The best things to do in Koh Samui are its beaches, its temples and the sea around it. On land, the Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem, the Na Muang waterfalls and Fisherman's Village cost little or nothing. At sea, a boat day reaches the 42 islands of Ang Thong Marine Park or Pig Island. Plan four to five days. We checked prices and dates on 14 November 2026 and mark every figure that is only reported.
Tours and activities to book in Koh Samui
These are the outings travellers book most on the island, with live prices and availability.
Koh Samui: Mu Ko Ang Thong Park Cruise with Kayaking Option
Cruise from Koh Samui to Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine Park, with an option to kayak.
- Duration: 9 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.4(5,352 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $38per person
Koh Samui: Pig Island & Koh Tan Snorkeling w/Viewpoint Hike
Snorkelling at Pig Island and Koh Tan, with a hike up to a viewpoint.
- Duration: 6 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.3(946 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $26per person
From Koh Samui: Tree Bridge Zipline and Café Experience
Tree Bridge zipline in the jungle of Koh Samui, ending at the café.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.8(3,236 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $53per person
Koh Samui: Jet Ski Safari, Snorkeling to Pig & Virgin Islands
Jet ski safari to Pig Island and the Virgin Islands, with snorkelling stops.
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.7(865 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $202per group
Koh Samui ATV Quad Bike Tour - Jungle Off-Road Adventure
ATV quad bike tour on off-road jungle tracks in Koh Samui.
- Duration: 2 to 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.8(731 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $69per person
See more activities in Koh Samui
What not to miss in Koh Samui: prices and opening hours
| Sight | Entry | Hours | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Buddha, Wat Phra Yai | Free | Early morning to about 6 pm, reported | Koh Fan, north coast near Bophut |
| Wat Plai Laem | Free | Daytime | 5 minutes from the Big Buddha |
| Fisherman's Village walking street | Free | Friday, about 5 pm to 11 pm | Bophut, north coast |
| Ang Thong Marine Park | 300 THB park fee, plus the tour | 8 am to 5 pm, closed 1 Nov to mid-Dec | About 30 km west, by boat only |
| Pig Island, Koh Madsum | About 50 THB in cash, reported | Half day by boat | Off the south coast |
| Na Muang waterfalls 1 and 2 | Free, parking about 20 THB | About 8 am to 5 pm | Inland, south of the island |
| Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks | Free | All day | South end of Lamai beach |
| Secret Buddha Garden | 80 THB, reported | 8 am to 5 pm | Hills in the centre, steep road |
| Wat Khunaram, the mummified monk | Free | Daytime | South of the island |
Most of what Koh Samui has on land is free, so the bill comes from boats and transport. The ring road runs for about 50 km around the island, and the main sights fit into two loops, one in the north and one in the south.
Koh Samui beaches by type of traveller
Samui has beaches on every coast. The east coast, with Chaweng and Lamai, has the whitest sand and the most people. The north is calmer and the west is where you go for the sunset.
| Beach | Coast | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chaweng | East | Nightlife, long white sand, beach clubs, crowds and vendors |
| Lamai | South-east | The same kind of sand as Chaweng, with a slower pace |
| Silver Beach | East, between Chaweng and Lamai | Snorkelling between granite boulders, go early |
| Bophut | North | Couples, restaurants of Fisherman's Village |
| Maenam | North | Quiet stays, a long beach facing Koh Phangan |
| Choeng Mon | North-east | Families, a shallow and sheltered bay |
| Lipa Noi | West | Sunsets over the mainland |
With small children, Choeng Mon and the north coast are the easier choice. Couples who want restaurants on the sand tend to pick Bophut, and those who want bars until late stay in Chaweng.
Big Buddha Koh Samui, Wat Plai Laem and Wat Khunaram
The Big Buddha, or Wat Phra Yai, is a golden seated statue 12 metres high, built in 1972. It sits on Koh Fan, a small islet in the north joined to Samui by a short causeway. Entry is free and a staircase leads up to the base, with a view over the north coast. You can spot it from the plane on the way in.
