Koh Samui

When is the best time to film in Koh Samui?

The best time to film in Koh Samui is usually from January to September, when the Gulf of Thailand is generally drier. The heaviest rain tends to come from around October to December, when the northeast monsoon arrives with rough seas that can cancel boat days. That pattern is what makes Samui useful: when Phuket and Krabi enter their monsoon from May, Samui is often still dry and calm. Mornings are calmest on the water; afternoon wind can make boat footage choppy.

Which shots work best in Koh Samui?

The shots that work best in Koh Samui are slow ones: villas, water and the island's temples, rather than crowded party scenes.

• Villas and resorts on quiet bays, filmed early in the morning when the pool and the sea are still
• Ang Thong National Marine Park by boat: limestone islands, a steep viewpoint climb and an enclosed emerald lake where swimming is not allowed
• Fisherman's Village in Bophut, with its old wooden shophouses and the evening walking street
• The Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) and the colourful Wat Plai Laem nearby, best in late-afternoon light
• Hin Ta and Hin Yai, the rock formations at Lamai, which most audiences find funny
• The Secret Buddha Garden, a sculpture garden in the hills reached by a steep road
• The Na Muang waterfalls in the interior, at their fullest after rain
• Coconut groves and the island's long coconut-farming history

What does a hosted day on Koh Samui look like?

A hosted day on Koh Samui moves at an easy pace. A boat day to Ang Thong starts with a hotel pick-up and a run out across the water, with time to kayak, climb to the viewpoint and swim before the return in the afternoon. On land days you might film a wellness session in the morning, rest through the midday heat, and spend late afternoon at a temple or viewpoint before sunset. The plan, including what is covered and what is a personal extra, is in your itinerary before you travel.

Getting around Koh Samui

Getting around Koh Samui is by road on the island and by boat to everything else. Samui has its own airport with limited routes; other travellers arrive by ferry from the mainland near Surat Thani. Flights and ferries to the island are your cost. On the island, transfers to the hotel and agreed activities are in a private vehicle. The ring road is busiest around Chaweng and Lamai; the north and west coasts are quieter. Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are a ferry ride away if your trip extends beyond Samui.

Etiquette and filming rules on Koh Samui

• Ang Thong is a national park: entry fees apply and are covered only if the activity includes them, and drones need permission.
• Villa and resort shoots follow the property's rules on guests, drones and other people in frame. Ask before filming staff.
• Temple dress codes apply at the Big Buddha and the island's other temples, even when you arrive straight from the beach.
• Do not touch or stand on coral when snorkelling.
• Treatment rooms and retreats are private spaces. Film only what the practitioner and other guests agree to.

Which content angles suit Koh Samui?

The content angles that suit Koh Samui are slow and personal: a day that starts with yoga and ends at a temple, a villa seen at three times of day, or the island's coconut culture told by the people who farm it. Party content exists here too, but Samui's strength is the quieter side, which also sets it apart from what most audiences have already seen of Thailand's islands.

How Koh Samui fits a multi-stop trip

Koh Samui fits a multi-stop trip as the Gulf-coast alternative to the Andaman islands. Pair it with Bangkok for a city-and-island trip, or with Chiang Mai for a slower, wellness-led route. Between May and October it often replaces Phuket when the Andaman monsoon makes boat days unreliable.

Wellness and luxury are the niches that suit Samui best; the wellness page covers what films well and which claims to avoid. Check the programme for what your tier covers before you apply.