Koh Samui

Under the Mongolia–Thailand bilateral agreement, an ordinary passport gives 30 days visa-free. The general 60-day exemption ended on 15 September 2026, but this does not affect Mongolia. With good reason the stay can be extended once (1,900฿); overstaying is fined 500฿ per day. Your passport should be valid for more than 6 months and you should hold a return ticket.

Every foreigner entering Thailand fills in the TDAC on the official site within 3 days before arrival — free. Enter your passport, flight and hotel address and save the QR code you get. Immigration is done at your first Thai airport (usually Bangkok).

Samui is in the Gulf of Thailand, so February–August is best, while October–December is rainy and November is the wettest month. Ang Thong Marine Park closes roughly 1 November–15 December. Hospitals are expensive, so travel insurance is a must.

Tip: If you book the domestic flight separately, leave at least 3 hours in Bangkok.

From the transport counter in arrivals: shared minivans to Chaweng and Bophut 100฿, Lamai and Maenam 150฿ (you may wait 15–30 minutes for 5 passengers). Private taxis 400–700฿, a 6-seat private minivan 700฿ to Chaweng or 1,000฿ to Lamai — easiest with children.

At the Surat Thani Airport counter buy a Seatran or Raja Ferry combined bus + ferry ticket ≈520–650฿; 3.5–4 hours in total. Seatran lands at Nathon pier and Raja at Lipa Noi, so you need a taxi from there to your hotel. The last combined bus leaves early in the afternoon.

AIS and TrueMove H counters in the Bangkok or Samui arrivals hall: an 8-day plan with about 15 GB ≈299฿, 15–30-day plans up to 599฿. Show your passport and staff will set it up.

If your phone supports eSIM, install one before the flight. Coverage is good along Samui's coast, but the signal drops on the inland mountain roads and in the Ang Thong islands, so download your maps for offline use.

Tip: Top up your SIM at 7-Eleven in Chaweng or Lamai.

Songthaews (pickup trucks) run along the ring road all day — wave one down, ask the fare before getting in and pay cash when you get off. At night they work as private taxis and prices jump. Samui taxis don't use meters, so agree the fare first; Grab is usually cheaper but cars can be scarce outside Chaweng.

Scooter rental is ≈140–350฿ a day, but accidents are very common on the steep mountain roads and in the rain. An international driving permit and a helmet are required; never leave your passport as a deposit. With children, renting a car or hiring a car with driver is safer.

Koh Phangan is 20–50 minutes away (200–350฿) and Koh Tao 1.5–3 hours (550–700฿), with daily departures from Bophut, Maenam and Nathon piers. For Ang Thong or Nang Yuan trips, tour companies pick you up from your hotel for free.

Almost every Thai bank ATM charges about 220฿ (some 250–350฿) per withdrawal with a foreign card. Take out larger sums at once; Chaweng and Lamai have plenty of ATMs.

Songthaews, taxis, markets, national park and island fees are cash baht only. Hotels, larger restaurants and tour companies take cards. Change dollars at exchange booths in Chaweng.

Tip: When paying by card, choose to pay in baht — the dollar conversion is expensive.

Grilled seafood, southern Thai sour curry (gaeng som), massaman curry, tom yum and mango sticky rice. Samui is famous for coconuts — try fresh coconut water, coconut sweets and coconut ice cream. Ask for 'mai phet' if you want it less spicy.

Tip: Drink only bottled water; ice is usually factory-made and safe.

Bophut's Friday Walking Street, Lamai's Sunday market and the night markets in Chaweng are cheap with lots of choice. Beachfront restaurants price fish by weight, so ask before ordering.

Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155 (24 hours, English). For scams, theft or disputes, call 1155 first.

In the rainy season don't swim when the red flag is up — rip currents pull you away from shore. Wear a life jacket on boats and accept it when a trip is cancelled for waves. Samui's mountain roads are steep and slippery — motorbike crashes are the most common tourist injury.

Bangkok Hospital Samui — an international-standard private hospital in Chaweng with 24-hour emergency care. Private hospitals are expensive, so check your insurance. Guard against heat, sunburn and mosquitoes (dengue).

Insulting the royal family is a serious crime under Thai law. The King's portrait is on every banknote, so never step on money. Stand when the royal anthem plays in cinemas.

At temples such as the Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem, cover shoulders and knees and take your shoes off before entering buildings. Don't point your feet at a Buddha image, and women should not touch monks.

Don't walk around town in swimwear, and topless sunbathing is not allowed. Touching or standing on coral and taking shells is forbidden. Losing your temper means losing face in Thailand — keep calm.

Grab — rides and food delivery. 12Go — ferries to Phangan, Koh Tao and Surat Thani, buses and domestic flights. Google Maps — piers, restaurants and offline maps.

LINE — the chat app hotels, tour operators and shops all use in Thailand. The Thailand Tourist Police app connects you straight to the Tourist Police and shares your location. Download Thai in Google Translate for offline use.

A taxi from Chaweng, Bophut or Lamai to the airport costs 400–700฿; book it through your hotel reception. If you return via Surat Thani, the ferry and bus leave many hours before your flight, so buy the combined ticket the day before. Check whether you must re-check your bags in Bangkok for the international flight.

In shops displaying 'VAT Refund for Tourists', show your passport and ask for the form. At the international airport where you leave Thailand, show the goods at the customs counter before passport control to get the stamp.