The merits of these Thai islands are many, so how do you possibly choose between Phuket and Koh Samui? We’ve got the lowdown on each destination to make your holiday planning that little bit easier.
Both Samui and Phuket make the shortlist of the best holiday destinations in Thailand, especially if you’re travelling with kids in tow. While popular Phuket is traditionally the destination of choice, quieter Koh Samui is a rising star among families seeking a slower-paced Thai escape.
From the best beaches to most exciting family resorts, discover the top differences between Phuket and Koh Samui below.
Phuket vs Koh Samui: Which is more convenient?
Both Phuket and Koh Samui have an international airport. Jetstar flies direct to Phuket from Sydney and Melbourne. There are no direct flights from Australia to Samui Airport, but connecting via a short stop in Singapore is still a convenient holiday option.
Getting to Phuket from Australia
Location: Phuket is one of Thailand’s southern provinces, made up of the island of Phuket and 37 smaller islands in the Andaman Sea off the country’s west coast. Its capital city is Phuket Town.
How to get there: Jetstar offers direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Phuket, which take around nine hours. You can also fly via Singapore with Singapore Airlines or Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines.
How to get around: Phuket has a variety of transportation options, including tuk-tuks, motorbikes and taxis. The Smart Bus also offers an affordable way to travel from the airport to resort towns along the west coast. But you also get more traffic on Phuket, especially around the Old Town.
Getting to Koh Samui from Australia
Location: Koh Samui is an island in Surat Thani province in the south of Thailand. It lies off the east coast – on the opposite side to Phuket – south of Bangkok.
How to get there: The quickest and easiest way to get there is to fly to Singapore with Singapore Airlines or Scoot, and connect with a flight to Samui Airport.
How to get around: Koh Samui has a more limited range of transportation options, including songthaews (pick-up trucks), but because the island is smaller, journeys are usually shorter. You can circle the coastal ring road in around 50 minutes.
Beaches on Phuket vs Koh Samui
As it is twice as big as Koh Samui, Phuket also has more beaches to explore. They are typically livelier and offer more activities such as water sports and food vendors than Koh Samui. However, Samui’s beaches are quieter and great for younger kids.
Phuket's best family beaches
Patong is by far the busiest, with a party atmosphere and plenty of locals offering beach massages. Families may prefer the four-kilometre-long Karon Beach on the west coast, which has calm water and plenty of restaurants, or the 1.5-kilometre-long Kata Beach on the southern part of the island.
If you want to get away from the crowds, head to Laem Singh Beach, which is a small cove between Surin and Kamala beaches, or Mai Khao Beach in Sirinath National Park.
Koh Samui's best family beaches
With soft white sand beaches and calm, clear water, Koh Samui’s beaches are ideal for families. Chaweng Beach is the island’s most popular, with shallow waters that are great for children to frolic about, as well as all the amenities you need. The northern and southern ends of the beach tend to be a bit quieter.
Around a 30-minute drive south, Lamai Beach has a more relaxed vibe, making it suitable for families with younger children. There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants with kid-friendly menus, as well as activities such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Family activities in Phuket vs Koh Samui
Phuket has the longest list of family attractions, including water parks, theme parks and more. However, there’s still plenty to do on Koh Samui – and as it’s smaller than Phuket, it’s easier to get around to visit its many sights.
Top family attractions in Phuket
Theme parks
Inspired by festivals, carnivals and fairs around the world, the adventure-themed Carnival Magic theme park has an enchanted palace, parades and spectacular light and fountain shows.
Water parks
Kids who love waterslides will love the water park at Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket or Splash Jungle Water Park, which has a 335-metre lazy river and family raft ride.
Animal attractions
You can also visit Thailand’s biggest aquarium, Aquaria Phuket; feed, shower and walk with elephants at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and learn about conservation at The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation.
Island day trips
Make sure you include an island-hopping tour from Phuket to see Phi Phi Lee, where the movie The Beach was filmed, and Khao Phing Kan, which was the setting for the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.
👉 KEEP EXPLORING: 20 more things to do in Phuket with kids
Top family attractions in Koh Samui
Thai culture and temples
Head to Wat Plai Laem Temple to see its 18-armed statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, and smiling Buddha statues, and the 12-metre-high gold ‘Big Buddha’ at the nearby Wat Phra Yai temple.
Restaurants and cafes
Koh Samui’s restaurants cater to all tastes, from authentic Thai to kid-friendly options, ensuring something for everyone. Check out the Fisherman’s Village at Bophut Beach, where traditional shophouses have been converted into cool boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
Animal Attractions
Feed and walk with rescued elephants at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary.
Shopping
The shopping scene in Chaweng is just as enticing, with boutiques brimming with souvenirs, trendy clothes, and trinkets for parents, plus toy stores and ice-cream for kids. Kids will also get a thrill out of seeing things like fried worms and grasshoppers for sale at Lamai Night Market.
Island day trips
Book a boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park to explore some of the 42 islands in the archipelago, which feature limestone cliffs, caves and waterfalls.
👉 KEEP EXPLORING: More things to do in Koh Samui with kids
Resorts in Phuket vs Koh Samui
Phuket is home to more than 1600 resorts. Typically, they are larger than those in Koh Samui, with drawcards such as water parks. Koh Samui has around 600 resorts, and while they tend to be smaller than those in Phuket, they’re often more affordable too.
Family resorts in Phuket
Some of the best include Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket on Karon Beach, which was built in the classic Sino-Portuguese architectural that characterises Phuket Town and has a large pool with a lazy river and waterslide, a bright and colourful kids’ club, an award-winning spa, SPA Cenvaree, and several restaurants.
Centara Karon Resort Phuket, which underwent a major refurbishment in 2024, has three pools (all with swim-up bars), waterslides and an awesome kids’ club. A little further south, Centara Kata Resort Phuket is a short walk or free shuttle ride away from the two-kilometre-long Kata Beach. It has a waterslide, a separate childrens’ pool, a small toddler pool with a mushroom waterfall, and a jacuzzi. There are also two age-specific kids’ clubs.
👉 KEEP EXPLORING: Phuket’s best family resorts – waterslides included!
Family resorts in Koh Samui
Set amidst tropical gardens on the southern tip of the island near Lamai Beach, Centara Villas Samui has 102 contemporary villas that blend in with the environment, cascading down a gentle hillside to the resort’s private beach. There are three freshwater pools to swim in, a playground, a full-service spa, a gym and three restaurants.
Located on the quieter end of Chaweng Beach, the luxurious Centara Reserve Samui blends colonial-style architecture with contemporary design. The reimagined resort offers exclusive suites and villas that come with ‘Reserve Hosts’. Choose between pool access rooms ideal for families or splash out on one of the ocean-facing villas. It also has a kids’ club and huge outdoor wet area for littlies, as well as a swim-up pool bar and an adults-only pool.
👉 KEEP EXPLORING: Samui’s best family resorts and villas
Best time of year to visit Phuket vs Koh Samui
The seasons vary greatly in Phuket and Koh Samui. Phuket’s dry season and high season is from November to March, and its wet season is from June to October. Koh Samui’s dry season is from January to April, and the wet season runs from November through December.
July and August are considered the best months to visit weather-wise, but it’s also peak season, so resorts are busier and prices are higher.
In partnership with Centara Hotels & Resorts
More Thailand family holiday destinations
Wondering how Koh Samui and Phuket compare to Thailand’s other holiday hotspots? Find out in our destination guides:
Opening image: Water sports at Centara Villas Samui
