Koh Samui or Phuket: which place suits you?
Samui and Phuket each have their own airport but lie on different coasts. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and lies on the Andaman Sea, Koh Samui is the second largest, in the Gulf.
Koh Samui and Phuket compared
| Koh Samui | Phuket | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | South, Gulf of Thailand | South, Andaman Sea |
| Character | Palm island in the Gulf | Beaches, old town and islands |
| Best time to visit | February to September, when rain is mostly moderate. | December to March, with January and February the driest. |
| Getting there | Direct flight from Bangkok in about an hour, often cheaper by flying to Surat Thani, then bus and ferry | Its own international airport, daily flights from Bangkok; around 14 hours by bus |
| Rain over the year | Koh Samui station | Phuket station |
| Highlights |
|
|
- dry under 60 mm
- changeable 60 to 150 mm
- rainy season over 150 mm
Bars: rain per month from January to December. Weather figures: Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), climate averages 1981 to 2010, rounded. All monthly figures are on the weather page: Koh Samui and Phuket.
How to decide
Choose Koh Samui if you …
- are travelling between February and September: in the Gulf the rain usually stays moderate then, and the driest month is February with around 54 millimetres.
- like short distances: a ring road of around 50 kilometres runs once around the whole island.
- are looking for wellness: Samui has wellness and detox resorts, such as Kamalaya in the south.
Choose Phuket if you …
- are travelling between December and March: that is when the Andaman Sea is driest, and January and February are best.
- want day trips and an old town: Phuket has Phuket Town, the Big Buddha and tours to Phang Nga Bay and Koh Racha.
- want a choice of flights: several hubs fly to Phuket. Tickets to Samui are often expensive because it is mainly Bangkok Airways that flies there.
Frequently asked questions
When does it rain where?
The rainy seasons fall at different times. On Phuket it rains a lot from May to October, most in September. On Samui it rains heavily in October, November and December; November is the wettest month with around 507 millimetres.
How do I get to the island?
You reach Phuket by plane; the bus from Bangkok takes around 14 hours. To Samui you fly from Bangkok in about an hour. Cheaper but longer is the route via Surat Thani: bus and ferry together take 3 to 3.5 hours, and the ferry alone costs 220 baht.
Where is it quieter?
On Phuket it is Mai Khao, Nai Yang and Nai Harn. On Samui you can stay somewhere quiet in Maenam and on the west coast.