Short answer
The best things to do in Koh Samui are a boat day to the islands, a temple visit, one good beach and an evening market. The boat day matters most, because Wikivoyage says snorkelling directly off Samui is generally mediocre and the clear water is at Ang Thong and Koh Tao. Ang Thong has 42 islands, and our day there is from $50 per person, with the park closed from 1 November to 15 December 2026. The Big Buddha is 12 metres high, and one guide says entry is free. Waterfalls are minor and slippery.
Start with a boat day: the water is off the island
Samui's own beaches are for sunbathing, not snorkelling. Wikivoyage's Koh Samui guide says snorkelling and diving directly off the island is generally mediocre, because the shallow bays and sandy beaches cause silt and poor visibility, and names Koh Tao and Ang Thong National Marine Park as the places with crystal-clear water. So the most useful thing you can do is book one boat day. Our guides compare Ang Thong and Pig Island and explain Koh Tao snorkelling.
Wikipedia says Mu Ko Ang Thong covers 42 islands in about 102 square kilometres and was established as a national park in 1980. The islands are limestone, with caves, sinkholes and inland marine lakes. Pig Island, Koh Madsum, is the easy, short option and the Koh Tao day is the full-day one. Pick by how long you want to be on a boat, not by the photos, and book for the dry months if you can.
The Ang Thong day: cost, closure and who should skip it
Our Ang Thong Marine Park tour is from $50 per person, with hotel pickup, a speedboat with a guide, a Thai buffet lunch, snorkelling and kayaking gear, a life jacket and accident insurance. The park fee is paid on the day and is not in the price. The Department of National Parks' fee schedule effective 7 June 2022 lists Mu Ko Ang Thong at 200 baht for a foreign adult and 100 baht for a foreign child, but we could not confirm a 2026 rate.
On our tour the park is closed to visitors from 1 November to 15 December 2026, and the tour runs before and after those dates. The climb to the viewpoint is steep, with ropes, and takes about 15 minutes; it is hard for small children and older guests, who can stay on the beach. Swimming in the Emerald Lake is not allowed. If the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it.
Temples: Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem and a mummified monk
The island's best-known temple is Wat Phra Yai, the Big Buddha. Wikipedia says the gold-painted statue is 12 metres high, was built in 1972 and stands on a small island linked to Samui by a causeway, 3 km north of the airport. Wikipedia says nearby Wat Plai Laem has a Chinese-style main statue of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with 18 arms, set on a platform surrounded by a temple lake. Our Big Buddha guide covers dress and hours.
Wikivoyage lists more. Wat Khunaram, in the south-east, is famous for the mummified body of a revered former abbot, and Wat Lamai has a collection of artefacts in its cultural hall, including a 2,000-year-old metal drum. Laem Sor Pagoda, with yellow tiles, is called one of the most important shrines on Samui. Dress for any temple as the Tourism Authority of Thailand advises: sleeves, and knees covered.
Beaches: pick one end and one mood
Wikivoyage names Chaweng and Lamai as the most popular and commercialised beaches, and Mae Nam, Bophut, Bang Rak and Choeng Mon as the more peaceful northern choices. It calls Chaweng the largest and most developed, with about 7 km of sand, and describes Silver Beach, also called Crystal Beach, as a beautiful beach that is normally a little less crowded than nearby options. Mae Nam has shallow water that suits children, it says.
Wikivoyage also notes that the Gulf has an unusual 12-hour tide pattern, and that beaches are much wider at low tide. Our Lamai or Chaweng guide compares the two big beaches for swimming, nightlife and day-trip pickups. Check for rip currents before you swim at Lamai's southern end, and take local advice about jellyfish, which the UK Foreign Office says can swim close to the shore from May to October.
Waterfalls and rocks: Hin Lat, Na Muang and Grandfather rock
Wikivoyage lists several waterfalls. Hin Lat is easily accessible by car, and some of its many small levels have a basin big enough for swimmers. Na Muang 1 is off Route 4169, and a walk of about 30 minutes reaches the more scenic Na Muang 2, which Wikivoyage says falls from around 79 metres. Wikipedia says many of the island's waterfalls are popular, but that visitors have suffered severe injuries or death after slips and falls.
