Koh Samui vs Koh Lanta
The short answer
Koh Lanta is the cheaper trip, by roughly 36% a day — $22–55 against $30–75 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in Dec–Apr, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇹🇭 Koh Samui | 🇹🇭 Koh Lanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $30–75 | $22–55cheaper |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $1.50–3 | $1.20–3cheaper |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $50–115 | $34–74cheaper |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $1–4cheaper | $1.50–4 |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $480 | ≈ $400 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
Thailand's second-biggest island, and its most polished — coconut groves giving way to resort strips, a golden Big Buddha watching over the northeast coast, and an easy, no-boat-required flight straight in.
- Ark Bar$$Beach clubs
- The Shack$$Restaurants
- Green Mango$$Nightlife
- Nikki Beach$$$Beach clubs
- 2 Fishes$$Restaurants
🇹🇭 Koh Lanta
A long, laid-back island south of Krabi that takes real effort to reach and rewards it — quiet west-coast beaches, a stilted Sino-Thai fishing village, and a slower pace than Phuket or Krabi ever offer.
- Pangea Beach Bar$$Beach bars
- Apsara$$Restaurants
- Lanta Old Town Street Market$Markets & culture
- Funky Monkey$Beach bars
- Krua Lanta Yai$$Restaurants
Practicalities
| Koh Samui | Koh Lanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Thai. English is widespread in Chaweng, Bophut, and Lamai; thinner in the interior. | Thai, with a sizable Muslim Malay-Thai fishing community, especially around Old Town. English is decent on the main west-coast beaches, thinner elsewhere. |
| Tap water | Don't drink it — bottled water is sold everywhere, often free at hotels | Don't drink it — bottled water is sold everywhere |
| Emergency | 191 police · 1669 ambulance · 1155 tourist police (English) | 191 police · 1669 ambulance · 1155 tourist police (English). Serious medical cases are transferred to Krabi Town, about 1.5–2 hours away. |
The same in both:
- Currency
- Thai baht (฿). US$1 ≈ ฿35
- Time zone
- ICT (UTC+7)
- Power
- 220V; outlets take most two-pin plugs (A/C hybrids)