Renting a car on this island of Koh Samui is a convenient way to get around at your own pace and see the many sights and attractions on the island. There are plenty of reputable rental companies available at the airport and local companies situated on the island; the cost is around 1000-2000 baht per day. Having your own car on the island gives you the ease of traveling around at your own pace. Be sure to purchase insurance, have an international drivers license and drive carefully, mopeds and motorcycles are all over the place and zoom in and out of traffic.

Yes walking around the beautiful island of Koh Samui is a great way to see the stunning beaches and surrounding areas. The main road that runs around the island is just 31 miles long, however walking on the main road is not advised due to traffic and the lack of pavements.

Bicycles are available to rent on the island and generally cost around 80 baht for the day. Riding a bike in the small beach towns is a great way to explore and a fantastic way to see the spectacular scenery of the surrounding tropical jungles and mountains. Mountain bikes are a popular rental and a good workout.

Koh Samui is an island and can be easily reached by ferries and boat from the mainland pier in Donsak which is located south of Suratthani on the mainland in southern Thailand. A journey on a ferry from Donsak to Koh Samui`s main pier at Nathon which is the island`s capital situated on the northwest coast takes around 2 hours. Ferries depart from the Nathon to Donsak every hour starting at 5:00 am until 7:00 pm and plenty of transportation options are available at Nathon pier to transport you to your hotel including songthaews and taxis.

Lipa Noi Pier is located north of Taling Ngam on the islands west coast and is known as Raja Ferry Pier which is the name of the ferry company that operates out of here. Ferries depart every hour to Donsak from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm.

Bangrak Pier is known as the Big Buddha Pier as it is situated just south of Koh Fan where the Big Buddha temple is located. The location of this pier places it the closest to the Samui Airport and Chaweng Beach and trips can be made to Donsak from here as well as to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands.

The Maenam Pier is also known as Pralarn and Lomprayah Ferry Pier due to the ferry companies that operate from here is situated at the west end of Maenam Beach and trips from here can be made to Donsak, Chumphon, Koh Tao and Koh Phagan. There are two ferries to each destination that run from here at 8:00 am and 12:30 pm daily.

The island of Koh Samui is a very safe destination, but like any other foreign destination, it is recommended to follow a few basic rules to stay safe during your visit. Keep your belongings secure when you are walking around, pickpockets are not unheard of and thieves will try and snatch your belongings (sometimes while whizzing by on motorcycles!). Don`t wander around in non-populated areas late at night, stick to the main streets with the crowds. Beware of deserted areas of the beach at night as thieves can be present. Be vigilant and use your street smarts and watch out for scams.

It is advisable not to drink the tap water in Koh Samui. Always drink from sealed bottles of water and try not to drink water at restaurants due to the fact it most likely is not bottled. It is advised not to brush your teeth or drink tap water at the hotels, always use bottled water.

There are plenty of shopping opportunities featured on the beautiful island of Koh Samui from Nathon to Chaweng to Lamai and Bophut. The island offers an abundance of shopping options including malls, boutiques, beachwear, sporting shops, souvenirs, street stalls, street markets, night markets and much more.

Some popular shopping locations include the Central Festival Samui which is the largest shopping mall on the island located at the main entrance of Chaweng Port on Chaweng Beach Road. The massive complex features 3 stories and four sections filled with shopping, restaurants, and bars. The sections are named Fisherman Village, Beach Town Market, Chaweng Port, and Bird Cage with an open air atrium in the middle, beautiful gardens, a playground and more.

There is a Fresh Food Market held in Lamai, a small covered market filled with fresh produce, meats, seafood and spices with plenty of street food stalls to choose from along with tea and coffee. And the Lamai Walking Market is every Sunday evening on Beach Road, the street is closed to traffic for pedestrians only and is lined with street stalls selling a wide variety of foods and other items. The towns of Bophut, Mae Nam, Nathon and Chaweng also feature these well favored walking street markets, which is an experience that should not be missed.

Market Days, normally open around 5:00 pm and close at 11:00 pm or midnight.

Mae Nam holds a morning market daily from 5-9am and an evening market on Thursdays.

Nathon Night Market is held on Saturday nights.

Bophut (Fisherman`s Village) is held on Friday nights.

The currency used in Koh Samui is the Thai Baht, currency exchange desks can be found at the airport in the arrivals area, although the exchange rate given at the airport is usually not the best. There are currency exchange outlets located on the island, you will find the majority in tourist areas such as Nathon and Chewang.

For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in Thailand by clicking here Thailand

Temples are religious places of worship and appropriate clothing and behavior should be practiced when visiting temples. Shoulders and knees should be covered up, no hats, remove your shoes before entering temples, don’t point your feet towards Buddha`s or statues and do not kiss or hug in religious places.

Koh Samui cuisine is incredibly diverse and delicious; the island features a wide range of dining options and some of the best coconuts in the country. Delicious local Thai cuisine is found all over the island along with Burmese food, Issan dishes, and international cuisine. The islands tropical location provides fresh seafood daily on Koh Samui. The island boasts plenty of dining options as well from the high-end restaurants to beach side bistros along with delectable street food stalls and street markets selling fresh ingredients and produce, the island has something for every palette. Some of the local favorites include pad Thai, Curries, sticky mango rice and the popular island snack `No names` (grated veggies that are deep fried). Enjoy fresh seafood that is caught daily and be sure to try Thailand`s best coconuts, whether it be coconut water or coconut jam.

Nightlife in Koh Samui has been popular with youngsters and backpackers for a while, this is the place where people come to party `island style`. The vast number of beaches on the island provides the perfect setting to party once the sun goes down, the beach bars or bar-beers produce a wide range tropical drinks and Thai beers along with bar games, a pool, and nightclubs with live music to keep you entertained. Chaweng Beach boasts plenty of nightlife options including beach bars, girlie bars, pubs and karaoke bars. The island is a world famous destination for the `Full Moon` parties held on Koh Phangan at Haad Rin Beach where the ½ mile beach is turned in to an outdoor nightclub under the stars. These parties are held once and month and draw in massive crowds who come to drink and party under the moon until the wee hours, definitely a once in a lifetime experience that everyone should attend.

The language spoken in Koh Samui is Thai although basic English is spoken in the tourist areas. We suggest you get a good English-Thai guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

In case of emergency call 191 for police, 1155 for tourist police, 199 for fire and 1554 for an ambulance.

Hospitals:

Bangkok Samui Hospital tel. 66-77-429-500

Samui International Hospital tel. 66-77-422-272

Bandon International Private Hospital tel. 66-77-230-049

Thai International Private Hospital tel. 66-77-245-236