Fernweh: Home
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAll highlightsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    • Neighborhoods & highlights
    • Recommendations
    • Eat & drink
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Accommodation
    • Plan trip
    • Nearby
    Koh Samui

    Thailand

    Koh Samui

    City

    Koh Samui, Thailand's second-largest after Phuket, is the Gulf's most developed, with its airport, ring road, and lodging from basic bungalows to large resorts.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Thailand
    7. Gulf of Thailand Coast
    9. Koh Samui
    Koh Samui, Thailand's second-largest after Phuket, is the Gulf's most developed, with its airport, ring road, and lodging from basic bungalows to large resorts. The east coast (Chaweng, Lamai) drives tourism; the south and mountainous, palm-filled interior is calmer. Beyond beaches, the Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem temple, and island waterfalls merit a visit. Planning note: Samui's rain patterns differ from the Andaman Coast, with most rain from mid-October to early December.

    Sights in Koh Samui

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    1Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha)

    The twelve-meter-high, golden seated Buddha from 1972 stands on the small island of Koh Faan in the northeast, about three kilometers north of the airport. A short causeway connects it to Samui. The beach in front of it is named Big Buddha Beach. Open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM, shoulders and knees must be covered.
    Open in Google Maps

    2Wat Plai Laem

    The temple by a lake in the island's northeast is built around a white, eighteen-armed figure of Guanyin, the Chinese-Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The complex is relatively new and vibrantly designed. It's just a few minutes from the Big Buddha; both can be easily combined in one morning.
    Open in Google Maps

    3Fisherman's Village Bophut

    Fishermen from Hainan settled in Bophut, building wooden houses and shops along the beachfront road. Since the 1970s, European arrivals opened cafés and restaurants here; today, the village is shaped by tourism, with red Chinese lanterns recalling its origins. Every Friday evening, the street is closed to traffic and transformed into a Walking Street featuring street food, souvenirs, and a small stage.
    Open in Google Maps

    4Hin Ta and Hin Yai

    At Lamai's southern tip stand two granite rocks, shaped by wind and waves, known as the Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks. Their form is reminiscent of genitalia. Legend has it that the boat of an elderly couple, on their journey to find a bride for their son, sank here; their bodies washed ashore and turned to stone. Locals, therefore, treat the rocks with reverence. Access is through a shopping arcade.
    Open in Google Maps

    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Roti Bang Dan (Branch 1)

    Restaurant in 164 รหัสไปรษณีย์ Tambon Lipa Noi.
    Show on Google Maps

    Food and Drink on Koh Samui

    Samui's cuisine is Southern Thai – spicier, with plenty of coconut milk and seafood. The island's coconut cultivation is reflected in its cuisine, and besides the resort restaurants, there are street food stalls and markets where the locals eat.

    Nightmarkets

    The Fisherman's Village Walking Street in Bophut on Friday evening is the island's most famous market. More local and cheaper are the evening markets in Nathon and the Laem Din Market near Chaweng, where the fresh market also operates during the day.

    Seafood at the Pier

    In Bang Rak, Bophut and in the south near Thong Krut, you'll find simple waterfront eateries selling the day's catch by weight – crab, squid, barracuda, grilled or in curry paste.

    Coconuts, in all their forms

    Fresh coconut water straight from the nut, coconut ice cream, coconut chips, and dishes based on coconut milk. The island's plantations provide the ingredients – along the ring road, stalls sell directly from trailers.

    Gaeng Tai Pla

    A Southern Thai curry made from fermented fish offal, very spicy and salty – the dish that reveals if a kitchen cooks for locals or for guests. Not for the first day.

    Roti

    The Muslim residents bring roti to the island – sweet with banana and condensed milk from evening stands, savory with curry for breakfast.

    Culture and Daily Life on Koh Samui

    Coconut and HainanBefore tourism, Samui thrived on coconut and rubber. Traders from Hainan arrived on the island from the 19th century onwards, establishing plantations and settling along the coasts; Hua Thanon is considered one of the oldest Hainanese settlements. Until the early 1970s, Samui had no roads.Religiously, the island is predominantly Buddhist, with Chinese temples and shrines of the Hainanese communities. The two most famous temples, Wat Phra Yai with its seated Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem with its eighteen-armed Guanyin figure, lie close to each other in the northeast. Modest dress is mandatory there.

    On-site adventures

    Getting Around SamuiThe Ring Road is the island's main artery; almost everything is located along it or a short turn-off.Songthaews: operate during the day along the Ring Road. Ask for the price before getting in.Taxis: mostly operate on fixed fares. Grab is available and shows the price upfront.Scooters: the cheapest way to explore the island; access roads to waterfalls and viewpoints are steep. A motorcycle license and helmet are mandatory.Rental Cars: practical for families and during the rainy season.Ferries to the mainland depart from Nathon and Lipa Noi, boats to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao also from the pier at Big Buddha in the north.

