Traveling to Koh Samui: a tour or an independent trip?

Traveling to Koh Samui: a tour or an independent trip?

Everyone who is going to spend his vacation at Koh Samui, may be wondering what to choose: a tour or an independent trip? Especially this question is relevant for those who are going to visit the island for the first time and do not know all the possible problems of the forthcoming trip. In our article we will tell what will be more profitable and convenient for an inexperienced tourist: an independent trip or a tour to Samui.

The way to the island

Ordering a tour to Koh Samui, it will be much easier to get to the island as the trip is completely organized by the tour operator. Direct flights from Russia to Samui don’t exist and you will need to make at least one transplant. There are also variants to get to Koh Samui with two or even three transplants.

It will be more difficult for an independent traveler to get to the island because he will have to book tickets for flights with docking. In case of flight delays or being late for your next flight you will have to solve this problem by yourself. But you will have the opportunity to choose the cheapest or the most comfortable variant of the trip. Most tourists first arrive in Bangkok and then get to Samui by plane, train or bus and by ferry.

Insurance

If you go on a tour, then the insurance is issued by the tour operator. If you travel alone, then you should definitely buy insurance before the trip. Medical services at the island are quite expensive for foreigners, so insurance will pay off in full. The independent traveler has advantages, he can choose the most suitable policy for him at an affordable price.

Housing at Koh Samui

As for housing at the island, the independent traveler has more advantages than those who purchased the tour. You are not limited by the choice of accommodation and during the rest you can live in different districts. For example, you can have fun in the popular and noisy Chaweng District and Lamai District or take a break from the crowds of tourists in the more quiet Maenam District and Chong Mong District. Independent travelers can stay at the hotel, villa or choose cheaper accommodation such as a guest house, bungalows of different levels of comfort. Tours in Koh Samui include accommodation in the hotel for the whole vacation. The price of the tour depends on the type of hotel and the season. Popular hotels are situated at the first coastline, which have everything you need for a perfect holiday: air conditioners, swimming pools, internet, laundry, and other things. Before booking a tour, you should carefully study the district in which the hotel is located to make sure that it suits you.

Beaches

Vacation at Koh Samui is mainly a beach holiday. Snow-white beaches and clear water attract travelers from all over the world. Most of the tourists who go on tour to the island prefer to relax at the beaches at their hotel, as they are well equipped and have a lot of entertainments. But nothing prevents you from exploring other numerous beaches of the island, each of which is beautiful in its own way.

Food

As a rule, the tour includes breakfast at the hotel. For lunch and dinner, hotel guests prefer to go to the local restaurant. Independent travelers have much more choice. They can eat wherever they want, including cafes, street tents and markets, where you can taste delicious dishes of national cuisine at an affordable price. There are a lot of nice restaurants, bars and cafes with delicious cuisine at Koh Samui. Remember that the closest restaurant to the shoreline has the higher price of the menu.

Entertainments and tours

Some tours also include visiting the most popular attractions of the island. If you want to explore Samui really, it's better to rent a motorbike or a car and go on a self-guided tour by the island. The resort has good roads, so the trip will be a complete pleasure. You can visit the Big Buddha Temple, Secret Buddha Garden, Tiger Zoo, Oceanarium, crocodile and snake farms and many other interesting places. There are also amazing sights outside the island, which are more comfortable to visit with a tour, such as Ang Thong Marine Reserve, Koh Tao and Nang Yuan Islands, Koh Samui Safari Tour and others. The resort is famous for its beautiful wildlife with unique landscapes, after seeing which you will get a lot of impressions.

As you could see there are different pros and cons of a tour or independent travel in different aspects. Everyone decides for himself what will be more profitable: to go on tour or independently, in any case the trip to Koh Samui will be pleasant and unforgettable.