The island in figures
- Where: Gulf of Thailand, off the east coast of southern Thailand, part of Surat Thani Province. Since 2012 the whole island has been a single city municipality.
- Size: 228.7 km², second only to Phuket among Thai islands. A ring road of about 51 km follows the coast.
- Highest point: Khao Pom, 635 m, in the jungle-covered centre.
- Main town: Nathon on the west coast, the old capital and the port for ferries from the mainland.
- Airport: Samui International (USM), a private airport in Bo Phut, about 2 km north of Chaweng.
- Nearby: Koh Phangan and Koh Tao to the north, and the 42 islands of Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park to the west.
Where to start
- Getting thereDirect flights, or a cheaper flight to the mainland plus a ferry from Donsak.
- BeachesChaweng, Lamai, Bophut, Mae Nam, Choeng Mon, Lipa Noi: who each one suits.
- Ang Thong Marine ParkLimestone islands, the Thale Nai lake and a hard climb to the viewpoint.
- Temples and landmarksThe Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem, the mummified monk and the Lamai rocks.
- SeasonsWhy Samui's rain comes late in the year, unlike Phuket's.
- Koh Phangan and Koh TaoCatamarans from Mae Nam and Big Buddha piers to the neighbouring islands.
How the island is laid out
Most visitors stay on the east and north coasts. Chaweng, the longest and busiest beach, sits on the east side next to the airport, with Lamai, the second resort area, further south. The north coast is quieter: Choeng Mon, Big Buddha Beach (Bang Rak), Bophut with its old Fisherman's Village, and Mae Nam. The west coast, around Nathon and Lipa Noi, faces the mainland and the Ang Thong islands, has the car ferry piers and gets the sunsets. The south is a string of small villages such as Hua Thanon, one of the oldest Chinese-Hainanese settlements on the island.
The island takes about an hour to drive around without stops. Inland, roads climb into coconut and fruit plantations and forest; a few lead to waterfalls such as Na Muang.
A short history
Bronze drums found in the southern hills suggest people lived on Samui more than 2,000 years ago. Chinese maps from 1687 mark it as "Pulo Cornam". In the 19th century traders from Hainan settled on the coast and started the coconut plantations that ran the island's economy for a century; a few Hainanese shrines still stand. Until the early 1970s there were no roads, and crossing from one side to the other could take a day on foot.
The first backpackers came in the 1970s on coconut boats. The airport opened in 1989, and by 2018 the island received 2.7 million visitors. Coconut and rubber are still grown, but tourism is now the main business.
Before you go
- Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled and filtered water are easy to find.
- Taxi drivers rarely use the meter: agree the fare before you get in, or use the Grab app, which works on the island.
- If you rent a motorbike, check whether it is insured, wear a helmet and do not hand over your passport as a deposit.
- In temples, cover shoulders and knees and take your shoes off where others do.
Beyond Samui
Samui is easy to combine with Koh Phangan or Koh Tao by boat, or with a day on the Ang Thong islands. If your trip carries on to other countries in the region, Belka Travel has flight and hotel search together with illustrated guides to places in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.