Things to do in Koh Samui

There is SO much to do in Koh Samui. But first I want to tell you how to get here!

Getting to Koh Samui
There are no direct flights to Koh Samui from Australia or Europe so first you need to get to either Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Thailand.
From Singapore you can fly directly to Koh Samui with Bangkok Airways who have a reputation for being a great airline but fairly expensive. With Bangkok airways you can also get to Koh Samui from Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Japan, Hong Kong and many other cities in Thailand, check out their website for more details. From Bangkok you can also fly to Surat Thani with either Thai Airways or if you are on a budget Air Asia and Nok Air From Surat Thani International Airport you can then get a mini bus or taxi to Donsak pier where you can hop on the Seatran Ferry that takes 90 minutes to reach the island and leaves every hour from 6am until 6pm. You other alternatives, if you are on a serious budget are either the overnight bus or train from Bangkok, this trip takes around 12 hours and but please note you need to keep a close eye on your valuables, if you have any of course!

Where to stay
There are so many places to stay on Koh Samui it's actually got a bit silly! The great thing about that though is that there is something to suit every budget, and I mean every budget. If you are really in the know you can still find bungalows that come at around 200 baht a night. These are obviously seriously no frills and you sometimes have to share the room with critters! A less creepy crawly alternative is one of the budget rooms in the 500 to 1000 baht a night range, you can get some pretty decent rooms in this bracket, you know the kind of thing, rooms that your Mum would, at a push, stay in! once you get over the 1000 baht mark you are pretty much looking at nice resorts with pools and included breakfasts. Don't get too excited about Full English breakfasts in this range though, the sausages won't be what you are used to and the bacon is the sort of stringy more fat than meat variety. Sweet bread is also a bit of a Thai firm favorite!
By the time you hit 2500 baht and above you can be sure of sausages that actually contain meat, bread that doesn't taste like cake, sometimes back bacon if you are lucky and a hotel/resort that is large enough to have its own customer complaints department if you are not happy!
Some of the 5 star hotels here offer you the option of paying up to 1000 pounds a night for a room, seems a lot of money for one nights sleep but if that's your bag its available.
Your other option if you are here with a group or staying for longer is to rent a bungalow or a villa . You can get a basic one bedroom bungalow for as little as 5000 baht a month, again there might be a critter or two to share with but on the whole it will be fairly decent. 10,000 to 15,000 will get you a very nice critter free possibly two bedroom place and anything over 15,000 you are looking at a nicely furnished place with room sizes that were actually designed for humans and more than likely a swimming pool to boot!

So which area of Koh Samui to choose?
Well if you want to be in party central, have lots of people on the beach asking you if you want to buy ice creams, jewelry, silk goods or a henna tattoo and you like to be close to the shops, fast food outlets and meet other people just like you then head to Chaweng Beach

If you are looking for something a little less in your face and like to enjoy Thai Boxing and the more exotic variety of nightlife then Lamai is for you. If you have more of a romantic vacation in mind then Bophut is a great choice, not far from Chaweng, but far enough to forget all about it if its not the kind of place that lights your fire. Maenam is becoming a popular alternative to all three and has a great range of accommodation and some fantastic very reasonably priced restaurants. Maenam has some wonderful hidden gems when it comes to bars and restaurants so if you choose Maenam grab hold on a farang (expat) and ask them where all of the cool places to hang out are! If you are after solitude, peace and tranquility choose any one of the villages on the south of the island. There are plenty of spas too so if you want to leave here far healthier than you left this is a great way to do it, most of our visitors however achieve the total opposite!

Things to do
There is so much to do on Koh Samui it's sometimes hard to know where to start. Here are a few suggestions!

