Koh Samui or Samui, is a bit of a magical island in the gulf of Thailand and lucky for me, one of my childhood besties has just happened to set up home there. Perfect excuse to leave the mainland behind to enjoy a few days in another new place. Here’s how we got there, what we did and where we stayed, not necessarily in that order.
Getting to Koh Samui from Krabi Town
For us, we booked a ferry and the transfer with it from Krabi Town over to Surat Thani. The getting on the ferry’s a bit ramshackled (having to cross over another boat to get on), but it’s fine. The ferry’s about two hours long. Long enough to want to get off at the other end. You do have the alternative to fly to Samui, so if you’re leaving from a bigger city, consider this for sure.
Where we stayed
Chaweng Beach is the most popular beach and is the most built up with shops, hotels and restaurants. Our hotel, Evergreen Resort, which we booked on Agoda, was perfect for us, the in between travellers. The room was adequate, they hired out scooters and they had a gorgeous pool that we only ever had to share with someone once. The bonus for us was that the location was great. Down a driveway off the main drag in Chaweng and it had a private path that led us straight to the beach (which was more than we were expecting). 
How we kept ourselves entertained
So apart from lying on the beautiful (but busy) Chaweng Beach, swimming in the Evergreen Resort pool and spending time with our friends, we hired a scooter and made the most of our time on the island. We explored north and south, visited the Big Bhudda (Koh Samui’s version) and experienced some of the other beaches on the island, like Silver Beach and Lamai and Bophut Beach by Fishermans Village (probably our next favourite to Chaweng).
Driving around the island was definitely our favourite part, you just see things that you wouldn’t see at home, like Coconut trucks being loaded up and traditional fishing villages where you’re not sure you’re even supposed to be.
Where to eat in Koh Samui
So Roti Pancakes probably aren’t the main reason for heading to Koh Samui, but check them out if you do. We also loved Bar Barguette for breakfast and found a couple of spots for a refreshing cocktail too. Here’s some more info about what Pancake cart to look out for, and what else you must eat.
A friend asked me just the other day, if i would recommend Phuket or Hawaii for her family holiday. I recommended Koh Samui. Centara Grand Resort, you can thank me later. 🙂