Send flowers to Koh Samui เกาะสมุย

An island of 228 square kilometres, circled by one road

Koh Samui lies off the east coast in Surat Thani province and is the second largest island in Thailand after Phuket, at about 228.7 square kilometres. A ring road of about 51 km circles the coast and a tall jungle interior rises to Khao Pom at 635 metres. About 70,000 people live here.

Where Phuket is a set of separate bays behind hills, Samui is simpler to picture: a round island with a road around it. The question is which stretch of the ring road the recipient is on.

The beach areas, one by one

On the north coast are Mae Nam and Bophut, quieter and with a fishing village feel. On the east are the busy beaches of Chaweng, the island's main tourist strip, and Lamai a little south of it. Nathon on the west coast is the administrative town and the main ferry port. In the south and west there are smaller coves and villa estates.

When you write an address for Samui, give the beach name first (เฉวง is Chaweng) and the resort or villa after it. Samui has seven sub-districts, and a villa in the hills above Chaweng may have a different sub-district than a bungalow on the sand, so the sub-district alone is less helpful than the beach.

Piers, ferries and the airport

Almost everything bigger than a parcel comes by sea or by air. The island has several piers: Nathon on the west coast is the main mainland ferry terminal, Maenam on the north coast serves the boats to neighbouring islands, Bangrak in the north-east near the Big Buddha is the closest pier to the airport, and Chaweng and Thong Krut on the east and south coasts serve day-trip boats.

For a sender this has a simple meaning: your flowers may travel on a ferry before they reach the beach. The florist handles that, but a late change of address makes it harder, so confirm the beach and the villa name before ordering. The longer overview is in the guide to ordering from abroad.

Resorts, villas and the long driveway

Samui is a place of resorts and private villas, many of them on a steep drive from the ring road. The front desk of a resort handles guest deliveries. A villa in a private estate may have a gate house, a manager and a separate phone number, so ask the guest which one is right. The hotels and condos guide covers what to write on the order.

If the recipient is in a rental villa booked through a website, the owner is often not on site. Ask for the exact name of the villa and a mobile number of the caretaker.

The next island over: Koh Phangan and Koh Tao

Koh Phangan lies north of Samui, with Koh Tao further north, and the three are linked by regular ferry and speedboat. Koh Phangan has its main town at Thong Sala and is known for its Full Moon Party. If your recipient is staying there, or on Koh Tao, tell the florist clearly. Those islands are a separate delivery, not a stop on the Samui ring road.

The island keeps its own local customs too, among them a ritual called Loy Khro and a cuisine with dishes such as yam rad ley. You do not need to know them to send flowers, but they are a reminder that Samui is a place with residents and traditions of its own, not only a resort strip, and that people who live here may want a different gift than a visitor on holiday.

Likewise, a wedding on a beach in the south with guests at a hotel on the north coast is two addresses. Order separately, with the beach name for each.