10 cool things to do with the kids in Ko Samui and Koh Phangan

By Charlotte Burgoyne,

Ko Samui is one of the most touristic island of Thailand, and Koh Phangan a refuge for backpackers from around the world, looking wanting to add the very famous full moon parties held on the island. Let's just say, that they are not really my type of places. But since Covid, both of these islands are empty so I thought I'd give them a try. Visited for 2 weeks with my 3 little ones. Here are our top activities to do as a family.

Ko Madsum. Feed pigs randomly living on an inhabited white sandy beach, swing starring at incredible shades of blue, and do a mini hike to an isolated beach filled with corals, and great view points. Many boat tours depart daily from Samui for Madsum.

Ko tan. Touch striped fishes and discover colorful corals while snorkeling. The easiest way to see those with the kids is by jumping from a boat that will take you near the coral reef. They will also provide lifejackets and googles for little ones. For our 2 year old, we brought a transparent round flat buoy from Decathlon, absolutely brilliant as he was too small to use googles.

Silver beach in Ko Samui . A little piece of Seychelles on the island. Shallow warm calm water, huge flat rocks home to crabs, and amazing shades of blue and green. Our favorite beach of Samui!

Spend some time at the Sala Samui Chawadeng. One of the most popular hotel of Ko Samui , thanks to a jaw dropping architecture. You can of course stay there to get the full experience, but be aware that you would be surrounded by young instagram addicts taking pictures of themselves in every corners of the hotel. We preferred coming just for lunch, to take a look at the place. If you can, add a massage at the spa famous for its pink tunnel!

Spot monkeys on the road following the south coast of Koh Phangan. Stop at the Princess Paradise hotel for a scrumptious lunch meters away from the water and enjoy the pretty pool.

Indulge delicious Indian food at Namaskar Indian and Tibetan food, a roadside restaurant surprisingly making the most delicious and biggest naan I have ever seen in a tandoor oven next to your table. For a delicious snack and good Thai food, head to Bliss Cafe right on the water and featuring a big playground for the kids !

Get some awesome parent points by taking your teen to Challenge Koh Phangan, an adventure obstacle course on a water base. Only for kids 10 and up.

Snorkel in Ko Ma, a little island connected by to Koh Phangan by a thin sandy strip. You can either start swimming from its shores preferably with life jackets as you will have to swim quite far out to see marine life. With little ones, hire on of the boats you will find in the bay to take you directly to the best snorkeling spots without having to swim for a while. 

Soft white sand beaches of the Northern part of Koh Phangan. Our favorites with the kids were Thong Nai Pan Yai on the East side and Salad Beach on the West side. On the latest, you will be able to braid your haird, and get a massage right above the water!

Hippie Village! Enjoy the old school vibes, vegan tavernas, cheap smoothies, daily yoga classes and amazing sunset of the West coast of the Koh Phangan, stretching around Chao Phao.

Practical info

  • From November to December, some of the beaches of the West coast of Koh Phangan disappear! The tide is so high that you won’t see any sand for few months. Not ideal with the kids.

  • Koh Phangan is known for its full moon festival happening around Haad Rin every full moon. It is usually loud and teaming with young party animals. Some parents might not find it comfortable with little kids, and might want to stay on the Northern and Western parts of the island.

  • Getting there. To Ko Samui: several flights everyday from Bangkok. To Koh Phangan: by ferry from Ko Samui, they run several times per day. 

  • Getting around. On Samui, you will easily find taxis everywhere. On Koh Phangan, I recommend renting a car or scooters are taxis are expensive and hard to get.

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