Luxury hotels in Koh Samui

Koh Samui guide

Koh Samui: the Big Buddha and Ang Thong Marine Park

Palm-fringed beaches, forty-two islands by boat and the Gulf of Thailand's different seasons.

A day in Ang Thong Marine National Park, an archipelago of 42 limestone islands with hidden lagoons and kayaking, is the most cited excursion from Koh Samui. On the island itself, the Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai and the beaches of Chaweng, Lamai and the quieter north coast are the highlights.

Samui follows a different weather pattern from Phuket: its driest months are usually January to August, while October to December brings the heaviest rain. Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are close by boat, and the island has its own airport.

Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan

Koh Nang Yuan, three small islands linked by a white sandbar off Koh Tao, is the most cited excursion from Koh Samui and one of the most photographed views in Thailand; climb to the viewpoint early, before the day boats arrive.

Koh Tao is known as one of the world's busiest places to learn to dive, with gentle reefs, turtles and, in some months, whale sharks at Chumphon Pinnacle. A private speedboat from Samui takes about an hour and allows stops at quieter bays.

Fisherman's Village and the north coast

Fisherman's Village in Bophut, with old wooden shophouses turned into restaurants and boutiques along the beach, is one of the most cited places on Koh Samui, and its Friday night walking street market is the liveliest on the island.

Nearby, Wat Plai Laem, with a colourful eighteen-armed statue of Guanyin on a lake, and the Big Buddha are the classic temple stops, and Choeng Mon's sheltered bays suit families. The Secret Buddha Garden in the hills is reached by four-wheel drive.