experiences are readily available for those seeking a luxurious getaway. For those looking to experience Thai culture, there is the iconic Big Buddha temple (Wat Phra Yai) and other Buddhist temples like Wat Plai Laem. For the active and adventurous lot, Koh Samui offers a diverse range of activities from snorkelling and diving to kayaking, island hopping to exploring local markets, and a vibrant nightlife.

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