Transport in Koh Samui

Transport in Koh Samui

In your native city you always know how to get to certain places. Many questions arise when you travel to a place you have never been before. Even if your holiday is not long, you anyway want to see as many new places as possible. And you need transport. In Koh Samui there is a variety of means of transport: public (tuk-tuks). buses, motorbike taxi and usual auto taxi.

Public transport

Public transport in Koh Samui isn’t that good as in Pattaya, where you can get to almost any place in the city for 10-20 THB. In Koh Samui tuk-tuks travel in two directions: Nathon - Maenam - Bophut - Chaweng and back. Tuk-tuk is a type of a pick up auto, song teo with an open cab with two benches for passengers. Tuk-tuk is a nice means of transport for watching the places you pass by, however, it can be very hot and dusty.

The price for a tuk-tuk trip varies from 50 to 100 THB. A driver can sometimes say that the price for a drive from Chaweng to Lamai will be 150 THB although they are neighbouring beaches. That is why it is reasonable to say that Koh Samui tuk-tuks don’t have a fixed price even during the daytime. We recommend to catch a tuk-tuk with some passengers inside. If a driver asks for 100-150 THB, you can try to bargain as the standard price for the trip between two beaches is 60-70 THB and within one beach – not more than 50 THB.

Tuk-tuks work as public transport from 08:00 to 18:00. Starting from 18:00 and at night they function as taxis and the price will be different, but you can ask a driver to take you to the place you need.

With travel agencies You can book a group transfer for different destinations: to Bangkok, Phang Nga, Khao Sok, Khao Lak, Krabi. Surat Thani, Surat Thani airport, Phuket, Malaysia and even Singapore.

A group transfer is a trip by public bus according to the fixed schedule. Tourist from different hotels will travel with you. A group transfer is convenient because you will be picked up right from your hotel and the price is good. The price for a group transfer starts from 500 THB, it depends on the destination, it includes the ferry ticket.

You can get to Samui Airport (USM) from Chaweng bus station for 300 THB. The trip from other island districts – Nathon,Bophut - is also possible, but you need to clarify the price. The bus station is situated across the road from Central Festival, opposite the lake.

Motorbike taxi in Koh Samui

Thailand and motorbikes are inseparable. Local people can not imagine their lives without motorbikes. They start driving when they are 10 years old. Both men and women can drive motorbikes very well. A motorbike is convenient because of its size and mobility. It is not difficult to drive a motorbike. However, you should never forget about the hectic traffic in Thailand, about abrupt and sudden turns and curves of Koh Samui roads and that driving is left-sided. You can rent a motorbike for 300 THB a day depending on its power, condition and term of the rent. If you don’t want to hire a motorbike, you can always use a motorbike taxi. However, the prices are pretty high on the island - from 300 THB (almost as usual auto taxi).

Taxi

And finally, there is the usual comfortable auto taxi which will take you to any destination anytime. But you have to pay for the comfort. Prices for taxi service within one beach start from 400 THB. You can hire a car with a driver for several hours or a whole day with by-hour payment. We recommend to plan and build your route in advance, so that you could visit all the interesting places in minimal time. Price for 4-hour taxi service is from 1500 THB. If you have a driving licence and driving experience, you can rent a car from 8000 THB per month.

It is obvious that the most convenient and practical means of transport in Koh Samui is a motorbike (if you drive it yourself). And the most comfortable and safe is a classic taxi.