Southern Thailand · Surat Thani

Koh Samui travel guide: beaches, Big Buddha and Ang Thong

Koh Samui, 35 kilometres off the coast of Surat Thani, is Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket and one of Asia's favourite resort islands, as TAT describes it. Its beaches range from busy Chaweng and Lamai to laid-back Bophut, Mae Nam and Choeng Mon; inland are forested hills, waterfalls and temples, and offshore the 42 islands of Ang Thong National Marine Park.

AsiaVela editorial teamUpdated 1 October 20263 min read

Chaweng beach curving along the east coast of Koh Samui seen from a hillside — Chaweng beach from the hills.

Suggested time: 5–6 nights
Where to stay: Bophut, Chaweng or Lamai
Season and timing: The directory recommends January to May for calm weather; the Gulf's heaviest rain usually falls from October to December.

The short answer

Stay five or six nights. Pick your beach — Chaweng or Lamai for nightlife, Bophut, Mae Nam or Choeng Mon for calm — and spend a day each on the island's sights (Big Buddha, Wat Khunaram, Hin Ta Hin Yai, Na Muang waterfall) and on a boat trip to Ang Thong. TAT advises that Ang Thong is calmest between March and October. Samui Airport has direct flights from Bangkok.

Choosing a beach

Chaweng, on the east coast, is Samui's longest and most popular beach, with white sand, clear shallow water and plenty of water sports, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports' directory. TAT describes Chaweng and Lamai as the bustling beaches and Bophut, Mae Nam and Choeng Mon as more peaceful.

The island is only about 25 kilometres from north to south, TAT notes, so nowhere is far.

Big Buddha and the temples

On the small island of Ko Fan, joined by a causeway, the Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) is a 12-metre golden statue in the posture of subduing Mara, visible from kilometres away, TAT explains.

At Wat Khunaram, six kilometres west of Lamai, the body of the monk Luang Pho Daeng, who died in 1973, has been displayed as a reminder of the Buddha's teachings. Dress modestly and be respectful.

The golden seated Big Buddha of Wat Phra Yai against a blue sky — The Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai), Koh Samui.

A long wooden pier with boats moored at Bophut on the north coast of Koh Samui — The pier at Bophut.

Make time for the local food

What to eat and where to look

Southern Thai seafood

Grilled seafood and spicy southern curries at beach restaurants and in fishing villages.

Where to look: Bophut Fisherman's Village and beach restaurants.
Fit it into your day: Dinner by the sea.

Southern food is often very spicy.

Fine dining

TAT notes that Ko Samui and Surat Thani were added to the MICHELIN Guide Thailand from 2024.

Where to look: Restaurants listed in the guide on the island.
Fit it into your day: A special dinner; book ahead.

Book in high season.

Coconut and tropical fruit

Samui's interior is full of coconut groves and orchards of durian and rambutan, as TAT describes.

Where to look: Markets and roadside stalls.
Fit it into your day: A snack on an island drive.

Seasonal.

Hin Ta Hin Yai and the waterfalls

South of Lamai, the rock formations of Hin Ta Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks) amuse visitors but are revered by locals for luck and fertility, as TAT notes.

Na Muang waterfall, about 12 kilometres from Nathon, has two cascades over purple-tinted rock; Hin Lat waterfall is beside a small forest monastery near Nathon, according to TAT.

Granite boulders of Hin Ta Hin Yai on the shore south of Lamai — Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks near Lamai.

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Ang Thong National Marine Park; departs from Koh Samui

Ang Thong National Marine Park tour by big boat

A full day with kayaking, snorkelling and the viewpoints. Check whether the park fee is included.

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Ang Thong National Marine Park

Ang Thong National Marine Park: tours

A collection of Ang Thong day trips by big boat, speedboat and catamaran.

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Check dates, the final price, meeting point, guide language, inclusions, accessibility and cancellation conditions on Viator. The language of this website is not the language of the guide.

Ang Thong National Marine Park

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park is an archipelago of 42 islands with limestone spires in an emerald sea, as the directory describes. On Ko Mae Ko, steps lead to a viewpoint over Thale Nai, a lagoon encircled by cliffs (swimming is forbidden); on Ko Wua Talap, a steep 500-metre climb leads to a panorama of the islands, TAT explains.

Only government-approved boats may enter. Day trips leave from Samui, about an hour by speedboat from Nathon; TAT says the park is best between March and October, when the sea is calmer.

Forested islands and turquoise channels of Ang Thong National Marine Park from a viewpoint — Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park.

Getting there

Samui International Airport has direct flights from Bangkok and some regional cities. Ferries link the island with the mainland at Surat Thani and with Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

Rent a car or use taxis to move around; scooters need care on hilly roads.