Koh Samui Travel and Transport

Koh Samui provides many transport choices for travel in and around the island and to and from it. The beauty of travel in Koh Samui is that whatever method you use you can be guaranteed a scenic view of this popular island.

Tuk Tuk and Taxi

The ever present tuk tuks provided fast travel to any destination on Koh Samui though you will have to haggle for a good fare and always arrange it before you start your journey. Taxis have been made available on Koh Samui since 2001 and provide the easiest means of transport with the advantage of being air conditioned on those hot Koh Samui days. All taxis are supposed to be metered but some taxi drivers would prefer to charge a higher price and leave the meter off, so either ask for the meter to be switched on or try another taxi.

Songteaw

A cheaper alternative to the taxi is the Songteaw, a small bus that can be hailed from alongside the road. Songteaw travel to all parts of Koh Samui and the price is very reasonable and is usually in the region of 10-20 baht a trip.

Motorbike and Car Rental

Transport can be hired and you can hire a car, motorbike or bicycle from any number of places on Koh Samui. Though an international driving license for the motorbikes and cars is required the majority of rental shops will not even ask for one. Helmets are required though and if you are not wearing one when travelling by motorbike you may be stopped and fined by the police. Do be careful when riding a motorbike on Koh Samui, many accidents happen every year involving tourists that are too much into the beach party spirit and forget of the basic safety rules like not drinking when driving.

Motorbike Taxi

If you don’t fancy riding your own motorbike then you can find motorbike taxis all over Koh Samui; these are a cheap and fast way to reach any destination, though sometimes the motorbike taxis riders travel a little too quick and it can be a hair raising journey.

Bus and Train Travel

If you wish to travel to Koh Samui by train or bus you can do by getting as far as Surat Thani which is the main port for boats to Koh Samui and taking a boat across. Travel agents sell train and boat or bus and boat tickets combined which can be a convenience as you are taken care of transport wise all the way to Koh Samui, although really it isn’t too much bother to get to the pier and buy the boat tickets yourself there.

Boat Travel

Of course being an island Koh Samui offers boat travel as a main means of transport, not only to and from the mainland at Surat Thani but also to the neighbouring islands of Koh Phang Nan and Koh Tao. There are a variety of boats available all varying in cost, comfort and speed, and you can choose to travel by speedboat, catamaran or ferry. Long tail boat taxis will be able to take you ‘beach hopping’ and are certainly as nice way to travel around the island as you can view the scenery from a different vantage point. A car ferry is available to Surat Thani for anybody that wishes to take their own or hired vehicle across to Koh Samui.

Koh Samui Airport

Koh Samui has a beautiful airport, a cross between a tropical garden and an airport some might say and arriving at Koh Samui by plane really sets people in the mood for a tropical island holiday. The airport is privately owned and only Bangkok Airways has flights to it which are direct from Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore and Krabi. Airport tax is 400 baht at Koh Samui Airport even if you are travelling domestically.