Island Safari Tour - includes jungle tour, waterfall exploration, elephant trekking, monkey theatre show and more, this is a great way to see a lot of the island reasonably inexpensively when you don't feel like hiring a jeep and checking the place out by yourself. The guides all speak great English and are a lot of fun, they will tell you all sorts of interesting facts about the island, I cant guarantee they will all be true but they will be entertaining!
Crazy golf - drive yourself nuts on Chawang's crazy golf course, well its something to do isn't it and it's a great way to keep the kids entertained!
Mini Golf Samui - not the whole hog but slightly more serious, fun can be had in Chong Mon on this well kept Mini Golf Course when you cant think of anything else to do and Crazy Golf has become just too annoying!
Football Golf - one of my personal favourites and a different take on the popular footy game. Football golf is guaranteed to amuse footballers, non footballers, golfers and non golfers from all over the world. It may sound like a thoroughly ridiculous idea but believe me its excellent fun and run by friendly Tom from Liverpool in the UK, this is one activity that you will not want to miss while you are on the island.
Bophut Hills Golf - A superbly maintained 9 hole golf course, this basic and short par 27 is great for beginners and more experienced golfers who are looking to home into their short game or golfers who cant face the full 18 holes, either that or the wife wont give them that long away from her and the kids!
Santi Buri - For Golf pros and enthusiasts this stunning course takes you to the dizzy heights of the mountains that not only offers you stunning views of both this and the surrounding islands but world class golfing on an exciting and challenging course. If your golf skills leave a little bit to be desired however watch out for the poisonous lizards that live in the rough! (watch out for them in some of the bars too!)
Bungee Jump - when you are looking for a bit of adrenalin this jump takes you 50 meters high above a 5 meters deep plunge pool and your experience can be recorded on video. If you are still not suitably shaken then try the rocket man experience!
Canopy Adventures Thailand - See the jungles of Samui from a slightly different angle, swinging along a cable above the canopy. This fun adventure is completely safe, there is no experience required and the highly trained guides will ensure you have an excellent experience as glide peacefully between 6 platforms taking in the spectacular view. Enjoy the refreshing waterfalls before and after your experience to complete this unique and thrilling adventure.
Go karts - suitable for both the experienced and beginners this fun activity is available from 9am to 9pm and is guaranteed to thrill and excite. Instruction and helmets are provided; all you have to do is jump in and have fun.
Monkey Theatre - In the western world it may be true that dogs are a mans best friends but in coconut farm laden Samui it's the monkey. Once the main industry on Koh Samui coconut farms still operate here and gathering these tropical fruits is made a lot easier by Samuis industrious monkeys. Enjoy demonstrations of how the monkeys are trained and how they work at Samui's own Monkey Theatre and training school
Horse Riding - explore Koh Samui from another angle, on horseback. European standard horses (the ones that are not that well fed) that are calm and well trained, provide a unique way to enjoy both the rain forest and the beaches. All equipment is provided and the ranch caters for both experienced and inexperienced riders
Shooting Range - When you want to let of a bit of steam on vacation then a trip to the shooting range is one way to release some of that pent up western frustration. Reasonably priced the shooting range provides fully trained instructors, a wide range of guns to choose from and live ammunition but not live targets!
WMC Muay Thai Camp - Thailand's national sport is as popular to learn these days as it is to watch. WMC Koh Samui offers a training camp in Lamai that has everything you need for an introduction to this sport and a truly unforgettable experience and a perfectly good excuse to kick the daylights out of annoying holiday companions!
Sitca - if you are looking for a slightly less aggressive activity then perhaps learning the art of oriental cooking is more up your street. Several cookery schools on the island offer a unique insight into this delicious cuisine as well as the opportunity to share what you have learned with your fiends who are welcome to come along and indulge in the gastronomic delights you have concocted after the course, we can provide buckets for vomity nights in your rooms if you can't get the hang of it!
ATV - if cooking is a little mundane and you don't feel like walking or mountain biking then why not explore Koh Samui's wild and wonderful interior on an ATV. Great fun and with some stunning views to be admired this is a great way to spend an afternoon when you just can't face another day on the beach.
Temples - Koh Samui is home to lots and lots of temples and each one has something different to offer. The Big Buddha temple as not only a stunning temple where you can be blessed but a bustling little market full of ancient and non ancient Thai artifacts, but some wonderful cafes and an in house fortune teller! The well preserved body of Loung Por Ruam, the mummified monk is to be found at The Kunaram temple. He has amazed locals and tourists alike for the last 30 years he has been in residence at the temple by mysteriously refusing to deteriorate from one year to the next. As well as visiting the temples during the day, be sure to visit in the evening when they are hosting a temple party. Almost like a western fairground the temple parties offer bargain stalls and the more than a bit interesting Thai Bingo!
Hin Ta & Hin Yai - this is a great spot to go and visit if you have more than a fleeting interest in rocks that are meant to resemble human genitalia. Legend has it that these rocks represent doomed lovers who drowned themselves at sea. We prefer to think it's just a bit of a vivid imagination coming into play when the island had slightly less to offer attraction wise than it does now.

