Phuket and Koh Samui are Thailand's two most popular island destinations, yet they sit on opposite coasts and offer distinctly different holiday experiences. Phuket faces west into the Andaman Sea, while Koh Samui sits in the Gulf of Thailand off the east coast — meaning they even have different weather seasons. Choosing between them is one of the most common travel dilemmas in Southeast Asia. Phuket is Thailand's biggest island, with an international airport, a massive tourism infrastructure, and a reputation as the country's beach-and-nightlife capital. It has over 30 beaches, the infamous Bangla Road nightlife strip, some of the best seafood in the country, and easy access to the Phi Phi Islands and Similan Islands. It is busy, diverse, and unapologetically developed. Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island (228 km² versus Phuket's 576 km²) but feels dramatically different. Ringed by coconut palms and surrounded by the 80+ islands of the Samui Archipelago, it has a more laid-back, island-village feel even in its busiest areas. Its proximity to Koh Phangan (home of the legendary Full Moon Party) and Ang Thong Marine National Park gives it a unique island-hopping identity. Where Phuket feels like a beach city, Koh Samui still feels like a tropical island. This comparison breaks down eight categories with honest scoring to help you decide which Thai island deserves your holiday. Both are excellent — the right choice depends on your travel style.
Thailand's biggest island — developed, diverse, and endlessly entertaining
Thailand's coconut island — relaxed, romantic, and full of character
| Category | Phuket | Koh Samui | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
Beaches | 9 Phuket's western coastline offers over 30 beaches with remarkable variety. Patong is the buzzing social hub, Kata and Karon deliver family-friendly stretches of golden sand, Freedom Beach and Banana Beach offer secluded cove experiences, and Nai Harn has a local, off-the-beaten-path feel. The Andaman Sea produces some of the clearest water in Thailand, and during high season (November-April) the conditions are genuinely spectacular — calm seas, turquoise water, and visibility up to 30 metres. Add the Similan Islands and Phi Phi Islands nearby, and Phuket's overall beach offering is hard to beat. | 8 Koh Samui's beaches have a different character — softer, more palm-fringed, and less dramatic than Phuket's cliff-backed coves. Chaweng is the main beach: 7 km of white sand that is long, wide, and consistently beautiful, though it gets crowded in peak season. Lamai is slightly rougher and more backpacker-oriented. Bophut's Fisherman's Village offers a charming beachfront with French-colonial and Thai-Chinese shophouses. Maenam is quiet and traditionally Thai. Choeng Mon is a peaceful, family-friendly bay. The Gulf of Thailand water is warm but tends to be slightly less clear than the Andaman Sea, and the east coast beaches can be affected by currents and seaweed during certain months. | Phuket wins on water clarity, variety, and access to world-class offshore islands. Koh Samui's beaches are beautiful and more classically "tropical island" with their palm-fringed character, but the Andaman Sea's turquoise clarity gives Phuket the edge. |
Nightlife | 9 Phuket's nightlife is the most intense in southern Thailand. Bangla Road in Patong is the centre of gravity — a neon-lit, music-thumping pedestrian street with mega-clubs like Illuzion (capacity 3,000+), Tiger Discotheque, and hundreds of smaller bars, go-go bars, and live music venues. Beach clubs like Café del Mar and Catch Beach Club offer a more upscale daytime-to-evening scene. Kata and Karon have their own, calmer bar strips. Phuket Town has a growing craft cocktail and wine bar scene. For sheer volume and intensity, Phuket is hard to match. | 7 Koh Samui's nightlife is lively but more relaxed than Phuket's. Chaweng's Soi Green Mango is the main nightlife strip, with clubs like Green Mango, Solo Bar, and Ark Bar — which hosts a famous beach party several nights a week right on the sand. The scene is more backpacker and young-traveller oriented than Phuket's. Lamai has a smaller bar strip with more local character. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has sophisticated wine bars and live music. The biggest drawcard near Samui is the legendary Full Moon Party on neighbouring Koh Phangan — a monthly beach rave drawing 10,000-30,000 people that has become a bucket-list experience. Half Moon and Black Moon parties offer alternatives throughout the month. | Phuket wins for on-island nightlife variety and intensity. But Koh Samui gets major bonus points for proximity to Koh Phangan's Full Moon Party — arguably the most famous beach party in the world. If the Full Moon Party is on your bucket list, Samui is the base. |
