Koh Samui is deservedly famous for its beautiful beaches.
Koh Samui Island is located in the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea. Since the South China Sea belongs to the Pacific Ocean, technically, when swimming in the coastal waters of Koh Samui, you will be swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
Koh - in Thai means island and the name Koh Samui - translates as Koh Samui Island.
You can get to Samui from Bangkok, or from nearby visa-free countries for Russians -
Malaysia, Singapore.
It is especially worth noting that the location of Koh Samui virtually eliminates the possibility of being affected by a tsunami.
Beaches of Koh Samui
On some of the beaches of Samui, during low tides the bottom becomes very shallow and swimming becomes problematic. On the popular beaches of Chaweng, Lamai, Maenam, low tides do not interfere with swimming; to find out about other beaches, take a look at the map. Those places that are colored yellowish-brown on the map become very shallow during low tides and expose the ground. Beaches with many such spots are not very convenient for swimming.
The most popular beaches on Koh Samui are located in the east. These are Chaweng and Lamai beaches - these beaches are famous for their white sand and clear water. In the north, popular beaches are Bophut and Maenam. The sand there is yellow, the water is clean, but not transparent.
The beaches in the west of Nathon and Bang Kham are not popular. The presence of a port makes the water in these places dirty and muddy.
Map of Samui beaches in Russian
The best beaches of Koh Samui
| Beaches Samui |
Cards | Location life | Infrastructure, attractions | Conditions for bathing |
To whom fits |
Hotels |
| Chaweng Chaweng |
|
6 km on the east coast |
The most popular and most developed beach on Koh Samui. Shops, bars, restaurants, market, Thai boxing, transvestite shows, nightclubs | Best places for swimming - central and southern Chaweng - clear water, shallow White sand, no waves | On Chaweng Beach, all vacationers can find a place to their liking - the central part is the most party part, South part more secluded. | Hotels of all categories |
| Lamai Lamai | 4km south of Chaweng |
Entertainment in the center of the beach center with discos, small restaurants |
Very good sea especially in the southern and central parts, clear water for swimming is one of best beaches, the sand is yellowish, the sunset is steeper than in Chaweng, Out of season, strong waves |
For a relaxing romantic getaway, for families with children | Hotels of different categories, prices lower than in Chaweng | |
| Mae Nam (Mae Nam) Mae Nam |
4 km in the northern part of Samui | Nearby village in Chinese style with restaurants, cafes, shops. Boat pier for visiting National Park. View of Koh Phangan island |
Yellow coarse sand, palm trees on the shore. The water is opaque. The entrance is convenient, the depth increases quickly. | For family vacation, for a budget holiday. | Bungalows, there are large hotels | |
| Bophut (Bo Phut) Had Bo Phut |
3 km In the north east, between Maenam Bay and the Big Buddha statue |
Good fish restaurants Few shops and nightlife |
the beach is narrow at the very beginning, then the sand is quite wide, light, the water is clean, but rarely clear, in the eastern part there may be foam, the sand is yellow from fine to coarse. The central part is most suitable for swimming. The least is the eastern one, where the bottom is muddy and there may be stones. | For have a relaxing holiday | Many spa hotels, five-star hotels | |
| Big Buddha Big Buddha second name Bangrak Bangrak |
2km Northeast Koh Samui east of Bo Put Beach |
Piers for sending to Full Moon Party, Thai fish market, big buddha statue. The beach is directly according to the take-off and landing course of aircraft |
There is a good entrance only in the center of the beach; along the edges of the bay the beach is not very convenient for swimming. The water is often cloudy due to the number of ships. The coast is greatly exposed at low tides. | Not very suitable for living or swimming Best to visit before heading to nearby islands, or in the evening to visit restaurants or parties |
Bungalows, hotels in a small number | |
In fact, only becoming famous 10 years ago, Koh Samui rivals Phuket as the most popular seaside resort Thailand. On the other hand, this ideal island differs quite clearly from its fellows, maintaining the natural simplicity of a tropical secluded place.
Located in the Gulf of Thailand on the opposite side from Phuket southern peninsula Koh Samui is characterized by quiet beaches of powdery sand, deserted small coves, calm waters and a hinterland of coconut plantations and rice paddies. Here is a place where you can throw off the burden of problems and relax under the sun without any worries.
