At a glance
When
13 - 18 September 2019
Where
Pru Chaweng Park, Chaweng, Koh Samui
Photo: jennycleary (Pixabay Content License)
Samui Festival 2019
The fourth Samui Festival ran from 13 to 18 September 2019, organised by Surat Thani province with public and private partners.
About this event
Samui Festival came back for a fourth year in 2019 after editions in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Surat Thani province organised it with public and private partners and the Tourism Authority of Thailand promoted it. In 2017 the festival was linked to the island's 120th anniversary, but the 2019 edition had no such milestone and ran as a regular season event in mid-September.
The programme followed the pattern set in earlier years: a procession of decorated floats, sport, concerts, food and culture. The trail race starting from Hin Lat Waterfall shows how the festival uses the island's inland areas as well as the beaches. Pattaya Mail and Tatnews ran the announcements, and they remain the best record of what was planned. If you are comparing the years, note that dates moved around: early September in 2017, late September in 2018 and mid-September in 2019.
The facts
- It opened with a parade of decorated floats that ended at Pru Chaweng Park for the opening ceremony.
- The Samui Festival Marathon and Trail offered 5 km, 10.5 km, 21 km and 35 km trail races starting and finishing at Hin Lat Waterfall.
Why it matters
The last confirmed edition of the island-wide festival before the pandemic.
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Festivals and culture on Koh Samui
Samui's cultural calendar follows the Thai lunar and Buddhist year. Songkran, on 13 to 15 April, is a water fight on the east coast, in Chaweng and Lamai, while west-coast villages keep a calmer, temple-centred version with blessings and merit-making. Loy Krathong falls on the November full moon, when people float small baskets on lakes and ponds. Chinese New Year brings feasting and temple visits. The Samui Festival has held a parade ending at Pru Chaweng Park. Expect restricted alcohol sales on holy days, and check dates a few weeks ahead.
Around Chaweng
Chaweng is the main resort town on Samui's east coast, with the longest beach on the island, roughly 7 km of sand. Soi Green Mango, just back from the beach, is the nightlife alley, and Central Festival Samui sits between the beach road and Chaweng Lake. Chaweng Beach Road is one-way northbound and slows to a crawl between 17:00 and 20:00 with taxis, scooters and pedestrians. Most club nights, pool parties and Muay Thai bouts are here, and Pru Chaweng Park hosts public festivals and races.
From the history of Koh Samui
- 2025 Pride Nation Samui 2025 Pride Nation Samui 2025 was part of the southern-region programme of TAT's 'Amazing Thailand Love Wins Festival' for Pride Month.
- 2025 Kolour Festival Samui debut 2025 Kolour Festival, which bills itself as Thailand's premier house and techno festival, made its Koh Samui debut on 1 March 2025.
- 2024 Pride Nation Samui International Festival 2024 Pride Nation Samui was held from 24 to 29 June 2024 to mark Pride Month and promote Thailand to LGBTQ+ travellers.
- 2023 Samui Loy Krathong Festival 2023 The Samui Loy Krathong Festival was listed for 27 November 2023 at Wat Khongkharam and Chaweng Lake.
Guides for your trip
Dates and prices change, so check the source before you go.