One Week in Koh Samui — 7-Day Itinerary (2026)

Overview

One week is enough time to cover Koh Samui’s east coast beaches, its two biggest temples, an interior waterfall day, and a full-day Ang Thong Marine Park boat trip, with rest days built in between so nothing feels rushed. This plan bases you in Chaweng for the first two nights and last night (nightlife, restaurants, easy airport access), then moves to Bophut or Maenam for a quieter middle stretch — you can also stay in one hotel the whole week and simply add 15-30 minutes of taxi time to a few days.

Total moving-around cost for the week runs roughly 3,000-4,500 THB (~86-129 USD) per person on taxis and one Ang Thong tour, on top of accommodation and food — see the full Koh Samui trip cost breakdown for tiered daily budgets. Every leg below lists a realistic taxi time and fare so you can rebuild the plan around a different base if needed.

Key takeaways

• 7 days covers 4 beaches, 3 temples, 2 waterfalls, and a full-day Ang Thong Marine Park boat trip, with 2 half-rest days built in.
• Base in Chaweng for arrival/departure convenience; add a 2-3 night stretch in Maenam or Bophut for a quieter pace.
• Ang Thong Marine Park (Day 4) is the one activity to lock in before you land — book it at least 2-3 days ahead, sooner in December-February.
• Weekly night markets are day-specific: Bophut’s Fisherman’s Village Walking Street runs Fridays, Maenam’s Thursdays, Lamai’s Sundays — shuffle the day order below to catch one or two.
• A full week for one person runs roughly 10,500 THB (~300 USD) budget to 28,000 THB (~800 USD) mid-range, per the trip cost guide, excluding the international flight.

7-Day Koh Samui Itinerary at a Glance

The table below is the default order; swap days 2, 3 and 5 to line up with the Friday, Thursday or Sunday markets you most want to catch.

Day 1 — Arrival and Chaweng

Day 1 is a half-day: land, settle into Chaweng, and do nothing more ambitious than swim before dinner.

Morning — Arrival and transfer

Samui Airport (USM) sits about 3 km from Chaweng. A fixed-rate airport taxi to Chaweng or Bophut costs around 500 THB (~14 USD), paid at a counter inside the terminal before you reach the taxi rank; a shared minivan runs closer to 130 THB (~3.50 USD) per person but takes longer with multiple drop-offs. The ride itself is 10-15 minutes.

Afternoon — Chaweng Beach

Chaweng Beach is Koh Samui’s longest stretch at roughly 7 km of white sand and the easiest place to get oriented — sun loungers, water sports operators, and a calm swimming shelf at the north end near Chaweng Noi. Check into your hotel, then spend the afternoon in the water or by the pool to reset after travel.

Evening — Beach Road dinner

Walk Chaweng’s Beach Road for dinner — anything from 80-120 THB (~2.50-3.50 USD) street-food plates to 400-800 THB (~11-23 USD) beachfront restaurant mains. Central Festival Samui, the island’s main mall, is a 10-minute taxi ride (~100-150 THB) if you need supplies. Save late-night Soi Green Mango for a night later in the week if nightlife is on your list — see the Chaweng nightlife guide.

Day 2 — Big Buddha, Wat Plai Laem and Fisherman’s Village

Day 2 covers Koh Samui’s two most-visited temples and finishes at Bophut’s beachfront old town.

Morning — Wat Phra Yai and Wat Plai Laem

Wat Phra Yai (“Big Buddha”) sits on a small causeway island roughly 20 minutes (~250-350 THB by taxi) from Chaweng. The 12-meter golden Buddha statue dates to 1972, entry is free (donations welcome), and it’s open daily from about 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM — go before 10 AM to beat tour-bus crowds and the worst of the heat. Dress with shoulders and knees covered; sarongs are available at the entrance for anyone who needs one.