Food | 9 Phuket has a genuinely outstanding food scene that goes beyond standard Thai tourist fare. The island's unique Peranakan (Thai-Chinese-Malay) heritage has produced dishes found nowhere else: mee hokkien (Hokkien noodles in rich pork broth), oh taw (crispy oyster omelette), moo hong (braised pork belly), and gaeng luang (sour yellow curry). The Rawai Seafood Market is a destination in itself — choose live lobster, crab, or prawns and have them grilled for a fraction of restaurant prices. Phuket Old Town is packed with atmospheric restaurants and street food stalls. Fine dining options like Blue Elephant and PRU (one-Michelin-star) elevate the scene further. | 7 Koh Samui has good food but a less distinctive culinary identity than Phuket. The island excels in fresh seafood — night markets at Fisherman's Village (Friday night market) and Lamai serve excellent grilled fish, som tum, and standard Thai dishes at reasonable prices. Chaweng and Bophut have a growing international restaurant scene with Italian, Japanese, and fusion options. Health-conscious and vegan restaurants have increased in recent years, reflecting the island's growing wellness tourism. However, Samui lacks the unique local cuisine that gives Phuket its food-destination status, and fine dining options are more limited. | Phuket wins for the depth of its culinary scene. The unique Phuketian cuisine, the Rawai Seafood Market, the Old Town food scene, and the Michelin-starred fine dining give it a clear advantage. Koh Samui has good food but fewer standout culinary experiences. |
Island Hopping & Day Trips | 9 Phuket is the Andaman Sea's island-hopping hub. The Phi Phi Islands (1.5 hours by speedboat) are among the most famous in the world. The Similan Islands (2-3 hours by speedboat, open November-May) offer some of the best diving and snorkeling on Earth with visibility up to 30 metres. Phang Nga Bay with its dramatic limestone karsts and James Bond Island is a must-do. Koh Racha Yai offers calm, crystal-clear snorkeling closer to shore. The Coral Island (Koh Hae) is a quick 15-minute trip for families. Day-trip infrastructure is highly developed with dozens of operators and easy booking. | 9 Koh Samui's island-hopping scene revolves around the stunning Samui Archipelago. Ang Thong Marine National Park — a cluster of 42 jungle-covered limestone islands — is the headline act, offering sea kayaking, jungle trekking, and viewpoints that rival anything in the Andaman Sea. Koh Phangan (30-minute ferry) offers the Full Moon Party, beautiful Bottle Beach, and the Thong Nai Pan bays. Koh Tao (2 hours by fast ferry) is one of the cheapest and most popular places in the world to get PADI certified, with visibility up to 20 metres and regular whale shark sightings. The three-island combo of Samui, Phangan, and Tao is one of Thailand's classic travel routes. | A genuine tie. Phuket has the edge for sheer underwater beauty (Similans, Phi Phi) and dramatic scenery (Phang Nga Bay). Koh Samui counters with the unbeatable Samui-Phangan-Tao triangle and Ang Thong Marine National Park. Both are world-class for island hopping. |
