Koh Samui is second only to Phuket in terms of popularity and visitor numbers for Thai resorts. And there’s a good reason for this, despite years of chronic overdevelopment, the island retains much of its natural beauty and postcard-perfect beaches. Traveling to and from the island is easy with regular domestic and international flights direct to the island, as well as regular ferry crossings from Surat Thani.

There is a wide variety of accommodation on the island to suit different budgets, although the trend is to develop more and more luxury resorts. The main beach is Chaweng, which is a long stretch of beautiful white sand. The town of Chaweng is highly built up with resorts stretching along most of the beach and shops, bars and restaurants lining the streets behind. Quieter beaches can be found along the north of the island. Bophut has a more rustic and family atmosphere, although the beaches are not as good.

There’s plenty to keep yourself busy on Samui, whether you choose to rent a car, bike, or use local transport. (WARNING: If you choose to rent any equipment, be it a car, motorcycle, jet ski, etc., do your research beforehand and only use reputable renters. There are many scams known to operate in Thailand where the renter will try to charge you a exorbitant amount. amount to repair minor scratches that you probably didn’t put in there. Such situations are known to get nasty. Do a google search to read more about this.)

So here is a summary of the main activities:

Visiting Temples – One of the highlights of most people’s visits to Thailand is visiting a few temples, and Samui is no exception. The most famous is Big Buddha at Big Buddha Beach. A short climb to the top of the temple offers good views of the sea. There are also some pretty nifty fortune telling machines and you can buy a brick to contribute to the construction of new temple buildings. Another well-known temple is Wat Khunaram, which contains the mummified body of a local monk. Located along the southern stretch of the ring road, it’s worth making a quick stop.

Hin Ta – Hin Yai: This is a rather quirky stop, just a few miles south of Chaweng Beach. The ring road skirts a rocky cliff and you come to a small signposted detour. This leads you to a small town and parking lot, with a few tourist souvenir shops. You then follow a short path to some rocks and a bit of beach. Sticking out like a sore thumb are two rocks (Hin Ta and Hin Yai, literally Grandfather Rock and Grandmother Rock) that are shaped like male and female “privates.”

Animal Attractions: On the southeast end of the island is the Tiger Zoo and Aquarium, which is a great way to spend a few hours, especially if you have kids. Both are quite interesting and have some shows throughout the day. These are part of the Samui Orchid Resort. Na Tian Butterfly Garden offers good photo opportunities for butterfly and orchid lovers, however it is not everyone’s cup of tea! There is also a crocodile farm near the airport.

There are regular monkey shows at the monkey theater, just across the ring road from Bophut beach. The monkeys give demonstrations of how they are used to harvest coconuts and there is also an elephant show. The monkeys are also a regular sight on the constant stream of motorbikes that travel the roads of Samui (fortunately only as passengers!). Elephant rides are available at various locations on the island, usually in the interior as it offers ideal trekking terrain.

Attractions and Nature Tours: The most popular waterfalls on the island are Na Muang 1 and 2. They are very easily accessible, if not the most spectacular. Na Muang 1 is the lower of the two and is located next to a small parking lot, no walking is necessary. Na Muang 2 is a bit higher up and requires walking. There are many natural viewpoints around the island that offer good photo opportunities in the sea, especially at sunset. One of the best known is a stop just north of Hin Ta – Hin Yai, around the Lamai beach area. Inland Samui offers some good hiking trails if that’s your thing.

The beaches are, of course, the main attraction of Samui. As I said before, Chaweng is the main beach, it is the longest and the sand and sea are superior to the rest of the island. It is also the most developed with many shops, pharmacies, food and bustling night spots. Lamai is a neighbor of Chaweng and is somewhat quieter. A popular and more relaxed place in the north of the island is Bophut Beach. It is a more familiar beach with a more rustic town with some shops and restaurants. Off Island: There is the usual choice of water sports activities such as jet skis, banana boats etc., mainly on the outskirts of Chaweng.

Ferries operate from Bophut Pier to nearby Koh Pha Ngan. This is the island famous for Full Moon Parties and you can arrange an overnight stay on Koh Pha Ngan through agencies on Samui. You can also reach Koh Tao, which is known as a paradise for divers. The beautiful Ang Thong National Marine Park is accessed from here and is well worth a day trip. You can also camp overnight, but there is no lodging in the park. I have some photos of this spectacular location on my website.

Miscellaneous – There is a muay thai stadium in the town of Chaweng, if that’s your thing. There are also some sports activities such as go-karts and shooting ranges. If you’re brave enough to rent a car, taking a drive around the island’s ring road is an interesting way to spend the day.

All in all, Samui has a lot to offer to suit all tastes and budgets. Although remember that it is now an international destination and prices are generally higher than in the rest of Thailand and it is overdeveloped in some parts. Despite this, it retains much of its natural beauty that keeps people coming back time and time again.