Koh Samui travel guides

Honest, up-to-date and useful. Everything we know about planning a Koh Samui trip, written for first-timers and regulars alike.

View from the Koh Wua Talap viewpoint in Ang Thong National Marine Park, showing the scattered limestone islands and turquoise water of the archipelago, with tourists on the rocky trail in the foreground

Featured · Attractions · 7 min

Ang Thong Marine Park 2026

What to expect at Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park — tour types, current prices, the Emerald Lake hike, kayaking, and when the park closes for monsoon.

The golden Big Buddha statue at Wat Phra Yai, Koh Samui, viewed from below the steep naga-flanked staircase against a blue sky

Things to do · 8 min

Best Things to Do in Koh Samui 2026

From Ang Thong Marine Park to ethical elephant encounters, this is what's actually worth your time on Koh Samui.

Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui on a clear day: wide stretch of white sand with bright turquoise water and green wooded hills in the background

Planning · 7 min

Best Time to Visit Koh Samui 2026

Koh Samui's seasons run opposite to Phuket's.

Lamai Beach, Koh Samui — sandy shoreline with large granite boulders at the water's edge, turquoise water, and green hills in the distance

Beaches · 8 min

Best Beaches in Koh Samui 2026

All the main Koh Samui beaches compared — sand quality, swim conditions, crowds, and which suit families, swimmers, or sunset seekers.

Interior of Samui Airport's distinctive round open-air terminal building, with its conical timber-and-thatch roof, tropical plants, and blue seating

Transport · 7 min

Getting to Koh Samui 2026

How to reach Koh Samui in 2026 — direct flights, the budget bus-and-ferry route, and the overnight train from Bangkok.

View from a Koh Samui ring road viewpoint showing a small palm-covered island with a lighthouse and turquoise water, with more islands visible through haze in the background

Transport · 7 min

Getting Around Koh Samui in 2026

What each transport option on Koh Samui actually costs, where it works, and what to watch out for before you commit.

Thong Nai Pan Bay aerial view showing turquoise water, long-tail boats, white sand beach, and jungle-covered hills on Koh Phangan

Day trips · 8 min

Koh Phangan Day Trip from Koh Samui 2026

Koh Phangan is 30 minutes north of Samui by speedboat — close enough for an easy day trip, and a genuinely good island to explore when the party isn't on.

Dried fish and packaged seafood at a stall inside Laem Din local market, Koh Samui

Food · 7 min

Koh Samui Food Guide 2026

From the Fisherman's Village Friday market in Bophut to roadside bowls of khanom jeen at Laem Din, Koh Samui's food scene runs well beyond the tourist strips.

Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, with white sand, clear turquoise water, and forested hills in the background on a sunny day

Budget · 7 min

Koh Samui on a Budget 2026

Koh Samui has a reputation for being expensive.

Panoramic view from a hilltop in Ang Thong National Marine Park over a cluster of forested limestone islands rising from turquoise Gulf of Thailand water, with hikers on a rocky ridge in the foreground

Itineraries · 7 min

Koh Samui 4-Day Itinerary 2026

A practical day-by-day plan for four days on Koh Samui — hitting the main sights without burning half your time on logistics.

Choeng Mon Beach on Koh Samui with white sand, calm turquoise water, long-tail boats, and a forested headland in the background

Families · 8 min

Koh Samui with Kids 2026

Koh Samui works well for families — calm beaches on three sides, ethical elephant experiences, water parks, and an ease to daily logistics that makes travel with small children manageable.

Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui — wide white sand with clear turquoise water and green hills in the background, a few people walking near the water's edge

Planning · 7 min

Where to Stay in Koh Samui 2026

Which part of Koh Samui suits you — party, quiet, boutique, family, or budget.