8-Day Best of Phuket and Ko Samui Itinerary

Most visitors pick either Phuket or Samui, but each offers something a little different, and there’s no reason you can’t see both on vacation. This itinerary will begin in Phuket, where you’ll get a chance to tour waterfalls, snorkel, dive, explore the world-famous beaches, and do some island-hopping, too. After that, you’ll take a flight to Samui, where you’ll visit not only the main island but also neighboring Ko Pha-Ngan.

Aerial view of Phuket Town, a bustling area full of heritage buildings. Photo © 
Sunanta Boonkamonsawat/123rf.

Day 1

You’ll arrive in Phuket on the first day, whether you transited through Bangkok or got a direct flight from another Asian city. During high season, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, Emirates, Korean Air, and Singapore Airlines all fly to Phuket, so if you’re flying from a large U.S. city, you should be able to avoid more than one flight change.

After you arrive in Phuket, grab a taxi to your hotel on one of the island’s many beaches, drop off your stuff, and take a refreshing swim in the Indian Ocean. Back at your hotel, arrange a snorkeling or scuba diving tour (if you’re already scuba certified) of Ko Phi Phi and the surrounding islands for the next day. Then head to Patong Beach for a seafood meal on the water and experience a little nightlife. You could also head to Surin Beach for a quieter evening.

Day 2

Wake up early to make sure you don’t miss your ride to the pier for the tour of Ko Phi Phi and the surrounding islands; most tours start their pickups at 7am. After you’ve arrived at the boat, hang on for some island-hopping. Spend the day snorkeling or diving around some of Phang Nga Bay’s most beautiful islands. Don’t worry about lunch; it’s always included in these day tours. When you get back to your hotel, relax for a while by the water before getting ready for dinner.

Day 3

Spend the day lounging and relaxing on the beach. Arrange a ride into Phuket Town for dinner; stop at Raya Thai if you can get a table.

Day 4

If you’re feeling like you’ve already seen enough, spend another day on the beach. If you’ve had enough beach time, head to Rawai Beach to walk through the small fishing village. You won’t be able to do any swimming or sunbathing there, so don’t worry about packing a towel. During the evening, ditch the flip-flops and bathing suit for something a little more formal and have dinner at one of the fancier restaurants in Kata Beach.

Day 5

In the morning, head for the airport and take a short flight to Ko Samui. The only airline offering direct flights is Bangkok Airways, and there are limited flights per day, so make sure to book ahead. Once you arrive in Samui, take a moment to enjoy the charming little airport before you grab a taxi and head to your hotel. After you check in to your hotel, spend a couple of hours exploring some of the island’s tourist attractions, such as the Big Buddha and Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks, before retiring to the beach for some more relaxation.

Day 6

As you did in Phuket, you’ll spend a day exploring the region on a guided tour. This time, you’ll spend your time in Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, essentially the islands surrounding Ko Samui, on a kayaking tour. Wake up early and catch a ride with your tour group to Nathon pier, where your boat will depart after a quick breakfast. Don’t worry if you’ve never kayaked before, as most good outfitters will offer basic instruction and plenty of help during the tour.

After paddling to some of the park’s most amazing sights, including the emerald lake, Thale Nai, enjoy a basic Thai lunch on the beach before kayaking through and around some of the gorgeous islands (and somewhat scary caves!). You’ll be back at your hotel by around 6pm, just in time to either collapse from exhaustion or take a quick shower and head out to Chaweng Beach for some dinner.

Ko Samui

Day 7

Spend your last full day in Samui relaxing by the beach. For dinner, head to Bo Phut Beach, where you can pick from a number of restaurants overlooking the water. If you happen to be there on a Friday night, enjoy the Fisherman’s Village Night Market, full of lots of fun stuff to buy as well as good, cheap food and drink.

Day 8

Take a last dip in the waters of the Gulf of Thailand before packing up and heading to the airport for your return home.


Excerpted from the First Edition of Moon Phuket & Ko Samui.

Suzanne Nam

About the Author

Suzanne Nam came to Bangkok in 2005 to work as a newspaper reporter and hasn't left since. Since arriving, she's traveled all over the country and the region. As for Bangkok, she knows the city's popular attractions in and out but really enjoys exploring the nooks and crannies that make Thailand's capital city so alluring. She's watched the city grow into a truly cosmopolitan, top tier city and is proud to call it her home.

Suzanne met her now husband during her first year in Bangkok. The street dog they adopted, Sam, was just the beginning of their growing family. In 2011 their twins, Bix and Ella, were born. Raising children in a foreign country brings plenty of adventures and challenges, including navigating preschool drop off during one of the city's many political demonstrations, but daily life is surprisingly stable and comfortable.

She grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, went to law school after college, and practiced law for five years before giving it all up to pursue a journalism degree at Columbia University. She has worked in London, the Middle East and Asia. She is also a reporter for Forbes magazine and runs her own travel website, Smarttrips.us.

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