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Koh Samui travel guides

Koh Samui travel guides

Honest, up-to-date and useful. Everything we know about planning a Koh Samui trip, written for first-timers and regulars alike.

View from the Koh Wua Talap viewpoint in Ang Thong National Marine Park, showing the scattered limestone islands and turquoise water of the archipelago, with tourists on the rocky trail in the foreground
Featured · Attractions · 7 min

Ang Thong Marine Park 2026

What to expect at Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park — tour types, current prices, the Emerald Lake hike, kayaking, and when the park closes for monsoon.
Lamai Beach, Koh Samui — sandy shoreline with large granite boulders at the water's edge, turquoise water, and green hills in the distance
Beaches · 8 min

Best Beaches in Koh Samui 2026

All the main Koh Samui beaches compared — sand quality, swim conditions, crowds, and which suit families, swimmers, or sunset seekers.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — long white-sand beach stretching north with turquoise water, sun loungers and the beachfront hotel strip backed by green hills
Hotels · 10 min

Chaweng Beach Hotels

The best hotels on Chaweng Beach by tier and location — beachfront front row, back-row options, the quiet south end, and honest advice on what the price difference actually buys you.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui on a clear day: wide stretch of white sand with bright turquoise water and green wooded hills in the background
Planning · 7 min

Best Time to Visit Koh Samui 2026

Koh Samui's seasons run opposite to Phuket's.
The golden Big Buddha statue at Wat Phra Yai, Koh Samui, viewed from below the steep naga-flanked staircase against a blue sky
Things to do · 8 min

Best Things to Do in Koh Samui 2026

From Ang Thong Marine Park to ethical elephant encounters, this is what's actually worth your time on Koh Samui.
View from a Koh Samui ring road viewpoint showing a small palm-covered island with a lighthouse and turquoise water, with more islands visible through haze in the background
Transport · 7 min

Getting Around Koh Samui in 2026

What each transport option on Koh Samui actually costs, where it works, and what to watch out for before you commit.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — long stretch of white sand with turquoise water and green hills in the distance
Guide · 10 min

Chaweng or Lamai

Chaweng vs Lamai — honest side-by-side on beach quality, nightlife, prices, families and who each area actually suits.
Interior of Samui Airport's distinctive round open-air terminal building, with its conical timber-and-thatch roof, tropical plants, and blue seating
Transport · 7 min

Getting to Koh Samui 2026

How to reach Koh Samui in 2026 — direct flights, the budget bus-and-ferry route, and the overnight train from Bangkok.
Thong Nai Pan Bay aerial view showing turquoise water, long-tail boats, white sand beach, and jungle-covered hills on Koh Phangan
Day trips · 8 min

Koh Phangan Day Trip from Koh Samui 2026

Koh Phangan is 30 minutes north of Samui by speedboat — close enough for an easy day trip, and a genuinely good island to explore when the party isn't on.
Fisherman's Village Walking Street entrance at Bophut Beach, Koh Samui — festive string lights stretching over Beach Road, red lanterns, and visitors browsing the Friday night market
Guide · 10 min

Bophut and Fisherman's Village

Bophut and Fisherman's Village on Koh Samui's north coast: the Friday walking street, best restaurants, where to stay, and who the area suits.
Maenam Beach on Koh Samui's north coast — wide sandy bay with calm clear water, leaning palm trees, and a beachside bar in the background
Hotels · 10 min

Adults-Only Resorts in Koh Samui (2026)

The best adults-only resorts in Koh Samui — confirmed child-free stays plus the couple-focused luxury resorts that deliver the same quiet.
Choeng Mon Beach on Koh Samui — sheltered sandy bay with calm clear water, lined by tropical trees and resort buildings set back from the shore
Hotels · 11 min

The Best Family Resorts in Koh Samui

The best family resorts in Koh Samui — resorts with proper kids clubs, family pools, and beaches that work for children.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — long curve of white sand backed by palm trees and turquoise Gulf of Thailand water under clear skies
Itineraries · 9 min