Read our Na Muang guide before you go. At Lamai, Hin Ta and Hin Yai, the Grandfather and Grandmother rocks, are free to view, according to Wikivoyage. Wikivoyage's overall verdict is plain: apart from the beaches, there is not much else to see on Samui beyond the relaxed atmosphere, and the waterfalls, notably Na Muang, are of minor interest. Choose one, not all.
Evenings: Fisherman's Village and the night markets
Wikipedia says night markets are a staple on Samui, with some of the most popular being Fisherman's Village, the Wharf and Plaza the Green night market. A guide updated in December 2025 lists the Fisherman's Village Walking Street on Bophut Beach Road every Friday evening, and Chaweng Walking Street from Thursday to Saturday. We could not confirm hours from an official source, so ask your hotel. See our Fisherman's Village guide.
For bars, Chaweng is the centre. Wikivoyage says the official closing time in entertainment zones is 01:00, though in practice it is usually between 01:00 and 02:00. The UK Foreign Office says alcohol sales are restricted between midnight and 11 am, except in licensed hotels, international airport terminals and authorised entertainment venues. Check the official page before you travel, because these rules change.
Animal attractions: ask before you pay
Wikivoyage lists the Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo near Na Thian Beach, south of Lamai, as open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 in an entry updated in March 2025, and a butterfly garden in the south-east. It also lists monkey shows behind Bophut beach, and says the capturing and training of otherwise wild animals is at best ethically questionable. Wikipedia says some farmers force macaques to harvest coconuts under threat of violence.
Wikipedia says many elephant sanctuaries exist on Samui but there are no standards for what a sanctuary is, and unethical practices such as elephant riding still occur. On the island day of our Pig Island tour, the elephant stop is about 30 minutes of watching, learning about and feeding the elephants, with no riding. At Pig Island the pigs are animals living on the island: no chasing or riding, and feed them only what the guide allows.
When to go and how to get around
Wikivoyage says Samui's weather differs from the rest of Thailand: it stays fairly dry from April to September, is wet from October to December, and the best months are January and February. Wikipedia says the heaviest rain falls from mid October to early December. Sea days can be bumpy then, so see Koh Samui in November, in December and the best time to visit Koh Samui.
Wikipedia says the ring road is 51 km long, and Wikivoyage says the island can be circled in a couple of hours by motorbike or car. It also says motorbikes are somewhat risky, roads have many large potholes, and rental bikes are not insured. Songthaews run fixed daytime fares of 20 to 80 baht, and taxis rarely use meters. Our airport to Chaweng guide explains how fares are quoted.
Practical checklist
- Book one boat day first; for Ang Thong, avoid the closure from 1 November to 15 December 2026.
- Carry cash for the national park fee on the day: the 2022 official schedule lists 200 baht for a foreign adult.
- Wear sleeves and knee-length clothing for temples, and take shoes with grip for any waterfall or viewpoint.
- Ask your hotel for current walking street hours and for the day's sea and swimming conditions.
- Skip animal shows and any attraction that offers riding or photos with big cats, and ask about welfare first.
Questions and answers
What is the best thing to do in Koh Samui?
A boat day to the clear water. Wikivoyage says snorkelling off Samui itself is generally mediocre, and names Ang Thong and Koh Tao for clearer water. Ang Thong has 42 islands, and our day is from $50 per person.
Is Ang Thong open in November 2026?
On our tour the national park is closed to visitors from 1 November to 15 December 2026, and the tour runs again from 16 December. Pig Island and Koh Tao days are other options in those weeks.
How much is the Ang Thong park fee?
On our tour it is paid on the day and is not in the price. The Department of National Parks' schedule effective 7 June 2022 lists 200 baht for a foreign adult and 100 for a child; we could not confirm a 2026 rate.
Is the Big Buddha worth visiting?
Many visitors find it the island's best-known sight. Wikipedia says it is 12 metres high and built in 1972. Dress with sleeves and covered knees, and check the day's hours at the gate.
Are Samui's waterfalls safe?
Take care. Wikipedia says visitors have suffered severe injuries or death from slips and falls at the island's waterfalls, and the Thaiger has reported accidents at Na Muang 2. Stay behind signs and avoid wet rocks.
Do I need a motorbike on Koh Samui?
No. Wikivoyage says motorbikes are somewhat risky and rental bikes are not insured. Songthaews, taxis and hotel transfers work, and our boat days include hotel pickup.