Explora Journeys in Koh Samui

Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island, a coconut-palm and jungle interior ringed by beaches in the Gulf of Thailand. Ships anchor off Nathon, the low-key administrative town on the quiet west coast, and the day splits cleanly between a temple-and-waterfall island loop or a beach. It earns the call as a genuine tropical-island stop rather than a built-up resort strip.

What to do on a day in Koh Samui

• Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai), the 12-meter golden seated Buddha on its own islet at the northeast tip, the island's signature landmark
• Wat Plai Laem nearby, with its white 18-arm Guanyin statue rising out of a lake, far quieter than Big Buddha
• Na Muang Waterfalls in the jungle interior, two cascades with bathing pools (Na Muang 1 is roadside, Na Muang 2 needs a short hike)
• Fisherman's Village in Bophut, a restored old-Chinese-shophouse lane of cafes and shops on the north coast
• Hin Ta and Hin Yai (the Grandfather and Grandmother rocks) on the south coast near Lamai, natural rock formations on a short seaside boardwalk
• Nathon town itself: walkable from the tender pier, with a food market, temples, and shops within 10 to 15 minutes

Getting ashore

This is a tender port: the ship anchors off Nathon and tenders you to a long pier, with the town center a 10 to 15 minute walk away. Nathon covers basics on foot, but everything worth seeing (Big Buddha, the waterfalls, the good beaches) is a taxi ride away, so agree a fixed fare or a private driver for the day. One day is enough for a temple-and-waterfall loop or a single beach, not both islands' coasts.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• December. Tail end of the northeast monsoon. The wettest weeks (November) are passing, but expect warm humid days near 28-30C with rain showers between sunny spells and sometimes heavier downpours. Seas calming.
• January to March. The reliable dry stretch. Warm, around 26-30C, 7-plus hours of sun a day, occasional light showers that rarely disrupt plans, and calm clear water. The best window for a Samui call.