Thailand's complete scuba diving information source: dive centres, dive courses, dive equipment, dive sites

Facilities in and around Koh Samui

How to get there
Koh Samui can be reached indirectly by air (Surat Thani airport), rail and road and directly by air and sea. Read more...

Where to eat
There are hundreds of restaurants on the island, mostly around the beaches. Read more...

Dive facilities
Koh Samui has a selection of dive operators. Most provide diving education... Read more...

Dive trips
Dive trips run on a daily basis and 2-day/1-night excursions to Koh Tao are available. Read more...

Dive courses
Courses for the complete beginner are very popular here and there’s a good selection of... Read more...

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How to get there

Koh Samui can be reached indirectly by air (Surat Thani airport), rail and road and directly by air and sea.

By air: Flight routes are as follows:
Bangkok Airways: Daily flights from (domestic) Krabi, Phuket and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport and from (international) Hong Kong and Singapore to Koh Samui. Contact: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555.
Thai Airways International: Daily flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Koh Samui and Surat Thani (on the mainland). Contact: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111. Nok Air: Daily flights from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Surat Thani. Contact: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955.
Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955.

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal daily. The journey to Surat Thani takes 12 hours. Buses connect with boats services as described below. For further information on buses contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

By boat: Express boats depart five times daily from Surat Thani pier for the two and a half hour journey to Na Thon on Koh Samui. Car and passenger ferries depart every half hour from Donsak, east of Surat Thani town, and take 90 minutes to the piers at Ban Na Sai and Na Thon. Both are met by local transfer buses. From Koh Phangan to Koh Samui there are regular Express Boat and speedboat services from Thong Sala and Haad Rin Beach, and two high speed catamarans from Thong Sala twice daily.

By train: There are two main train services from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The ‘Express’ train leaves Bangkok Hua Lumphong Railway Station every hour or so and takes around 12 hours. The ‘Sprinter’ train departs five times daily and takes around nine hours. For further information regarding train services contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station: Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.

Where to eat

There are hundreds of restaurants on the island, mostly around the beaches. Chaweng has a selection of International restaurants as does Lamai. Service can be slow but the food is good and reasonably priced. Koh Samui is particularly noted for its delicious seafood and creamy coconut dishes. Resorts also have their own restaurants and many are worth a visit.

For more information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOD Thailand − launching first quarter of 2010 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

Dive facilities

Koh Samui has a selection of dive operators. Most provide diving education in some form or another.

Dive trips

Daily dive trips and 2-day/1-night excursions to Koh Tao are available. All trips include transfers between the dive boat and resort, light refreshments, fruit and drinks throughout the trip, lunch, Divemaster(s) services, equipment and 2 full tanks.

Included in Koh Tao trips are meals and accommodation on the island. Snorkellers and non-divers are welcome on scheduled dive trips – equipment and instruction are available. Many dive boats carry fresh water for rinsing diving and photographic equipment. Most have toilets and a sheltered area away from the sun, however not all dive centres run their own boats.

Dive courses

Courses for the complete beginner are very popular here and there’s a good selection of suitable locations for that first experience of breathing underwater. Courses are available right up to professional qualifications. All the instruction on the island is taught by qualified instructors following BSAC, CMAS, PADI and SSI diver training programs.

On the whole, course prices on the island remain relatively stable. Due to the location of the better dive sites, courses are slightly more expensive here than they are on the two neighbouring islands, but most people are happy to pay extra to stay on the more comfortable and lively island of Koh Samui.

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For more information on Koh Samui contact Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel. +66 (0)77 281828.

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