Koh Samui Island Tourist Guide, Thailand: Beaches, Attractions, Accommodation And Weather

Koh Samui lies in the warm, tropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand about 20km to the east of the Thai mainland. The largest island of the Angthong Archipelago, which is made up of 60 islands, including Koh Phan Ngan and Koh Tao, Koh Samui is renowned for its pristine beaches and warm tropical climate. The island is roughly circular in shape with the island’s main ring road covering a distance of approximately 50 kilometers around. The main tourist areas are located on the northeast of the island with the crowded tourist center of Chaweng located on the eastern coast surrounded by other popular areas of Bangrak, Bophut, Maenam and Lamai.

Koh Samui is surrounded by idyllic coconut-tree lined beaches and no matter where you stay on the island you are never more than a stone’s throw away from a beautiful stretch of white sand. Chaweng, of course, is the busiest of Samui’s beaches with Lamai, Bophut and Choeng Mon beaches also very popular with visitors to the island. In contrast to the northeast, the north, west and south of the island offers pristine, idyllic beaches which are usually completely deserted.

There are many local tourist attractions on Koh Samui and enough interesting things to do to keep even the most active visitors busy throughout their stay. The most popular attractions are the Big Buddha statue in Bangrak , the Nam Muang waterfalls in the south of the island which offer elephant trekking and various animal shows. Boat and snorkeling trips to Angthong National Marine Park or the nearby island of Koh Phan Ngan are an absolute must for all visitors. There are also a whole host of outdoor activities which include ATV tours, paintball, rock climbing, golf, tennis, mini-golf, scuba-diving, fishing and safari tours to name but a few.

There is a vibrant nightlife scene in Koh Samui, centered around Chaweng’s Soi Green Mango and Soi Reggae, where the hip generation party on till dawn. Surrounding towns on the northeast of the island also have a vibrant nightlife with a huge choice of pubs and bars though the night finishes earlier here as generally everything closes by 2-3am.

Koh Samui has an enormous choice of accommodation. For the budget backpacker it is still possible to rent a beach bungalow from around 300 THB per night in the towns of Bangrak, Bophut, Maenam and Lamai though rates are higher in Chaweng. For medium budgets, Samui offers a large choice of hotel accommodation and private villa rentals with high budget travelers choosing between luxury spa hotels, exclusive beach home rentals or luxurious hill-top retreats.

Koh Samui has a typical tropical climate with average temperatures around 29-32 Celsius throughout the year. The island is affected by both the southwest monsoon during the months of October to December and the northeast monsoon during June and July though the rain in June and July is confined mainly to late afternoon or early evening showers as the Thai mainland protects the island from the brunt of any storm systems. The hottest and driest time of the year is February – April when temperatures can reach highs of up to 38 Celsius.

Koh Samui is the ideal tropical getaway destination for all ages with enough local attractions and activities to satisfy all travelers whatever their interests. So what are you waiting for?

By: Jen Johnston

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Jen Johnston is Managing Director is Samui Holiday Villa Rental, your portal to Koh www.samuiholidayvillarental.com”>Samui Villa Rentals and full tourist information on Koh Samui Island, Thailand.