Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the main island in Ko Samui District, Surat Thani Province, in the Gulf of Thailand. The municipality gives the physical island an area of about 227 square kilometres and dimensions of roughly 21 by 25 kilometres. The municipal and district boundary is broader: it covers the whole district, seven subdistricts and nearby smaller islands. This page is about the physical island, so district-wide population figures should not be read as an island-only resident count.

Choose a base by the kind of stay you want. Chaweng has one of the island's best-known beaches and a large concentration of visitor services; Lamai is another established beach area. Bo Phut combines a beach base with old Chinese shophouses, while Taling Ngam is one of the quieter coastal areas highlighted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Distances matter: changing coasts can take time, so check the location of accommodation against the beaches, restaurants, activities and onward transport you expect to use.