Vacation Rentals on Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the 3rd largest island after Phuket and Koh Chang and is known for its white, sandy beaches, coconut palm trees, warm and turquoise waters, good food, excellent nightlife and hospitality. Since the 70th, this tropical paradise developed from a backpacker's destination to a top travel destination with accommodation from all types and ranges. Koh Samui is appreciated by sun lovers and water sport enthusiasts likewise. Whether you prefer to enjoy total tranquility with your loved ones or to turn the night into the day in Chaweng: Koh Samui has it all.

Koh Samui is located in the gulf of Thailand, about 650km south of Bangkok and about 40km to the East off the coast of Surat Thani.

By Plane: There are many daily flights directly from Bangkok to Koh Samui. Please check Bangkok Airways for more information on flight schedules. Alternatively you can fly from Bangkok to Surat Thani with Thai Airways or the low cost carrier Air Asia then take a 40 minutes bus ride from Surat Thani air port to the ferry port. The trip by ferry boat from Donsak to Koh Samui takes about 1,5 hours.

By Train: There are daily trains leaving from Hualampong train station in Bangkok to Surat Thani. You will get a good sleep if you choose a comfortable first class sleeping cars. The train ride takes about 10 hours. From Surat Thani train station, you take a 20 minutes bus ride to the ferry port in Donsak. The trip by ferry boat from Donsak to Koh Samui takes about 1,5 hours.

By Bus: The least comfortable and longest way of traveling is by air conditioned bus going from Bangkok to Koh Samui. They leave from Bangkok''s bus terminal in the south and a trip will take you about 12 hours. The trip by ferry boat from Donsak to Koh Samui takes about 1,5 hours. Tickets are available at almost any travel agent in Bangkok.

By Bicycle: Renting a bicycle is cheap. Beware of the traffic though. Bicycles weren't too common until recently.

By Motorbike: The most common method of transportation is the motorbike. You can get bikes of all sizes starting from 100cc (Honda Dream, Honda Wave etc.) for about 150 Baht a day and bigger ones, such as a Harley Davidson. Shops that rent them are all along the busier streets. Though the prices may be more or less the same, the vehicles are being differently serviced. Before renting, make sure the motorbike is in a good condition. Always wear a helmet and don't drive drunk.

By Taxi: The locals call it songtaew. They are available from 7 AM in the morning and are shared by travelers who are going into the same direction. The taxis are painted red and have usually 2 benches in the back of the car. They drive along the busy beaches or between the villages. Sometimes there are 8 or 9 people in such taxis. Tell the driver where to drop you off. He will stop there. Before you hop on, negotiate the price. It's usually between 30 and 60 Baht. At night, these taxis are more expensive. Always agree on the price beforehand.

By Meter Taxi: It's a safe and convenient way of traveling. The taxi meter is never used, so negotiate the price in advance. Prices start from 100 Baht.

By Car: Rent a car. There are plenty of rental cars available around the island. Be aware that many don't have insurance, so compare before you rent. Prices start from 600 Baht a day.

There is an abundance of restaurants on Koh Samui. They range from simple, open air food stalls with meals for 50 – 100 Baht up to 5 star gourmet dining establishments. Authentic Thai food is must when you visit Koh Samui. Thai cuisine has mainly four types of dishes (sweet, greasy, salty, spicy) with ingredients consisting mainly of rice, noodles, chicken, meat, vegetables, fish, sea food, coconut milk, lemon grass, nuts and spices of many kinds. International restaurants with cuisines including Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish, Swiss are available throughout Koh Samui.

Koh Samui is inhabited for more than 1500 years and the first settlers were fishermen. Until the late 60th, there was no road on Koh Samui and the only way to move from one place to the other was on foot or more commonly by boat. In 1973 the ring road was built and with that the path for the age of tourism was paved. Until that time, the locals of Koh Samui lived a secluded life with little contact to the outside world. The main income source was from coconuts and fish. When the family wealth was passed on from generation to generation, the oldest son of the family was due to inherit the land inside the island of Koh Samui on which the coconut palm trees grew and still grow, whereas the younger sons got the "worthless" land on the beach that yielded no or little coconut trees. In the 70th backpackers started to discover the island. They stayed in simple huts without electricity and water along the beaches on the island. Until the late 90th, electricity cuts where frequent, especially when it was raining. Koh Samui has evolved ever since to a top travel destination for tourists from all around the world. With that constant growth and development in Koh Samui, the once so worthless beach land became the most prestigious commodity on the island.