Koh Samui, Thailand Tips Guide
Backpackers, cheap accommodations and the well-known full moon parties: for a while you had to be on the island of Koh Samui for that. That vibe is still there, but Koh Samui has also been given a lick of paint: with five-star beach bungalows, first-class spas and the world's most beautiful resorts. The ideal destination for honeymooners, families who want to drop the kids off at the childcare of a child-friendly hotel and wellness/yoga lovers (hello Kamalaya).
And as if that's not enough reason to book a ticket now: the new season of The White Lotus was filmed here. And so a revival of luxury resorts, infinity pools and fine restaurants began. But Samui is still: strolling through night markets, snorkeling among the coral and massages on the beach.
It is that sabai-sabai feeling (everything in its own time, everything with a smile) that makes Koh Samui so nice. This is the guide with tips for Koh Samui, Thailand.
Tarnim Magic Garden: In the mountains of Koh Samui you will find the Tarnim Magic Garden: a sculpture garden full of quirky carved figures, made by one artist. Small, atmospheric, zen. Take about half an hour for your visit.
Renting a scooter = freedom: Explore the island by scooter (around 300 Baht per day). Tip: the interior is hilly and sometimes steep. Prefer to be safe? Rent a car or 4×4.
The most beautiful viewpoints of Koh Samui
Koh Samui is not a flat island, and that means: many viewpoints. Favorites:
- Taling Ngam Viewpoint: ideal for sunsets.
- Jungle Route 360: adventurous, high and with a restaurant on top.
- Lad Koh Viewpoint: easily accessible, with a coconut ice cream truck.
- Laemyai Viewpoint: steep, but the sunset over Nathon is worth it.
- Khun Si Viewpoint: view + fresh pineapple from the garden + waterfall around the corner.
Visit temples and soak up culture
Want to take off your flip-flops and soak up some culture? Koh Samui has beautiful temples, often free to enter. Don't forget to cover your shoulders and knees.
- Wat plai laem: colorful, photogenic and with a huge Guanyin statue.
- Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai): the island's famous 12-metre-high statue.
- Wat Sila Ngu (the 'Red Temple'): architectural gem with beach nearby.
- What Lamai: lively temple with the chance of local ceremonies or parties.
- What Phra Chedi Laem So: small, golden pagoda by the sea. Few tourists, lots of atmosphere.
Boat trip to Ang Thong Marine Park
You definitely want to do this. Ang Thong Marine Park is a 1,5-2 hour boat ride from Koh Samui and consists of limestone islands, lagoons and white sand beaches. Most day trips (around 3.500 baht per person) include snorkeling, kayaking, lunch and screensaver-worthy viewpoints.
The most beautiful beaches from Koh Samui:
- Silver Beach (Haad Thong Ta-khian): small, perfect for snorkeling and surrounded by granite rocks.
- Lamaï Beach: with plenty of cozy beach bars and good swimming water.
- Chaweng Beach: the most famous and lively beach of Koh Samui. Long, white sand, turquoise sea and plenty of beach life.
- Lipa Noi Beach: calm shallow water (ideal with children) and a perfect spot for sunsets. Less touristy.
- Maenam Beach: long beach with relaxed atmosphere and a beautiful view of Koh Phangan. Good for those looking for peace without being isolated.
- Taling Ngam Beach: secluded, quiet and with a fantastic view of the Ang Thong Marine Park. Here you really have the island to yourself.
Accommodation
BAM, suddenly the whole world was watching Four Seasons Resort on Koh Samui. For whom The White Lotus binge-watched and thinks: “I want to sleep here”, we feel you. The third season was (partly) filmed at the spectacular Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Think: villas hidden in the greenery, each with a private pool, sweeping views of the Gulf of Thailand, swaying coconut palms and that typical Four Seasons feeling of effortless luxury.
Note that while the resort plays a major role, what you see in the series is a clever montage of multiple hotels spread across Thailand. For example, the iconic restaurant from episode 2 is not in Koh Samui at all, but in Phuket. And that tropical beach where the boat docks? That is also elsewhere.
Fortunately, that doesn't detract from the magic of Four Seasons Koh Samui itself: it is and remains a paradise. Quiet, elegant and with a spa where you melt after just one step. Our tip? Book a villa high up in the hills for the ultimate panorama. And as you would expect: it doesn't come with a ridiculous price tag.