5 Days in Koh Samui

A day-by-day plan for five days on Koh Samui — covering Ang Thong Marine Park, a Koh Tao island day, the full island loop, and time to slow down.
Interior of Samui Airport's open-air terminal building, with its lattice glass roof, tropical plants, and blue seating
Transport · 8 min

Koh Samui Airport Transfers

How to get from Koh Samui Airport (USM) to your hotel — official taxis, pre-booked transfers, Grab, and hotel shuttles with real 2026 prices.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — long stretch of white sand with clear turquoise water, sunbeds along the shore and green hills rising behind the beachfront hotels
Hotels · 9 min

The Best Beachfront Hotels in Koh Samui (2026)

The best beachfront hotels in Koh Samui by area and budget — Chaweng, Lamai, Choeng Mon and Bophut, with honest prices and what to watch for when booking.
Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan in daylight — white sand, turquoise Gulf water and jungle hills, the site of the Full Moon Party
Nightlife · 8 min

Koh Samui to the Full Moon Party

Everything you need to get from Koh Samui to the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin on Koh Phangan — boats, prices, timing, and what to expect when you get there.
Vana Belle Koh Samui resort — manicured tropical gardens leading to a white sand beach with calm Gulf of Thailand water and forested hills beyond
Hotels · 10 min

Koh Samui Honeymoon Resorts

The best honeymoon resorts in Koh Samui — private pool villas, romantic settings and adult-calm retreats compared by what matters: privacy, beach, spa and real value.
Dried fish and packaged seafood at a stall inside Laem Din local market, Koh Samui
Food · 7 min

Koh Samui Food Guide 2026

From the Fisherman's Village Friday market in Bophut to roadside bowls of khanom jeen at Laem Din, Koh Samui's food scene runs well beyond the tourist strips.
Banyan Tree Samui — hillside pool villa with a private infinity pool set above Lamai Bay, Koh Samui
Hotels · 9 min

Koh Samui Villas and Hotels with a Private Pool (2026)

Private pool villas and hotel rooms in Koh Samui by price band — from plunge-pool suites around 7,000 THB to standalone luxury villas at 30,000+ THB, with what to look for before booking.
Panoramic view from a hilltop in Ang Thong National Marine Park over a cluster of forested limestone islands rising from turquoise Gulf of Thailand water, with hikers on a rocky ridge in the foreground
Itineraries · 7 min

Koh Samui 4-Day Itinerary 2026

A practical day-by-day plan for four days on Koh Samui — hitting the main sights without burning half your time on logistics.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, with white sand, clear turquoise water, and forested hills in the background on a sunny day
Budget · 7 min

Koh Samui on a Budget 2026

Koh Samui has a reputation for being expensive.
Choeng Mon Beach on Koh Samui with white sand, calm turquoise water, long-tail boats, and a forested headland in the background
Families · 8 min

Koh Samui with Kids 2026

Koh Samui works well for families — calm beaches on three sides, ethical elephant experiences, water parks, and an ease to daily logistics that makes travel with small children manageable.
Koh Tao island seen from the water, with turquoise gulf and tree-lined hills rising from the shore
Day trips · 8 min

Koh Samui to Koh Tao

How to get from Koh Samui to Koh Tao — ferry options, prices, what to do for a day, and whether it's worth staying overnight for a dive course.
Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui — cliffside pool villa with private infinity pool overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, tropical palms and rocky coastline in the foreground
Hotels · 9 min

Koh Samui Luxury Resorts and Villas

The best 5-star resorts and private pool villas in Koh Samui — Four Seasons, Banyan Tree, Ritz-Carlton, W and more compared honestly by location, what you actually get and price.
Lamai Beach, Koh Samui — 4km of white sand on the island's east coast, backed by palm trees and smaller resorts than Chaweng
Hotels · 10 min

Lamai Beach Hotels

The best hotels on Lamai Beach by budget tier — beachfront options, who each suits, and what you actually gain by choosing Lamai over Chaweng.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — wide white sand with clear turquoise water and green hills in the background, a few people walking near the water's edge
Planning · 7 min

Where to Stay in Koh Samui 2026

Which part of Koh Samui suits you — party, quiet, boutique, family, or budget.

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