Cover your shoulders and knees. Guides report that improperly dressed visitors can be turned away, though not always, so carry a sarong. Go early in the morning, before the heat and the tour vans.
Wat Plai Laem
Wat Plai Laem is five minutes away, and the two visits fit in one morning. It is built on a lake, with a statue of Guanyin with 18 arms rising out of the water and a laughing Budai on the other side. Entry is free.
Wat Khunaram and the mummified monk
In the south, Wat Khunaram keeps the body of Luang Pho Daeng, a monk who died while meditating in 1973. He sits in a glass case, wearing sunglasses. Locals come to pay their respects, so keep your voice down and dress as for the Big Buddha.
Fisherman's Village and the Friday walking street
Fisherman's Village is the old seafront of Bophut, a row of Chinese-Thai wooden shophouses turned into restaurants, bars and shops. During the day it is quiet. On Friday evenings the street closes to traffic for the walking street market, from about 5 pm to 11 pm according to most listings.
Some sites add Monday and Wednesday markets, which we could not confirm, so aim for Friday. Arrive around 6 pm to eat before the crowd. In June 2026 the tourism minister launched a security deployment for visitors here, part of a push to reassure travellers on the island.
Ang Thong Marine Park from Koh Samui: fees and 2026 closure
Mu Ko Ang Thong is a national park of 42 limestone islands about 30 km west of Samui. You can only visit with a licensed tour. A day trip usually includes kayaking, snorkelling, lunch on the boat and two short walks.
The entry fee is 300 THB for a foreign adult and 150 THB for a child aged 3 to 14, as listed by Thai National Parks in May 2026. It is often not in the tour price and is collected in cash. The park is open from 8 am to 5 pm.
The two classic stops are on Ko Wua Ta Lap and Ko Mae Ko. On Ko Wua Ta Lap, a 500-metre trail with ropes climbs to a viewpoint over the islands in 25 to 30 minutes. It is steep, so wear shoes, not flip-flops. On Ko Mae Ko, a path leads to Thale Nai, a green saltwater lake linked to the sea by underwater caves.
Pig Island and Koh Tan
Koh Madsum, known as Pig Island, lies off the south coast. Pigs live on the beach and walk up to visitors. A small entry fee of about 50 THB is reported, paid in cash on arrival and rarely included in the tour.
Most boats combine it with Koh Tan next door, where the snorkelling is better than anything you reach from Samui's own beaches. The trip takes half a day by speedboat or long-tail. It is also the usual fallback when Ang Thong is closed.
Na Muang waterfalls, Hin Ta Hin Yai and viewpoints
Na Muang 1 and 2
The Na Muang waterfalls are in the south of the island. Na Muang 1, about 18 metres high, is next to the car park. Na Muang 2 is taller and needs a steep walk of 15 to 30 minutes, so wear shoes that can get wet. Entry is free, though two guides report a 50 THB fee at Na Muang 2.
The falls are fullest after the rains, from December, and can shrink to a trickle by April. Elephant camps at the entrance offer rides. Skip them.
Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks
Hin Ta and Hin Yai, the Grandfather and Grandmother rocks, are two granite formations at the south end of Lamai beach. Their shapes explain the names. They are free and take a few minutes. Honestly, they are a stop on the way, not a destination.
Viewpoints and the Secret Buddha Garden
Lad Koh viewpoint, on the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai, is free and has parking. Higher up, the Secret Buddha Garden is a set of stone statues in the jungle, reported at 80 THB. The last stretch of road is steep, so go by jeep tour if you are unsure on a scooter.
