On previous visits to Thailand, we visited the main tourist areas of Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai and loved them all. This time Shay was on a girls' trip with a friend from college and decided to visit the islands of Koh Tao and Koh Samui.

Koh Tao means "Turtle Island" and is known for being a top scuba diving destination. While I didn't see any turtles during my dives, I saw lots of colorful fish. It felt like I was swimming through a huge aquarium. Most of my itinerary for Koh Tao is scuba diving, but they also have a lot of nature hikes you can check out if you're not into scuba diving.

Koh Samui has something for everyone: cultural sites, rainforest adventures, and beautiful beaches. It's much larger than Koh Tao, so if you don't have a lot of time, you'll need to prioritize what you want to see and do. Since we were coming out of three busy days in Koh Tao, we decided to start with a tour to see some of the key cultural sites and then focused on relaxing with massages and enjoying our hotel pool and beach area.

If you are looking for gorgeous beaches, friendly people, and delicious food, it's hard to go wrong in Thailand. There is so much to see and do there, you could easily spend several months and not see everything.

All costs in this itinerary are per person. Since this was a trip with a friend and costs were split, prices reflect one person's expenses rather than the usual two people when we travel as a couple. All prices reflect what I paid during my visit and may have changed since then.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Where to Stay and Transportation

We flew into Koh Samui Airport and then traveled to Koh Tao by boat. I booked a private transfer from the airport to Pralarn Pier for 1,090 THB ($32.49 USD). There are less expensive transportation options, but after more than 24 hours of travel, I wanted the process to be as easy as possible.

We booked our ferry tickets directly through Lomprayah. During our visit, the speedboat took approximately 1.5 hours, the catamaran about two hours, and the ferry around 2.5 hours. I took the ferry to Koh Tao and the catamaran back. I preferred the ferry because the ride was smoother.

We stayed at The Place Luxury Boutique Villas for four nights. My share of the accommodation was 26,100 THB ($767.65 USD), or approximately $192 per night.

The villa had amazing views, a private location, and a plunge pool on the balcony. The hosts were responsive through WhatsApp, and bathroom, pool, and beach towels were provided. The downsides were limited hot water, no regular housekeeping, and a 10 to 15-minute walk to restaurants, bars, and the beach along roads without sidewalks. Extra towels were available upon request.

Our Koh Tao Itinerary and Costs

Day 1: Arrival and Exploring Koh Tao

Most of the day was spent traveling from Singapore to Koh Tao, but I also managed to enjoy two great meals and a dip in the plunge pool on our villa balcony.

• Arrival: Landed at Koh Samui Airport around 8am.
• Airport ATM: I withdrew 5,000 THB for the week but would probably withdraw 7,000 to 8,000 THB next time to avoid needing another ATM during the trip.
• Private Airport Transfer: Transfer from Koh Samui Airport to Pralarn Pier for 1,090 THB ($32.49 USD).
• Breakfast at Pancake Island: Iced latte and Samui Sunrise breakfast with eggs, bacon, pancakes, grilled bananas, and pineapple for 268 THB ($7.88 USD). This restaurant was less than a five-minute walk from the ferry terminal, and everything was great.
• Lomprayah Ferry: Koh Samui to Koh Tao for 550 THB ($16.41 USD).
• The Place Luxury Boutique Villas: Four nights for 26,100 THB ($767.65 USD).
• Dinner at Pork Leg Thai Food: Fresh coconut and chicken pad Thai for 160 THB ($4.77 USD).

Koh Tao Arrival Tip: When we arrived, there were several ways to exit the ferry terminal. I followed the signs toward the hotel shuttles and ended up paying a 20 THB exit fee, but discovered there were other routes that didn't require payment. Check the available exits before joining a line, since terminal arrangements may change.

Day 2: Learning to Scuba Dive

This was a full day in the pool learning how to scuba dive. I had lunch with my two classmates and enjoyed getting to know them a bit more. Koh Tao attracts backpackers from around the world, and as someone who's never done the solo backpacking thing, it was fun hearing their stories. They were also much younger than me and very kind and patient with all my questions!

At the end of the day, my friend arrived, and we had dinner on the beach before heading to bed.

• Big Blue Diving Open Water Certification: First day of a 2.5-day course costing 11,000 THB ($328.14 USD) in total. We spent the day in the pool from 9am to 5pm with an hour break for lunch. I highly recommend Big Blue Diving. Their team made the entire experience fun and safe.
• Breakfast at Blue Shark Brunch: Scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms, sourdough toast, and Thai dirty coffee for 330 THB (approximately $9.70 USD). This became one of my favorite spots.
• Lunch at 995 Roasted Duck: Duck with noodles for 80 THB ($2.39 USD). Another favorite that I visited again later in the trip.
• Dinner at Wind Beach Restaurant: Chicken Panang curry and a beer for 250 THB ($7.46 USD). Great beachfront location.

Day 3: First Ocean Dives

My friend was starting the first day of her advanced scuba certification while I had a morning classroom session followed by the final exam. After lunch, we all headed out on the dive boat together.

All the classes went out on the same boat, so my friend and I had time to catch up before splitting into our groups. I saw lots of colorful fish, and my friend even saw a turtle! Her advanced class continued with a night dive while I enjoyed another relaxing dinner on the beach.

• Big Blue Diving Open Water Certification: Classroom session and exam from 10am to noon, followed by a lunch break and two afternoon ocean dives. Included in the certification price listed on Day 2.
• Breakfast at Blue Shark Brunch: Scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado, sourdough toast, and iced Thai coffee with espresso, milk, and condensed milk for 280 THB ($8.35 USD).
• Dinner at Fizz: Chicken satay and a beer for 340 THB ($10.14 USD).

