Koh Samui is a small island off the east coast of Thailand. It is known for its beaches, all-night parties (the famous Full Moon Party at a nearby island), swanky resorts, Thai massages, and easy access from Bangkok (1hr flight). Most travellers will make their way to Phuket for their first time in Thailand, but this island is not to be missed. Whether you are looking for luxury, adventure, or a quiet bungalow on an unknown beach – you will be able to find something to love here.

How to get there?

In order to arrive in Koh Samui, you’ll need to book a flight through Bangkok or Phuket if flying international. You can fly from most other major airports in Thailand. We flew Bangkok Air from Bangkok, which is a small boutique Thai airline. We were extremely impressed with the airline. Not only was it cheap, but they somehow managed to serve us a small meal on the 1 hr flight as well.

Once on the island, you will arrive at a small outdoor airport that almost feels like Disney World a little bit (if you arrive in the dark, you will have to wait for your flight out to see).

You can take a taxi directly to your hotel from the airport. We booked a taxi directly through the hotel, but you could also order on through Grab or pick one at the airport as well.

How many days do you need?

You can definitely spend more than 3 days in Koh Samui if you have the time on your trip, but I think 3 is the absolute minimum. A lot of people will go to this island and spend at least a week because it is an amazing beach holiday destination. If you are looking for a couple locations nearby, Koh Tao is great for diving and snorkelling and Koh Pang Nang for the famous Full Moon Party.

Where to stay?

Belmond Napasai

This is hands down one of my favorite hotels that I have every stayed in. The entire hotel is outdoor and looks out on to its own private beach. We stayed in one of the bungalows right on the beach, but if you prefer a higher vantage point or have a larger party, then you can also rent a larger villa down the beach or up the mountain.

The property is beautiful with tennis courts, sky deck for morning yoga, an infinity pool, and a private beach. You will be greeted each morning with a massive breakfast, so you will not be going hungry.  

What really makes this property amazing is the staff! Unlike other hotels we have visited, the staff here will happily engage with each of the visitors and will make every effort to remember everyone’s name (with the amount of people they have coming through – this is impressive!).

What to do?

Speedboat Day Trip to Angthong National Marine Park

This day trip from Koh Samui is a must! 100 Degrees East picked us up bright and early from our hotel and drove us to the start location. They run you through the typical safety demonstration and then take you to the port to catch your speedboat. If you are prone to seasickness, I would not recommend this. The first part of the trip is about a 45min ride to the Angthong National Park. Depending on the weather, this can be a relatively bumpy ride.

Once you arrive at your first stop, its time for snorkelling! The guides we were working with were amazing. Despite the larger group of ~20 people, they broke up into smaller groups of 3 – 4 with one guide to take you around the snorkelling spots. We were able to see a sorts of sea life that we definitely would not have seen otherwise. They also took us into a sea cave, which was super cool!

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Our next stop was a little national park outpost (Ranger Station 1 on Koh Sam Sao island) in the middle of the park. There we had lunch laid out for us. Then we had time to take a guided or independent kayaking trip around the island, as well as just go for a swim and chill on the beach and relax.

The final stop of the day was going hiking up to see the Blue Lagoon (Emerald Lake) viewpoint (see below). If you were going to look up Angthong National Park on Google, almost guaranteed that this location will pop up on your search. Once you arrive at Ko Mae Ko (we aimed for later in the day when the crowds were a bit less), you hike up a metal staircase that will make even the fittest person break a sweat by the time you get to the top. Also, probably good to note that you should be careful when going up and down these stairs.

Emerald Lake was actually the inspiration for the author that wrote the Beach that ultimately became the movie with Leonardo Decaprio.

Other Activities

• Beach hopping
  • East Coast – Chaweng and Lamai
  • North Coast – Choeng Mon, Big Buddha Beach, and Bo Phut
• Hiking
  • Mae Nam Viewpoint
  • Na Muang Waterfalls
• Fisherman’s Village (Krue Bophut is a good dinner option – make sure to sit on the beach!)
• Thai Cooking Class (Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts)
• Water sports (kayaking, boating, snorkelling, and more)