Cost of Travel | 6 Phuket is one of Thailand's most expensive destinations. Patong's tourist zones have marked-up prices for everything — food, drinks, transport, and accommodation all cost more than mainland Thailand. Budget travellers can manage on 1,500-2,500 THB/day ($42-70), mid-range runs 3,000-5,000 THB ($85-140). Tuk-tuks are notoriously overpriced. Grab helps but rates are still premium. On the plus side, the sheer competition among tour operators means day trips and activities are competitively priced, and markets like Rawai offer excellent seafood value. | 6 Koh Samui is similarly expensive by Thai standards, and in some categories even pricier than Phuket. The main culprit is flights — Koh Samui airport is privately owned by Bangkok Airways, creating a near-monopoly that keeps airfares high (Bangkok-Samui flights cost 3,000-8,000 THB versus 1,200-3,000 THB for Bangkok-Phuket). Accommodation and food prices on-island are comparable to Phuket. The ferry crossings to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao add costs that Phuket doesn't have for its nearby islands. Budget travellers can manage on 1,500-2,500 THB/day, but the expensive flights eat into the overall budget. | Roughly equal on-island, but Phuket is cheaper to reach due to its international airport with budget airline competition. Koh Samui's Bangkok Airways monopoly makes flights significantly more expensive. Overall, Phuket offers slightly better value when factoring in airfare. |
Accommodation | 9 Phuket has the largest accommodation inventory in southern Thailand, from 400 THB ($11) hostels to ultra-luxury resorts costing $1,000+/night. The variety is unmatched: beach resorts in Kata and Karon, boutique heritage hotels in Phuket Old Town, massive pool-complex resorts in Bang Tao, and hillside villas with panoramic Andaman views. International chains (Marriott, Hilton, Accor, Banyan Tree) and ultra-premium independents (Amanpuri, Trisara) are well represented. Competition keeps quality consistently high at every price point. | 8 Koh Samui has excellent accommodation with its own distinctive character. The island specializes in beachfront boutique resorts — properties like the Library, Six Senses Samui, and Belmond Napasai create intimate, design-forward experiences that rival anything in Phuket. The villa scene is strong, with private hillside and beachfront villas available from $80-500/night. Budget options cluster around Chaweng and Lamai with guesthouses from 500-1,000 THB/night. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has charming converted shophouse hotels. The overall range is narrower than Phuket but the quality at the mid-to-high end is outstanding. | Phuket wins on volume and variety. Koh Samui wins on intimate boutique charm. If you want the widest possible selection at every price point, choose Phuket. If you want a curated, design-led boutique experience, Koh Samui punches above its weight. |
Vibe & Atmosphere | 7 Phuket's vibe varies enormously by area. Patong is high-energy, loud, and unapologetically touristy — it feels more like a beach city than a tropical island. But move south to Kata, Rawai, or Nai Harn and the pace slows dramatically. Phuket Old Town has genuine cultural character with its Sino-Portuguese architecture, street art, and local markets. The island's sheer size (576 km²) means it lacks the cohesive "island feel" of smaller destinations — it's big enough to have traffic jams, shopping malls, and suburban sprawl. | 9 Koh Samui retains more of a classic tropical island atmosphere than Phuket. Even its busiest area, Chaweng, feels more like a lively beach village than a city. Coconut palms line every road, traditional longtail boats dot the harbours, and you're never far from a quiet beach or roadside coconut stand. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has a charming, slightly bohemian character. Maenam and the south coast feel authentically Thai. The island is small enough to feel cohesive — you can drive the ring road in under an hour — and this compactness creates a sense of place that Phuket's development has diluted. | Koh Samui wins convincingly for "island feel." If you want to feel like you're on a tropical island rather than at a beach resort complex, Samui delivers that atmosphere more consistently. Phuket's Old Town and quieter southern beaches have charm, but the overall vibe is more urban. |
