I’ve just hosted a small group for four nights on Koh Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, about half way down the country. We had the most wonderful time and decided four days is definitely not long enough. Six would be about right.
In this post I’ll outline what we did, where we went, where stayed and how much everything cost, to help you decide where to go on your tropical holiday.
Ko Samui (also spelt with and without the ‘h’) is about 230sqm around and home to 70,000 delightful Thai people who know how to do hospitality. It’s just over an hour’s flight south of Bangkok, or an hour and a half flight to Singapore, which makes it an easy destination to get for those not wanting to visit Bangkok.
Being a small island, it basks in sea breezes, and while some of them can be gusty, they are a welcome relief from the 33-ish ˚C with skin-plumping humidity you get between May and August. I mean, have you ever seen a Thai woman in her 50s with wrinkles?
Where to stay in Koh Samui
I spent ages researching hotels and resorts, reading comments and reviews and eventually settled on the fabulous five-star Melia Koh Samui on Choeng Mon Beach.
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It was absolutely superb and I’d rate it 10/10. There are several accommodation types from refurbished two-story boats as luxury suites, to ground floor rooms with verandas that step into the pool, and then another two levels of hotel accommodation.
It’s family-friendly, with a kids club and private kids pool and water games area. Plus the huge pool that winds around the property past about 40 veranda-access rooms has water slides, a swim-up bar with two-for-one happy hour every afternoon from 2pm-4pm.
There is another beachfront pool surrounded by day beds and loungers, some are literally standing in ankle-deep water.
The resort has a beachfront restaurant beside the pool, and a VIP Lounge called The Level, for those who have this package included – which I think are all the boat suite and veranda rooms. Up here you have complimentary breakfast and all-day snacks and softdrinks, and free cocktails or wine and beer from 5-7pm.
But it was the main buffet breakfast area at the reception end that had me! Yes you can get bacon, eggs cooked any way you like, hash browns and sausage, but when you’ve also got a noodle bar to have the chef create amazing broth and vege soup or pad Thai, why would you have the English?! There’s fresh juice, muesli and cereals, donuts, cold cuts. It’s amazing.
Ok, that’s the resort done. And if I haven’t convinced you to stay there, I’m not a good writer. By the way, I paid my own way and the resort has no knowledge of this blog or me as being anything other than a grateful guest 😀
Day 1 in Koh Samui
We arrived in the middle of an absolutely torrential downpour. So much so they kept everyone on the plane for about 45-minutes and the water was sheeting down the windows. However, despite it being rainy season, this was the only rain we encountered in our four days.
It was still about 30˚C (85-90˚F) so after dropping our luggage, we rummaged for swimsuits and had the first of many dips in the pool.
So day 1 was just spent arriving and heading the aforementioned Level Lounge for a couple of cocktails and nibbles. At about 7 we went downstairs to the restaurant, and as it was Sunday there was a fire show on the beach, which is free to watch.
Day 2 in Koh Samui
Liesurely start at the resort with breakfast and a wander along the beach to see what’s around. Several restaurants and outdoor beach massage places. However it was a bit too hot for me to be stickily massaged, so I opted for one of the massage and nail places along the road at the front of the resort
I had my toenails done (gel polish removed and new gel applied = 1 hour for NZ$25), others had full body massages from the many little shops around the hotel.
3pm take a taxi to Fisherman’s Village, about 20-minutes away in Bophut. We didn’t head out until 5pm, as the weather looked threatening, but that didn’t turn into rain, so we should have come earlier. Fisherman’s Village is a bustling little town and five nights a week there is a night market under tents selling clothing, jewellery, a few knock-offs like watches and Labubu dolls.
But there are also some lovely boutiques and galleries here with artists at work and designers selling their wares.
Dinner at Coco Tam’s in Fisherman’s Village. This was one of the highlights for us. We managed to secure a spot on their beachfront for all 14 of us. Bean bags for everyone with three low tables for wood-fired pizzas and delicious cocktails. I got seven large pizzas and everyone had a drink. The bill was about NZ$35 per person (US$20). You can’t make reservations, just turn up and put your name down.
