What to do in Koh Samui -A perfect Guide in Thailand

Last Updated on April 26, 2020 by Tia

What to do in Koh Samui.. well grab a beer.. because this is in great detail! This Article will be your one-stop guide on what to do in Koh Samui Thailand. The kind of activities, food, and beaches that simply cannot be missed!!!  This island is my absolute favorite island in Thailand, and I can’t wait to make it yours too!

So without further ado, let’s discover Koh Samui together! 

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Koh Samui At A Glance

The island of Koh Samui is Thailand’s second-largest island after Phuket, with an area of 228.7 km2 and a population of over 63,000. It’s a huge island so don’t be fooled thinking you can see in it a couple of days!

One of the top tourist destinations in Thailand, it boasts an abundance of tourist resources! Expect to see sandy beaches, coral reefs, and coconut trees all over the island.  

How to get to Koh Samui

The most convenient way to get to Koh Samui is flying with Bangkok Airways either from Bangkok itself or from Singapore, Phuket or Pattaya. There are over twenty flights a day from Bangkok alone.

Flight Duration: 50 mins.

Weather in Koh Samui and other Thai Information

Are you trying to decide on the best time to visit Koh Samui? In my Thailand at a glance guide, you will see the country’s different seasons, currency exchange, budget, visa information and many more.  

Vaccinations

Depending of where you are traveling you might need different vaccinations. This guide, explains it all!

You should know, that exotic destinations sometimes come with exotic diseases, so read this if you want to avoid getting sick on holiday!

Simple, cheap ways to save the planet whilst traveling 

• Do you use cotton buds for your ears and/ or makeup? The world’s first plastic-free and reusable cotton swabs are here and I am beyond excited! Just ONE of these eco-friendly swabs replaces over 1000 cotton swabs that end up in our oceans! They come in gorgeous colors, are durable, and super easy to clean! Take the pledge today, I have received my order, and couldn’t be happier! This link here gives you 10% off your order! 

• Are you a smoker? Cigarette butts are the single greatest source of ocean pollution, with more than 60 million collected over 32 years! To save our oceans, just carry a portable ashtray like this one in your backpack! This one is unisex, totally stylish and can be fastened to any backpack! With every puff, you are taking a huge step towards responsible tourism.
• Do you use plastic bottles and straws? A simple reusable cup and metal straw are the best, and contribute a lot to the solution; trust me! 100,000  marine creatures and 1million sea birds die from plastic entanglement in a year. I have tried paper straws and pasta straws too, but I really hate them! This stainless steel straw set comes with a handy pouch, and a brush to clean too! Adore!

Other eco-friendly travel tips!

• Carry plastic-free shampoo and conditioner in your suitcase. There is no need to carry plastic bottles that you will later throw away. Not when you can get top-quality shampoo and conditioner in a bar! This conditioner bar is excellent – 100% vegan, not tested on animals, no palm oil, smells great, lasts for AGES and keeps hair safe from the humidity of exotic countries! There is also a shampoo and conditioner set available, let me know what you think of it, as I purchased mine individually as above.
• Recycle. Save your plastic for the recycle bins and for the love of God please STOP throwing trash in the ocean!
• Eat local food, and carry a takeaway box to take back any leftovers! Local food is most often delicious, and you are also supporting the local food vendors!

Best Area to Stay Koh Samui

I spend 8 days on the island, which I divided into 2 hotels- 5 nights on the area of Chaweng and 3 nights in Lamai. Those two are the biggest most popular areas of Koh Samui.  Both are equally good for single travelers, couples, honeymooners, and families with children. I personally preferred Chaweng a little bit more, the beach clubs, restaurants, and nightlife were just my cup of tea!  

Chaweng Koh Samui

is bursting with life – souvenir shops, night markets, food markets, restaurants, and bars! There is obviously also the gorgeous Chaweng Beach; a 7 km long organized beach, with numerous restaurants, hotels, beach clubs, water sports and massage stations.

Lamai Koh Samui

is much the same in a way on a smaller scale. Think of it as the younger sister of Chaweng- but it is smaller and definitely quieter at night. Most of the popular tourist sights of Koh Samui are located in this area and there is much to explore apart from swimming all day.

Renting a 4×4 or a scooter will give you access to sightseeing at your own leisure of you can simply choose an organized day tour (i get to that later in the post)  

Getting Around Koh Samui Would recommend renting a scooter to be able to explore and beach hop the island as well as go to good restaurants etc. For more info on other means of transportation CLICK HERE  

What to do in Koh Samui 

for reference: $ – 10-20 dollars  $$ – 20-40 dollars $$$ – 50+ dollars  

What to do in Koh Samui – Beach Clubs

Sometimes you just need a little luxury, a picture-perfect setting, and a fantastic cocktail.

Luckily Koh Samui Luxury Hotels are plentiful and they do NOT disappoint!  READ MORE FOR THE BEST BEACH CLUBS IN KOH SAMUI… 

What to do in Koh Samui – Beaches

Visiting as many beaches as humanly possible is always at the top of my list. Thankfully, Samui did not disappoint me with choices! Any of these beaches can be accessed via scooter, taxi or car. You can easily relax on the sun loungers all day, making full use of the many local restaurants and massage stations in the area.  