Weather & Best Time to Visit | 7 Phuket's high season (November-April) delivers near-perfect conditions: blue skies, calm seas, and minimal rain. The monsoon season (May-October) brings afternoon showers, rougher seas on the west coast, and some beach closures. Temperatures are consistently warm year-round (27-33°C). The Similan Islands close entirely during monsoon season. The clear divide between wet and dry seasons makes trip planning straightforward. | 7 Koh Samui has a different weather pattern from Phuket because it's on the Gulf coast. The wettest months are October-December (Phuket's early high season), with November historically the wettest month. The best weather is January-April. May-September, when Phuket is in monsoon season, Samui often has good weather — making it a viable alternative when Phuket is rainy. This offset weather pattern is a genuine advantage for flexible travellers. Temperatures are similar to Phuket (27-33°C year-round). | Different seasons make them complementary. Phuket is best November-April, Samui is best January-April. Crucially, Samui often has decent weather May-September when Phuket is in monsoon — making it a great alternative for summer travellers. Neither is "better" — they just peak at different times. |
Phuket
Phuket's western coastline offers over 30 beaches with remarkable variety. Patong is the buzzing social hub, Kata and Karon deliver family-friendly stretches of golden sand, Freedom Beach and Banana Beach offer secluded cove experiences, and Nai Harn has a local, off-the-beaten-path feel. The Andaman Sea produces some of the clearest water in Thailand, and during high season (November-April) the conditions are genuinely spectacular — calm seas, turquoise water, and visibility up to 30 metres. Add the Similan Islands and Phi Phi Islands nearby, and Phuket's overall beach offering is hard to beat.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui's beaches have a different character — softer, more palm-fringed, and less dramatic than Phuket's cliff-backed coves. Chaweng is the main beach: 7 km of white sand that is long, wide, and consistently beautiful, though it gets crowded in peak season. Lamai is slightly rougher and more backpacker-oriented. Bophut's Fisherman's Village offers a charming beachfront with French-colonial and Thai-Chinese shophouses. Maenam is quiet and traditionally Thai. Choeng Mon is a peaceful, family-friendly bay. The Gulf of Thailand water is warm but tends to be slightly less clear than the Andaman Sea, and the east coast beaches can be affected by currents and seaweed during certain months.
Verdict: Phuket wins on water clarity, variety, and access to world-class offshore islands. Koh Samui's beaches are beautiful and more classically "tropical island" with their palm-fringed character, but the Andaman Sea's turquoise clarity gives Phuket the edge.
Phuket
Phuket's nightlife is the most intense in southern Thailand. Bangla Road in Patong is the centre of gravity — a neon-lit, music-thumping pedestrian street with mega-clubs like Illuzion (capacity 3,000+), Tiger Discotheque, and hundreds of smaller bars, go-go bars, and live music venues. Beach clubs like Café del Mar and Catch Beach Club offer a more upscale daytime-to-evening scene. Kata and Karon have their own, calmer bar strips. Phuket Town has a growing craft cocktail and wine bar scene. For sheer volume and intensity, Phuket is hard to match.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui's nightlife is lively but more relaxed than Phuket's. Chaweng's Soi Green Mango is the main nightlife strip, with clubs like Green Mango, Solo Bar, and Ark Bar — which hosts a famous beach party several nights a week right on the sand. The scene is more backpacker and young-traveller oriented than Phuket's. Lamai has a smaller bar strip with more local character. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has sophisticated wine bars and live music. The biggest drawcard near Samui is the legendary Full Moon Party on neighbouring Koh Phangan — a monthly beach rave drawing 10,000-30,000 people that has become a bucket-list experience. Half Moon and Black Moon parties offer alternatives throughout the month.
Verdict: Phuket wins for on-island nightlife variety and intensity. But Koh Samui gets major bonus points for proximity to Koh Phangan's Full Moon Party — arguably the most famous beach party in the world. If the Full Moon Party is on your bucket list, Samui is the base.
