Koh Samui (USM): a private airport with no indoor terminal
Bangkok Airways built and owns this airport, which is why the fares are what they are and why the terminal is a set of open-sided pavilions rather than a building.
- The airport is privately owned and was built by Bangkok Airways, construction starting in 1982 and the airport opening in April 1989.
- The terminal is open-air. There is no indoor area except the gift shop, which is unusual and genuinely pleasant.
- It is about 4 km north of Chaweng, the main beach.
- Songthaews leave from outside arrivals for Chaweng and Lamai, taking 15 to 30 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes, with fewer in the evening.
- A shared minivan to Chaweng is about 150 to 200 baht.
- A metered taxi is about 500 baht to Chaweng and about 700 to Lamai or Nathon.
- A private minivan for up to six is about 800 to 1,000 baht to Chaweng.
- Because Bangkok Airways owns the airport, it dominates the schedule, with more than 15 daily flights from the mainland; Thai Airways runs two a day from Bangkok.
- International routes go to Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.
- It is the sixth busiest airport in Thailand, with over a million passengers a year.
A private airport, and what follows from that
- Bangkok Airways built Samui airport itself. Construction began in 1982 and it opened in April 1989, and the airline still owns and operates it.
- That explains the schedule. Bangkok Airways runs more than 15 daily flights from the mainland; Thai Airways has two a day from Bangkok, and the rest is a thin list.
- It also explains the fares. Flights to Samui are expensive by Thai standards, and the alternative is a flight to Surat Thani and a ferry.
- The terminal is open-air. There is no indoor area except the gift shop: you walk through open-sided tropical pavilions with fans and gardens. It is one of the nicest airports in Asia to be delayed at.
Getting to your beach
| Option | To Chaweng | To Lamai or Nathon |
|---|---|---|
| Songthaew | part of the loop route | part of the loop route |
| Shared minivan | 150 to 200 THB | more |
| Metered taxi | about 500 THB | about 700 THB |
| Private minivan, up to 6 | 800 to 1,000 THB | more |
- Chaweng is only about 4 km away, which makes the taxi fare look steep and is exactly why the shared options exist.
- Songthaews leave from the stop outside the arrivals terminal, take 15 to 30 minutes and run about every 30 minutes, thinning out in the evening.
- The red line route runs airport, Chaweng, Lamai, Lipa Noi, Nathon, which is most of the places you would want.
- A shared minivan waits until it fills, up to about 20 minutes, which is the trade for the price.
Onward to the other islands
- Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are ferries from Nathon, Maenam or Bangrak depending on the operator.
- A taxi to the pier is the 700 baht end of the scale, and the ferries stop in the late afternoon, so a late arrival means a night on Samui.
The alternative
- Surat Thani airport on the mainland plus a bus and ferry is dramatically cheaper and takes most of a day. That is the real trade-off with flying into Samui, and for a short trip the direct flight usually wins.
Comments
No comments yet. Share the first one.
Share a tip
Sign in to continue.