Essentials

Okay, here are links to the basic information you'll want to know when planning a trip to Samui:

Getting to Samui

Samui's award-winning airport was built and is serviced mainly by Bangkok Airways flying from Bangkok, other parts of Thailand, and Singapore. There are flights between Samui and Bangkok more or less hourly from early morning until about 10:00 in the evening.

Where to Stay

From humble beginnings, Samui now has a range of accommodations to rival most other destinations in Thailand. You'll find everything from inexpensive bungalows to five-star super-luxury resorts. In fact, you'll probably find fewer of the former and more of the latter these days. For an idea of the best places to stay at the high end, check our campanion site the POSH Guide.

Getting Around

Samui is one of the most expensive places to get around in Thailand. The cheapest form of public transport on the island is the songthaew, a small pick-up truck with benches for passengers along either side of the covered truck bed. Fares are a flat THB 50. Destinations for any given songthaew will be displayed on the front or sides of the truck. The basic routes are Nathon - Chaweng - Lamai - Nathon and Nathon - Big Buddha - Chaweng - Nathon. Tell the driver where you're going before you get on to be sure he's going there. They don't always follow the same route.

Food & Drink

Most of the island's dining and drinking establishments are clustered along the main beaches, such as Chaweng and Lamai. The hotels and resorts have most of the prime real estate right on the beaches, so to enjoy a seaside meal usually means dining at a hotel. Given the global popularity of Thai food, there are surprisingly few 'pure' Thai restaurants in the main beach areas.

Weather

Temperatures in Samui run a little bit hotter than Phuket, but like Phuket temperatures only vary by about five degrees farenheit throughout the year.