Koh Samui Beaches

Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island, covering 228 square kilometres in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Surat Thani Province. A ring road circles the island, connecting a series of distinct beaches that cater to markedly different travel styles. Chaweng Beach on the east coast is the longest and most developed stretch — 8 kilometres of sand backed by a concentrated strip of hotels, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs that stay active until 2–3 am. Lamai Beach, 5 kilometres south of Chaweng, has a similar hotel-and-bar infrastructure but on a smaller scale and with a lower-key atmosphere. Bophut, on the north coast, clusters around a restored Sino-Portuguese fishing village known as Fisherman's Village, where independent restaurants and boutique guesthouses occupy old wooden shophouses; a Friday night walking street market fills the main road. Mae Nam, further west along the north coast, is Samui's longest stretch of fine sand with far fewer tourists than Chaweng. Maenam and Lipa Noi on the west coast face the setting sun and offer the best sunset views on the island. Inland, the 18-metre Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai in the northeast and Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks (Hin Ta and Hin Yai) on the south coast near Lamai are popular side trips. Samui has its own international airport (USM) with direct flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and several European hub airports via Singapore.