Bang Kao & Thong Krut
The south coast, where the sea turns into a sand flat at low tide and the longtail boats to Koh Tan and Pig Island are moored.
Open≈ 1.7 km
The far south coast, and the least visited good temple on Samui: a chedi covered in golden-yellow tiles standing on the sand, with the sea behind it.
Wat Laem Sor is the best temple on Samui that almost nobody visits: a chedi covered in golden-yellow tiles standing directly on the sand of the far south coast, with the strait and the mainland behind it. Half an hour from Lamai, and usually empty.
The chedi on the beach is the postcard, but the site has three parts — the temple compound itself, the seaside pagoda, and a second, smaller chedi on the hill above, reached by a few dozen steps, with a view over the strait to Koh Tan. The monks here are used to visitors but not to crowds.
A second, smaller chedi sits on the hill above, with a view over the strait.
The last stretch of road is narrow and unsigned; follow the temple signs from route 4170 rather than a map pin alone.
On the map…
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The closest places on the map, straight-line distance.
The south coast, where the sea turns into a sand flat at low tide and the longtail boats to Koh Tan and Pig Island are moored.
Open≈ 1.7 km
The southern jumping-off point for Koh Tan and Koh Madsum: a jetty, a fresh market and half a dozen seafood restaurants over the water.
Open≈ 2.1 km
Twenty minutes off the south coast: a white sandbar, clear shallow water and a small herd of pigs that come down to the beach.
Open≈ 4.6 km
The island guide · Temples & shrines of Koh Samui · Koh Samui map
See it with us · Island Temples
Half of these places are easier with a driver who knows which hill road is paved. Tell us which ones you care about and we will build the day around them.