Phuket
Phuket has a genuinely outstanding food scene that goes beyond standard Thai tourist fare. The island's unique Peranakan (Thai-Chinese-Malay) heritage has produced dishes found nowhere else: mee hokkien (Hokkien noodles in rich pork broth), oh taw (crispy oyster omelette), moo hong (braised pork belly), and gaeng luang (sour yellow curry). The Rawai Seafood Market is a destination in itself — choose live lobster, crab, or prawns and have them grilled for a fraction of restaurant prices. Phuket Old Town is packed with atmospheric restaurants and street food stalls. Fine dining options like Blue Elephant and PRU (one-Michelin-star) elevate the scene further.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has good food but a less distinctive culinary identity than Phuket. The island excels in fresh seafood — night markets at Fisherman's Village (Friday night market) and Lamai serve excellent grilled fish, som tum, and standard Thai dishes at reasonable prices. Chaweng and Bophut have a growing international restaurant scene with Italian, Japanese, and fusion options. Health-conscious and vegan restaurants have increased in recent years, reflecting the island's growing wellness tourism. However, Samui lacks the unique local cuisine that gives Phuket its food-destination status, and fine dining options are more limited.
Verdict: Phuket wins for the depth of its culinary scene. The unique Phuketian cuisine, the Rawai Seafood Market, the Old Town food scene, and the Michelin-starred fine dining give it a clear advantage. Koh Samui has good food but fewer standout culinary experiences.
Phuket
Phuket is the Andaman Sea's island-hopping hub. The Phi Phi Islands (1.5 hours by speedboat) are among the most famous in the world. The Similan Islands (2-3 hours by speedboat, open November-May) offer some of the best diving and snorkeling on Earth with visibility up to 30 metres. Phang Nga Bay with its dramatic limestone karsts and James Bond Island is a must-do. Koh Racha Yai offers calm, crystal-clear snorkeling closer to shore. The Coral Island (Koh Hae) is a quick 15-minute trip for families. Day-trip infrastructure is highly developed with dozens of operators and easy booking.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui's island-hopping scene revolves around the stunning Samui Archipelago. Ang Thong Marine National Park — a cluster of 42 jungle-covered limestone islands — is the headline act, offering sea kayaking, jungle trekking, and viewpoints that rival anything in the Andaman Sea. Koh Phangan (30-minute ferry) offers the Full Moon Party, beautiful Bottle Beach, and the Thong Nai Pan bays. Koh Tao (2 hours by fast ferry) is one of the cheapest and most popular places in the world to get PADI certified, with visibility up to 20 metres and regular whale shark sightings. The three-island combo of Samui, Phangan, and Tao is one of Thailand's classic travel routes.
Verdict: A genuine tie. Phuket has the edge for sheer underwater beauty (Similans, Phi Phi) and dramatic scenery (Phang Nga Bay). Koh Samui counters with the unbeatable Samui-Phangan-Tao triangle and Ang Thong Marine National Park. Both are world-class for island hopping.
Phuket
Phuket is one of Thailand's most expensive destinations. Patong's tourist zones have marked-up prices for everything — food, drinks, transport, and accommodation all cost more than mainland Thailand. Budget travellers can manage on 1,500-2,500 THB/day ($42-70), mid-range runs 3,000-5,000 THB ($85-140). Tuk-tuks are notoriously overpriced. Grab helps but rates are still premium. On the plus side, the sheer competition among tour operators means day trips and activities are competitively priced, and markets like Rawai offer excellent seafood value.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is similarly expensive by Thai standards, and in some categories even pricier than Phuket. The main culprit is flights — Koh Samui airport is privately owned by Bangkok Airways, creating a near-monopoly that keeps airfares high (Bangkok-Samui flights cost 3,000-8,000 THB versus 1,200-3,000 THB for Bangkok-Phuket). Accommodation and food prices on-island are comparable to Phuket. The ferry crossings to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao add costs that Phuket doesn't have for its nearby islands. Budget travellers can manage on 1,500-2,500 THB/day, but the expensive flights eat into the overall budget.
