By area, the third largest island in Thailand after Phuket and Koh Chang: Koh Samui. It is a beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand, known for its white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, palm trees and lively atmosphere.

A popular vacation destination among backpackers and luxury travelers alike, the island offers a wide range of activities and attractions. Find out what there is to do and how to get there in this blog!

How to get to Koh Samui?

Koh Samui is an island in Surat Thani province and is located about 88 KM from Surat Thani city. There are several ferries a day that take you to the island in about 1.5 hours. A ticket will cost you €6 - €11. In Surat Thani itself there are numerous places where you can buy the tickets, but you can also always "just" walk to the pier and buy a ticket from the ferry company (Songserm, Lomprayah). The prices are often the same.

From the pier to your accommodation
There will be numerous friendly people addressing you asking if you would like a cab. There are cab vans that will take you to specific areas on the island for 150 Baht, for example, the popular area around Chaweng beach

What to see and do in Koh Samui? 10x!

1. Rent a scooter huren

The island is big, so a scooter is more than handy to easily explore the island. Tip: arriving later in the afternoon? Chances are the scooters at the pier are all sold out. According to the owner of one of the rental companies, they have had to sell about 50% of the scooters to survive due to COVID.

So if there are any scooters available at all, they can afford to charge top dollar for them: 400 Baht for a standard Honda Click (125cc) scooter, which on Koh Phangan, for example, costs 250 Baht.

In the more popular area around Chaweng Beach, there are a lot more scooter rentals available, here you should have a greater chance of success.

2. Overlap stones

The first thing I wondered when I saw the large stones stacked on top of each other was, "How did these giant stones come to be stacked on top of each other?" During my visit, access to the "original" stones was closed due to renovation work. How long this work will take was not clear to me. Fortunately, there was also a 2nd overlap stone not very much further away.

From where the renovation works are, it is about 1 KM to walk up the hill, where then a friendly Thai will ask you to pay 20 Baht entrance fee.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night, the Fisherman Village Walking market takes place here. During the market, the street is closed to traffic and turns into a bustling marketplace where local artisans, traders and street vendors offer their wares. Here you can buy local souvenirs, handmade crafts, clothing, jewelry and much more.

At the heart of Fisherman Village is the long street where you will find souvenir stores and restaurants overlooking the water. The prices at these restaurants are higher than average because, of course, you are also paying a little for the view.

7. Visit markets

There are several day and evening markets on the island. For me, the nicest way to enjoy all kinds of different local specialties. From a spicy papaya salad as an appetizer and a classic Pad Thai as a main course to Thai coconut pancakes for dessert.

• Chaweng Walking Market, open Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m.
• Fisherman's Village Market, open Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 5 p.m.

8. Relax at the beach!

The road to some of the beaches is surrounded by palm trees!

10. Get to know the Thai culture

Getting acquainted with the Thai culture can be done for example by taking a cooking course. On the island there are plenty of places where you can follow a cooking class. You want to know how you can make that delicious Pad Thai at home, right?

To keep fit while traveling, a Muay Thai class is ideal. There are several Muay Thai schools where you can take a class, whether you are just starting out or already have some more experience with the martial arts from home. Rather not exert yourself and still be introduced to the sport? Then you can always go to a competition.