Thailand has some of the world’s most spectacular islands. Koh Samui boasts stunning beaches, lively towns and a host of stunning luxury villas. When you are visiting the islands these few essentials might just make all the difference to your stay. We’ve put together the essential list of what to pack for a weekend on the islands.
Whether you plan on island hopping, snorkelling till sundown or soaking up the sun on the sands. One thing to ensure is that you have a suitable beach towel. Leave the traditional towel at home and opt of a fast drying one. This handy essential isn’t just for backpackers. We’ve all returned from a swim to find our sodden towel is heavy with sand and no longer of any use. Travel towels are typically made of microfiber stopping the sand from sticking. The fast-drying fabric means you will be able to dry off as you return from the sea again and again.
It sounds obvious that you would need sun cream on an island holiday but we’ve all found ourselves short on luggage space and opting to buy it when we arrive. This is possible on Koh Samui but be warned! Sun cream comes at a premium product here. We recommend grabbing some from duty-free as a last resort. Do note that sun cream in Thailand either has very SPF for the locals or very low SPF for tourists. Therefore, if you are looking for SPF 30 think ahead and pack it!
Koh Samui is all about the laid-back lifestyle. The dress code is super casual and people move from the beach into the evening- without pausing to change. In order to embrace this, you may prefer to pack a sarong which allows you to step straight from the beach to the bar. There are plenty for sale on the island and they make a nice souvenir from your trip. However, while good quality sarongs can be found on the island, flip-flops sold here tend to be knock-offs of well-known western brands, so do watch out for that.
Related: Girls’ Getaway: One Week in Samui With Your BFFs
Depending on what time of year, you are visiting Koh Samui you may find they have other visitors too. There is no avoiding mosquitoes on a lush and tropical island, but instead of letting them ruin your holiday come prepared with strong insect repellent. On the island, several herbal based brands are available from Seven Eleven. However, if you require something stronger you will have to hunt down a pharmacy or pack it at home.
Thailand has stunning coral reefs perfect for snorkelling or diving. Neighbouring Koh Tao is particularly famous for its diving and daily boat trips take drivers to the best spots. Most dive centres operating out of Koh Samui will visit these sites so be sure to pack an underwater camera to capture the stunning marine life.
A holiday on the islands is often the highlight of a trip to Thailand and this list will ensure you have everything you need to relax into island life.
See our villas in Samui. Inspected and selected by Villa-Finder.com
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There is one more 100% vegan place on Koh Samui (in Lamai area, just in 120 meters from Lamai Veggie which is the last one in this listing) — Yoga House & Spa (http://house-yoga.com/en/vegan-cafe). It is inside the yoga studio, just opened (July 2016), is cozy & nicely decorated, offers (mostly) European dishes & desserts from Monday to Saturday (11 AM — 7 PM).
Thank you for sharing about your vegan cafe Dmitry!
Thank you! Such articles are very useful. Would be twice great if you can add some info about Yoga House to your article… ;-) Photos and details are available by the link I've provided (or I can answer any questions you have).
Koh Samui photographers are really amazing photographers. They make the moment memorable for the rest of our life. Recently I attend my friend's marriage party, it was beautifully designed and maintained until the end. Thanks to Magic Day Co. Ltd Wedding planner to make her marriage memorable.
The boudoir was created by isabel and stephane in 2007.
Greenlight Cafe in Fisherman's Village !
Yes :)
Awesome article and such helpful information. Thank you so much for the topics and the content. It helps a lot, after I was hopping around the beaches on Samui. My favorite one was the naturism beach in the north. A small bay, only us and coconut trees. Oh, i really over the place. But now I am back in Canada and saving money for my next trip in 2 months. Last time I passed the chance to do my diving license on Koh Tao. That is what I need to do this year. If somebody has any suggestions, I will be very happy. Unfortunately, on the last day, I had booked a nice boat cruise tour from Samui to Koh Phangan, for a very fair price, and with excellent service. I saw too late, that this brilliant company https://kohsamui.tours offers all tours and activities like diving or jet ski safari around Samui Archipel. I start already to study a bit for my next stay and looking for your next blog posts. Have a good time and thanks for all.
Your Jason S.
Thank you very much for these extraordinary helpful articles, great pictures and advertised tours. Based on your information, we decided to take a guided boat tour through the Koh Samui archipelago. With https://kohsamui.tours we found a very cheap boat tour that we can really recommend. From the pick up to the food and the tour guide everything was sensational. We surprised, that everything was running so smoothly and comfortably. We never expect that Thailand has so much beautiful nature to offer that it is truly incredible. We are looking forward to further articles from you and read with great interest. Best regards and stay healthy.
This makes me miss Samui So much, Thank you for sharing such a great content