Ko Samui Flights

The quikest way to Samui is by plane and mostly this is done by flying into Bangkok then changing to a small domestic flight...........it takes about 1 hour.
Remember when you leave Samui on your journey home there is a tax of 500 TB

Ko Samui Airport (Code: USM –Na Thon Airport):

Samui's unique airport is located approx. 2km north of Chaweng beach. It was built in the mid 1980s. Believe whatever you've heard about this little gem: this airport really is cute, small, picturesque and pretty unusual!

As the plane starts its gradual descent you get a fantastic bird's eye view of Samui & all the other outlying islands. During landing it is worth a look out of your window, because you land in the middle of a tropical vegetation with a magnificent sight of Big Buddha (15 metres high in Lamai).

Bangkok Airways is the main airline to fly to Ko Samui and subsequently owns this airport. The flight with Bangkok Airways was typically "touristy": cramped, sweaty and too floral (Hawaiian shirts!) but pleasant enough for such a short distance. We had a slightly bumpy ride, but nothing out of the ordinary. And for that extra holiday-feeling: Nothing says *tourist* more than people applauding a pilot's landing... haha!

There are no indoor areas, merely two (2) terminals comprising of a group of thatched huts with palm leaf roofs, no walls, no "boarding gates". How do you get to and from you plane? On a small vehicle with wooden benches (plastic curtains draped on either side protected us from the rains :-) The ground staff were very friendly and helpful.

Some of my favourite memories are
> running from one roofed area to the next during sudden torrential monsoon rains.
> waiting to board out plane to Bangkok, sharing the rest of John's hot dog with 2 of the stray dogs, patiently sitting next to us.
> Sharing the rest of the hot dog bun with 5 parrots that had come to say "bon voyage".
> Enjoying some last-minute-tanning time on the grass.

Airport departure fee: 500 Baht (no charge for arrivals).

Located 2km north of chaweng beach Samui airport is one of the most beautiful and graphic airports I have seen so far,with no indoor areas, two terminals (domestic and international) and rise palm roofs

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Bangkok Airways built its first airport at Koh Samui and it owns it so it's the only airline to fly there. The airport is the custest I ever saw. Very tropical with coconut trees and nice gardens, very colourful.

Located within the airport, passengers can dine on delicious traditional Thai cuisine at its open-air Thai restaurant. The latest additional to Samui Airport is the “Soul to Sole” spa where passengers can loosen up to a traditional Thai massage before boarding their flight.

Bangkok Airways is the only airline to fly to Ko Samui. It's a boutique airline with great service ( even provides free drinks and snacks at the airport before entering the aircraft) and nice colourful aircrafts.

Being the only airline to fly from Bangkok to Samui it , flights are rather expensive compared to other islands. A return ticket costs around $190. Sometimes they offer promotions so I advise you to subscribe to their newsletter.

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Samui International Airport - The airport was built and is owned by Bangkok Airlines.

I have already said this elsewhere, but this is the coolest airport ever. All the buildings are simple thatch roofs with no walls. The staff is all dressed in big bright island shirts and the whole airport experience is a fresh breeze compared to anywhere else.

We arrived in fair weather and I suppose it could get interesting during a good monsoon downpour with a bit of wind to whip the rain under the roofs.

I include photographs of the main arrivals terminal, the duty free shop in the international departures lounge and the tram-like carts used as apron transport.

From what I have read it is considerably more expensive to fly directly here as compared to a flight to Surat Thani due to Bangkok Airlines' monopoly on the airport. We have no complaints about Bangkok Airlines and enjoyed the Samui Airport experience.

If you budget is a bit tighter you could fly to Surat Thani and catch a hour and a half long ferry ride to Koh Samui

If you are into airports and aviation it will be worth your while to go and check it out even if you don't fly into Koh Samui.

I saw a Cessna Grand Caravan equipped with pontoons for hire on the apron. This will be a novel and enjoyable way to see the islands but will probably cost and arm and a leg.

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There is just one airline that services the island of Koh Samui and that is Bangkok Airways.
They mostly run Boeng 717's but have some smaller planes that fly to Pattaya (U-Tapio)once a day.
The airport at Samui is no more than a group of grass thatched huts all joined together without walls.
The transport from the plane to the terminal hut is nothing more than a luggage cart with benchseats.
Very funny to see but very practical.

A recently introduced service provided by Bangkok air & particapating international airlines (except Qantas ) is the option of checking your bags through to your next destination when leaving Koh Samui.

There is a sign next to the check in desk listing particapating airlines, most times Bangkok air staff will offer you this option but if they don`t, ask them. Then you are given a sticker & you become a CIQ passenger which means that you go through customs at Samui instead of BKK , it also means that you only have to pay the one departure tax 500THB same as you would in BKK this saves you having to pay that lovely? 300 THB Samui departure tax.
You then proceed to the international terminal (NO 2 it`s called ) check your bags through customs & wait till your picked up seperate from the other people not using this option.When your plane lands in Bkk you are taken to a seperate bus and ferried to the international tterminal for check in to your next destination,the only requirement is that you have to stay in the transit area as you have already cleared & been stamped by customs in Samui.
This option is excellant as you don`t see your main luggage till your at your next destination (very handy after a holiday of shopping )