Koh Samui

Samui Island (Surat Thani) is located in the Gulf of Thailand 20km from the Thai mainland and about 600km south of Bangkok. It is Thailand's third largest island and covers an area of 247 square km.

The verdantly forested mainland and hundreds of offshore islands are Surat Thani’s best features.

Surat Thani encompasses some of the most charming tropical islands in the Gulf of Thailand with their fabulous beaches, transparent waters and numerous coral beds to explore.

Fringed with tantalizing white sands and coconut palm trees, the most renowned is Samui Island which offers adventure and natural attractions of unparalleled beauty. Beach and diving fans can explore many lovely islands like Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Angthong National Marine Park. The lush interior of mountains and plateau on the mainland has several fascinating national parks worth visiting. As the former seat of the Srivichaiya Empire and Dharma centers, its culture and traditions also provide additional delight and a feast of archaeological and religious sites.

In recent years tourism has increased significantly, but for most of the island's inhabitants the coconut is still the mainstay of the economy. The island has some magnificent scenery, excellent facilities, and has attained an almost legendary status with Asian travellers.

The best time to visit Samui is from February to June when the weather is hot and dry. July brings the rainy season which lasts until October, but there is still plenty of sunshine between the showers. From October to January there are sometimes heavy winds.

Thailand is a warm and rather humid tropical country with monsoon showers. Temperatures are at it's highest in March and April with an average temperature of 28ºC to 38ºC, humidity averaging between 73% to 83%. There are three seasons in Thailand - summer, rainy and cool. Summer from March through to May, rainy from June to October and cool from November through to February.