    Accommodations in Koh Samui

    Find perfect stay in Koh Samui

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Plan your trip to Koh Samui

    Save places, build a route and plan your city trip, all in one place.

    1. 1
      Sunrise over alpine peaks and a sea of clouds
      1234

      Round trip

      12 days · 4 stops

      Saved

      Pick a route

      Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.

      Open bookmarks
    2. 2

      Trip to Koh Samui

      Live
      • 1Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha)3 days
      • 2Wat Plai Laem4 days
      • 3Fisherman's Village Bophut5 days
      Budget

      Plan your trip

      The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.

      Start trip planning
    3. 3
      9:41 No signal
      Koh Samui
      Available offline

      Use it on the road

      Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

    Nearby

    Koh Phangan

    Koh Phangan

    Koh Phangan lies in the Gulf of Thailand between Koh Samui and Koh Tao. The island became known through the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin beach in the south, but most of it is quiet: wooded hill country fills the interior, and individual bays lie along the edges.The main arrival point is the harbour of Thong Sala with the island's largest market. On the west coast around Srithanu, a yoga and wellness scene has settled, and in the north-east lie Thong Nai Pan and Bottle Beach, which can only be reached by boat or on foot.In the east, the Than Sadet Waterfall drops through the forest; King Chulalongkorn visited it several times, and his initials are carved into a rock. Hiking trails lead up Khao Ra, at 635 metres the highest point on the island.Ferries run from Surat Thani, Koh Samui and Koh Tao. The roads in the island's interior are in places very steep, and for some stretches pick-up taxis are the safer choice compared with a scooter. Around the full moon, accommodation in Haad Rin is booked out early.
    Ang Thong Marine National Park

    Ang Thong Marine National Park

    The Ang Thong Marine National Park comprises 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, located approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Koh Samui. Established in 1980, it spans over 100 square kilometers, with about half of that being land.The landscape features steep, forested limestone islands and saltwater lakes in the interior, such as the emerald-green Lake Thale Nai on Koh Mae Ko. Koh Wua Talap hosts the park headquarters, bungalows, and a steep path to a viewpoint. The park gained wider recognition through Alex Garland's novel The Beach.Access is restricted to authorized tour operators, with most visitors arriving via day trips from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan. Annually, the park closes for recuperation from approximately November 1st to December 15th.
    Koh Tao

    Koh Tao

    Koh Tao is the smallest of the three well-known islands in the Gulf of Thailand and thrives mainly on diving. Short boat rides to dive sites and numerous dive schools make the island one of the world's most important locations for dive training.The main arrival point is the pier of Mae Haad; the largest area is along the long Sairee Beach on the west coast. To the south, Chalok Baan Kao is quieter, while in the east, rocky bays can be reached via steep tracks.Notable dive sites include Chumphon Pinnacle, where lucky divers may spot whale sharks, most likely in April and May, and the rock Sail Rock between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. In Shark Bay to the southeast, blacktip reef sharks can be observed while snorkeling.Northwest lies Koh Nang Yuan, three rocky islets connected by sandbars. Ferries operate from Chumphon, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui; however, crossings are occasionally cancelled due to strong winds.
    Nam Talu Cave

    Nam Talu Cave

    The **Nam Talu Cave** is a river cave in Khao Sok National Park on Cheow Lan Lake. A stream flows through the limestone mountain, with the path often leading through water: knee-deep, sometimes deeper, and some sections requiring swimming. Inside, you'll find stalactites and bats.Access is by boat and hike, usually as a day trip from one of the raft houses. A **licensed guide is mandatory**.The reason is serious: Eight tourists died in a flash flood in the cave in October 2007, and a guide in August 2024. The cave is therefore closed from June 1 to November 30; even outside this period, it can close at short notice after rain.You should bring shoes that can get wet and provide grip, a headlamp, and waterproof packed items. If you cannot swim or tolerate confined spaces poorly, you should skip the tour.
    Gulf of Thailand Coast

    Gulf of Thailand Coast

    The Gulf of Thailand coast here stretches from Hua Hin south of Bangkok, via Chumphon and Surat Thani, down to Songkhla. It includes beach resorts like Hua Hin, tranquil fishing villages, and the island group of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao.The beaches are mostly shallow, and the sea is calmer than on the Andaman Coast. Important for planning: The southern Gulf receives most rain from October to December, which is when the season starts on the Andaman Coast. In May and June, it's the opposite, making the Gulf the better choice.Trains, buses, and highways run parallel along the coast. You can reach the islands by ferry from Chumphon, Surat Thani, and Don Sak.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Pexels. Each photo carries its credit.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI