Koh Samui Holidays guide – from maps and weather to the best attractions and restaurants – here’s what you need to know
At a glance
Koh Samui is great for...
- Lazy days on paradise beaches
- Dancing the night away at a legendary Full Moon beach party
- Discovering the island’s nature, culture and adventure away from the parties
Introducing Koh Samui
If your perfect holiday involves endless hours baking in the sun, soft white sands and warm, crystal clear water, then a laid-back Koh Samui holiday should be right up your street. More of an adventure-seeking, party-into-the-early-hours kind of person? Koh Samui is still number one.
Nicknamed ‘The Island of Coconut Trees’, Thailand’s third largest island spent years being a backpackers’ best kept secret. Now, the cat’s out the bag and Koh Samui has opened itself up as a first-rate tourist friendly destination with a wide choice of snorkelling, kayaking, music venues and nightclubs to rival Thailand’s biggest and brashest destinations.
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Getting Around Koh Samui
Koh Samui is a wonderful island to explore, and its size; just 25km at its widest point, makes it really easy to do so, if you can tear yourself away from the beach!
Car and motorbike hire are popular ways to travel, with plenty of international and local companies offering affordable vehicle rental. The island has a beautiful, scenic coastal ring road which can be driven in around an hour or two. Make sure your hire agreement includes good insurance in case of bumps, and always wear a helmet if you’re on a scooter or motorbike (even if the locals don’t). The roads can be quite crazy but at least you’ll still be driving on the left hand side of the road. Keep your eyes peeled for entire families on scooters!
Taxis on Koh Samui are often more expensive than hiring a car but can be more convenient if you don’t plan to travel much. Taxis are green or yellow and you need to negotiate a price before getting in.
Koh Samui also has a system of ‘songthaews’, which are mini pick-up trucks with two rows of seats opposite each other in the back. These run throughout the day and night and are very cheap. Flag them down in the street, but check with the driver if they will passing your destination before you get in. To get off, bang the side of the truck or press the bell.
