According to pharmacylib, Koh Samui (Ko Samui, formerly Talang) (Thai: เกาะสมุย) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand (Asia) that is part of Thailand. The capital of Koh Samui is Nathon. A number of major cities on Koh Samui are: Mae Nam, Ang Thong, Chaweng Beach, Na Mueang and Lipa Noi.
Koh Samui is an island that only became popular among tourists around 1970. In recent years, the island has become increasingly popular. This is partly due to the tsunami that largely destroyed the most famous tourist island of Phuket in 2004. The island has a lot to offer tourists. There are more than enough accommodations in all price ranges and many facilities such as restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The landscape of Koh Samui is mountainous and very green with many coconut palms. The coastline is known for its snow-white beaches and clear blue sea. The waters around Koh Samui are ideal for diving. There are therefore several diving schools on the island. See thedressexplorer for when is the best time to travel to Thailand.
Where is Koh Samui located?
Travel information of Koh Samui
Official name: Koh Samui
Continent: Asia
Area: 247 km²
Capital: Nathon (Na Thon)
Country code: TH, THA
Population: 55,000 inhabitants
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy (Kingdom)
Highest point: 650 m
Distance (Amsterdam – Nathon): 9,530 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours and 20 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place on Koh Samui that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Koh Samui, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Koh Samui. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Koh Samui?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay on Koh Samui at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Koh Samui has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 30 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Koh Samui can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Koh Samui can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March and December are the best months to travel to Koh Samui. This avoids the rainy season.
Language
Thai is the official language on Koh Samui. In addition, a lot of English is spoken because of tourism.
Would you like to translate from or into Thai for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Koh Samui.
A visa is not necessary if you stay on Koh Samui for less than 45 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Thailand: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Thai Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Thai consulate in the Netherlands: royalthaiconsulate-amsterdam.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory for Koh Samui if you have visited a yellow fever country in the seven days before you visit Koh Samui. In addition, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
On Koh Samui, payment is made with the Thai baht (THB).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs on Koh Samui can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices on Koh Samui are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -39% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (68% cheaper), food (15% cheaper), imported beer in catering (23% cheaper), cigarettes (60% cheaper) and public transport (60% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
On Koh Samui it is customary to tip, especially in tourist areas. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 5 hours later on Koh Samui.
During our winter time it is 6 hours later on Koh Samui.
Koh Samui has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Koh Samui can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
On Koh Samui you must drive on the left.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle on Koh Samui you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Koh Samui.
Electricity
On Koh Samui you may need a travel plug in some cases.
More information about common plugs and sockets on Koh Samui can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 911
– Fire Department: 911
– Ambulance: 911
– Tourist Police: 1155
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Koh Samui can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Thailand (Koh Samui) can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Koh Samui end in.th.
Official website of Koh Samui: kohsamui.org.
Telephone
The country code (international access code) to call someone on Koh Samui is 0066 or +66.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Koh Samui? Then use the Dutch country code 00131.
(If you use a country code, you must leave out the first 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Koh Samui.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Koh Samui.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Koh Samui.
Holidays
An overview of all holidays on Koh Samui can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations on Koh Samui, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Koh Samui?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Koh Samui. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) on Koh Samui can be found on Protected Planet.
Koh Samui are not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Koh Samui? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Koh Samui.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Koh Samui, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Koh Samui, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Koh Samui.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 20.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know…
…Koh Samui is only 32 km from mainland Thailand?
… Before tourism, Koh Samui mainly lived on fishing and coconut palm?
…Koh Samui had no infrastructure until the 1960s?
…Coconuts, bananas, mangos, papayas and cashews grow on Koh Samui?
…Tourism on Koh Samui in the 1970s was created by backpackers?