Verdict: Roughly equal on-island, but Phuket is cheaper to reach due to its international airport with budget airline competition. Koh Samui's Bangkok Airways monopoly makes flights significantly more expensive. Overall, Phuket offers slightly better value when factoring in airfare.
Phuket
Phuket has the largest accommodation inventory in southern Thailand, from 400 THB ($11) hostels to ultra-luxury resorts costing $1,000+/night. The variety is unmatched: beach resorts in Kata and Karon, boutique heritage hotels in Phuket Old Town, massive pool-complex resorts in Bang Tao, and hillside villas with panoramic Andaman views. International chains (Marriott, Hilton, Accor, Banyan Tree) and ultra-premium independents (Amanpuri, Trisara) are well represented. Competition keeps quality consistently high at every price point.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has excellent accommodation with its own distinctive character. The island specializes in beachfront boutique resorts — properties like the Library, Six Senses Samui, and Belmond Napasai create intimate, design-forward experiences that rival anything in Phuket. The villa scene is strong, with private hillside and beachfront villas available from $80-500/night. Budget options cluster around Chaweng and Lamai with guesthouses from 500-1,000 THB/night. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has charming converted shophouse hotels. The overall range is narrower than Phuket but the quality at the mid-to-high end is outstanding.
Verdict: Phuket wins on volume and variety. Koh Samui wins on intimate boutique charm. If you want the widest possible selection at every price point, choose Phuket. If you want a curated, design-led boutique experience, Koh Samui punches above its weight.
Phuket
Phuket's vibe varies enormously by area. Patong is high-energy, loud, and unapologetically touristy — it feels more like a beach city than a tropical island. But move south to Kata, Rawai, or Nai Harn and the pace slows dramatically. Phuket Old Town has genuine cultural character with its Sino-Portuguese architecture, street art, and local markets. The island's sheer size (576 km²) means it lacks the cohesive "island feel" of smaller destinations — it's big enough to have traffic jams, shopping malls, and suburban sprawl.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui retains more of a classic tropical island atmosphere than Phuket. Even its busiest area, Chaweng, feels more like a lively beach village than a city. Coconut palms line every road, traditional longtail boats dot the harbours, and you're never far from a quiet beach or roadside coconut stand. Bophut's Fisherman's Village has a charming, slightly bohemian character. Maenam and the south coast feel authentically Thai. The island is small enough to feel cohesive — you can drive the ring road in under an hour — and this compactness creates a sense of place that Phuket's development has diluted.
Verdict: Koh Samui wins convincingly for "island feel." If you want to feel like you're on a tropical island rather than at a beach resort complex, Samui delivers that atmosphere more consistently. Phuket's Old Town and quieter southern beaches have charm, but the overall vibe is more urban.
Phuket
Phuket's high season (November-April) delivers near-perfect conditions: blue skies, calm seas, and minimal rain. The monsoon season (May-October) brings afternoon showers, rougher seas on the west coast, and some beach closures. Temperatures are consistently warm year-round (27-33°C). The Similan Islands close entirely during monsoon season. The clear divide between wet and dry seasons makes trip planning straightforward.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has a different weather pattern from Phuket because it's on the Gulf coast. The wettest months are October-December (Phuket's early high season), with November historically the wettest month. The best weather is January-April. May-September, when Phuket is in monsoon season, Samui often has good weather — making it a viable alternative when Phuket is rainy. This offset weather pattern is a genuine advantage for flexible travellers. Temperatures are similar to Phuket (27-33°C year-round).
Verdict: Different seasons make them complementary. Phuket is best November-April, Samui is best January-April. Crucially, Samui often has decent weather May-September when Phuket is in monsoon — making it a great alternative for summer travellers. Neither is "better" — they just peak at different times.
Traveler type
We recommend
Phuket
Phuket's larger family-friendly resorts with kids' clubs, Splash Jungle Water Park, the Phuket Aquarium, calmer high-season beaches with lifeguards, and a wider range of family-oriented activities (zip-lining, elephant sanctuaries, cooking classes) make it better for families. Koh Samui is also family-friendly but has fewer child-specific attractions and activities.
