Koh Samui, Thailand, is a popular holiday destination for couples, families and solo travellers. There’s something for everyone, and a range of accommodation and activities for every budget – including resorts with beachfront swimming pools and kids clubs, fitness retreats, spa and yoga sanctuaries, self contained villas or traditional Thai style bungalows. Search for accommodation in Koh Samui here.
Samui’s international airport will welcome you with its tropical island vibes. You’ll feel the tropical breeze the moment you step off the plane, and hop onto the open air buggies that take you to the terminal. Koh Samui is just a 1 hour flight from Bangkok, and there’s several flights every day. So it’s easy to visit for a few days or a few weeks. Find flights here.
There’s so many beautiful beaches and scenic coastlines that you can explore. Rent a motorbike or a car, or arrange a minivan with a driver to take you around the island. Enjoy peaceful sunrise walks along the beach, or stop for a sunset cocktail at one of the many beachfront bars and restaurants. Two of our favourite beaches for Sunsets are Bangrak beach and Lipa Noi beach. We operate Sunrise and Sunset paddle board tours at both of these beaches. One of the highlights of paddling at Bangrak is being able to paddle up close to the Big Buddha temple, and take in the vista around Wat Plai Laem (Plai Laem temple).
The nearby islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are close enough that you can visit for the day, or pop over for a couple of nights. Koh Phangan is well known for the full moon parties, yoga retreats and great vegetarian food. Koh Tao on the other hand is the place to go for snorkelling and scuba diving.
When you get back to Samui be sure to check out the wonderful restaurants in Bangrak or in Bophut Fisherman’s Village. There’s quite a few shops selling souvenirs that you can take back as gifts, or maybe just purchase a sarong to remind you of your holiday in paradise. Get travel inspiration from the Koh Samui Travel Guide here.
We think he best time to visit Samui is in February and March. The water is calm and intensely blue. It hardly rains during these months too. April and May are the hottest and driest months of the year – which is ok if you want to join the traditional Songkran (Thai New Year) water fights. June to September is also a nice time to visit. And the traditional “rainy season” (otherwise known as “green season”) runs from mid October until the end of December/mid January. And of course, the weather patterns will vary from year to year.
Getting to Samui: There are direct flights from Bangkok. You can also travel by train to Suratthani and then get the ferry across to Samui.
Travel Visas: Apply for the Special Tourist Visa (STV) at the Royal Thai Embassy in your country. This is a 90-day visa which can be extended twice allowing for a 270-day stay in the Kingdom of Thailand. There’s quite a long list of paperwork you will need to provide, along with negative COVID tests. But it’s not too difficult if you’re organised, and if you’re looking forward to hanging out on a tropical island.
As at the time of publishing (Feb 2021), all foreigners entering Thailand must complete a 14 day Quarantine in one of the approved hotels in Bangkok. This must be paid for by the traveller.