Day 3 in Koh Samui
Island hopping boat trip. Some of us went on an all-day boat trip, which us up from the hotel about 8am and we were home by 4pm.
We went out with Mr Tu on large boats that can take 40 passengers. They provide snorkel and masks, lunch and stops at four islands. It took an hour to get out to the first island, going at full speed with three gigantic motors. However you sit below the window line so can’t see anything until it’s time to get off.
They also grouped five of their tour boats at the same time at the snorkelling place so it was a bit of a shopping mall with 100 legs akimbo trying to see fish against the mainly colourless coral.
I since found out our hotel could have organised a private trip, however they use smaller boats and due to a swell, they had cancelled their tour on the day we all went. I’d still recommend it for the scenery, and a chance to swim in the warm waters.
If was going again and wanted to book ahead, I’d choose this catamaran half-day tour with it’s fun water slide right off the boat!
Dinner down the beach at Pi Samui. From the front of Melia, we turned right and headed down to the end of the beach. Pi Samui restaurant has tables on the sand as well as inside an open-air dining space and is voted the #1 restaurant at Choeng Mon Beach.
They have live music with talented local artists doing everything from Michael Jackson to Inglebert Humperdink and a menu that covers western, Indian and Thai tastes. Very affordable too with Pad Thai under NZ$20. A glass of wine was more, or just stick with cocktails!
Day 4 in Koh Samui
Tour the Island. Some of my group hired a driver for two or three hours to be driven around the shown the highlights and absolutely loved it.
Shop at Central Samui Mall. So, yes this was my choice! Central Samui Mall is partly indoors and out. It’s located at Chaweng Beach and surrounded by many more shops, restaurants and hotel options.
It’s hot outside, but there are shops with air con which provide a shipping respite. From about 2pm the market tents open out the front selling cute souvenirs, shoes and clothes.
Visit the Elephant Sanctuary. This was a highlight for some of my group who loved being with these rescued elephants. One was blind, another was rescued from the circus. You help prepare their food and can get into the water to smother them in mud and then wash them – if you dare. There is poo in that water!
Ziplining through the jungle. Meanwhile a few others went ziplining. They said there is a lot of climbing up to platforms, and you need to harness yourself with each rung as you’re quite high. But they loved the whole experience. Not for those scared of heights.
Dinner at Cocoon Restaurant. This was a stunning location, on a hilltop with views around across to the sea. It’s very popular, so it owuld pay to make a reservation.
Day 5 in Koh Samui
Today would be a great day to rest, swim, have another massage… or check out. We checked out and sadly left via a direct flight to Singapore en route back to New Zealand.
Things to know before you go
It is illegal to take vapes into Thailand. Ironically there are cannibis stores everywhere and smoking cigarettes in designated areas is fine
Credit cards are widely accepted, even at markets and small massage places, but they charge up to 5% per transaction. There are ATMs around to draw out Thai baht.
A one-hour massage will cost around 500 baht (NZ$25-30)
A taxi van that could take up to 8 of us was 500 baht. Taxi car might be 400 to go 20-minutes to the likes Fisherman’s Village or Central Samui Mall
My picks for best tours in Koh Samui
Half-day catamaran island tour on high-speed catamaran. Includes snorkeling, kayaking, swimming and Pig Island
Zip line through the jungle. See hidden waterfalls as you fly above the jungle canopy, then finish at the Jungle Cafe
Visit an ethical elephant sanctuary. No riding elephants! See where injured and old elephants are cared for, help prepare their food, walk with them in the jungle, watch them play in a water spa
Thai cooking class with a local family. Shop at the Big Buddha market, then learn family recipes in this four-hour experience
Half-day island driving tour. Koh Samui is bigger than you think, with lots of hidden things to see. This tour picks up at your hotel and covers the highlights like Big Buddha Temple, Chinese Lady Monk Temple, stunning views and a cool off at Namuang waterfall
Not finished reading about Thailand?
You might like my post on the best things to do in Bangkok.
Or this one in when is the best time to visit Thailand.
My previous visit to Thailand was to Phuket, and I got to check out a few different resorts. Here are my picks for some lovely places to stay on Phuket.