Koh Samui is encircled by one road, Rte. 4169, so it's easy to tour the island. However, its size (Thailand's third-largest island) and its mountainous interior mean driving all the way around the island to your destination can be time-consuming.
Songthaew and taxis
Instead of the small tuk-tuks found in Bangkok, Koh Samui has songthaew, which look like trucks with benches in the back. You can also rent taxis to get from Na Thon to and from Chaweng and Lamai (about 30-45 minutes), but prices are 50-100 baht more than songthaew and motorcycle taxis.
Motorbikes
One of the best ways to save money on transportation and have fun is to rent a motorbike. We got ours through our guesthouse, Samui Beach Resort, but our price (250 baht for an automatic scooter) was higher than friends paid at other dealers in town. A manual bike shouldn't go for more than 150 baht. When you're riding around, watch out for tight turns, blind curves and steep roads, especially on grades leading to Samui's popular waterfalls. Road safety is oftentimes overlooked, too. Friends who were drinking in downtown Chaweng recalled seeing an extremely drunk man trying to board his motorbike and falling over in the process. Instead of stopping him, a few locals helped him get back up and sent him on his way. Roads are also poorly lit at night, so be extra careful.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the company offers insurance, definitely pay the extra fee to get it. A friend from Australia rented a bike and crashed it while in Koh Samui. He hadn't bought insurance, and the bike shop owner demanded 10,000 baht for the (relatively) minor damages. When he complained about getting ripped off, the owner called the police and forced the poor guy to speak with the authorities. He had to pay the entire sum to avoid having the cops come out and possibly invoke stiffer penalties (such as jail time).
Boats
You can find numerous speedboat companies to ferry you between the islands. Koh Samui to Koh Phangan is 45 minutes by speedboat, and it's 1.5 hours from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. These boats leave from the northern edge of Koh Samui at the Mae Nam pier. Boats to Surat Thani leave from Na Thon.
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Asia Insiders page.
