Travel blog

The Best Areas to Experience in Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui is Thailand’s second-largest island. Perhaps not as world-renowned as Phuket, it is just as famous for its palm-fringed white sandy beaches, beautiful blue seas, coconut groves and dense, mountainous rainforest. Koh Samui has a laid-back vibe to it but does nevertheless also cater for visitors seeking something livelier.

2min read

Published 17 July 2023

Flight Centre

Where to stay in Koh Samui?

Every Samui beach has a charm of its own. Which is best? Well, you get to decide by reading on to discover more

Koh Samui is a very much sought-after holiday-maker destination and with so many attractions for visitors to this island's shores, it has a well-established and well-organised tourist infrastructure to take care of their needs. It boasts a wide range of accommodations to suit all budgets and up-market spas. However, as with all foreign destinations, there are some areas that visitors would be well-advised to stay clear of, while of course there are other areas that are more suited to first-time visitors, visitors who don't know the "local ropes" as it were.

This island has a few areas best suited to holidaymakers. Chaweng Beach is the lively hub of Koh Samui while Lamai Beach is comparatively more quaint and less expensive. Chaweng is undoubtedly the centre of the island's nightlife. Lamai has a good tourist infrastructure with great accommodation options and for those who like to self-cater a few supermarkets. On Koh Samui's northern shores are the lesser-known and beautiful twin beaches of Samrong and Tonson Bay.

Far quieter and way more laid back is the tiny island of Koh Tao, which is 90 minutes north of Samui by ferry. This convenient and compact beach region allows first-time visitors relaxation, an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the area and to enjoy a profusion of amenities. Koh Tao is, without doubt, the most laid-back and least busy holiday spot east of Thailand’s mainland. It is also the safest. But be prepared to walk or cycle just about everywhere!

Relaxing on the beach with your family (Koh Samui is very child-friendly) and enjoying the wonderfully warm sea (the average water temp. is a balmy 29 degrees C) lapping its shores and swimming in the unbelievably blue waters are basically the main reasons for visiting this island. But for those travellers seeking something crazy wild, there is nothing like the Full Moon parties on Koh Phangan Island!

This island, 45 minutes away from Koh Samui by ferry, is for most of the time a remarkably quiet destination but once a month it transforms its southern shores into hectic all-night fun and wild dance parties! While Thailand as a whole and Koh Samui are pretty safe destinations, visitors should make sure to take all the right precautions. A Full Moon party is just the thing to get your adrenaline pumping!

As can be clearly seen from the above, the areas best suited to foreign visitors are Chaweng, Lamai and Koh Tao. These areas really do tick all the boxes. The beaches are awesome, the sea stunning, the tourist infrastructure really geared up, and outstanding hospitality. Also, any number of tours, excursions and activities can be booked through reputable tour operators in the busier areas.

Here's a quick recap of everything Koh Samui:

Koh Samui is part of an archipelago of more than 80 islands off the east coast of Thailand. Though it has been inhabited for hundreds of years, the first roads – and tourists – only came to the rainforest-covered, beach-fringed island in the early 1970s. It came to broader attention in 2000 as the setting for the movie The Beach. Now there is a clutch of 5-star resorts here, it seems the backpacker-only days of the island are gone. But high-end resorts don't appear without reason; the beaches, lagoons, coves, and forests still entice. Koh Samui is also known for its nightlife. Note the weather is kindest between January and April.

What are the top attractions in Koh Samui?

Koh Samui's top attractions are generally on or near the beach. Its 2 main beaches are Chaweng and Lamai, and both get crowded in the high season (mid-December to mid-January). If you're looking for a quiet beach, Choengmon is 10 minutes from Chaweng. Most diving is done in the nearby Angthong Marine National Park, and you can book day trips from the dive shops based at Chaweng. Visitors to the island often stop to see the Big Buddha Temple – a 12-metre-tall statue built in 1972. There's a butterfly garden/insect museum in the island's southeast and swimming at the waterfalls at Na Muang is also popular.

Where to eat and drink in Koh Samui?

If you'd like to try Koh Samui restaurants a few notches above the rest, your palate may appreciate the fare at these resort eateries: Dining on the Rocks (at Six Senses Samui); H Bistro (at Hansar Samui); Flames (at the InterContinental) and Saffron (at Banyan Tree). But cheap really can be cheerful too. The most local cuisine has its roots in Malay, Indonesian and Indian food and is known for its spiciness. The beach village on the northern coast of Koh Samui, Bophut, has preserved some of the original Thai Chinese atmospheres the island has been known for. This is one of the best places on the island for dining.

Where is best to stay in Koh Samui?

If you're seeking nightlife, the best Koh Samui accommodation for you will be around Chaweng and Lamai. Mae Nam or the South Coast provide quieter beach experiences and Nathon is in the central part of the island. Budget properties still abound in Koh Samui though the 4- and 5-star hotels are sharing the holiday vibes. Hostels start from as little as R100 per night, so you may well stay a while... If you want to go upmarket, try InterContinental Baan Taling Ngam Resort, Conrad Koh Samui, Banyan Tree, or Four Seasons.

What is shopping like in Koh Samui?

Koh Samui shopping, not to put too fine a point on it, isn't really its main drawcard. Sure, you can get any number of cheap items at the tourist strips along Chaweng and Lamai; but sundresses, ceramics, DVDs, and skin care products mainly span the gamut of available items. If you want to add spa treatments to the shopping list, that's another story. Most high-end resorts here have a spa and the better ones are to be found within Six Senses, Banyan Tree and Tamarind Springs. If shopping is really your thing, save the suitcase space for Bangkok.

Koh Samui like a local

Locals in the know love the seafood feast available at the beachfront restaurant, Krua Chao Baan. It's south of Lamai and about 1 kilometre before you reach Hua Thanon fishing village. A Koh Samui bar/restaurant newcomer, 9Gems, has been described as 'Miami Vice meets Buddha Bar' – eat tapas and sip cocktails with views over Chaweng Lake. Thinking you'll need a break from the beach? Try a zipline/flying fox run above the jungle treetops near Mae Nam. A little too fast and furious? Explore the Magic Buddha Garden created by an elderly fruit farmer. (It's Koh Samui, it's a bit off-beat.)

We at Flight Centre wholeheartedly recommend that visitors make use of these to ensure that your holiday is as hassle-free as possible.

For more information contact us directly and our travel expert will be glad to assist you. But, whatever the case, do yourself a great big favour and book your trip to Koh Samui today!