Koh Samui

December to April is the dry season and the best time to visit: dry, sunny, and wonderful swimming water. Note: Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand, which has a different rainfall pattern than the Andaman Sea islands (Phuket, Krabi). June to August is relatively dry, while the west coast islands are in their rainy season. September and October are the stormiest months on Koh Samui: better to avoid.

Koh Samui is the comfortable, well-organised choice: good restaurants, luxury spas, and a solid selection of hotels. Koh Phangan is known for the Full Moon Party but also has beautiful, quiet beaches (Haad Yao, Haad Salad) if you avoid the party circuits. They are easy to combine: the ferry between the islands takes 30 minutes.

Flying from Bangkok (Bangkok Airways, 1h 15min) is the fastest but also the most expensive, as Bangkok Airways holds a quasi-monopoly on the route. Cheaper option: fly to Surat Thani (AirAsia, ~600 THB) and take the bus-ferry combination (~2h extra). A ferry directly from the Donsak terminal in Surat Thani (~1h 30min) is also an option.

Yes: Koh Samui is one of the more expensive islands in Thailand, especially compared to Koh Tao or Koh Phangan. Restaurants are 20-40% more expensive than Chiang Mai. Good hotels start at €50-80 per night. Budget travellers may prefer Koh Tao or Koh Phangan; for those who value comfort, Koh Samui offers excellent value for money.

For families: Mae Nam Beach (quiet, shallow, little commercial activity). For atmosphere and restaurants: Bo Phut. For a well-organised beach with everything on hand: Chaweng (busy but complete). For peace: Silver Beach or the Nathon west coast. Lamai offers the best combination of accessibility and local character. Choose based on your accommodation.