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Koh Samui FAQ

Short answers to the questions travellers ask most, grouped by theme: beaches, getting there and around, money, weather, safety, families, free things and planning.

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  1. Koh Samui FAQ: BeachesIt depends what you want. Chaweng (about 7 km) is the longest beach with the most reliable swimming and the most services. Lamai is the scenic…Read guide
  2. Koh Samui FAQ: FamilyYes. Several beaches suit children well: Choeng Mon is a sheltered bay with calm shallow water near the airport; Lipa Noi has shallow, calm…Read guide
  3. Koh Samui FAQ: Free ThingsA lot. All beaches are public and free. Nearly all temples are free: the Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem, the mummified monk temple and Laem Sor pagoda…Read guide
  4. Koh Samui FAQ: Getting AroundSongthaews (shared red pickup trucks with bench seats) are the only public transport: flag one down on the ring road, pay cash when you get off…Read guide
  5. Koh Samui FAQ: Getting ThereTwo main ways. (1) Fly to Samui Airport (USM) on the island's northeast coast - a private Bangkok Airways airport, mostly with connections through…Read guide
  6. Koh Samui FAQ: MoneyBring both. Cards work at hotels, malls, supermarkets, bigger restaurants and in ride-hailing apps. Cash is needed for street food, markets, small…Read guide
  7. Koh Samui FAQ: PlanningThree days covers the highlights: one northeast temple day (Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem), one south-coast loop (waterfall, Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks…Read guide
  8. Koh Samui FAQ: SafetyKoh Samui is generally a safe, well-established tourist island; the main documented risks are practical ones. Sea: rip currents on east-coast…Read guide
  9. Koh Samui FAQ: WeatherRainy season on Koh Samui is roughly October to December, driven by the northeast monsoon - different from Phuket, which is wettest May to October…Read guide

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