5 Reasons to Visit Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui is a paradise of sandy beaches and palm trees at every turn, a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand that's definitely worth a visit. Here's why you should be planning your own trip here right now.
1. You Can Use Points at Many Hotels
While some islands are set so far off the beaten path they don't have any properties where you can use your points, Koh Samui isn't one of them. For example, a stay at the Renaissance Koh Samui starts at 40,000 Marriott Rewards points per night, while award nights at the Conrad Koh Samui start at 85,000 Hilton Honors points. Starwood also has several properties on the island, including a Sheraton, Le Meridien, as well as some luxury and design-collection hotels — TPG actually just had a lovely stay at the W Koh Samui, which he reviewed here. If you don't have enough points, it's okay — lodging on the island is extremely cheap, which brings me to my next point.
2. It's More Affordable Than You Think
You can make your vacation as affordable as you'd like, but even if you splurge to your heart's content, Koh Samui is relatively inexpensive compared to other island destinations. You can find cheap bungalows (sans air conditioning) for as low as $15 per night, private rooms with air conditioning just off the beach as low as $30 per night or five-star beachfront accommodations for just a couple hundred per night. Need something more specific to your needs? There are plenty of yoga retreats, detox centers, party hostels and Airbnb villa rentals to choose from. The island offers plenty of comforts you'd expect to find in a larger city, like international restaurants and shopping centers, but you can still discover cheap street food and find $10 one-hour Thai massages at most spas here.
3. There's No Shortage of Peaceful Beaches
While Phuket and other Thai islands have turned into backpacker base camps and tourist zoos, Koh Samui has managed to retain its charm. Yes, party animals will be thrilled to know they can rage all night long on Chaweng Beach, but families can enjoy kid-friendly attractions on and around Bo Phut Beach, while solo travelers, couples or groups of friends wanting to relax can find many low-key areas to chill, like Mae Nam and Bang Po beaches, or pretty much anywhere along the western and southern edges of the island.
4. Getting There is Easy
Many of the islands in Thailand require a hot, sweaty ferry experience, but not Koh Samui. The island is home to Samui International Airport (USM) — most of the flights going into the island are operated by Bangkok Airways and come from the Thai capital, but you can find a few other carriers like Thai Airways coming in and out of here as well. It's possible to arrive nonstop from other cities in Thailand, like Chiang Mai, or from other hubs outside Thailand, like Penang, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The nice part is that Bangkok Airways is an awesome airline, offering all passengers — even in economy! — a free lounge-style experience in many airports and complimentary food and beverages on flights, including the short, 50-minute hop from Bangkok. Plus, the airport has cute open-air trolleys that drive you from the runway to the baggage claim, welcoming you to Koh Samui in the most adorable way ever.
5. It's a Great Jumping-Off Point
You can spend all your time in Koh Samui if you'd like, but if you're hoping to explore more of the Thai Islands, Koh Samui makes it easy. Day trips to nearby Ang Thong National Park, an archipelago of 42 islands full of pristine beaches, limestone cliffs and palm trees, are easy to arrange. You can also catch ferries to Koh Pha Ngan (about 20 minutes away by boat) or Koh Tao (about 75 minutes away by boat). Koh Pha Ngan is home to popular Full Moon parties and stunning bays and beaches. Koh Tao is famous for its diving — the island is home to more than 50 dive schools and is the perfect place to get your PADI certification. In fact, for about $300, you can complete the course and have lodging included. If you plan to dive, I'd recommend checking out Ocean Sound Dive + Yoga.
Have you been to Koh Samui or any other Thai islands? Tell us about your experience in the comments, below.
All images by the author.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.