Five ready-made plans — 2, 3, 4, 5 days and a full week — built around the one thing most itineraries ignore: the boats do not sail every day.
Ang Thong sails Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Koh Tao sails Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The sunset trawler does not go out at the weekend, the Muay Thai stadium only opens three nights a week, and the Bophut Walking Street is a Friday. Put those five facts on a calendar and the good itinerary writes itself — ignore them and you will spend your holiday rearranging it.
Ordered around departuresEach plan names the day of the week it should start on, so nothing you want is closed when you get there.
Never two big sea days in a rowA full day on a speedboat is tiring. We alternate sea, land and slow days on purpose.
Real prices, in bahtEvery itinerary carries a budget table: activities, food, local transport and where you sleep.
Bookable as you readEight of the tours in these plans book straight through our partner, with free cancellation up to 24 h before — the rest go through us.
Written on the islandWe live here and run these tours. The timings are the ones our own drivers use.
AdjustableNone of these are set in stone. Tell us your arrival day and we will re-cut the plan for free.
Pick the one that matches your nights on the island. Each page gives the day-by-day plan, the best day of the week to start, a budget, and the swaps to make if a departure is full.
One half day at sea, an elephant sanctuary, one loop of the island, two good dinners. The plan for a layover, a long weekend cut short, or a first taste before Koh Phangan.
A sunset cruise into the Friday market, a full day in Ang Thong Marine Park, a fight night, and the island loop to close. Everything the island is known for, in 72 hours.
A fight night, Koh Tao's coral, quad bikes over the mountain, a sunset cruise into the Friday market and Ang Thong to finish. Nothing repeated, nothing rushed.
Fight night, Koh Tao, the whole island by road, quad bikes and a sunset cruise, then Ang Thong. Everything Samui is known for, with a slow afternoon between each of them.
Ang Thong, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, the temples, the mountain, a cooking class, a fight night and a sunset cruise, with slow time built in. The week we would book ourselves.
Same island, very different weeks. This is what you get out of each length.
| Itinerary | Best if | Sea days | Highlights | Activities budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days — the 48-hour stopover | A stopover or a bolt-on to another island | 1 half day | Pig Island, the elephant sanctuary, Big Buddha, the market | ฿3,415 |
| 3 days — the long weekend | A long weekend, or Samui bolted onto Bangkok | 1 full day | Ang Thong, sunset cruise, fight night, temples | ฿9,200 |
| 4 days — the sweet spot | You only get one week of holiday and want it all | 2 full days | Koh Tao, Ang Thong, quad biking, fight night | ฿13,035 |
| 5 days — the full picture | A proper holiday rather than a sprint | 2 full days | Both marine parks, temples, jungle, cruise | ฿14,785 |
| One week — three islands | You have a real week and want the whole archipelago | 3 full days | Three islands, two marine parks, jungle, a cooking class | ฿19,785 |
Every day in every plan is drawn from this shortlist. Departure days matter — they are what decides the order of your week.
Ang Thong Marine Park — VIP small group7 h · Mon · Wed · Sat · from ฿4,300 / person
The 42 islands of the national park on a boat capped at 16 guests: the Emerald Lagoon viewpoint, sea kayaking under the cliffs, snorkelling and a beach lunch. Book on GetYourGuide →
Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan — VIP small group7 h · Tue · Thu · Sun · from ฿4,085 / person
The clearest water in the Gulf: guided snorkelling over Koh Tao's coral, a Thai lunch facing the sea, then the sandbar and viewpoint of Koh Nang Yuan. Book on GetYourGuide →
Discovery dive — Koh Tao or Sail Rock7 h · daily · from ฿7,650 / person
Your first breath underwater: no licence, an instructor beside you and a maximum of 12 m over the best reef in the Gulf. Instruction available in French. Book on GetYourGuide →
Koh Madsum (Pig Island) & Koh Tanabout 5 h · daily, morning or afternoon · from ฿1,665 / person
The easiest half day at sea: the pigs on the beach at Koh Madsum, shallow calm snorkelling off Koh Tan, buffet lunch. Our pick when time is short or the kids are small. Book on GetYourGuide →
Sunset cruise on a wooden trawler5 h · Mon–Fri · from ฿3,150 / person
A restored Thai trawler, beanbags on the roof, a swim stop in a quiet bay, then the sun going down over the water. Pick-up around 2 pm, back for dinner. Book on GetYourGuide →
Muay Thai at Phetch Buncha Stadium9 pm – 11:50 pm · Mon · Wed · Sat · from ฿1,500 / person
Eight real bouts and the Wai Khru Ram Muay ceremony, on the main road in Chaweng. It is a ticket, not a tour: transfers are not included. Book on GetYourGuide →
ATV & buggy tour2 h or 4 h · daily · from ฿5,400 / machine
Mountain jungle tracks above Maenam, the highest viewpoints on the island and a hidden waterfall to swim in. Automatic machines, no licence needed.
Thai cooking class with a Samui family4 h · daily · from ฿2,500 / person
Herbs and ingredients picked out at Big Buddha Market, then four Thai dishes cooked from the paste up in a family kitchen — and eaten. Rated 5/5 by 494 travellers. Book on GetYourGuide →
Elephant Kingdom sanctuary — half day3 h · daily · from ฿3,000 / person
Rescued elephants roaming free, watched from a raised skywalk. No riding, no shows, no bathing on demand — and our two honest reservations set out on the tour page. Book on GetYourGuide →
Island & temples tourfull day, 9 am – 5 pm · daily · from ฿1,750 / person
The whole island in a day: Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem, the Na Muang waterfalls, the Hin Ta & Hin Yai rocks, local markets and a Thai lunch.
4x4 jungle safarihalf day, 5 h · daily · from ฿1,700 / person
The wild interior in a 4x4: Na Muang waterfalls, a 360° viewpoint, fruit tasting and back roads no scooter should attempt.
Koh Phangan discoveryfull day · daily, ferry included · from ฿2,500 / person
Samui's wilder sister beyond the Full Moon Party: jungle waterfalls, two-bay viewpoints, a Chinese temple and quiet beaches.
Pink dolphins of Khanomhalf day, 6–7 h · daily, early start · from ฿2,850 / person
A dawn speedboat to Khanom bay to watch the rare wild pink dolphins — engines off, respectful distance — then a swim and lunch at Pig Island.
GetYourGuide partner link: booking through it costs you nothing extra and helps us keep these itineraries up to date. Prices are per person and set by GetYourGuide.
Not your days. A flight landing at 6 pm is not a day on Samui, and a 9 am departure is not one either.
Each itinerary names the weekday it works best from. Shift the whole plan, do not shuffle the days.
Ang Thong, Koh Tao and the Muay Thai nights are the ones that sell out and only run on certain days. Everything else bends around them.
Transfers, a private boat, a driver for a day, a table somewhere good — one message on WhatsApp and it is handled.
Send your arrival day and how many nights you have. You get a day-by-day itinerary that matches the real departure calendar, free, within 24 hours.