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Koh Samui

9.51° N, 100.01° E

Koh Samui, in the Gulf of Thailand, combines beach resorts and hillside pool villas with a small, convenient airport and plenty of restaurants. Each coast has its own character, and the late-year monsoon on the east coast shapes when to go.

Best season
Jan–Apr
Getting there
Samui Airport (USM)
Currency
Thai Baht (THB)
Typical stay
4–7 nights

Koh Samui guides

3 guides

Planning a Koh Samui trip

Koh Samui is Thailand's most polished luxury island in the Gulf, a place of coconut groves, granite headlands and resorts built around private-pool villas. It is compact, roughly 25 kilometres across, so nothing is far away, and the mix of quiet bays and lively Chaweng means you can choose how social your evenings are. It suits couples, honeymooners and families on a beach break, and works well as the final leg of a Bangkok or northern Thailand itinerary. Anyone wanting dramatic landscapes or long walks on deserted sand will find more on smaller islands nearby.

When to go

January to April is the most reliable period, with calm seas, sunshine and the highest rates. Samui sits on the Gulf side of Thailand, so its weather runs differently from Phuket and Krabi: the heaviest rain arrives with the north-east monsoon from around October to December, and November is usually the wettest month. In those months the east coast can be rough, while the sheltered west and south-west shores tend to be calmer. May to September is a decent shoulder season, warm and fairly dry.

Getting there

Samui Airport (USM) is small, open-air and run by Bangkok Airways, which operates most flights, including a frequent shuttle of a little over an hour from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport. Regional routes from elsewhere in Asia change by season, so check before booking. Fares are higher than to most Thai airports, and the alternative is a flight to Surat Thani on the mainland followed by a ferry, which adds several hours. From the airport, Bophut, Choeng Mon and Chaweng are 10 to 20 minutes by car; the west coast is 35 to 60 minutes.

Where to base yourself

  • North-east (Chaweng Noi, northern Chaweng, Choeng Mon, Bophut): quick airport runs and restaurants close by.
  • South-east (Lamai hills): secluded bays with resort-led evenings.
  • West and south-west (Laem Yai, Lipa Noi, Taling Ngam): sunsets, calmer autumn seas and real quiet, at the cost of longer drives.

How long to stay

Four nights is enough for a pool-villa rest; seven allows boat days to Ang Thong Marine Park or Koh Phangan, plus a lazy day or two.

Where to start

To weigh Samui against Bali, the Asia overview sets their seasons side by side.