Wat Plai Laem is a 5-minute drive away (~50-100 THB) — a Chinese-Thai temple built around a lake, centered on an 18-arm Guanyin statue and a large laughing Buddha. Both temples together take about 1.5-2 hours.

Afternoon — Choeng Mon Beach

Choeng Mon Beach is a sheltered, shallow bay about 10 minutes (~100-150 THB) from Wat Plai Laem — a good lunch and swim stop with a calmer shoreline than Chaweng, backed by a run of upscale resorts.

Evening — Bophut Fisherman’s Village

Bophut is 20-25 minutes (~250-350 THB) from Choeng Mon. Its old town, Fisherman’s Village, is a row of restored Chinese shophouses turned restaurants, bars, and boutiques along a walkable beachfront street — a good dinner stop any night. If Day 2 happens to land on a Friday, the Fisherman’s Village Walking Street market takes over the street from about 5 PM to 10 PM with grilled seafood, cocktail stalls, and live music; shuffle this day to a Friday if the market matters to you.

Day 3 — Maenam, a Slow Beach Day

Day 3 is deliberately light — a beach-and-recover day between the temple circuit and the Ang Thong boat trip.

Morning — Transfer and beach time

Maenam Beach is 20-30 minutes (~200-300 THB) from Bophut, or about 15 minutes from the airport if you’re switching hotels. At roughly 5 km, it’s one of the island’s longest beaches and consistently one of the calmest, with warm, shallow water (28-30°C year-round) that swims well for every ability level.

Afternoon — Rest, spa or golf

Spend the afternoon at a beachfront restaurant or your resort pool. Santiburi’s 18-hole golf course sits inland from Maenam for anyone who plays; otherwise this is the day to book a spa treatment (300-3,000 THB / ~8.50-86 USD depending on the operator) rather than saving it for Day 7.

Evening — Thursday Walking Street

If Day 3 lands on a Thursday, Maenam’s Walking Street market runs roughly 5-11 PM — smaller and less crowded than Bophut’s Friday equivalent, with similar street food and craft stalls. Any other night, Maenam’s beachfront restaurants cover dinner well.

Day 4 — Ang Thong Marine Park

The one full-day tour on this itinerary, and the day to book furthest in advance.

Morning — Boat to Ko Wua Talap

Ang Thong day tours pick up around 7:00-7:30 AM and depart by boat from Nathon or Bang Rak pier, 30-40 minutes from Chaweng or 15-20 minutes from Maenam by hotel-transfer van (included in most tour prices). Boats reach Ko Wua Talap first, where a steep ~500-step climb leads to the park’s signature viewpoint over the 42-island archipelago — allow 45-60 minutes round trip and bring water.

Afternoon — Snorkeling and Emerald Lake

Standard group tours cost 1,200-2,200 THB (~34-63 USD) per adult including lunch and snorkeling gear; the national park entrance fee (300 THB / ~8.50 USD adult, often billed separately) may or may not be included, so check when booking. Many itineraries continue to Koh Mae Ko’s Emerald Lake (Talay Nai), reached by another ~500-step climb to a viewpoint over the lagoon. Boats return to Koh Samui by around 4:30-5:30 PM.

Evening — Rest back on Samui

After a full day on and around water, keep dinner close to your hotel. According to Ang Thong Marine Park’s official visitor guide, the crossing can be choppy outside the December-February dry season, so pack motion-sickness tablets if you’re prone to it.

Day 5 — Na Muang, Wat Khunaram and Secret Buddha Garden

Day 5 moves inland to the island’s interior — waterfalls, a mummified monk, and a jungle sculpture garden along Route 4169.

Morning — Na Muang Waterfalls

Na Muang Waterfalls sit about 30 minutes (~350-450 THB by taxi, or self-drive by scooter along Route 4169) from Chaweng. Na Muang 1 is an easy, family-friendly 18-meter fall with a swimming pool at its base and free entry (parking runs 20 THB for scooters, 60 THB for cars); Na Muang 2, an 80-meter cascade reached by a steeper trail, adds another 30-45 minutes round trip for the more adventurous.

