The largest city in northern Thailand is a jewel full of Buddhist temples and surrounded by beautiful mountains. With so much to see and do, Chiang Mai is one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations and one of the most recognizable in the world. Head to Chiang Mai to experience Thai culture in all its glory before heading to one of the best beach destinations in the country. Koh Samui offers a stark contrast to the authenticity you’ll find in Chiang Mai. Prepared to accommodate the large number of tourists who visit the island every year, Koh Samui is the perfect place to spend a day at the beach and an evening out, but it is also a fantastic place for elephant trekking, scuba diving and much more. . What could be better than a trip from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui? Read on and we’ll tell you!
Find out more:
• From Chiang Mai to Koh Samui by bus, train and ferry
• From Chiang Mai to Koh Samui by plane
Travel options from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui
It is often forgotten how big Thailand is until you decide to take a day trip from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui. Traveling by land and water, the distance between the two destinations is 1,450 kilometers (over 900 miles), which is quite a long journey from north to south. Air travel is the most direct and fastest way to get from one place to another, but until recently there were no direct flights from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui, so taking a train or car followed by a ferry was the most common travel option. In addition, there are also flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui if you prefer to travel from the capital.
From Chiang Mai to Koh Samui by bus, train and ferry
Train on its way to Surat Thani, where the Koh Samui ferry departs © Amnat Phutthamrong / Shutterstock.com
We like to offer all available travel options to get from one place to another, so we’ll briefly tell you how to get from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui by bus, train and ferry. While this is a viable option, the journey takes around 24 hours, so it can be tiring. The advantage of this form of travel is that it is much cheaper than flying, so it can be a good option for those traveling on a budget. Another advantage of this long journey is the opportunity to see a large part of the Thai landscape. The views surrounding Chiang Mai are spectacular, and while you can see something from the plane as you take off, you’ll miss most of the scenery. Still, if the cost is not an inconvenience, we recommend taking this trip by plane.
Flights from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui
Bangkok Airways plane landing in Koh Samui © IamDoctorEgg / Shutterstock.com
Now that there are direct flights from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui, this is by far the easiest way to travel between the two destinations. With a direct flight in less than 2 hours, you can start sunbathing on Koh Samui’s beaches in the early afternoon. The downside is that there is only one airline operating on this route with two daily flights, which makes the ticket price relatively high. To get the best price, book your flight from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui as far in advance as possible. If you decide to buy a ticket a few days before the departure date, the tickets will be expensive or the flights may be full.
Bangkok Airways is the airline operating this route, with flights departing at 9am and around 1pm. They last 1 hour and 45 minutes and even if you add the waiting time at the airport, the plane is still the best transport option.
If you want to go by plane but need to save some money and have the flexibility, you can travel from one place to another with a change. There are many daily flights from From Chiang Mai to Bangkok and 10 to 12 departures per day From Bangkok to Koh Samui. This option to get from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui is obviously longer than a direct flight, but it is still much faster than the bus and ferry or train and ferry option.
In our opinion, the best way to travel from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui is undoubtedly by plane.