Best Things to Do in Koh Samui Introduction
Discover the best things to do on the beautiful island of Koh Samui, Thailand. All of my suggestions are family friendly activities and I also include lots of free things to do. Experience tropical beaches, remote islands, wonderful cuisine, waterfalls, elephants and temples. In this blog I tell you about the top days out on this island paradise.
Contents
- Best Things to Do in Koh Samui Introduction
- Contents
- What is Koh Samui like?
- How to Get Around Koh Samui
- Top Things to Do in Koh Samui
- 1. Snorkel at Silver Beach – Crystal Bay
- 2. Swim in Na Muang Waterfalls
- 3. Boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park
- 4. Visit the Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai)
- 5. Eat at Fisherman’s Village, Bophut
- 6. Sunbathe at Chaweng Beach
- 7. Watch a Fire show
- 8. Enjoy a Thai Massage
- 9. Meet an Elephant at a Sanctuary
- 10. Relax – The Best Thing to Do in Koh Samui
- Useful Links:
What is Koh Samui Like?
Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand and is the second largest island. Unlike Phuket, its location makes Koh Samui ideal for summer holidays because it is in dry season during July and August. It is an exotic island blessed with beautiful beaches, palm trees, mountains and jungle.
The main towns are Lamai, Bophut, Nathon and Chaweng. From the moment you land at it’s pretty airport, you will be greeted with a warm welcome.
How to Get Around Koh Samui
You can choose to book a hire vehicle from the airport, take taxis or the open bus service – a dark red vehicle with benches called a Songthaew. You can flag down the Songthaew from the main roads and let the driver know where you are destined.
🚗 We hired a car while we were on the island and found it fairly easy to navigate but you must drive on high alert because of the scooters weaving in and out in built up areas.
Our friends used taxis and the Songthaew and found this easy and reasonably priced too.
👉 Our Hotel Recommendation: Smile House Hotel, Bophut
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Top Things to Do in Koh Samui
1. Snorkel at Silver Beach – Crystal Bay
Silver Beach is a palm tree lined bay north of Lamai. The beach has light sand and clear, calm sea.
It is an ideal spot for swimming and snorkelling amongst the rocks. Not only is Silver Beach stunning but it is also family friendly because of the shallow still waters.
There are a few restaurants and hotels surrounding it where you can buy delicious cocktails and lunch and make use of their bathroom facilities.
To locate it, look out for the main hotel: Crystal Bay Beach Club, there is a car park just off the main road.
2. Swim in Na Muang Waterfalls
Situated 12 km inland from Nathon Bay, Na Muang has two waterfalls. The first one is easily accessible and a short walk from the carpark. The second is a bit of a hike but has beautiful views across the jungle canopy.
⚠️The second waterfall is quite dangerous and not suitable for young children.
The first waterfall is surrounded by large boulders, which you can jump off into the water. The water looks brown and murky but it is actually fresh clean water and you are perfectly safe to swim in it. A great place to take a refreshing dip from the heat.
You can buy snacks, drinks and souvenirs from the stalls around the carpark.
🌟 It is free to enter the waterfalls and parking is 60 Baht.
3. Boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park
Book a boat trip to these beautiful remote islands that the novel The Beach was based upon (but not the film). These islands are a national park and therefore protected to conserve the nature and wildlife.
🌟 We took the big boat because it was the best value for money and less likely to cause sea sickness than the speed boat option.
On this trip, you are picked up in a air-conditioned vehicle from your hotel and driven to the port.
You sail out to the islands and then transfer on a long tail boat to shore. You can take a short hike and climb the steps to the top of Mae Koh where you will discover the most majestic views of the islands.
🐒 On the way up be sure to look up to see the cute monkeys cuddling in the trees.
Cool off from your hike in the sea and snorkel over the colourful coral reefs.
After a delicious buffet lunch, you have the opportunity to kayak to another area where you can climb steps to view a stunning emerald green hidden bay, There is a bar here with bathroom facilities.
Book your trip from £24 per person including lunch and drinks:
👉 BOOK BOAT TRIP TO ANG THONG MARINE PARK
4. Visit the Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai)
This Buddhist temple has a huge golden statue of Buddha and is built on a small rocky island.
There are beautiful ornate carvings and statues surrounding it. 72 steps lead up to the statue and panoramic views across the sea.
You can buy souvenirs in the stalls surrounding the temple and drinks to cool you down.
🌟 Tip: Remember to dress appropriately with shoulders and knees covered as it is a religious site and must be respected.
You will not need much time here so include with another short activity like the waterfalls.
5. Eat at Fisherman’s Village, Bophut
Bophut is a bustling fishing village, full of restaurants and nightlife. It has a fantastic selection of restaurants, Thai and international options, and a wonderful safe and chilled atmosphere.
You can also buy some souvenirs at the night market just outside of Smile House Hotel and Restaurant.
We chose to stay in Bophut at Smile House Hotel, so we could walk to the restaurants in the evening. The glow and ambience at night is magical.
6. Sunbathe at Chaweng Beach
The most popular beach on Koh Samui is Chaweng. It is the longest beach on the island.
Sun bathe on the soft white sand and cool off in the crystal clear blue waters.
There are many restaurants and bars, water-sport options and plenty of atmosphere from the young crowd.
7. Watch a Fire show
One of the top things to do when visiting Koh Samui Thailand is to watch a fire show on the beach. We enjoyed it so much that we did it twice.
Pull up a beanbag on the sand, order drinks and food and listen to dance music. Once the sun sets, the performers start the show. It is a mesmerising and interactive experience with guest participation.
🌟We watched the show on Bophut beach but they are available to see at different beach locations around the island in larger resorts.
8. Enjoy a Thai Massage
The ultimate way to relax while in Thailand. There are lots of spas all over Koh Samui offering various spa treatments, some with beds overlooking beautiful views of the sea.
Thai people are experts in spa treatments and there are a whole variety of options.
I have to say, I was not a fan of the traditional Thai style massage so if you are wanting a less intense experience, I would suggest opting for a gentler option.
9. Meet an Elephant at a Sanctuary
Our best activity on Koh Samui was to visit Samui Elephant Sanctuary in Bophut. This is an ethical elephant sanctuary that takes care of elephants who have retired from a life time of logging and carrying tourists.
This peaceful sanctuary gives them a well deserved break from a life of servitude.
🌟 It is essential that you book because no walk-ins are allowed.
The staff pick you up in a minibus from your accommodation and take you to the sanctuary. There are refreshments of arrival and you listen to a presentation about all the wonderful work they do there and about each elephant’s life story.
After the presentation, you are invited to make food for the elephants and are instructed about how to greet them. You get to practice greeting one of the elephant by offering food and only then, stroking their trunk.
Small groups are then taken further into the sanctuary to meet and greet each elephant in turn.
Learning about and meeting these awesome creatures is an incredible experience and a must thing to do on Koh Samui.
👉 SAMUI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY LINK
10. Relax – The Best Thing to Do in Koh Samui
There are tons of other activities on Koh Samui, including boat trips to Pig Island (an island with friendly pigs on the shore), visit the Secret Buddha Garden, join in a Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, take a Quad bike tour or a Thai Cookery lesson perhaps?
Despite all of these fabulous activities to do – ultimately, you are on holiday. Remember to have some time to relax, unwind and soak in the beauty and serenity of this island paradise.
For more information and to find other activities to book, see the useful links below.
Have you been to Koh Samui, Thailand? What were your top things to do?
Useful Links:
Arrange day trips with GetYourGuide
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