Despite easy access and several daily flights from Bangkok and Phuket and ferry crossing from Surat Thani, Samui remains far away from everything, an island entirely unto itself, as it has been for centuries.
Koh Samui: photos
Koh Samui: where is it located?
Koh Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Thai province of Surat Thani. The second largest island in Thailand, after Phuket, its area is 228.7 km², maximum height above sea level is 635 m. It is located approximately 700 km from Bangkok and 40 km from the east coast of Southern Thailand.
Koh Samui island on the world map
Koh Samui: how to get there
Samui Airport serves flights from various cities in Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi, Chiang Mai), Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) and Hong Kong. The most popular flight is Bangkok to Samui from Thai airlines Airways.
There are no direct flights to Koh Samui from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities and it is unlikely that they will appear in the near future.
Since there are no direct flights to Koh Samui, most tourists fly on the Russia-Bangkok-Samui route. Connection time can range from 1 hour to several hours.
You can spend the time between flights usefully: go to duty-free shops, buy local SIM cards, eat in a restaurant or even admire the sights.
Many flights between Russia and Bangkok also have connections in the Middle East or Europe. In this case, the flight time may increase significantly, but the price of air tickets will be lower.
By plane from Bangkok in 1.5 hours or from Utapao in one hour. Trains depart from railway station Hua Lamphong (tel. 0-2220-4334) in Bangkok to Surat Thani Station (tel. 0 7731 1213). Then you can take a bus to Don Sak Pier, where ferries to the islands depart from.
Buses to Koh Samui depart from Bangkok South Bus Terminal (tel. 0-2435-1199) three times daily; fare does not include ferry ticket. The trip takes about 14 hours.
Koh Samui: video
Around Koh Samui
Samui for a moment
Koh Samui is the second largest island in the Kingdom of Thailand, and its dimensions are 20 by 16 kilometers. For comparison, this is slightly larger than the city of Tver. Those who have spent more than one month on Samui do not need to use a map, but for beginners it can be very useful, especially when preparing for the trip. I also have similar cards.
I personally like google maps Maps, which I consider one of the best online maps for Thailand: there are photos of places, almost all streets and paths are present, there is a map search and navigation. In addition to them, it is also convenient to use paper maps on site or scans of them on a computer. They give a clear idea of what areas and beaches there are on the island and where they are located. You can also immediately figure out where the attractions are located. Yes, the detail of such maps sometimes leaves much to be desired, but every time I take them on the spot, put them in the glove compartment of a bike or car, and the first days with them are very, very convenient.
Such cards are available at the airport, shops, hotel counters or car rentals. If you fly directly to Samui, then do not rush to buy a card at the Suvarnaphumi airport shop. Excellent free maps of several types, on good paper, are available in the lounge area of Bangkok Airways, the only carrier from Suvarnaphumi to Koh Samui.
If we look at the island globally, the busiest and most interesting for swimming are the northern, northeastern and East Coast. The south of the island has an exceptionally shallow and rocky bottom. Swimming here is unsafe in some places, but the landscapes and color of the sea leave the impression of a bounty fairy tale. The western part of the island is not popular with mass tourists, but is distinguished by beautiful sunsets and sections of the coast that have completely wild beaches isolated from people. In the west there are two main piers of Koh Samui, which does not add to the cleanliness of the local ecology.
The most popular beaches on Koh Samui are:, and. Chaweng Beach is considered the unofficial entertainment capital of the island. Lamai Beach is a light version of Chaweng, although both beaches are almost the same length. Maenam Beach has long had a reputation as a calm and family place with life “on the block” that falls asleep after sunset.
My favorite beach on Koh Samui is Maenam. Lots of shade, deep sea, lack of noisy parties and entertainment venues, a decent selection of cafes and two markets. And also convenient geographical position between the airport and the piers. There is an excellent combination of tranquility and infrastructure, and there are few people on the beach due to the small number of hotels; mainly those who come for a long time live here.
The second beach, where we rented our first house, became no less attractive to us. Located “across the wall” from Maenam, this beach is deserted and quiet. Bang Po is an even more secluded version of Maenam. The sea there is not for everyone (it’s good for children, not so much for adults), but I personally am ready to forgive it for the almost complete absence of people on the shore. However, after a month, you need more services within walking distance, and you want to go to a more civilized place.