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao from Koh Samui
Samui is the largest of the three Gulf islands and the easiest to fly into. The two others are a ferry ride away. Both deserve a few nights, but a day trip works if you are short on time.
| From Koh Samui to | Crossing | Reported fare | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Phangan | 30 to 45 minutes | About 300 to 700 THB | Beaches, the Full Moon Party |
| Koh Tao | 1.5 to 2 hours | About 450 to 750 THB | Diving and snorkelling |
Lomprayah runs the fast catamarans, and Seatran and Raja run the slower ferries. Boats leave from several piers depending on the company, so check the pier on your ticket before you book a taxi.
How many days in Koh Samui: a 3-day itinerary
Three days cover the north, one boat trip and the south. Four or five leave time for the beach, and seven only make sense if you add Koh Phangan or Koh Tao.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon and evening |
|---|---|---|
| 1, the north | Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem | Bophut beach, then Fisherman's Village |
| 2, the sea | Boat to Ang Thong Marine Park | Pig Island and Koh Tan when the park is closed |
| 3, the south | Hin Ta Hin Yai and Na Muang waterfalls | Lamai beach, dinner in Chaweng |
Put day 1 on a Friday for the walking street. Samui follows a few days of things to do in Bangkok well, and many travellers pair it with Chiang Mai in the north or with Krabi on the Andaman coast. Khao Sok National Park, on the road between the two coasts, is one of the Thailand destinations that fits between them.
Best time to visit Koh Samui: the Gulf seasons
Samui does not follow the Andaman calendar. The dry season runs from about January to April, and February and March are the driest months. May to September is warm, with short showers and lower prices.
The rains come from October to December, and November is the wettest month, with totals of roughly 300 to 500 mm depending on the source. It is the reverse of Phuket, where September and October are the wettest. Boats can be cancelled in November, and Ang Thong is closed.
How to get to Koh Samui: flights and ferries
Every route to Samui crosses water, by plane or by boat. Flying is faster and costs more, because Bangkok Airways owns the airport and runs most of the flights. Thai Airways also flies there.
| Route | Time | Reported price |
|---|---|---|
| Flight from Bangkok to Samui airport | About 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 20 | From about 140 USD one way on booking sites |
| Flight to Surat Thani, then bus and ferry | 3 to 4 hours more | About 15 to 45 USD for the bus and ferry |
| Seatran car ferry from Donsak pier | Slow car ferry | 210 THB a passenger since 27 March 2026 |
| Raja ferry from Donsak to Lipa Noi | Slow car ferry | From about 160 THB |
Seatran raised its fares in March 2026 after diesel prices went up, and further rises are possible. Samui airport also has direct flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, reported by travel guides. Fill in your Thailand Digital Arrival Card before your flight into the country.
Getting around Koh Samui: taxis, songthaews and scooters
Taxis on Samui almost never use the meter. Agree the fare before you get in, or use Grab or the local app NaviGo, which show the price first. Airport taxis work on fixed prices by zone.
| Transport | Reported price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi, airport to Chaweng | About 200 to 500 THB | Zone price, check the board |
| Taxi, Chaweng to Lamai | About 350 to 450 THB | Negotiated |
| Songthaew, short ride | About 50 to 100 THB | Red pick-ups on the ring road, no timetable |
| Scooter rental | About 140 to 350 THB a day | Motorcycle licence and permit needed |
A scooter is the cheapest way to reach the waterfalls and temples. To ride legally you need a motorcycle licence from home and an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. Wear a helmet. Travel insurance may not pay out if you ride without the right licence.
Koh Samui scams and safety
Taxi fares are the most common complaint. Fix the price first and keep small notes. In May 2026 a driver was shot dead in Chaweng, and the authorities then ran checks on illegal public hire vehicles across the island.
On a jet-ski, film the machine before you leave and never hand over your passport as a deposit. In August 2026 a French father and his two children who rented a jet-ski at Chaweng went missing at sea and were found safe. Stay close to the shore and check the weather first.
Skip elephant rides and animal shows, which every guide we read advises against. Call the tourist police on 1155 if a dispute starts. Foreigners who stay longer usually weigh Samui against Phuket and Chiang Mai, three of the best places to live in Thailand for expats.