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As the second most popular Thai island, Koh Samui is easy to get to via land, boat, or air. There are numerous boats from Surat Thani province on the Thai mainland as well as from neighboring islands Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. The Koh Samui international airport is served primarily by Bangkok airways, which flies to and from Koh Samui and seven domestic and international destinations.
Once on the island there are many ways of getting around Koh Samui. Rental bicycles, motorbikes, and cars, both with and without drivers, are easily available, as are songtaews and taxis for getting around and between beaches.
By Train:
The train station in Surat Thani is serviced by trains from cities to the north and south, including Bangkok and Hat Yai. From Surat Thani minibus or songtaew transfer to the boat pier is required to get a ferry to Koh Samui.
By Car:
As many of the ferries connecting mainland Surat Thani with Koh Samui are car ferries it is possible to rent a car and drive to Koh Samui. From Bangkok to Surat Thani the trip takes from 8 to 10 hours; from Phuket or Hat Yai the journey is 5 and 6 hours respectively. Once in Surat Thani, the ferry piers are another hour from the town.
By Bus:
Numerous busses from throughout Thailand, including Bangkok and Phuket, service Surat Thani town, the capital of the mainland province that includes Koh Samui. From Bangkok it is an 11 hour bus ride. From Surat Thani minibus or songtaew transfer to the boat pier is required to get a ferry to Koh Samui, although some tour operators will provide transfers in a bus-boat package. Busses arriving late at night may miss the last ferry to Koh Samui so it is often preferable to take an overnight bus to Surat Thani and then catch a morning ferry to Koh Samui.
By Air:
Bangkok Airways offers direct, non-stop air services between Koh Samui (USM) and Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya (U-Tapao), Phuket, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Flying time between Koh Samui and Bangkok is under an hour; flights between Samui and Phuket or Pattaya are under 45 minutes.
Thai Airways offers limited domestic service to and from Koh Samui; Berjaya Air connects Koh Samui and Kuala Lumpur; and Firefly provides service from Penang and Kuala Lumpur to Koh Samui.
For individuals from qualifying nations there is Visa-on-Arrival service available at Samui Airport.
From Samui Airport to the various beaches there are numerous ground transportation options. Minibuses offer seats for around 100 baht/person. A private taxi will cost between 150 and 300 baht depending on distance and negotiation, as most taxis on the island are unmetered (despite external appearances advertising Taxi-Meter).
It is also possible to fly to Surat Thani, which is serviced by budget air carrier Thai AirAsia. While fares are considerably more inexpensive, the flight, transfer to the pier, boat ride to
By Boat
From Surat Thani there are three different piers serviced by two ferry companies: Ratcha Ferry, which shuttles between Surat Thani’s Don Sak pier and Koh Samui’s Thong Yang pier up to seven times daily; and the Songserm Travel ferry, which has two services: one between Surat Thani’s Tha Thong pier that leaves throughout the day and a slow, night boat from Ban Don pier to Koh Samui’s Nathon pier.
Between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan and Koh Tao there are a number of boat services that leave from various beaches and piers on Koh Samui. The most popular of these services is from Lomprayah, who offers combined bus/high speed catamaran ferry service from Bangkok to Koh Samui with stops in Hua Hin and Chumphon, from where the ferry departs to Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan along the way to Koh Samui.
Once on the island there are many ways of getting around Koh Samui. Rental bicycles, motorbikes, and cars, both with and without drivers, are easily available, as are songtaews and taxis for getting around and between beaches.
By Train:The train station in Surat Thani is serviced by trains from cities to the north and south, including Bangkok and Hat Yai. From Surat Thani minibus or songtaew transfer to the boat pier is required to get a ferry to Koh Samui.
By Car:As many of the ferries connecting mainland Surat Thani with Koh Samui are car ferries it is possible to rent a car and drive to Koh Samui. From Bangkok to Surat Thani the trip takes from 8 to 10 hours; from Phuket or Hat Yai the journey is 5 and 6 hours respectively. Once in Surat Thani, the ferry piers are another hour from the town.
By Bus:Numerous busses from throughout Thailand, including Bangkok and Phuket, service Surat Thani town, the capital of the mainland province that includes Koh Samui. From Bangkok it is an 11 hour bus ride. From Surat Thani minibus or songtaew transfer to the boat pier is required to get a ferry to Koh Samui, although some tour operators will provide transfers in a bus-boat package. Busses arriving late at night may miss the last ferry to Koh Samui so it is often preferable to take an overnight bus to Surat Thani and then catch a morning ferry to Koh Samui.
By Air:Bangkok Airways offers direct, non-stop air services between Koh Samui (USM) and Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya (U-Tapao), Phuket, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Flying time between Koh Samui and Bangkok is under an hour; flights between Samui and Phuket or Pattaya are under 45 minutes.
Thai Airways offers limited domestic service to and from Koh Samui; Berjaya Air connects Koh Samui and Kuala Lumpur; and Firefly provides service from Penang and Kuala Lumpur to Koh Samui.
For individuals from qualifying nations there is Visa-on-Arrival service available at Samui Airport.
From Samui Airport to the various beaches there are numerous ground transportation options. Minibuses offer seats for around 100 baht/person. A private taxi will cost between 150 and 300 baht depending on distance and negotiation, as most taxis on the island are unmetered (despite external appearances advertising Taxi-Meter).
It is also possible to fly to Surat Thani, which is serviced by budget air carrier Thai AirAsia. While fares are considerably more inexpensive, the flight, transfer to the pier, boat ride to
By Boat
From Surat Thani there are three different piers serviced by two ferry companies: Ratcha Ferry, which shuttles between Surat Thani’s Don Sak pier and Koh Samui’s Thong Yang pier up to seven times daily; and the Songserm Travel ferry, which has two services: one between Surat Thani’s Tha Thong pier that leaves throughout the day and a slow, night boat from Ban Don pier to Koh Samui’s Nathon pier.
Between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan and Koh Tao there are a number of boat services that leave from various beaches and piers on Koh Samui. The most popular of these services is from Lomprayah, who offers combined bus/high speed catamaran ferry service from Bangkok to Koh Samui with stops in Hua Hin and Chumphon, from where the ferry departs to Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan along the way to Koh Samui.
