Fast facts for the seventh edition: The Koh Samui Guide includes 84,045 words, 753 photos and 26 detailed Koh Samui maps in a 393-page instant PDF download. It’s the result of 16 years’ Koh Samui experience (including 7 years of non-stop guide book updates) and has readers in 96 countries!
The Koh Samui Guide
- 393 A4 pages (84,045 words)
- 26 detailed Koh Samui maps
- 1 instant PDF download
After months of top-secret updating, we can finally reveal: The Koh Samui Guide’s 7th edition is ready for its debut. It’s…
- 134% longer than last year’s version;
- 14% as long as War and Peace – but much more readable;
- and why we currently have a four-cup-a-day coffee habit. (Haha it’s actually five).
See what’s new in the very first sneak-peek of The Koh Samui Guide 2020 edition…
Massive overhaul = complete
The Koh Samui Guide seventh edition is bigger, better and more helpful than ever. The past two months have been a blur of spreadsheets, checklists and every Adobe product on the market. (Want to talk object styles? Keyboard shortcuts? Baseline grids? We could discuss ‘stroke styles’ for hours … but that’s probably not something to type on a Thailand travel blog). We’re emerging into bright sunlight today after weeks of fact-checking, editing and harassing friends and family into “just one more” proof-read. We can’t wait for you to enjoy the result – and an even better Samui vacation.
New! Photos, photos, more photos
A whopping 753 photos show you Samui exactly as you’ll find it. You asked for more photos and you wanted them big – no problem, wish granted. (You didn’t say “please helpfully caption each and every piece of delicious fried Thai food so I can find it and eat it myself” … but we took the liberty).
New! Even more research!
Seat-belted and with a suitable soundtrack, we’ve explored Samui even further; filled four notebooks, an entire Dropbox of storage (well, the free kind) and a rental car glovebox with new discoveries, brochures and sticky fingerprints (‘nam prik pao’ sauce will do that to you).
New! Island maps
Twenty-six Koh Samui maps make it easier than ever to find your way from A to B – starting at Koh Samui Airport. Get from here to there with easy navigation markers (“Turn at the 7-Eleven!”) to find the island’s best restaurants, bars and more. A total labour of love – we slogged it out with Illustrator to bring you twenty-six updated island maps.
New! Restaurants, bars and cafés
Are we good to you or what? While the rest of the world exercises off the holidays (and other noble resolutions), we’ve been eating and eating… “island research” to totally update The Koh Samui Guide. Our shorts don’t fit – but we’re certain it’s worth it.
New! Hotel and beach details
Better beach-by-beach comparisons mean even less stress to choose your base, with brand new hotel recommendations. Want to sleep in a shipping container or enjoy an adults-only resort? You’ll find plenty of options for both (with, of course, tons of super options for families, too).
New! Even more things to do
Did you think bird-watching tips was as niche as it could get? Nope. Find even more ways to be as lazy as you like (or a few ways to develop what we can only assume would be some impressive abdominals).
New! More helpful tips
Helpful tips, FAQs and how-to boxes mean you can easily skim need-to-know details.
New! Updated checklists
Got a rainy day? See the updated checklist of wet-weather things to do (equally useful when you’re trying to stay out of the sun). Plus, an even longer checklist of things to do as a family. Our list of birds seen on Koh Samui has jumped by 23%, too … now at a whopping forty-two feathered friends.
Get Your Guide
So, how to get your copy of The Koh Samui Guide? You get instant access to your download link immediately after purchase. No physical product is shipped to you, so you don’t have to wait – you can start reading right now. Enjoy!


