Koh Samui itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Koh Samui

1. 01

   Day 1: North-east temples and a village sunset

   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.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Wat Plai Laem	30-45 minutes	Easy	Early morning or late afternoon
   Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)	45-75 minutes	Moderate	Early morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai): The approach is a short causeway followed by a staircase flanked by naga figures up to the statue. There is no step-free route to the base, and there is little shade, so older travellers may prefer to admire it from the lower level and rest in the bazaar below.

Plan 02

2 days in Koh Samui

1. 01

   Day 1: Temples and the north coast

   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.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Wat Plai Laem	30-45 minutes	Easy	Early morning or late afternoon
   Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)	45-75 minutes	Moderate	Early morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai): The approach is a short causeway followed by a staircase flanked by naga figures up to the statue. There is no step-free route to the base, and there is little shade, so older travellers may prefer to admire it from the lower level and rest in the bazaar below.

2. 02

   Day 2: The south of the island

   Drive south to Hin Ta and Hin Yai at the end of Lamai Beach, then pay a visit to Wat Khunaram. Add Na Muang 1 for a short shaded walk if the roads are dry. Finish with a gentle evening in Lamai.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Lamai Beach	Half a day	Easy	Morning swim; late afternoon for a walk
   Wat Khunaram	30-45 minutes	Easy	Morning

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 03

3 days in Koh Samui

1. 01

   Day 1: Temples and Bophut

   Wat Plai Laem and the Big Buddha early, a long lunch, then Fisherman's Village at sunset.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Wat Plai Laem	30-45 minutes	Easy	Early morning or late afternoon
   Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)	45-75 minutes	Moderate	Early morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai): The approach is a short causeway followed by a staircase flanked by naga figures up to the statue. There is no step-free route to the base, and there is little shade, so older travellers may prefer to admire it from the lower level and rest in the bazaar below.

2. 02

   Day 2: South island sights

   Hin Ta and Hin Yai, Wat Khunaram and Na Muang 1, with a rest at your hotel in the middle of the day. Dinner at an Indian restaurant in Chaweng or Lamai if you want familiar food.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Wat Khunaram	30-45 minutes	Easy	Morning

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

3. 03

   Day 3: Beach day or Ang Thong

   Choose between an unhurried morning on Chaweng or Lamai beach, or a full-day boat trip to Ang Thong Marine National Park in the calmer months. Older travellers should weigh the boat time and steps on the island viewpoint honestly before choosing.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Lamai Beach	Half a day	Easy	Morning swim; late afternoon for a walk
   Ang Thong Marine National Park	Full day (about 8-9 hours with boat time)	Moderate	Calm months, typically February to April

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ang Thong Marine National Park: The boat ride and on-island steps and viewpoints can be demanding. Older travellers should ask the operator about their route and whether they can stay on the beach.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Koh Samui trip for parents and children

• Pick a hotel with lifts or ground-floor rooms, and a pool with a shaded edge. Many smaller Samui resorts are built on slopes with steps between buildings.
• Plan sights for early morning or late afternoon. Midday heat is about 30-33°C year-round with high humidity.
• Wat Plai Laem, the Big Buddha causeway and the beaches are mostly level. Na Muang 2 and the Secret Buddha Garden involve steep, slippery climbs and are not suited to limited mobility.
• Hire a car with driver for the day instead of renting a scooter. Road accidents involving scooters are common, and many insurance policies exclude riders without the right licence.
• Carry travel insurance that explicitly covers medical care and evacuation. Bangkok Hospital Samui is a well-known private hospital on the island; confirm the current address and emergency number before you travel.
• Rain and rough seas from October to December can cancel boats and delay ferries. Keep a day of buffer before onward flights.

Koh Samui with elderly parents: the full guide →