☰Koh Samui

Koh Samui's coastline offers a beach for every mood. Chaweng is the longest and busiest — a wide strip of white sand backed by restaurants, bars, and shops. It's where the action is, for better or worse.

Lamai, the next beach south, is a step quieter with a more laid-back vibe and good swimming. Bophut on the north coast has a charming old fisherman's village at one end, with boutique hotels and low-key restaurants along the sand. Big Buddha Beach nearby is named for the 12-metre golden Buddha statue at its eastern end.

For real quiet, head to the less-developed south and west coasts. Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi see a fraction of the crowds and have some of the best sunset views on the island. Most beaches are swimmable year-round, though the Gulf side can get rough during the monsoon months of November and December.

Samui sits in the middle of an archipelago, and the best days out are boat trips rather than inland drives. Ang Thong Marine Park — forty-two limestone islands in a protected reserve — is the headline excursion, with kayaking, snorkelling, and the emerald saltwater lake on Koh Mae Ko that inspired The Beach. Koh Phangan, a half-hour ferry ride north, is where the monthly Full Moon Party happens at Haad Rin; go if that's your thing, or skip it and stay the day for the quieter beaches on the west side. Koh Tao, another hour on, is one of the world's cheapest places to get open-water scuba certified.

Koh Samui's dining ranges from beachfront seafood shacks to resort restaurants with serious kitchens. Most of the better places are attached to hotels and open to non-guests, and a hillside or beachfront table with a sunset view is easy to find if you book ahead.

26th Degree, on a steep hillside above Chaweng at the Kala Samui resort, pairs sweeping bay views with Thai-inflected international cooking; ask about the private dinner setting away from the main restaurant, which needs a day's notice. Daaraadat, part of the Punnpreeda Hip resort on Bang Rak beach near Bophut, is a quieter, more romantic spot for Thai and seafood dishes such as gang phed ped yang (roast duck red curry) — tell your server how much spice you can handle. Sankala Fine Cuisine at the Kirikayan resort on Mae Nam beach does affordable fine dining in a tropical garden setting, with a seafood salad and a well-stocked wine cellar.

For something more casual, Chailay Seafood Restaurant & Beach Bar sits directly on Big Buddha Beach with views across the bay to Koh Phangan — a good spot for grilled seafood and a cold drink as the sun goes down.

Songthaews — shared pickup trucks with two benches in the back — are the cheapest way to get around Koh Samui, running fixed routes along the ring road between the main beaches. Flag one down, tell the driver where you're going, and pay a small flat fare when you get off; agree the price up front for anything off the main route.

Taxis are widely available but mostly unmetered, so agree a fare before you get in — drivers around Chaweng and the airport quote high to tourists as a matter of course. Rental scooters and cars are the most flexible option for exploring the interior and the quieter beaches, though the ring road has fast traffic and side roads can be steep.

To reach Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, or the mainland, ferries leave from several piers around the island — Na Thon on the west coast is the main one, with Bophut and Mae Nam also serving some routes. Boats to the outer islands and to Ang Thong Marine Park can be arranged through tour operators on any of the main beaches.

The quickest way to Koh Samui is to fly — there are direct flights from Bangkok and Phuket, landing at Samui's own airport on the northeast of the island, historically a Bangkok Airways stronghold though other carriers now fly in via Surat Thani on the mainland.

Overland, the standard route is an overnight train or bus from Bangkok to Surat Thani, followed by a ferry — around two hours from the pier to the island. The bus takes roughly 11 hours; the train is slower but more comfortable if you can get a sleeper berth. Combined bus-and-ferry or train-and-ferry tickets covering the whole journey are sold at travel agents in Bangkok and at Surat Thani itself, and are generally the easiest way to book the trip.

Koh Samui's shopping is spread across its main beach towns rather than concentrated in one place. Bophut Plaza, which opens around 6pm at Bophut Beach, is the best general market for souvenirs — fake designer goods, handicrafts, and cheap clothing, all open to bargaining. Chaweng's beach road has a similar strip of stalls, and the fresh market at Lamai is worth a look for local produce and food alongside the usual souvenirs.

For anything more conventional, Chaweng has both a Lotus's and a Big C, the two big malls on the island, with clothing, electronics, and a scattering of restaurants and a cinema inside. Bophut's old town has the more upmarket end of things — boutiques like Siddharta sell beachwear and dresses, and Chaweng's Beach Road has a handful of fashion boutiques as well.

Jewellery shoppers have real choice: My Jewel International in Nathon is good value, Classic Gems near Chaweng's Centara resort has a large selection and does custom pieces, and Silvermania at Lamai specialises in silverware. For handicrafts, About Arts and Crafts on Chonwithee Road in Nathon sells handmade ceramics and watercolours from a small shopfront café.

Beyond the beaches, Samui is best taken slowly — a morning climbing to Hin Lad or Na Muang waterfalls in the interior, an afternoon at the Big Buddha temple on the north coast, and a day out to Ang Thong Marine Park for the sea kayaking and snorkelling that anyone who's read The Beach will recognise.