Ko Samui remains relatively unspoilt in the main. Pristine, near deserted beaches can be found just a few miles from major resorts, and the interior of the island is very sparsely populated.

It is one of the prettiest islands in Thailand. The interior has jungle-like hillsides and cool waterfalls whose beauty is rivaled by few other places in the country. Snorkeling and scuba diving are close at hand.

The eastern coast of the Samui Island is lined with many Haats, or beachfronts, the most famous of them being Chaweng Beach and Lamai Beach. These sections of the coastline have the clearest blue-green water but are also the most commercially developed.