Getting to Ko Samui
There are two waysto get to Koh Samui: by direct flights from Bangkok or by a flight-bus-boat combination via Suratthani.
The quickest but most expensive way is by direct 50 minutes flights from Suvarnabhumi airport to Ko Samui airport (Bangkokair). The nice and small Samui airport is located in the northeast of the island not far from the main tourist places like Bophut or Chaweng.
Cheaper but longer is a flight from Bangkok Don Mueang to Suratthani airport or Nakhon Si Thammarat airport and a following bus ride to Don Sak pier and a ferry boat transfer to Ko Samui. One must calculate about four hours for that journey. Airasia and Nokair offer quite cheap combi tickets for the total trip online. The arrival site on Samui is Lipa car ferry pier on the western coast. So a taxi ride from there to the beach destinations on the eastern side is necessary.
Which way to choose can also be a matter of where the international arrival in Thailand will be. Most flights from overseas will go to Suvarnabhumi airport, which may result in an easier transfer directly to Samui from there. If the arrival in Bangkok is Don Mueang, it might be wise to continue to Samui from that destination. There is a free and frequent shuttle service between the two airports.
Ko Samui can also be reached directly from other regional airports like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hongkong or Phuket.
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Lomprayah Catamaran timetable 2016 (maybe subject to changes)
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Bangkok (bus)
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Chumphon
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Koh Tao
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Phangan
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Samui
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Suratthani
|
|
|
|
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06.00
|
500
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07.15
|
300
|
08.00
|
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
09.00
|
|
09.45
|
|
11.45
|
|
06.00
|
500
|
13.00
|
600
|
15.00
|
500
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16.20
|
300
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16.40
|
|
|
|
21.00
|
500
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07.30
|
600
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09.30
|
500
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11.00
|
300
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11.20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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12.00
|
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12.45
|
|
15.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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14.30
|
|
15.30
|
|
17.30
|
|
Suratthani
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Samui
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Phangan
|
Koh Tao
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Chumphon
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Bangkok
|
|
|
08.00
|
300
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08.30
|
500
|
10.15
|
600
|
13.00
|
500
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20.30
|
|
|
|
12.30
|
300
|
13.00
|
500
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14.45
|
600
|
17.00
|
500
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00.30
|
|
09.00
|
|
11.15
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|
12.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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11.10
|
|
13.30
|
|
14.15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.30
|
|
17.00
|
|
17.45
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16.00
|
|
19.00
|
|
19.50
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Tickets between Samui and Tao are 600 THB, between Tao and Bangkok 1100 THB.
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Weather and climate
The climate on Ko Samui is tropical with a rainy period from October till December and some afternoon showers around the year. The daytime temperature ranges between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius and the water temperature is around 28-29 degrees. High season is from January till March and in July till September.
Climate table (monthly average temperatures in celcius)
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Ko Samui
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
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Sep
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Oct
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Nov
|
Dec
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day max
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29
|
30
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31
|
31
|
32
|
32
|
32
|
32
|
31
|
30
|
30
|
29
|
night min
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
26
|
25
|
25
|
25
|
24
|
25
|
24
|
23
|
24
|
water
|
28
|
29
|
29
|
30
|
30
|
30
|
30
|
30
|
29
|
29
|
29
|
28
|
rainy days
|
9
|
7
|
6
|
10
|
11
|
10
|
9
|
8
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
8
|
best time
|
|
x
|
x
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x
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|
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x
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x
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x
|
|
|
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Actual exchange rate
Note: there are ATM money machines and banks on the island.
Some words in Thai
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hello / googbye
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doesnt matter
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thank you
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you are welcome
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the bill please
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what is the price?
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sawadii Kha/Khrap
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mai pen rai
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khop khun kha/khrap
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jindi kha/khrap
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gep thang
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thaorai?
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