An island you get to know slowly, one beach at a time
Samui69 is a resident-written map of Koh Samui: every beach, waterfall, temple and trail, reviewed by people who actually live here.
- 34 beaches
- 11 waterfalls
- 30 temples
- 24 trails
- 150 guides
First, the island itself
Koh Samui, from the people who live here
Koh Samui sits in the Gulf of Thailand, a short flight or overnight ferry from Bangkok. It is a coconut-shaped island of low hills and jungle interior, ringed by a single road, with beaches on almost every side and a different mood on each: busy and neon-lit on the east coast, quiet and slow on the west.
This site is built by residents, the people who swim these beaches, hike these trails and eat at these markets. We update articles when things change, skip the hype, and say plainly when a beach is not worth the drive.
Most visitors land at Samui's own small airport, rent a scooter or book a driver, and base themselves on the east coast for nightlife or the north and west coasts for something calmer.
Ang Thong National Marine Park sits within sight of the west coast, day trips to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao run daily from Bophut and Maenam piers, and the mountainous interior hides waterfalls and viewpoints most beachgoers never see.
- Area
- 228.7 km²
- Ring road
- Route 4169, ~51 km
- Population
- ~70,000
- Airport
- USM, opened 1989
- Flight from Bangkok
- about 1 h 15
- Currency
- Thai baht (THB)
- Time zone
- UTC+7
Start with a collection
Explore Samui by what you want to do
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Beaches 34 beaches From Chaweng's seven kilometres of nightlife-lined sand to quiet coves on the west coast where the tide barely moves, every beach walked and rated honestly.
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Waterfalls 11 waterfalls Purple rock pools at Na Muang, jungle treks to cascades most visitors miss, and the wet-season months when the interior actually flows.
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Temples 30 temples Golden Buddhas on causeway islands, a lake temple with an 18-armed Guanyin, and quiet village wats most tour buses skip entirely.
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Trails 24 trails Ridge walks, viewpoint scrambles and jungle routes through Samui's mountainous interior, mapped with real distances and times.
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Guides 150 guides Itineraries, transport, visas and season-by-season advice for planning a trip that actually fits how you like to travel.
| Month | Min °C | Max °C | Rain mm | Rain days | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24.2 | 29 | 125 | 8 | 28 |
| Feb | 24.9 | 29.4 | 65 | 4 | 28.5 |
| Mar | 25.4 | 30.4 | 115 | 5 | 29 |
| Apr | 26 | 31.8 | 85 | 6 | 30 |
| May | 25.7 | 32.9 | 130 | 11 | 30 |
| Jun | 25.3 | 32.7 | 135 | 10 | 30 |
| Jul | 25.1 | 32.3 | 115 | 11 | 29.5 |
| Aug | 25.1 | 32.4 | 100 | 10 | 29.5 |
| Sep | 24.8 | 31.9 | 120 | 11 | 29 |
| Oct | 24.3 | 30.6 | 295 | 16 | 29 |
| Nov | 24.1 | 29.7 | 445 | 16 | 29 |
| Dec | 24 | 29.3 | 265 | 12 | 28.5 |
When the rain falls, and when it does not
Samui's climate, month by month
Each slice of the ring is one month: the outer bars are rainfall in millimetres, taller means wetter, and the inner shaded ring tracks average sea temperature, so you can see at a glance when the island is driest and when the water is warmest.
- Dry and calm Feb-Apr
- Samui's driest, sunniest stretch: rainfall drops as low as 65 mm in February, daytime highs climb toward 32 degrees by April, and the sea warms to 29-30 degrees C.
- Hot with short showers May-Sep
- Hot and humid with short, heavy afternoon downpours most days. Monthly rainfall hovers around 100-135 mm, sun hours drop, and the sea holds steady near 29-30 degrees C.
- Monsoon Oct-Dec
- The wettest stretch by far: November alone averages 445 mm of rain over 16 days. Days cool slightly into the mid-20s and the sea eases back toward 28-29 degrees C.
One day, start to finish
A day on Samui, hour by hour
One plausible day, stitched from eight real stops around the island, not a strict schedule but a feel for the pace worth keeping.
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Chaweng Noi Beach
Sunrise reaches Chaweng Noi's sheltered water first, quiet and clear before the loungers come out along the sand.
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Wat Plai Laem
The lake temple is near empty this early, so you can cross the causeway to the 18-armed Guanyin before the tour buses arrive.
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Na Muang Waterfalls
Na Muang 1's purple-rock pool is coolest before noon, and the 30-minute climb to Na Muang 2 is easiest ahead of the midday heat.
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Silver Beach
Water is calmest and clearest around midday, the hour to snorkel Silver Beach's boulder reefs before any afternoon breeze picks up.
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Hua Thanon fish market
Lunch comes straight off the boats at Hua Thanon's daily seafood market, in the working Muslim fishing village south of Lamai.
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Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha)
Afternoon light suits the 12-metre golden Buddha, up the 73-step naga staircase on Koh Faan island off the northeast coast.
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Lipa Noi Beach
West-facing Lipa Noi is built for sunset, the sky sinking behind Ang Thong's islands while your feet sit in shallow, warm water.
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Fisherman's Village, Bophut
Dinner and a walk through Bophut's Fisherman's Village, where restored shophouses hold restaurants, bars and a Friday night market.
In their own words
What our writers actually say
If you want peace and authenticity, look at Bophut, Lamai, or Maenam.
The reward at the top is a smaller, shallower pool surrounded by massive boulders, and a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the island's interior.
This water-based layout gives the temple a floating quality unlike any other wat on Samui.