Day 4: Finishing Scuba Certification

The last day of scuba class started at 6:30am so we could go farther out into the ocean, where dive sites generally have more to see. The weather wasn't great, and it took the boat captain a while to find a suitable spot without huge waves.

It was worth the wait because we saw even more colorful fish than the day before. We celebrated finishing our classes by relaxing on our balcony before heading out for dinner.

It ended up being a rainy evening, but the food and service at dinner were excellent, even without the views since the restaurant had to lower tarps to protect everyone from the rain.

• Big Blue Diving Open Water Certification: Two ocean dives from 6:30am to 11:30am. Included in the certification price listed on Day 2.
• Lunch at 995 Roasted Duck: Duck with noodles for 80 THB ($2.39 USD).
• Roadside Mango Smoothie: Fresh mango, water, and a tiny bit of simple syrup for 20 THB ($0.60 USD). So refreshing!
• Dinner at Barracuda Rooftop Restaurant and Bar: Duck wrap appetizer, barracuda fillet with shrimp, spinach, potatoes, and a beer for 410 THB ($12.23 USD).

Koh Samui, Thailand

Where to Stay and Transportation

After four nights on Koh Tao, we returned to Koh Samui by catamaran. The ride was a little rougher than the journey over, but not too bad. We purchased hotel transfer tickets while on the boat, which made getting to our next hotel easy.

We stayed at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui for four nights, including breakfast. My share of the accommodation was 25,519 THB ($761.25 USD), or approximately $190 per night.

This hotel was incredible. The service was excellent, there were plenty of chairs by both the pool and beach, and the breakfast was wonderful. I honestly couldn't think of any downsides!

Our Koh Samui Itinerary and Costs

Day 5: Ferry to Koh Samui and Fisherman's Village

We headed back to the ferry terminal in the morning to make our way to Koh Samui for the rest of our vacation.

After a relaxing afternoon, we walked to Fisherman's Village to explore the night market and enjoy dinner. During our visit, the night market operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5pm to 11pm.

• Breakfast at Ban's Coffeehouse: Ham and cheese sandwich with an iced latte for 350 THB ($10.44 USD). Conveniently located about a two-minute walk from the ferry terminal.
• Catamaran from Koh Tao to Koh Samui: 700 THB ($20.88 USD).
• Transfer from Ferry Terminal to Hotel: 150 THB ($4.50 USD).
• Anantara Bophut Koh Samui: Four nights including breakfast for 25,519 THB ($761.25 USD).
• Lunch at Mr. Kai: Crab fried rice for 160 THB ($4.77 USD).
• Roadside Fruit Stall: Three mangosteens for 10 THB ($0.30 USD).
• Dinner at Gusto Italiano in Fisherman's Village: Fettuccine Bolognese for 390 THB ($11.63 USD).

Day 6: Koh Samui Sightseeing and Thai Massage

We spent most of the day on a tour seeing some of the top attractions on the island. We visited several beautiful temples and enjoyed gorgeous views.

At the end of the day, we walked down the street for a quick dinner and a Thai massage. If you've never had a Thai massage, I highly recommend trying one. You keep your clothes on while enjoying a combination of traditional massage and stretching. It's a wonderful way to wind down at the end of the day.

• Top Sights of Samui City Tour: Guided sightseeing tour for 784 THB ($23.40 USD). A great way to visit many of the main tourist attractions without renting a car.
• Lunch at a Waterfall Food Stall: Chicken pad Thai for 80 THB ($2.39 USD).
• Anantara Pool Bar: Two passion fruit mojitos during a buy-one-get-one-free happy hour for 320 THB ($9.55 USD).
• Dinner at Kawin's Kitchen: Chicken satay and cucumber salad for 160 THB ($4.77 USD).
• Darika Health Massage: One-hour Thai massage for 300 THB ($8.95 USD).

Day 7: Spa Day and Night Market

The focus of the day was relaxing. Anantara offered a buy-one-get-one-free spa treatment promotion from 10am to 2pm, so we signed up for one of their signature treatments.

Afterward, we relaxed by the pool before heading back to Fisherman's Village night market for dinner.

• Coconut Dream Spa Treatment at Anantara: A 105-minute treatment including a floral foot ritual, coconut reflex balancing, Coconut Dream deep tissue massage, and fresh coconut drink afterward for 3,236 THB ($96.53 USD).
• Anantara Pool Bar: Two margaritas during the buy-one-get-one-free happy hour for 320 THB ($9.55 USD).
• Night Market Dinner: Chicken kebab wrap from a market stall for 80 THB ($2.39 USD).

Day 8: Beach, Pool, and One Last Massage

I wanted to squeeze in one more Thai massage on our last full day. Other than that, the day was mostly spent reading on the beach and by the pool. It was a great way to finish the trip before heading to the airport the following day.

• Darika Health Massage: One-hour Thai massage for 300 THB ($8.95 USD).
• Lunch at Pizzeria Sorte: Pumpkin, mushroom, and prosciutto pizza for 440 THB ($13.13 USD).
• Dinner at Spices: Chicken pad Thai for 130 THB ($3.88 USD).

Departure Day: Koh Samui Airport

Day 9 was all about traveling home, so I didn't include it in the daily expense itinerary. However, it's worth mentioning that the Koh Samui Airport departure area was incredible.

There were lots of cute shops and restaurants, and they even offered complimentary water and snacks at the gate. It was a lovely way to finish the trip!

Planning Your Own Adventure?

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