Give the first day to the northeast: the Big Buddha on Ko Fan, Wat Plai Laem next door, then dinner at Fisherman's Village in Bophut. Spend the second on a boat to Ang Thong Marine Park. Use the third for the south: the Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks at Lamai, the mummified monk at Wat Khunaram and a swim under Na Muang. A fourth day buys Ko Pha-ngan or Ko Tao by fast boat.
Thailand's second-largest island sits in the Gulf of Thailand off Surat Thani, a jungled hill core ringed by one 51 km coast road. Chaweng and Lamai carry the crowds and the nightlife, the north coast holds the temples and Fisherman's Village, and the west coast keeps the sunsets.
A marine park of 42 islands west of Samui, with limestone cliffs, kayak routes and the Emerald Lake on Ko Mae Ko. Only licensed tour boats go in, so choose a smaller operator and give it the whole day; the park fee is paid on top of the tour.
A 12-metre gold Buddha built in 1972 on Ko Fan, an islet tied to the northeast coast by a causeway. It is the island's emblem and its busiest temple; come early, ahead of the tour vans, and look back over Bang Rak from the terrace.
A lake temple near Choeng Mon, with a white 18-armed Guanyin and a laughing Buddha standing over the water. Pair it with the Big Buddha a short ride west, and buy a bag of fish food at the gate for the catfish and turtles.
Bophut's old wooden shophouses on the beachfront, now restaurants, boutiques and sunset bars. Friday evening brings the Walking Street market, the island's best; arrive early or by taxi, because parking on the strip fills fast.
The temple keeps Luang Pho Daeng, a Samui-born monk who died in meditation in 1973, seated in a glass case in sunglasses. He asked to be shown as a lesson in impermanence; visit quietly on the way to Na Muang.
Two falls in the island's south. Na Muang 1, about 18 metres, sits five minutes from the car park with a pool to swim in; Na Muang 2, near 80 metres and Samui's tallest, is a steep 30-minute climb, so wear shoes with grip.
Two sea-worn rocks at the south end of Lamai, Grandfather and Grandmother, named for their unmistakable anatomy. The legend has an old couple drowned on the way to arrange their son's wedding; come late in the day, when the light is low.
A hillside garden of statues and shrines that the fruit farmer Nim Thongsuk began in 1976 and kept building until his death. The road up is steep and rough, so go by four-wheel drive or on a tour; the cooler air up top is half the reward.
The island's busiest beach, with most of its hotels, bars and beach clubs behind the pale sand. Swim at the calmer north end in the morning, then come back after dark, when the beach clubs take over.
A free roadside lookout on the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai, with stone steps down to boulders at the water's edge. It is the quickest coast view on the island; stop at sunrise, when the east-facing light is best.
Bib Gourmand seafood on a coconut plantation; booking required.
Hot-air balloons and a beach fair on Nathon's seafront.
Candlelit processions around temple halls on the full moon.
Thai New Year: water fights on the main roads, merit at the temples.
A week of yacht racing off Chaweng; the 23rd edition ran in 2026.
Bangkok Airways' road race, starting from Phru Chaweng Park.
Haad Rin on Ko Pha-ngan, with extra boats from Big Buddha pier.
Surat Thani tows its Buddha images on the Tapi to close Buddhist Lent.
Candlelit krathong floats set on the sea and ponds at the full moon.
Privately owned by Bangkok Airways, in Bo Phut near Chaweng, with flights from Bangkok and Singapore. Fares run higher than to Surat Thani on the mainland, the cheaper route by ferry.
Raja car ferries cross from Donsak to Lipa Noi in about 90 minutes; Seatran and Lomprayah land at Nathon. Combined bus and boat tickets run from Surat Thani.
Lomprayah catamarans link Maenam and Nathon with Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao, about two hours to Tao. The Haad Rin Queen runs from Big Buddha pier to Haad Rin in about 50 minutes.
Shared songthaews run the ring road by day; taxis rarely use the meter, so agree the fare first. Grab operates on the island. Ride a scooter only with a motorcycle licence and a helmet.
Sour, turmeric-yellow Southern curry, usually with fish.
Southern rice salad with herbs, toasted coconut and budu fish sauce.
Fiery Southern curry of fermented fish innards, vegetables and turmeric.
Dry-fried minced meat with turmeric, lime leaf and plenty of chilli.
Fresh rice noodles under a fish curry, with raw vegetables on the side.
Crab simmered in coconut-milk curry, a north-coast speciality.
Grilled squid from the night-market grills, with a lime and chilli dip.
Cut open to drink: Samui farmed coconuts long before it farmed tourists.
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