Ko Samui, Tropical island in Gulf of Thailand

Ko Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand within Surat Thani Province, spanning over 200 square kilometers with sandy coastlines and forested hills at the center. The shoreline alternates between rocky sections in the north and gentle bays along the eastern and western coasts, while the interior remains densely covered with greenery.

Seafarers from the region settled here roughly fifteen centuries ago and lived from fishing. During the 20th century, coconut cultivation expanded before the first guesthouses opened in the 1970s.

The island's central ring road connects coastal fishing villages where early-morning boats return with the daily catch. Along many bays, longtail boats rest on shallow sand while vendors sell fresh fish and coconuts harvested from the surrounding palm groves.

An airport in the northeastern part of the island offers connections to Bangkok and other cities, while ferries from the southern mainland arrive several times daily. The beaches in the north attract fewer visitors than the busier coastal sections in the east.

The name Samui's origin is unresolved: it may come from the Sanskrit-Tamil word for 'sea weather', or from a local tree called ton samui. Chinese maps from 1687 label the island Pulo Cornam, and 17th-century Chinese ceramics were found in shipwrecks offshore.