No matter your agenda, Koh Samui always satisfies. This island, ringed by coral reefs and close to 40 white sand beaches, is one of the country’s shimmering gems. Not only is it teeming with seafront bars and restaurants primed for sundowners, it’s also full of dreamy, luxury resorts. You’ll also find wellness experiences for every speed, from yoga and fitness retreats to adrenaline-pumping activities like water sports and jungle treks.
It’s also an incredibly convenient place to visit. Samui International Airport makes the island an easy reach from Singapore and nearby cities, and abundant taxis and apps like Grab can take you from the airport or ferry pier to the beach in 30 minutes or less, wherever you’re staying.
Whatever you’re looking for in a tropical holiday, Koh Samui – often known simply as Samui – has it. Here’s a breakdown of what to eat, how to relax and where to find adventure on your next island vacation.
Seafood galore for gourmet travellers
While the Michelin guide’s recent expansion to the island will likely bring about more high-end restaurants, dining on Samui has always been about savouring seafood and Thai flavours, ideally with your toes into the sand. Bang Por Seafood ticks all those boxes. This beachfront favourite on the quiet northwestern edge of the island is all about bold southern Thai dishes and fresh catches – think squid stir-fried with spicy curry paste and grilled fish.
For a more refined experience, try Supattra, a 23 minute-drive east close to the airport. Here, fresh, wild-caught local seafood is the backbone of simple but beautifully executed family recipes such as prawn and rock lobster sashimi with Thai herbs and blue swimmer crab in a southern Thai curry. Looking for something a little more laidback? Visit Krua Chao Baan. This old-school institution serves authentic southern Thai dishes, including its signature seafood omelette.
But if you crave foreign flavours, The Cliff is just 6km north of Krua Chao Baan. Its culinary influence spans Italy, Spain and Portugal, from juicy calamari fried with garlic and herbs to tiger prawns in piri piri sauce. Appropriately, the cliffside views overlooking the sea are amazing, too.
Beach club paradise for the party seekers
Sun, sand and hedonism are among Samui’s strongest selling points, and the island’s ever-expanding array of beach clubs offer all three in different doses. Looking for a chic, upscale sanctuary? The Deck in peaceful Bo Phut offers summery cocktails like spritzes, daiquiris and piña coladas while you kick back at a 27-metre pool and enjoy the idyllic view of neighbouring Koh Phangan.
For a club that will get your heart pumping, check out SEEN in Chaweng, Samui’s most popular, best-equipped – and buzziest beach town. There’s a huge beachfront pool with a swim-up bar, plus high-energy DJ sets and stylish pop art décor.
For both action and style, go to CoCo Tam’s. The thatch-roofed hotspot in the Fisherman’s Village – a universally popular destination with restaurants, boutiques and a night market – is the island’s preferred destination for fire shows. (Strap in: they’re like Cirque du Soleil with fireworks.)
But if chill music and low-key sundowners are more your speed, try Tembo in Bang Rak, a beach that caters more to couples than club-hoppers.
Yoga retreats, beachside HIIT and jungle hikes for wellness enthusiasts
Over nearly two decades, Samui has developed a growing reputation as a wellness hub, in no small part thanks to Kamalaya Koh Samui. One of Thailand’s top health retreats since opening in Samui’s secluded southeastern shoreline in 2005, Kamalaya offers everything from detoxes and personal yoga packages to meditation in Arjan Cave, where Buddhist monks once lived.
Tucked away in Choengmon, a calmer alternative to Chaweng and emerging hotbed for luxury hotels, Absolute Sanctuary is the place for fitness and wellness. Packages range from five- to 10-day yoga, reformer pilates and other types of conscious retreats that incorporate luxurious massages and maybe even a reiki session.
Just seven minutes’ drive north of Absolute, ultra-luxe Garrya Tongsai Bay has made wellness its focal point. Beyond its spacious spa and yoga studio and detox-friendly dishes made with homegrown produce, some of the resort’s room types – the Wellbeing villas – even have their own in-room exercise facilities. It also boasts a private beach.
If bootcamps are more up your alley, all-inclusive fitness resort Koh Fit offers one- to four-week retreats that run the gamut from Muay Thai to Total Fitness. You can also sign up for circuit workouts on nearby Lamai beach and 10km group hikes in the jungle.
Off-road rides and watersports for adrenaline junkies
Jet skis, hoverboards, yacht adventures – Samui is undoubtedly a watersports haven. True enough, from Lipa Noi in the west to Lamai in the east, you’ll see jet skis leaping over waves and hoverboarders floating above the bay.
With warm waters, favourable winds and reputable operators like Kiteboarding Asia, Samui has recently also become a top destination for kiteboarding. Rather go underwater? Discovery, a PADI five-star operation, takes divers to sites teeming with turtles, stingrays and tropical fish. If you’re lucky, you might even swim with whale sharks.
Samui’s lesser-known inland is starting to get the attention it deserves, too. Outfits like Mr. Ung organise jungle safaris in 4×4 SUVs. You’ll hit all the major sites, including the Big Buddha and Khao Pom, the highest point in Samui, but also get to go off-road and enjoy unexpected surprises.
And if jungle excursions don’t get your adrenaline pumping, dirt bike, ATV and buggy adventures will. Samui Island Adventures puts you behind the wheel for up to four hours.
Where to stay in Koh Samui
Meliá Koh Samui
The Spanish five-star hotel brand offers sea-themed rooms and suites steps from Choengmon’s soft white sands, on the northeastern tip of the island.
Kimpton Kitalay
Designed to evoke a fisherman’s residence, with pops of dark-stained wood and stilt-suspended platforms, Kimpton Kitalay takes seaside inspiration to the next level. The plentiful common areas make it easy for new friendships to arise, but its exclusive pool villas and spacious rooms are all about comfort and privacy.
For more information on Singapore Airlines flights to Koh Samui, visit the official website.
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