Traveler type
We recommend
Koh Samui
The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is a 30-minute ferry ride from Koh Samui, making Samui the natural base. You can party all night on Haad Rin Beach and return to your Samui hotel the next day. From Phuket, reaching the Full Moon Party requires a flight to Surat Thani plus a ferry — it is doable but much less convenient.
Traveler type
We recommend
Phuket (Andaman) or Koh Samui (Koh Tao)
Both are outstanding for diving but in different ways. Phuket gives access to the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock — some of the best dive sites in the world. Koh Samui gives access to Koh Tao, one of the cheapest and most popular places on Earth to get PADI certified, with regular whale shark sightings. For experienced divers, choose Phuket. For certification or budget diving, choose Samui/Koh Tao.
Traveler type
We recommend
Koh Samui
Koh Samui's intimate boutique resorts, palm-fringed beaches, sunset cocktails at Fisherman's Village, couples' spa treatments, and overall "island romance" vibe make it a top honeymoon and couples destination. Properties like Six Senses Samui and Belmond Napasai are built for romance. Phuket has romantic options too, but Samui's overall atmosphere is more conducive to a romantic escape.
Traveler type
We recommend
Phuket
Phuket's Bangla Road offers a more intense, varied, and concentrated nightlife experience than Chaweng's Soi Green Mango. However, if your primary goal is the Full Moon Party, you need to be on Koh Samui/Koh Phangan. For everyday nightlife variety, Phuket wins. For the bucket-list party experience, Samui wins.
Traveler type
We recommend
Koh Samui
This is Koh Samui's secret advantage. While Phuket is in full monsoon season from May to October, Koh Samui on the Gulf coast often has excellent weather during these months — sunny skies, calm seas, and lower prices. If you can only travel between May and September, Koh Samui is the better Thai island bet.
Traveler type
We recommend
Phuket
Surprisingly, Phuket is often cheaper than Koh Samui when factoring in flights. Phuket's international airport attracts budget airlines (AirAsia, Thai Lion Air) with fares from Bangkok starting at 1,000 THB. Koh Samui's Bangkok Airways monopoly keeps fares 2-4 times higher. On-island prices are similar, but the flight savings in Phuket are significant.
Phuket and Koh Samui are both outstanding Thai island destinations, but they cater to different travel desires and deliver different moods. Choose Phuket if you want maximum variety and convenience: the biggest selection of beaches, the most intense nightlife, the deepest food scene, the best diving access (Similans), easy international flights, and a "something for everyone" approach that makes it ideal for families, groups with mixed interests, and travellers who get restless staying in one spot. Phuket is the better choice for first-time visitors to Thailand who want to tick off the greatest hits. Choose Koh Samui if you want a more authentic tropical island atmosphere: palm-fringed beaches, a laid-back pace, intimate boutique resorts, the Full Moon Party on neighbouring Koh Phangan, and the stunning Ang Thong Marine National Park. Samui is the better choice for couples, honeymooners, yoga and wellness seekers, and anyone who finds Phuket "too developed" or "too much like a city." Its Gulf coast location also makes it the better option for travellers visiting during Phuket's monsoon season (May-October). For divers, it depends on your priorities: Phuket for world-class sites (Similans, Richelieu Rock) and Koh Samui for budget-friendly PADI certification on Koh Tao. The dream trip for many is combining both coasts — fly into Phuket for the Andaman beaches and island hopping, then hop to Koh Samui for the Gulf islands and a different pace. Direct flights between the two are available and take about 1 hour 15 minutes, making a combined trip entirely practical over 10-14 days. If forced to pick just one for a week-long trip: Phuket offers more bang for your buck and more to do per day. Koh Samui offers more soul and a stronger sense of being on a Thai island rather than at a Thai beach resort.
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