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THAILAND · ISLAND

Koh Samui

A palm-fringed Gulf island of powder beaches, coconut groves and easygoing resort living.

  • Island
  • December – April
▸ Discover

About Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the Gulf of Thailand's most popular island — a coconut-palm-fringed paradise balancing luxury resorts on Chaweng's white-sand crescent with the natural beauty of Ang Thong Marine Park. The island is well-connected (direct international flights) and has excellent infrastructure. Neighbouring Ko Pha-ngan offers the famous Full Moon Party and quieter beaches for those who look further.

Highlights

  • Chaweng Beach sunrise and beach clubs
  • Ang Thong Marine National Park boat trip
  • Big Buddha temple at Nathon
  • Namuang Waterfalls jungle hike
  • Koh Nang Yuan snorkelling day trip
  • Night market at Fisherman's Village

Koh Samui in photos

Koh Samui — photo 1
Photo: Per Meistrup · BY-SA 3.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 2
Photo: zoutedrop · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 3
Photo: www.wbayer.com - www.facebook.com/wbayercom · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 4
Photo: Sistak · BY-SA 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 5
Photo: Sistak · BY-SA 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 6
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Withego assumed (based on copyright claims). · BY-SA 3.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 7
Photo: ToGa Wanderings · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 8
Photo: Manfred Werner · BY-SA 3.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 9
Photo: Phuketian.S · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 10
Photo: dany13 · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 11
Photo: ToGa Wanderings · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 12
Photo: Phuketian.S · BY-ND 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 13
Photo: Phuketian.S · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 14
Photo: daniel n. reid · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 15
Photo: greenmarlin · BY-ND 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 16
Photo: *liane* · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 17
Photo: lindz graham · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 18
Photo: u07ch · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 19
Photo: *liane* · BY 2.0 · Openverse
Koh Samui — photo 20
Photo: dany13 · BY 2.0 · Openverse
▸ Where you'll stay

Where you'll stay in Koh Samui

Live map of hotels and villas around Koh Samui — powered by Stay22. Pan, zoom and compare live prices to pick your base.

Stay

Hotels & rentals around Koh Samui

Pan, zoom and compare live prices — every stay in one map.

▸ What you'll do
What's on

While you're there

12
AUG
Thai Mother's Day / Queen Mother's Birthday Celebrations — Bangkok, August 2026
ถนนราชดำเนินใน, 10200, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand · festival
Build a trip around it →
22
SEP
Post Malone — Bangkok 2026 — Bangkok, September 2026
ถนนราชดำเนินใน, 10200, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand · concert
Build a trip around it →
13
APR
Songkran 2027
42 ซอยรามบุตรี, 10200, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand · festival
Build a trip around it →
▸ Best beaches
By the sea

Best beaches in Koh Samui

The 6 shores actually worth the trip on Koh Samui — ranked, with the vibe of each and where to stay nearby. Tap a card to fly the map to it.

  • Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui Long sandy © Damian Moore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

    Chaweng Beach

    Two kilometres of powder-white sand fringed with bars, resorts and watersports — Samui's liveliest beach.

    Best for nightlife and watersports

    Stays near this beach →
  • Lamai Beach, Koh Samui Swimming © Fabio Achilli (CC BY 2.0)

    Lamai Beach

    Clear swimming water and a mellower scene than Chaweng, with the quirky Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks at its south end.

    Best for swimming and value stays

    Stays near this beach →
  • Snorkelling

    Silver Beach (Crystal Bay)

    A tiny cove of clear turquoise water and granite boulders — the island's best casual snorkelling.

    Best for snorkelling day trips

    Stays near this beach →
  • Bophut Beach (Fisherman's Village), Koh Samui Sunset © Sgroey (CC BY-SA 4.0)

    Bophut Beach (Fisherman's Village)

    Golden sand fronting Fisherman's Village, where teak shophouses draw sunset diners and a lively Friday market.

    Best for sunset dining

    Stays near this beach →
  • Choeng Mon Beach, Koh Samui Family © Damian Moore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

    Choeng Mon Beach

    A sheltered, shallow crescent with calm water and soft sand — easy paddling for younger kids.

    Best for young families

    Stays near this beach →
  • Secluded

    Maenam Beach

    A long, quiet stretch of coconut palms and shallow water, far from the island's busier resort strips.

    Best for quiet relaxation

    Stays near this beach →
Explore

Explore the area

Koh Samui · Around the island · 1 island · 6 beaches

© OpenFreeMap · OSM · terrain Mapterhorn
Do

Local attractions & tours

Skip-the-line tickets and small-group tours in Koh Samui — compare across our partners.

We're still curating hand-picked tickets and tours for Koh Samui. In the meantime, the map above and the nearby cities are a great place to start.

▸ When you'll go

When to visit Koh Samui

December – April

▸ Ready to book your trip?
Book

Ready to book your trip?

Flights, airport transfers and car hire — search and compare without leaving the page.

▸ Trip extras
Book

More trip extras

Parking, holiday extras, and more — coming soon.

Coming soon

We're lining up parking, holiday extras and activities you'll be able to add to any trip from here.