Itinerary Ideas: Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao

This tropical trio of islands in the Gulf of Thailand is perfect for a multi-centre beach holiday. Ko Samui can easily be reached thanks to the international airport on the island and from Samui there are frequent boat services connecting the island with Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao. Whatever your style of travel, you will find something that appeals to you here making this itinerary idea a good option whether you are travelling solo, with your partner or with your family.

There is plenty of room for flexibility in this schedule, but for a 2-week itinerary we suggest something like this:

• 6 days Ko Samui
• 4 days Ko Pha Ngan
• 4 days Ko Tao

Gulf Coast: island hopping guide

Ko Samui

As one of Thailand’s most famous tourist destinations, there is a variety of things to see and do on Ko Samui, and a wide choice of hotels that covers most budgets. The island appeals to a broad range of travellers thanks to its ease of access, gorgeous beaches and variety of things to see and do.

Although it’s fair to say that the two best-known resort areas of Chaweng and Lamai have seen lots of development, this also means there is a good selection of accommodation options and an array of dining venues to choose from. And away from the main road, the beaches remain as stunning as ever. There are also plenty of alternative places to stay on Ko Samui that offer a quieter option with Baan Tai, Bophut and Choeng Mon just three examples.

Check out our Ko Samui page for ideas of where to stay and what to see and do. You can also find more Samui travel inspiration in our articles here:

25 of the best things to do on Ko Samui
Recharge body and soul on Ko Samui

Ko Pha Ngan

A quick 30-minute boat ride across from Samui brings you to Ko Pha Ngan. Easy to reach from neighbouring Ko Samui, this diminutive island is probably best known to overseas travellers as the location for the monthly Full Moon Party. However, devotees of Ko Pha Ngan know there is much more to this lovely island which makes it ideal for anyone looking for a restful holiday.

The far south-east corner of the island is home to Haad Rin Beach where the Full Moon Party is held, but there are better beaches and quieter locations to be found elsewhere on the island. In the north-west of Ko Pha Ngan, Haad Yao and Haad Salad are two good choices. And over on the north-east of the island, Thong Nai Pan is another attractive laid-back beach area and location of the excellent Panviman Resort and luxurious Anantara Rasananda.

As with neighbouring Ko Samui, you’ll also find lots of venues on Ko Pha Ngan with a focus on health and wellness. World-class facilities at The Sanctuary combined with a serene location on Haad Tien Bay make this a wonderful location to treat your body and soul. This luxury retreat offers daily yoga classes, healing workshops and detox programs. Orion Healing Centre is another well-established wellness centre that featured in the 2016 BBC/Netflix series The Retreat with TV presenter Nick Knowles and friends.

Keep active and head inland to connect with nature and explore the forests and waterfalls of Than Sadet National Park. Hire a kayak and paddle across from Mae Haad Beach to the island of Ko Ma or wait for low tide and walk along the sand bar that connects it with Ko Pha Ngan.

The main town on Ko Pha Ngan is Thong Sala which hosts an enjoyable Weekend Walking Street Market where you’ll find local vendors selling souvenirs, clothing and, of course, a delicious array of food.

Ko Tao

Completing the trio of islands for this itinerary is Ko Tao. Located a two-hour ferry journey away from Samui, Ko Tao is home to some lovely beaches and stunning scenery. The natural beauty continues underwater with Ko Tao widely regarded as one of the best locations in Thailand for diving. You can also snorkel or dive on Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan, so water lovers will be in their element with this island-hopping itinerary.

The hilly terrain of Ko Tao offers up several viewpoints which are well worth making the effort to see. Our favourite is the John Suwan viewpoint on the southern end of the island where you can enjoy sublime views over Chalok Baan Kao Bay and Thian Og Bay. Even if your fitness levels are only average, it’s a relatively easy hike along the trail behind Freedom Beach.

Take a short boat ride across the water to the neighbouring island of Ko Nang Yuan. One of the most scenic locations in Southern Thailand, this is a trio of islands connected by ribbons of soft sand. A walking trail leads to a viewpoint where you can capture the iconic image of Ko Nang Yuan. It does take a little effort, particularly near the top of the viewpoint where you need to scramble over some rocks, but the sublime views are ample reward for your exertions.

Good to know

Weather

Different weather systems impact the Gulf of Thailand compared to the Andaman Coast and other areas of the country. This is great news for tourists looking for a beach holiday because it means that when it is the rainy season in locations like Krabi and Phuket, the weather is usually excellent on Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao.

January to March are the driest months of the year for the Gulf Coast islands with mostly settled weather and plenty of sunshine. March to May sees the temperature start to climb before dropping slightly in June. Although you may see some tropical showers from mid to late June onwards, the period from June to August is still a great time to visit with plenty of blue skies and warm sunshine.

Travel

Ko Samui International Airport (USM) can be reached by direct flight from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya (U-Tapao) and Phuket. Samui’s award-winning airport is a tropical delight so try to get a window seat for your arrival or departure to enjoy the views.

An alternative to flying to Ko Samui is to fly with a low-cost carrier to Surat Thani Airport (URT) on the mainland. From here, a connecting bus and boat transfer takes passengers across to Ko Samui.

If you prefer the joys of slow travel, a train service runs between Bangkok and Surat Thani from where you can connect for ferry services across to Ko Samui. If you are starting your itinerary with Ko Tao, you can opt to take the train to Chumphon and take the boat from there across to Ko Tao.

Journey times:

• Bangkok to Ko Samui flight: 70 mins
• Bangkok to Surat Thani flight: 75 mins
• Bangkok to Surat Thani train: 9-10 hours
• Bangkok to Chumphon train: 6.5 hours
• Boat Surat Thani (Don Sak Pier) to Ko Samui: 45-90 mins
• Boat Ko Samui to Ko Pha Ngan: 30 mins
• Boat Ko Pha Ngan to Ko Tao: 60-90 mins

All journey times are approximate.

Itinerary Ideas
This article is part of our Itinerary Ideas series. These particular itineraries are for anybody, but may appeal more to repeat visitors to Thailand looking to explore different destinations on their next trip or anyone seeking meaningful travel experiences. If you’re a first-time visitor to Thailand or looking for more ideas of where to go and what to do, check out these articles too:
2-week Thailand itinerary
3-week Thailand itinerary
4-week Thailand itinerary

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