If you haven’t heard of Ko Samui yet, you’ve been missing out. Many would claim the island is the best in Thailand, and honestly, they might be right.
For a small island, I found that Koh Samui isn’t really that… small. There are many areas to the island, lots of different beaches and if you know what you’re doing, you can pick your favorite and focus on spending most of your time there.
I started out at Chaweng, the most popular area on the east side of the island. And while I found it perfectly picturesque, and filled with activity, it wasn’t until I reached Maenam that I realized how much variation there really is from spot to spot and how worthwhile it is to make sure you explore the whole island of Samui during your stay.
View my top travel tips for Koh Samui and stop planning memorable stay today.
Where to Stay
You can find accommodation for all budgets on Koh Samui, from luxury beach resorts to budget backpacker huts and hostels. Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Transport and Getting Around
There are lots of options to navigate Koh Samui if backpacking or travelling independently including taxi, motorbike or renting your own moped. View my tips for using taxis in Koh Samui.
If you are tempted to visit the always beautiful Thailand and want to see as much as possible browse small group adventure tours with G Adventures or Contiki who both offer a wide range of trips. Check them out.
Ko Samui Travel Tips
Nothing can compete with a place that’s literally brimming with natural beauty: jungles, waterfalls, untouched sandy beaches and more. Yep, it so closely resembles the setting of Castaway, you’ll be wondering where Tom Hanks is hiding. Then you have the contrasting culture of buzzing nightlife and exuberant spa resorts. Two totally different worlds on one island means there’s something for everyone here. Sounds pretty cool, right?
The island can be roughly divided into two parts. There’s the province of Bophut, popular and Westernized, where the majority of fancy resorts, restaurants, and tourist-orientated attractions can be found. Then there is pretty much everywhere else. The provinces of Taling Ngam, Mae Nam and Maret make up the quiet sides of Ko Samui. This area is less travelled, but has no shortage of Thai island culture and natural gems.
Things to do in Bophut:
Enjoy a luxurious Thai spa treatment: No trip is complete without some quality me time, and luckily Ko Samui has a spa for every budget. If you’re really looking to treat yourself, Magnolia Spa is the place. The treatments are glamorous and prices range from 900 to 4000 baht ( 23 – 100 Euros). Happy Thai Massage and Spa is a good place on a budget with massages that cost about 200-500 Baht ( 5-12 Euros).
Bophut Beach: This is the main strip of white sand beach stretching for kilometers between the Big Buddha and beaches of Mae Nam. I loved this beach for both its cleanliness and activity. Vendors set up shops and sell snacks like juicy mango and tropical fruits, savory kebabs, and grilled corn. Even when the beach gets busy, a short walk is all it takes to find a quiet spot for relaxing and listening to the waves.
Fisherman’s Village Walking Night Market: Right off the beach is the busy night market and shopping strip that makes up Fishermen’s Village. It’s an interesting market that still has some of the original Chinese wooden shops amongst the more modern ones which give it a traditional feel. There are shops selling everything from those flowy elephant pants that everyone seems to have acquired after travelling to Thailand, to fancy boutiques selling jewelry and high quality clothing.
Nightlife: There are tons of bars on the beach and in Fisherman’s Village. Coco Tams is a super popular place to watch the sunset while chilling on beanbag chairs with your toes in the sand. Billabong Surf Club is in the village off the beach, but has a stunning ocean view, live music, and good prices. If time permits, grab a ferry to Ko Phangan for a Full or Half Moon Party which happen every month.
Big Buddha: Besides the beaches, this statue is one of the most visited places in Ko Samui. The twelve-meter-tall golden Buddha statue sits on a little rocky island in the Northeastern part of Bophut province.
Things to do in Taling Ngam, Mae Nam, and Maret provinces:
Many travellers in Ko Samui overlook the fact that an influx of tourists means the island has seriously levelled up on infrastructure. What does this mean? Things to do galore. So, lather on some sunscreen and get ready for an adventure on the quiet side of Samui.
Waterfalls: The center of Ko Samui is dotted with dozens of waterfalls, but the most worthy of a visit are Na Muang Waterfalls and Hin Lat Waterfall. The Na Muang waterfalls can be found after a short hike through the forest and have beautiful cascading falls into a natural pool. Hin Lat is a little more secluded, but worth the 30 minute hike there for a well-deserved swim in the cool water below the falls.
Rent a moped: What better way to explore a tropical island than to have the freedom to feel the wind on your face as you zoom down less-travelled roads? For no more than €5 a day you can rent a scooter, grab a friend, and explore the island to your heart’s content.
Swim with bioluminescence: While staying a few nights in Taling Ngam, a family showed me one of the little local secrets. After dark, during high tide, the bioluminescent algae in the water can be seen. With some snorkel gear from 7-11 you can watch the otherwise seemingly dark and gloomy waters light up all blue and beautiful.
Beaches: The quiet side of Ko Samui only has a few named beaches. Some good starting points are Lamai beach in Maret for its shallow water and rock formations, Bang Kao beach in Taling Ngam which has nearby kayak rentals, and finally Maenam beach which goes on for kilometers and is popular with backpackers and locals alike.
Elephant Gate: The gate was built in 1979 by a head monk of a local village temple. He built the beautiful entrance and decorated it with two elephants statues, to encourage passersby to visit the village.
Take a boat ride: Boat rides are available on both sides of the island, but one off the Taling Ngam coast is exceptionally beautiful as you can see a small archipelago of blue islands in the distance. Sweet.
Beaches
Koh Samui is blessed with beautiful beaches and one of my favourites is Maenam beach is on the North side of the island, and about a 25 minute cab/minibus/tuk tuk/scooter ride from Chaweng. It usually cost us 300 Baht in a taxi one way just so you know.
Upon arriving there I instantly found Maenam beach cleaner than Chaweng, far less crowded, the surf to be gentler (no waves really – better for swimming unless… you’re a surfer), and the scenery… maybe even a little cooler with it’s full view of Koh Phangan island in the distance. (Maenam is also one of the common ferry ports you’ll use for transport to Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao with Lomprayah ferries)
The beach has a handful of little bars/cafes and restaurants that were cheaper than the ones on other beaches (owing to it being less popular) too. I was right near a little bar on the sand where you could drink a 90 Baht ($2.70 ish) cocktail while lying in a hammock (highly recommended), and there were more options in whichever direction you walked. I also found a great little spot for dinner on the waterfront (who’s name escapes me) where I paid half as much as we had at anywhere else on the island.
Every time I came back to Chaweng from Maenam I found myself telling people about it. You can check out a bunch of pictures online but you’ll soon realize that they don’t do it justice. If you get a chance while you’re on Samui, go hang out up there for the day. You won’t regret it.