Midday — Wat Khunaram

Wat Khunaram is a short 10-minute drive (~100-150 THB) from Na Muang and holds the preserved body of Luang Pho Daeng, a monk who died in meditation decades ago — a low-key, genuinely striking stop illustrating the Buddhist teaching of impermanence. There’s no admission fee, though small donations toward temple upkeep are customary.

Afternoon — Secret Buddha Garden

Secret Buddha Garden (Tarnim Magic Garden) is roughly 15-20 minutes (~150-250 THB) further into the hills — a hillside collection of moss-covered statues built by a local farmer, with one of the island’s best interior viewpoints. Entry runs about 80 THB (~2.50 USD); the final approach road is rough, so a taxi or 4x4 handles it more comfortably than a scooter.

Evening — Lamai

Lamai is about 20-25 minutes (~250-350 THB) down from the interior — Koh Samui’s second-largest beach, with lower prices than Chaweng and its own nightlife strip. If Day 5 lands on a Sunday, Lamai’s night market adds street food and stalls to the evening.

Day 6 — Hin Lad Waterfall and East-Coast Snorkeling

Day 6 pairs a west-side waterfall hike with an afternoon of east-coast snorkeling and a sunset viewpoint.

Morning — Hin Lad Waterfall

Hin Lad Waterfall near Nathon is about 20-25 minutes (~250-350 THB) from Chaweng — a 30-meter, multi-tiered cascade at the end of a 1.2 km, 20-40-minute forest trail (2.6 km round trip, ~130 m elevation gain), with a Buddhist temple at the trailhead and free admission. It’s the island’s second-largest waterfall after Na Muang 2.

Afternoon — Coral Cove and Silver Beach

Back on the east coast, Coral Cove is a compact, boulder-framed bay good for shore snorkeling, connected to Silver Beach by the roughly 1.5 km Coral Cove to Silver Beach walking route over granite boulders — reef shoes help, and low tide exposes more of the scramble.

Evening — Lamai Viewpoint sunset

Lamai Viewpoint is a steep ~300-step trail (or a cable car for a fee) up to coastline views and the heart-shaped Valentine Stone. Entrance runs about 100 THB (~3 USD) on foot, or up to 300 THB (~8.50 USD) with the cable car round trip — arrive 30-45 minutes before sunset for the best light, then head into Lamai for dinner.

Day 7 — Spa, Last Swim and Departure

The last day has no fixed stops — the goal is to use whatever time you have left before the airport.

Morning — Last beach time

Sleep in, then get in one more swim near your hotel rather than traveling far. If your flight is in the evening, you can realistically add a short half-day trip (a return to Maenam or Choeng Mon, or another spa session) instead of sitting around.

Afternoon — Spa or shopping

A spa treatment (300-3,000 THB / ~8.50-86 USD) or last-minute shopping at Central Festival Samui or Fisherman’s Village’s daytime boutiques fills the gap before packing.

Evening — Airport transfer

Budget 15-20 minutes (~500 THB fixed-zone taxi fare) from Chaweng or Bophut to Samui Airport, or 25-30 minutes from Lamai or Maenam. Bangkok Airways, the main carrier serving Samui, recommends arriving about 1.5 hours before a domestic departure and around 3 hours before an international connection through Bangkok — more in December-February, when check-in queues back up fastest.