Chaweng Beach

One of the busiest, but also the prettiest beaches in Samui. 7 km of white sand and every accommodation you can think of! Many of the beach clubs mentioned above are on this beach, but you can skip all those and just rent your sun lounger for the day.

Chaweng tends to attract a younger crowd due to the numerous beach clubs and bars but I personally didn’t find any significant difference.$  

   Lamai Beach

Approximately a half-hour drive from Chaweng lies Lamai. This 2km long beach used to be a fisherman’s village. Here, you will find a slightly older crowd, cheaper accommodations and a slightly more chilled out vibe! $  

Lipa Noi Beach 

A quiet, remote and secluded gateway beach. Not as aesthetically pleasing as the ones above, but definitely one to try if you fancy some peace and quiet. Well worth the trip as it is quite far out from all tourist attractions and hotels.

The notorious Nikki Beach Club is located in the area and there are a few other eateries but quite limited in terms of amenities.

Tip- This is a rocky beach so mind your feet! $  

Bophut Beach

Bophut offers a good combination of peace and quiet. While it is busy enough to provide good amenities, it also feels untouched. This 2km yellow sand beach boasts water sports, restaurants, boutique hotels and many more.$

Koh Samui Massage

  Koh Samui provided some of the best massages we had in Thailand. Prices start from 200 baht (6 euros) for an hour and you are spoiled for choice as you can find dozens of stations everywhere you go.

I especially loved the massages on the beach, cause bikini + Massage + the sound of the waves is my idea of #winning in life.

Must-Try: Thai Massage, Back and Neck Massage, and a Foot Massage

Top Picks for Massage in Koh Samui 

• Dtus Professional Massage – Lamai.
  Address: 125/3, 87/3 Moo 3, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand. Hours: Opens 9am- 6pm. Phone: +66 86 237 4655 
• The massage station right next to Coast Beach Club – Chaweng
• Thai Thai Spa – Chaweng. Address: 17 Moo 3, Chaweng, Bophut 84320, Thailand. (Formerly Samui Resotel and Spa)  

The best Restaurants in Koh Samui 

Girls gotta eat and what better time to indulge than on Holiday? Read more for the best restaurants and nightlife in Koh Samui…

What to do in Koh Samui – Activities/sightseeing

   The Big Buddha Temple

a 12 meter high, Beautiful Golden Buddha that can be seen from miles away! Inside the temple area, you will find smaller shrines and Buddhas, along with souvenir and food stalls.

Buddhist devotees come daily to make offerings of fruit and flowers and light incense at the base of the statue. As a tourist, all these rituals are fascinating to me and I love observing them.

TIP: Dress Modestly, or carry a sarong to cover your legs and shoulders. Shoes are forbidden and the stairs are HOT so make sure you pack some socks!

Entrance is Free    

The Samui Viewpoint 

High in the mountains and deep into the jungle you arrive at this beautiful Viewpoint and to be honest, i’ll let the picture do the talking!  

The Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks

Otherwise known as the Hin Ta and Hin Yai Rocks look respectively like the male and female genitalia. Legend says that an elderly couple (Grandpa Kreng and Grandma Riem) sailed to a neighboring village to find a bride for their only son. They were caught in a bad storm and died at sea. When their bodies washed ashore, they formed into these formations and have been there ever since.

Opening Hours: Entry to the rocks is free of charge and available all day in daylight hours.  

The Mummified Monk

 Koh Samui’s Mummified Monk at Wat Khunaram offers an interesting insight into Buddism and Thai culture. Rather than being frightened by death, Buddhist Thais are highly accepting and welcoming the end of life. They believe death as the opportunity to be reborn into a better place, one step closer to nirvana.

This monk died in 1973 in a seated meditated position, and after 40 odd years, his body shows little signs of decay.

Opening hours: The temple is open for visitors during daylight hours every day.

Entry is free but donations are accepted.  

Namuang Waterfalls

Admittedly nothing like the likes of Bali and Costa Rica. Even so, the Namuang Waterfalls are the most picture-perfect in Samui. They take their name after the purple rock formations at the bottom of the fall with a thick lush jungle separating the two waterfalls. Upon reaching Namuang 1, you trek a further 10-15 mins to reach Namuang 2 in all its 80m glory.

• Prime visiting time: September- November.
• Entry: Free. Wear trainers or good quality sandals!
  
  

     Recommended tour

The Samui off Road Mountain Tour took us to ALL the above destinations in a full-day tour that was including lunch.

Pros

• Get all the major sights out of the way in one go. #winning.
• delicious food, and an adrenaline-packed day going off-road on a massive 4×4 into the thick jungle!
• We were provided with ample water ammunition as there was a water fight between the jeeps.

Cons

Unfortunately, the tour also includes an elephant, monkey and crocodile show and elephant trekking! I chose to avoid those as i am firmly against #animalcruelty and very pro on #responsibletourism. Read my easy guide to Responsible tourism and ethical travel 

Hoorah! You made it to the end! All in all Koh Samui was fabulous, and a fantastic start to my Thailand travels..If Thailand is on your mind, then Koh Samui is a must!  

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• Responsible tourism and ethical travel
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Thanks for reading! Till the next time kids!
Tia
xoxo