Ko Samui is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand, around 84km (52mi) northeast of Surat Thani.
The most convenient route to Koh Samui is by air to Samui International Airport (USM), located around 2km (1.2mi) north of Chaweng in the northwest corner of the island.
From most overseas destinations this requires first flying into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK), or Singapore's Changi Airport (SIN), followed by a connecting flight to Koh Samui.
Alternatively, a ferry and high-speed catamaran service operates to Ko Samui from the mainland ports of Surat Thani, Chumphon and Donsak.
The following are the most convenient flights to Koh Samui, Thailand.
Within Thailand: Bangkok Airways offers numerous daily flights from Bangkok and Phuket to Koh Samui.
Bangkok to Koh Samui is 1 hr 5 min, direct flight
Phuket to Koh Samui is 55 min, direct flight
From Singapore: Silk Air and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient daily nonstop flights to Koh Samui.
Singapore to Koh Samui is 1 hrs 45 min, direct flight
From Malaysia: Bangkok Airways operates the most convenient flights to Koh Samui.
Kuala Lumpur to Koh Samui is 1 hrs 40 min, direct flight
From China: Bangkok Airways, China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, Cathay Dragon and Thai Airways International offer the most convenient flights to Koh Samui.
Hong Kong to Koh Samui is 3 hrs 20 min, direct flight
Beijing to Koh Samui is 7 hrs 20 min, connecting flightˆ
Shanghai to Koh Samui is 6 hrs 45 min, connecting flightˆ
From United States: Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
Atlanta to Koh Samui is 24 hrs, connecting flight via Bangkokˆ
Boston to Koh Samui is 22 hrs 35 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
Chicago to Koh Samui is 23 hrs 55 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
Dallas-Fort Worth to Koh Samui is 24 hrs 55 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
New York to Koh Samui is 21 hrs 35 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
Los Angeles to Koh Samui is 19 hrs 55 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
San Francisco to Koh Samui is 19 hrs 35 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
From Canada: Air Canada, Cathay Pacific and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
Toronto to Koh Samui is 21 hrs 45 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
Montreal to Koh Samui is 22 hrs 55 min, connecting flightˆ
Vancouver to Koh Samui is 19 hrs 5 min, connecting flight via Hong Kongˆ
From Australia: Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Silk Air, Bangkok Airways and Scoot Tigerair offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
Adelaide to Koh Samui is 11 hrs 30 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
Brisbane to Koh Samui is 11 hrs 30 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
Sydney to Koh Samui is 11 hrs 5 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
Melbourne to Koh Samui is 11 hrs 50 min, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
Perth to Koh Samui is 8 hrs 45 mins, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
From New Zealand: Air New Zealand and Silkair offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
Auckland to Koh Samui is 14 hrs, connecting flight via Singaporeˆ
From United Arab Emirates: Emirates, Etihad and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient flights to Koh Samui.
Abu Dhabi to Koh Samui is 8 hrs 30 min, connecting flightˆ
Dubai to Koh Samui is 8 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
From United Kingdom: Thai Airways International, EVA Air, British Airways and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
London to Koh Samui is 13 hrs 35 min, connecting flight via Bangkokˆ
From France: Air France, Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient daily flights to Koh Samui.
Paris to Koh Samui is 14 hrs, connecting flight via Bangkokˆ
From Germany: Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Eurowings and Bangkok Airways offer the most convenient flights to Koh Samui.
Berlin to Koh Samui is 14 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
Dusseldorf to Koh Samui is 14 hrs 45 min, connecting flightˆ
Frankfurt to Koh Samui is 12 hrs 50 min, connecting flightˆ
Hamburg to Koh Samui is 15 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
Munich to Koh Samui is 12 hrs 45 min, connecting flightˆ
(ˆincludes transfer time.)
Samui International Airport (USM), also known as Ko Samui Airport or Koh Samui Airport, is located in the northwest corner of the island, around 2km (1.2mi) north of Chaweng.
Samui Airport consists of two open-sided terminals within 50-metre (54yd) walking distance from each other.
The domestic terminal serves numerous destinations in Thailand while the international terminal operates flights mainly to and from Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and a few cities in China.
Taxi: Private taxis and minibuses are available outside Arrivals, and can also be booked at the transport counter in the arrivals hall or online.
Private taxi fares to Chaweng are around 500 Baht, while private minibus fares are around 800 Baht.
Shuttle: Hotels and resorts can provide transport for guests by prior arrangement.
Bus: A shared minibus service operated by Samui Accom Company connects the airport with the island’s resorts. Tickets can be bought from a transport counter in the arrivals hall or booked online.
The bus leaves every 10 to 30 minutes depending on the number of passengers. Fares to Chaweng are around 130 Baht per person.
Car hire companies at Samui Airport include Hertz, Budget, National Car Rental, Thai Rent A Car and SIXT.
Money: Currency exchange facilities are located in both departures and arrivals areas. ATMs are also available at the arrivals hall.
Food: A small number of cafes and restaurants offer local and international food. There is also an open-air bar onsite.
Shopping: A variety of shops include boutiques, souvenir shops, a bookshop, a health store and a spa. Duty-free shopping is available between Gates 5 and 6.
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi internet access is available at the airport as well as in the VIP lounges. Mobile network operators also sell SIM cards to travellers. There is also a post office.
Other: A first-aid station is situated north of the arrivals hall, staffed between 8:00am and 5:00pm. A Muslim prayer room is located at the main gate.
The airport is wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair service is available at the check-in area.
An electric golf cart runs between various gates for passengers with reduced mobility. Contact the airport service (tel: +66 77 428 500) or your airline for specific assistance.
A passport valid for at least six months beyond intended period of stay, a return/onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds. No visa is required for a stay of up to 30 days.
Getting around Ko Samui is fairly easy given the choice of transport options and the small size of the island. At only 25km (15mi) long and 21km (13mi) wide, most trips around Ko Samui tend to be quite short.
While Ko Samui has neither tuk-tuks nor a scheduled bus service, you can easily rent cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Songtaews also provide an efficient way to get around the island.
While main roads in Koh Samui are paved, many others are often in a state of disrepair and some are simply sandy tracks. Roads leading inland can be particularly steep. Traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road.
More information about how to get around Ko Samui…
Latest update: How to get to Ko Samui: 5 May, 2022
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