Supermarkets (Big C, Tesco, Macro) and the Central Festival shopping center are located between and Chaweng, and there is also a medium-sized Tesco right on Lamai, which is why Lamai is a rather attractive beach for many. Actually, if I were choosing where to live with a child, I would choose between Maenam and Lamai.
Koh Samui beaches on the map
Below are 2 different paper maps of Koh Samui, which I used while in Saumi and photographed for you. Only the most famous beaches are indicated on them. Almost all pictures are clickable and by clicking on the map you can download it to your computer in good resolution (files 2-4 MB).
You can clearly see the ring road to Koh Samui
Maps of individual beaches
Now enlarged sections of the most popular beaches are also clickable and can be downloaded.
One of the most important stages in preparing for any trip is planning. cultural program. Surely you have already outlined several attractions that you would like to visit. Upon arrival in Koh Samui, right at the airport, at the tourist information stand, you can take a free detailed map islands with all the marked attractions. Well, we suggest that you do not waste your time and now familiarize yourself with the selection of electronic maps of Samui. They will be a good help when planning a route and will help you easily navigate the area.
Koh Samui is the third largest island in Thailand (280 km²). It is located in the south of the Kingdom, in the province of Surat Thani, and is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Samui is located 84 km northwest of the city of Surat Thani, 560 km southwest of Bangkok and 400 km (+30 km by water) northeast of Phuket.
The island is surrounded by about 80 tiny islets, three of which are widely known to divers and ordinary tourists: Koh Tao,
Koh Pha Ngan
and Ko Nang Yuan. There is a ferry connection to them.
Koh Samui can be reached by bus and fast ferry from Surat Thani or by air from Bangkok. Airport " Koh Samui Airport» is based in the north of the island, near Bo Phut beach. This is a simple one-story building without any interior spaces. The arrival and departure areas are located outside. Their designs resemble gazebos.
First of all, Samui attracts with its amazing beaches. The map shows Chaweng, Lamai, Maenam, Bophut, Beach Big Buddha, Choengomon et al.
This map shows the main attractions, beaches, villages, hospitals and police stations. You will also see where the ring road runs.
We hope that our maps will be useful to you!
Koh Samui is one of the most beloved and visited holiday destinations. He is associated with sandy beaches, orchids and pineapples, coconut plantations, warm sun and beautiful beaches.
Location Koh Samui
Koh Samui is the third largest island in Thailand. It is surrounded by more than 60 other islands. To recognize Samui on the map, just look at the location of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The island is located in Pacific Ocean, namely in the Gulf of Thailand. It is approximately 40 km away from the nearest mainland, Surat Thani.
You can get there in 1.5 hours by ferry or 40 minutes on a special high-speed catamaran. It is also possible to fly to the mainland by plane, but this will cost much more.
The distance from Koh Samui to Bangkok is approximately 690 km.
Island Features
Koh Samui is often compared to Phuket, but they are not exactly alike. These islands are located in different places and have different climatic conditions. The Gulf of Thailand is quiet place, which does not have high waves, like in Phuket.
The main features of Koh Samui are the harmonious combination of uncrowded beaches, the clearest sea, perfectly preserved ecology and well-developed infrastructure. There are various beaches with white and golden sand, secluded and noisy places. Also on the island you can see the real jungle and ride elephants.
Samui is suitable for those who love clear seas, a leisurely pace of life and the absence of many people.
Climate
The climate on Koh Samui is very hot, tropical with high levels of humidity. The whole year here can be divided into three seasons - dry, hot and rainy.
The dry season lasts from December to February. The air temperature fluctuates around 26 degrees. This is the most fertile time for travelers and island residents, since the tourist season is in full swing. During this period, all hotels on the island are occupied, prices for services are quite high everywhere.
The hot season begins in March and lasts until September. The temperature remains 35 degrees until April. Clouds appear in the sky, winds blow and there are periodic showers.
The rainy season lasts from September to November. The weather on Samui at this time is extremely unpredictable. The winds become stronger, it rains for several days in a row, and the sea becomes restless. Despite this, tourists still come to the island, because at this time they can relax inexpensively in a calm, uncrowded environment.
How to get there
There is an airport on Koh Samui, but it does not accept international flights from distant countries. From Russia you can fly to Bangkok or Phuket. Then you should board a local airline and continue to Koh Samui. This flight will last only one hour. You can also reach the island by plane from Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.
And from the mainland of Surat Thani or Nakhon Si Thammarat it is possible to arrive by transfer by ferry or minivan.