Itinerary Variants by Traveler Type

The 7-day plan above suits most first-time visitors, but three swaps adjust it for a specific trip:

• Couples/honeymoon: Swap Day 3’s rest day for a sunset dinner cruise or a private Ang Thong speedboat charter (8,000-20,000 THB / ~229-571 USD for a group of 4-8, working out cheaper per person split among friends) instead of the standard group tour — see our full Koh Samui honeymoon guide for a dedicated romantic itinerary.
• Families with kids: Skip Na Muang 2’s steeper trail and Hin Lad’s full climb on Day 5-6, keeping to Na Muang 1’s swimming pool and Coral Cove’s calmer shore snorkeling; add an extra half-day at Choeng Mon or Maenam, both shallow and safe for younger swimmers — see our Koh Samui with kids guide for a kid-first version of this trip.
• Budget backpackers: Replace the private taxi legs with songthaews (50-100 THB per ride, though slower and less direct) and the standard-tour Ang Thong day with the cheapest big-boat option (~1,200 THB / ~34 USD), which still covers the same two viewpoints — see our budget backpacker itinerary for an under-1,500-THB/day version.
• Digital nomads / slower pace: Stretch this into 10 days by adding a Koh Phangan ferry crossing after Day 6 — see the full 3/5/7/10-day itinerary hub for that longer version, and the coworking guide if you plan to work from Samui first.

Budget Breakdown

Per the Koh Samui trip cost guide, a full week runs roughly 10,500 THB (~300 USD) per person at the budget tier, 28,000 THB (~800 USD) mid-range, or 85,000+ THB (~2,429+ USD) luxury — before the international flight in. This itinerary’s transport and activity choices sit toward the lower half of each tier, since it uses shared taxis and one standard-group Ang Thong tour rather than private transfers throughout.

Two people traveling together generally land closer to the mid-range total per person even at a nicer hotel, since double rooms are priced per room rather than per head.

Booking Timeline

Book the Ang Thong Marine Park tour (Day 4) at least 2-3 days ahead year-round, and up to a week ahead in December-February when tours sell out. Flights on Bangkok Airways — the main carrier serving Samui’s airport — are worth booking around 6 months out for peak season, per the when to book guide, which also covers hotel and villa lead times in more detail. Everything else in this plan — taxis, walk-in restaurants, temple visits — needs no advance booking; only the boat tour and, in peak season, your accommodation are time-sensitive.

FAQ

Is 7 days enough for Koh Samui?

Seven days is enough to see Koh Samui’s main beaches, its two biggest temples, one waterfall day, and a full-day Ang Thong Marine Park boat trip without rushing, plus two half-rest days. It’s also enough to add a 2-3 day Koh Phangan side trip if you drop one interior day, though that pushes the plan closer to 10 days total.

What is the best route for a one-week Koh Samui itinerary?

The most efficient route bases you in Chaweng for arrival and departure, spends the middle days in Bophut or Maenam for a quieter stretch, and groups Ang Thong Marine Park (a full day) separately from the interior waterfall-and-temple day, since both already involve significant transport time on their own.

How much does a week in Koh Samui cost?

A one-week Koh Samui trip costs roughly 10,500 THB (~300 USD) per person at the budget tier, 28,000 THB (~800 USD) mid-range, or 85,000+ THB (~2,429+ USD) luxury, excluding the international flight — see the full trip cost breakdown for the daily line items.

Do I need a car or scooter for a week on Koh Samui?

A car or scooter is not required for this itinerary — every stop is reachable by taxi or a hotel-arranged transfer, and the Ang Thong tour includes pickup. A scooter (150-300 THB / ~4.50-8.50 USD a day) or rental car saves money if you’re covering the island independently most days, but isn’t necessary for a first one-week trip.

Which day should I book the Ang Thong Marine Park tour?

Book Ang Thong Marine Park at least 2-3 days before you want to go, and closer to a week ahead during December-February peak season, since tour operators cap boat capacity and sell out. This itinerary places it on Day 4, after two lower-key days, so a same-week booking still works if you plan ahead slightly on arrival.

Can I fit Koh Phangan or Koh Tao into a 7-day Koh Samui trip?

A short Koh Phangan day trip or overnight is possible within 7 days by dropping one interior day, but a proper multi-day extension to both Koh Phangan and Koh Tao needs closer to 10 days — see the 3/5/7/10-day itinerary hub for that longer version.