A short history of the island
How Samui got here
Six moments across nearly four centuries, from a name on a 1687 Chinese map to a television crew arriving in 2025.
- 1687
Samui first appears on a Chinese map
Ko Samui is recorded on 17th-century Chinese navigational charts under the name Pulo Cornam, among the earliest documented mentions of the island.
- 1972
Wat Phra Yai's Big Buddha is built
Local monks and residents fund and build the 12-metre golden Buddha on Koh Faan island entirely through community donations, still Samui's most recognisable landmark.
- 1973
The ring road is completed
After years of hand-cleared jungle and monsoon delays, concrete slabs finally close the loop that becomes Route 4169, connecting every coastal village.
- 1980
Ang Thong Marine Park is declared
The 42-island archipelago west of Samui is protected as Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park, Thailand's second marine national park.
- 1989
Samui International Airport opens
Bangkok Airways opens USM with a short runway and open-air, palm-roofed terminals, cutting the trip from Bangkok from a day at sea to about an hour in the air.
- 2025
The White Lotus season 3 is set here
HBO's anthology series shoots its third season across Samui resorts including Four Seasons and Anantara Bophut, putting the island in front of a new global audience.
Before you book anything
Plan your trip to Samui
Six practical decisions, each with its own guide to the details.
- 01
When to go
Dry season, February to April, for the calmest seas, or shoulder months if a few afternoon showers are a fair trade for smaller crowds.
Best time to visit - 02
Getting there
Fly straight into Samui's own airport from Bangkok in about an hour, or take the overnight train or bus and ferry combo from the mainland.
Read the guide - 03
Where to stay
Chaweng and Lamai for nightlife and beach access, Bophut and Maenam for a quieter walkable base, the west coast for sunsets.
Read the guide - 04
Getting around
Most visitors rent a scooter to loop the ring road; taxis and songthaews cover the rest, but agree the fare before you get in.
Read the guide - 05
Sample itinerary
A four to seven day route through beaches, temples, waterfalls and one boat trip to Ang Thong, paced so nothing feels rushed.
Read the guide - 06
Visa basics
Most nationalities get a visa exemption on arrival; check your passport's allowance before booking flights out and back.
Read the guide
Seven sub-districts, one small island
Explore Samui by area
Samui is divided into seven official sub-districts, or tambons, each with its own coastline or interior, its own pace, and its own reasons to detour off the ring road.
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Maenam แม่น้ำ
A long quiet beach, Bang Po, the Golden Mount temple, and the Hog Trail through the northern hills.
6 beaches, 1 waterfall, 3 temples, 3 trails
Open on the map -
Bo Phut บ่อผุด
Fisherman's Village, the Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem, Choeng Mon, and Chaweng's beaches and nightlife.
10 beaches, 1 waterfall, 7 temples, 4 trails
Open on the map -
Maret มะเร็ต
Lamai's beach and viewpoints, Hua Thanon fishing village, and the red temple Wat Sila Ngu.
6 beaches, 1 waterfall, 6 temples, 2 trails
Open on the map -
Na Mueang หน้าเมือง
Na Muang's waterfalls, the Secret Buddha Garden, and the mummified monk at Wat Khunaram.
2 beaches, 4 waterfalls, 5 temples, 8 trails
Open on the map -
Taling Ngam ตลิ่งงาม
A sunset coast facing the Five Islands, Thong Krut's fishing boats, and the white Wat Khao Chedi.
5 beaches, 5 temples
Open on the map -
Lipa Noi ลิปะน้อย
Lipa Noi's sunset beach, Tong Yang bay, jungle falls, and Khao Pom, the highest point on Samui.
2 beaches, 2 waterfalls, 1 temple, 3 trails
Open on the map -
Ang Thong อ่างทอง
Nathon's port town, sunset strip, Wat Chaeng, the Hainan shrine, and a forest ridge trek.
3 beaches, 2 waterfalls, 3 temples, 4 trails
Open on the map
Fresh off the island
Latest from Samui69
Questions people actually ask
Samui, answered
Is Koh Samui worth visiting?
Yes, if you want beaches backed by real infrastructure: decent roads, reliable ferries, an international airport, and a choice between busy nightlife and near-empty coves on the same island. It is more developed than Koh Phangan or Koh Tao, so there is less backpacker chaos but also fewer bargains, since you are largely paying for convenience and a wider spread of things to do.
How many days do you need on Koh Samui?
Four days covers the highlights: one beach day, one temple and waterfall loop, one boat trip to Ang Thong, and a spare day for weather. A week lets you add a second beach base on the other coast, a proper hike through the interior, and slower mornings instead of a packed schedule from sunrise to sunset.
What is the best month to visit Koh Samui?
February is the safest bet: rainfall drops to its lowest point of the year, skies stay mostly clear, and the sea is calm for swimming and boat trips. March and April run hotter but nearly as dry. Avoid banking on sunshine around October and November, since that stretch carries Samui's heaviest monsoon rain by a wide margin.
Koh Samui or Koh Phangan, which is better?
Samui has the airport, the malls, the hospital, and beaches for every taste from packed to empty. Koh Phangan is smaller, cheaper, and built around Full Moon Party nightlife and a slower backpacker pace. Many visitors do both, using Samui for comfort and a base and Phangan for a night or two, a 30-45 minute ferry apart.
How do you get to Koh Samui from Bangkok?
The fastest way is a direct flight on Bangkok Airways or Thai Airways, about an hour in the air, landing at Samui's own small airport. The budget route is an overnight train or bus to Surat Thani or Chumphon followed by a ferry, which is cheaper but closer to a full day of travel each way.