Koh Samui

Koh Samui (เกาะสมุย), (pronounced gaw (vowel like ou in cough) sà mui) is an island located in the Chumphon Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand, some 700 km south of Bangkok and about 80 km from the eastern coastline of Southern Thailand.

An island of natural beauty and variety, Samui is home to about 40,000 full-time inhabitants, 90% of whom are Buddhist. The palm-fringed shoreline and coconut and fruit cultivation of the coastal lowlands rise to a central granite massive, the slopes of which are cloaked in virgin rainforest.

At 247 km² Samui is the second-largest island in Thailand and the largest island in the Chumphon Archipelago of over 80 (mostly uninhabited) islands which form the Ang Thong National Marine Park, a kayaking and snorkelling paradise. At 25 km long and 21 km wide, Samui is big enough for serious exploration by the adventurous and fit, but can be circumnavigated in just a couple of hours by motorbike or car.

The island was probably first inhabited about 15 centuries ago, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and southern China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name Pulo Cornam. The name Samui is mysterious in itself. Perhaps it is an extension of the name of one of the native trees, mui, or it is a corruption of the Chinese word Saboey, meaning “safe haven”.

Until the late 20th century, Samui was an isolated, self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was even without roads until the early 1970s, and the 15 km journey from one side of the island to the other involved a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles.

In the early 1970s the first backpackers travelling on the back of a coconut boat arrived on Ko Samui. For years after that the island had just a few bungalows and a trickle of tourists. Things started to change in the early 1990s when tourists started arriving on full boats and since then the place has grown substantially. Samui is now the second-most popular place as an island destination in Thailand (the first is Phuket).

Climate

Samui’s weather patterns are a little different from the rest of Thailand. In April through September, when most of the country has its monsoon, Samui stays fairly dry, but from October to December, it’s wet in Samui and drier elsewhere. The driest season is from January to March.

How to get to Koh Samui

Koh Samui Airport (USM) is a private airport originally built by Bangkok Airways, which is still the main operator and was for a long time the only airline with services to Koh Samui. They have near-hourly departures to/from Bangkok and tickets are expensive by Thai standards, with advance bookings costing 3,000-4,500 baht one-way, while a walk-in booking may be twice as much. There are also daily flights to/from Phuket for 2,000-3,000 baht. Two daily flights from Chiang Mai (but only one direct flight in the opposite direction).

A feature of the international departure gate is a courtesy corner which provides food and drinks for all passengers in a cosy sitting area. Awaiting boarding becomes rather comfortable with food, drinks, and Wi-Fi provided.

Visa-on-Arrival and Visa-Free entries are available at Samui Airport for some nationalities. See Thailand for more information.

Ground transportation from the airport is readily available. A seat on a mini-bus for the 20-minute ride to Chaweng costs 120 baht/person; a faster private mini-bus will cost 400 baht upwards. There are no real Taxis at the airport, and since many drivers refuse to use their meters you will probably pay the same if your try to get a Taxi outside the airport.

If you’re a couple or a family, you’ll probably be approached by some young women holding up signs for some of the higher-end hotels. They will ask you where you’re staying, and based on the answer, offer you a free taxi ride if you promise to attend a presentation for their hotel’s time share during your stay (avoid the offers).