Welcome to Koh Samui – How to get there and what you should not forget

Koh Samui was on our “travel list” for a long time so we took the opportunity of a cheap flight and two amazing accommodation at the end of March and flew from Zürich/Switzerland to Koh Samui.

HOW TO GET THERE
We booked our flight as the most of our flights relatively spontaneously on SKYSCANNER. When you try to get to Koh Samui you have to (I think that’s true in 95%) flight first to Bangkok and from there to Koh Samui.

We decided to book 2 separate flights and no package because we could save 150 USD pp. Just keep in your mind, when your flight like this you have to go through customs at Bangkok and have to get your luggage. After that, you have to check it back in and go through security because you’re doing two complete individual flights. It’s important to plan 1-2 hours between your flights (depends on how good you can handle your stress level we decided to take 2 hours).

When you arrive at the Bangkok airport keep your eyes open for the baggage claim where you can pick up your stuff after you managed it to get through customs. Keep in your mind smiling is important in Thailand ;).

When you made it through customs and took your luggage you have to get to EXIT 2 and then go to the 4th Floor, TERMINAL F. There you can check in your luggage for your final flight to Koh Samui.
The amazing thing when you fly with Bangkok Airways… You are allowed to go to their lounge, get some free food, drinks, and Wifi even your “just” fly economy, so amazing after a 10-hour flight.

The flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui will take you round about an hour. It feels like your just up on the air when the lights for the seatbelt turns back on for the landing. On the flight, you will get some food too (green spicy curry in our case) so don’t waste your money for expensive food at the Bangkok Airport.

KOH SAMUI AIRPORT

The Samui Airport is one of our favorite airports ever. It’s a tiny small airport with just a few gates. So if you’re not a big fan of airports, this one could become one of your favorites, too 🙂

You will get picked up by a little bus which brings you straight from the airplane to your luggage. There is no customs or something. The baggage claim is one of the sweetest things we have ever seen in an airport. Just one claim with a ton of plants around, amazing, cute pretty just cool!!!

When you got your luggage you have to walk a few steps to get out of the airport (maybe 200 meters and you’re out). At the exit, you can buy some SIM-Cards for your phone, what we always recommend even if it’s just for google maps or the translator. We picked up 2 cards with unlimited data for 30 days and pays 600 Bath each (20 USD).

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TRAVEL ON WITH THE TAXI

The first thing you have to keep in your mind is KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN when choosing a taxi. You have different options.

DONT: Just take a taxi and start driving. this will be the most expensive thing you can do so DONT (taximeter is not a thing in Thailand).

First, inform you what the “normal” price would be for your track. We used the NAVIGO APP. Its an App like Uber just for Thailand. You can book a taxi via NAVIGO or just check how much your trip would cost.
After you have that in your mind go to a taxi driver tell him where to go and make a fixed price. If the taxi driver is not willing that price just take another one there are many many drivers and a lot of them will accept your price (more or less).

Second idea: Ask your local AirBnB host or hotel if they can send you a taxi driver (we did that) so that you get picked up and everything is arranged (location of your Hotel/AirBnB & Price). Whats also good about this way, sometimes (depends on where you travel) there is no “real address” for a house and it can become quite complicated to tell the taxi driver where you wanna go. And who wants the hassle when you just arrived 🙂

What you also have on Koh Samui are the SongthaewsThose are Taxis which are driving around the Island all the time. You just wave and they will stop. They are the cheapest thing you can do when you’re on the go around the island.

SCOOTER RENTAL

So after we arrived at our epic AirBnB (we will do an extra blog about it) we took our taxi to a scooter Rental our host David recommended to us. It was just a little nondescript shop for groceries with some scooters in front of it. The guy was very friendly and the scooter was cheap.

What we really do not like, but that’s a thing all over in Asia, they take your passport as a deposit for the whole time your renting the scooter. A tip from us. Maaaybe you have an old passport because your old one expired or you accidentally “lost” yours and had to pick up a new one 😉 Take the “old one” with you and give it to the rental store, that will make you sleep better.

I will link you the location of the “Reaggy Beach Restaurant” here. The Scooter Rental is straight the next house to the right of it: HERE

So, that’s it first how you can start your journey on Koh Samui. We will give some more tips and Ideas for you good Restaurants, Places to Visit, don’t and dos and a lot more on our next Blogpost. So make sure to check beck or register for our newsletter 🙂

Travel safe and don’t get lost or killed.
Bastian & Claudia

Our Travel Gear

Tipps

  • If you need Google Maps or Tripadvisor you can buy a SIM Card at the Airport.
  • Take an old passport with you so if you want to rent a scooter you can give them your old passport
  • Smile! It will make your life in Thailand so much easier
  • If you at the Airport in Bangkok and you want to go to the Gate of Bangkok Airways go to EXIT 2 then to the 4th Floor Terminal F (there is also a Lounge for everyone with some free snacks)
  • Cheap Taxis via NAVIGO APP
  • Cheapest Taxis to get around “SONGTHAEWS”
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Backpack
http://geni.us/WBB2

2.
Drone
http://geni.us/E6NMsP

3.
Drone Battery
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4.
Tripod
http://geni.us/4vmG

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Headtorch
http://geni.us/9yfSb

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Victorinox Army Knife
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Mavic ND Filter
http://geni.us/J46M

8.
Gimbal
http://geni.us/a4YLVaC

9.
Gimbal Stand
http://geni.us/uoEawb

10.
360 Camera
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GoPro
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Canon Battery
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Battery Pack
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14mm Wideangle
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Canon 50mm 1.4
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Canon 100mm L
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Canon 24-105L
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Canon 5d Mk3
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Panasonic GH5
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Olympus M.Zuiko 7-14mm F2.8
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Panasonic H-HSA 35-100mm F2.8
http://geni.us/bUh6YPP