Further afield!

When you feel like getting off the island for a day there are several options as to where to go.
Koh Phangan - only 30 minutes by speedboat and 45 by ferry Koh Phangan is a great place to explore. Less developed than Samui and home to some stunning beaches you would be mad not to take a day out to have a look around. The roads on Koh Phangan are somewhat less chaotic than Koh Samui so spending a day roaming around on a bike is a great way to explore. We still recommend you wear a helmet and plenty of sun screen. The island is home to the world famous Full Moon Party and makes a great venue for people watching! Read between the lines here!
Angthong Marine Park - Enjoy a full day trip to this stunning archipelago of islands and their stunning pristine beaches. The Marine Park was used in the film The Beach, the adaptation of Alex Garland's book and is well worth a visit. Enjoy snokelling and Kayaking as well as the Emerald Lake, a spot of lunch and a relaxing swim in the warm tropical, crystal clear waters.
Koh Tao - A Mecca for Divers Koh Tao has become somewhat more developed in recent years but still has a certain charm about it. If you are into diving, like talking about diving, like hanging out with divers and taking about diving some more then this is the place to be. There are several dive shops that offer two dive day trips and overnight trips to Koh Divers!
Koh Nan yang - the sister island to Koh Tao that is home to some fascinating marine life, pristine beaches and world class snorkeling. Well worth a day trip when you are looking for picture perfect paradise
Fishing trips - Several companies offer full day, half day and nighttime fishing trips for those of you that like to hook fishies out of the water so you can either eat them or throw them back. Big Game fishing trips are also available if a bit of rock cod and angel fish don't rock your boat, we prefer to leave those to the divers anyway!
Further afield - when you want to explore the mainland, and its well worth doing, call into one of the ten million travel booking agents and organize trips to Rangong, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabbi and the Khao Sok national park that is home to all sorts of wildlife, tigers, monkeys and flora and fungi of every description. It's well worth spending a few days in the park where you will find basic bungalows, tree houses and floating bungalows to rest your weary head! Watch out for the gigantic spiders though!

Don't Miss

The Jungle Club is one of Koh Samui's best venues. Its in between Chaweng and Lamia and is a stunning resort in the mountains, it's a great place to stay if you want to get away from it all and it's a great place to have some lunch, spend a day and enjoy their fantastic infinity pool that gives you the impression you are just about to swim to your death off the top of the mountain. The staff are ultra cool and ultra friendly and the food its reasonably priced and utterly gorgeous!

109 baht all you can eat BBQ's - There are several of these outrageously great value eateries on the island. My favorite is in Maenam just before the junction of Soi (road) 7. For 109 baht you can indulge in salads, French fries, pasta dishes, spring rolls, a variety of Thai food, dim sims, fruit and ice cream as well as creating your own feast from the myriad of meats, vegetables and seafood on offer. A BBQ will be brought to your table that has a moat running around it. Use the stock water in the kettle to fill your moat, add veggies, noodles, seasoning and anything else that takes your fancy and watch the broth become more and more delicious as you cook your meats over the top of it. The drinks in here are slightly less reasonable so if you are on tight budget make sure you ask how much they are first and note that you get charged extra for ice.

The southern beaches - Please do not think that Chaweng is the be all and end all of the beaches here. Hire a bike (wear a helmet please) or a jeep and take a trip to the beaches on the southern end of the island, they are deserted, pristine and utterly stunning. Nudity is very much frowned upon by the Thai's but if you really cant stand tan lines or just feel utterly compelled to get your kit out this is a far more preferable place to do it.

Jungle walking - The interior of Samui is un spoilt and stunning. The best way to explore is to take one of the roads off the ring road and literally just wander about. There are dozens of tracks that will take you all over the place. Maenam is a particularly good place to enjoy the jungle. Walking up Soi 4, 5, 6 or 7 will get you back out there with nature. There are a few shanty town type settlements dotted around where you can get a feel for how the locals used to live, it just now they all have satellite dishes on top of their huts. The locals are very friendly so stop for a while and have a chat, they don't often speak English and you probably don't speak much Thai but jungle charades is a great laugh! The tracks take you over flat lands, hills and streams so leave your stilettos' back at the ranch and make sure you take some water to drink.

