Koh Samui is a roughly 229 square kilometre island in the Gulf of Thailand, part of Surat Thani province. It is Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket, with about 70,000 residents. People settled here long before tourism: fishermen from the Malay Peninsula, then Hainanese Chinese families who planted coconuts in the 19th century. Roads only arrived in the early 1970s and the airport opened in 1989, which is why the island still feels like a ring road around green hills rather than a single town.
The island's character changes by coast. Chaweng on the east side is the busiest beach, with shops, restaurants and nightlife. Lamai to the south is quieter and more relaxed. Bophut and the Fisherman's Village in the north are calmer again, with old Chinese shophouses facing a gentle bay. Nathon on the west coast is the working port. Away from the sand, Samui's best-known sights are temples and rock formations: the golden Big Buddha, the lake-side Wat Plai Laem, and the weathered granite Hin Ta and Hin Yai near Lamai.
For an Indian family, Samui works best as a slow stay of three to five nights rather than a checklist. Calm beaches, hotels with lifts and pools, and short drives between sights make it comfortable for parents and grandparents. Vegetarian food needs a little planning, but there are a few Indian and vegetarian restaurants on the island, and Thai kitchens can usually cook meat-free dishes if asked. The wet months, October to December, are the main thing to plan around: rain and rough seas can disrupt boat trips and ferries.
Samui also pairs easily with neighbouring islands such as Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, each with its own guide here, and with a boat day to the Ang Thong archipelago, which is a national marine park.
Before you plan
Koh Samui at a glance
- Best months
- February to April is the driest and…February to April is the driest and most reliable window. May to September is hot and humid with moderate rain; October to December is the wettest and can disrupt boats.
- Ideal trip length
- 3 to 5 nights3 to 5 nights; add 1 more if you want a boat day to Ang Thong or a neighbouring island
- Airport
- Samui AirportSamui Airport (USM), privately owned by Bangkok Airways, about 2 km north of Chaweng; most visitors from India connect via Bangkok
- Railway station
- None on the islandNone on the island. The nearest mainland railhead is in Surat Thani province, reached by bus and ferry or car ferry from the Don Sak side.
- Getting around
- Hotel transfersHotel transfers, metered or app taxis where available, shared songthaews on main roads and rented cars; a car with driver is easiest for older travellers
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹4,000-₹9,000 per person per…Roughly ₹4,000-₹9,000 per person per day excluding hotel, for food, transport and entry fees; varies widely with taxis and island trips
- Senior comfort
- Good if you choose a ground-floor or…Good if you choose a ground-floor or lift-served hotel; temples and beaches are mostly level, waterfalls and the Secret Buddha Garden are steep and slippery
- Language
- ThaiThai; English is widely spoken in tourist areas, and many restaurants have English menus
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Koh Samui: February, March. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Koh Samui itinerary
One good day
1 day in Koh Samui
Start early at Wat Plai Laem to see the eighteen-armed Guanyin on the lake before the heat, then drive a few minutes to the Big Buddha on its causeway. Have lunch near Bang Rak or Bophut and rest. In the late afternoon walk Fisherman's Village in Bophut, which is easiest at sunset, and stay for dinner. If it is a Friday, the road becomes a night market.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Koh Samui
Wat Plai Laem and the Big Buddha in the morning, lunch and a pool break, then an early evening walk at Fisherman's Village in Bophut.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Koh Samui
Wat Plai Laem and the Big Buddha early, a long lunch, then Fisherman's Village at sunset.
Day-by-day plan →