If you love tropical dreaming with a dollop of luxury, you're in the right place at Banyan tree samui good. Or actually: very good. Hidden in the green hills above Lamai Bay lies this luxury resort where each villa has its own infinity pool has.
On wooden pavilions with lots of privacy, a terrace with a view of the sea or jungle, and bathrooms where the rain shower is one of the largest you have probably ever seen. Here you can put on your slippers after breakfast for a walk to the beach, or you can just stay there, because why would you leave your private paradise? For those who want: there is a serene spa, you can snorkel, kayak or just chill endlessly in your bathrobe. Not for every budget, but definitely for your bucket list.
Create a forever bucketlist thing: Kamalayan in Thailand. And then mainly because the pictures all look so delicious, but also because we have heard many journalists fall silent from the massages, the coaching by former monks and the food that really makes you happy. No detox hunger, but nutritious and delicious. In between, exercise, swim, sweat in the steam cabin or just read a book with a view of the sea.
Good for a real break. No noise, no must, just be. You can connect with other retreat participants (eat together etc.) but you can also just do your own thing. A reset without the fuss and a week that feels like a leap forward.
Especially after White Lotus, the hotel game on Koh Samui is on. Enough bucket material in this list, but sometimes our wallet shows a different side. What a bummer…
Don't worry, there are also budget options. For example, take Life Samui. This hotel is still not among the party resorts. Okay, it looks a little less polished, but the pool is lovely, the service is spot on, the cocktails taste like more. And the sunbeds on the beach make us forget what else there is to do on the island.
Garrya Tongsai Bay on Koh Samui is one of those places you just want to stick around. Nestled in a hidden bay, with who-knows-how-many hectares of tropical greenery, a private beach and villas where you only come out for a refreshing dip or a curry with a sea view.
The hotel opened in 1985, when then-hotel owner Akorn Hoontrakul gazed at this bay from a boat and immediately knew: this is it. He bought the land within a week, slept on the beach for three months (yes, really), and drew up his dream resort. In 1987, Tongsai Bay opened as the island’s first five-star resort.
The eco-friendly approach was there long before it became trendy, and the resort has naturally blended into its surroundings. You sleep in suites with bathtubs with a view, or in villas with your own plunge pool and sea view.
Food & Drinks
How beautiful Koh Samui actually is, you can see perhaps best from one of the viewpoints. And if such a viewpoint also turns out to be a catering establishment, then life is really beautiful. The Cocoon is located in the middle of the green on the route to the spectacular Jungle Club viewpoint. The Cocoon is a kind of bird's nest on the edge of a cliff. And yes, that view: you look out over the bay of Chaweng and the endless Gulf of Thailand. Big tip for photogenic sunsets.
It is an open air cafe with a laid back atmosphere, where you can enjoy a smoothie, cocktail or light lunch while hanging on a wooden platform between the treetops. Insta-worthy angles guaranteed. There is a minimum spend (around 500 Baht pp) and you need to book in advance, but: worth it.
No fuss, no fancy plates with edible flowers, but: super fresh Thai dishes, a warm welcome and prices that will make you happy. Kawin's Kitchen in the north of Koh Samui (near Fisherman's Village in Bophut) is exactly the kind of place you hope to find when you travel: small, homely and oh so good. On the menu? Authentic curries, crispy papaya salad, sticky rice with mango and perhaps the tastiest pad thai on the island. Everything is freshly made, often by owner Kawin herself, and served with a smile. The atmosphere is casual: plastic chairs, wooden tables and a few cheerful plants.
When you say Koh Samui, you say sun, sea and… smoothie bowls. And you eat them at Beach Coconuts Bowls, a fresh, tropical hotspot in Fisherman's Village. Everything about this place has a holiday feeling: from the pastel-colored decor to the surfy atmosphere. The menu includes colorful bowls full of fresh fruit, homemade granola, coconut flakes and superfoods, with names like Blue Mermaid, Tropical vibes en Nutty Monkey. Vegan friendly and really tasty. You order at the counter and plops down on a wooden bench.
Don't forget to cross the beach, which is just 20 steps away.
Heels and a fancy outfit optional, but views guaranteed. Tucked away in the hills near the posh Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, you'll find The View Dining. In addition to the breathtaking view over the Gulf of Thailand (yes, that's as romantic as it sounds), you'll also be served a fine version of Mediterranean cuisine here.
From fresh seafood to an extensive wine list: everything delicious.
Tip: book around sunset.
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