Amazing restaurants
Bangrak - Oceans 11 has to be one of the best restaurants on the island as is Orgasmic in between Bangrak and Bophut. Lamai - Rocky resort is pretty mind blowing. Ask for the private ocean sala if you want to indulge in a bit of romance! These three are all in the high end price range.
Maenam has some grate places to eat, on the ring road You and Me offers superb Thai food as does Food Stop that also has seriously reasonably priced authentic Italian food.
Bophut - 56 is great and on Saturdays you can enjoy an all you can eat extravaganza of Thai and German food for only 199 baht, it's a firm favorite so as they say in Thailand, get your seats earlier!
Tesco Lotus Lamai - Syndeys Fish and Chips, awesome food, great healthy salads and a grilled fish option if you are thinking low fat. If not try the white and dark chocolate mousse its out of this world!
Chong Mon - Lords Pub, fantastic venue, really friendly staff and awesome food. Its near a hotel called the boat house.
Chaweng - Café D'art at the Papillon resort, awesome French, Italian and Thai food in a stunning location and the most reasonable prices I have found so far on the island.
The Chablis - has to be the best breakfast and Sunday Roast venue on the island.
Bophut - Zazen resort has a great restaurant and has just opened a tea room on the second floor of a stunning teak building with amazing views of Koh Phangan, not cheap but not to be missed either. They have seventeen million brands of tea (This might be a slight exaggeration) and make some pretty awesome alcoholic and non alcoholic tea cocktails.

For more information check out my dining lens
For more restaurant reviews check out my samui dining guide

Things to avoid
Yelling at Thais - No matter what the situation you wont get anywhere or make yourself very popular if you yell, stay cool and smile, it's the only way forward.
Touching a Thai on the head - Big NO NO! under no circumstance do this
Pointing with your foot - this wont make you very popular either, fingers only when pointing please
Nudity and public displays of affection - Thais find this very offensive so please keep your swimmers on and keep your slushier moments for your hotel room
Being anything other than complimentary about the King and members of the Royal Family - the King is highly revered in Thailand so if you can't think of anything good to say just don't mention the monarchy, it could land you in jail
Cover up in temples - please make sure you wear appropriate dress in temples, ladies, long sleeves and below the knee skirts, shirts guys and long pants if you have some.
Drugs - unless you want to extend your stay for up to 99 years forget it!
Jet ski and bike hire - Now I am not saying there is a big fat scam going on here but if you hire a jet ski or a bike, or a car for that matter make sure you have a darn good look at it first, take pictures and document any scratches or damage already caused before you take it unless you want to pay for it on its return to its owner!
Dehydration and sun burn - this is very easy to achieve if you are on a boat that feels cool but really you are in 100 degree heat, drink plenty of water day every day, bottled only and grab a packet of electrolyte powder from the chemist for 6 baht to make doubly sure and load up with sun screen!

Other bits and bobs
The nursing stations and pharmacies here have everything, no prescription required, you can buy the drugs you need a prescription for back home for bargain prices here as well as getting bandaged up if you come a cropper on your bike
Do watch out on the roads, Samui has the highest death toll in Thailand and possibly the world, driving lessons and driving tests are not top of anybodies agenda here so drive for others as well as yourself.
Hospitals - there are 5 international hospitals on Koh Samui and are more like 5 star resorts if you have health insurance, if not the government hospital in Lamai will be more affordable but its, how do I put this, not quite as plush as the others.
Scrapes and scratches - if you do hurt yourself here please keep any wounds clean, Samui has seems to have the perfect temperature to make even the smallest 'baddie' a huge problem!
Nightlife - I am not going to tell you what to do and what not to do but go steady, condoms are readily available in any 7-11, family mart, fresh mart etc so use them unless you want a holiday souvenir that it pretty unpleasant or in some cases permanent. Boys and girls are not that easily told apart here either so don't be surprised if all is not as it appears!

On the whole Thailand and more specifically Samui is a great place to visit, the locals are friendly and tolerant of you if you offer them the same courtesy. The place is pretty clean so go ahead and enjoy street food and restaurants that look less than five star, you won't go far wrong. Enjoy bargaining with market stalls, you won't get so far in stores but on the street stores its expected, start at roughly half of what they offer you. If you can come here with a smile and respect the local cultures you will have a really enjoyable and memorable holiday. Like any developing country if you look like the sort of person that will be easily parted with a buck or two you will, so stay street wise and if a deal seems too good to be true it is.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and that you have a terrific time in sunny Koh Samui.