Major city · Thailand
Choeng Monเชิงมน
Base here 3–4 nights if you want a quiet family beach with resort comfort; skip it if you want nightlife or cheap rooms — those are in Chaweng.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- THB
- Best months
- Feb–Sep (Gulf coast dry season)
- avoid Oct–Dec (northeast monsoon, choppy water)
- Airport
- USM
- Nights
- 3–4
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Thailand ↗Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
- Thailand ↗Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
- Thailand ↗Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
- Thailand ↗E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.
Choeng Mon is a crescent of bays on Ko Samui's northeast coast, 15 minutes from the airport and 5 minutes from Big Buddha. It is a resort strip first and a village second: a handful of upscale hotels between a 500 m beach and Highway 4171, with almost no budget beds left. Come for calm water, kayaks to the Ko Fan islets and easy family days; go elsewhere for bars and street food.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Choeng Mon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿).Thailand-wide
- SIM or eSIMAIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.Thailand-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Thailand-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 (≈ US$1–4) or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.Thailand-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B/C/O. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Thailand-wide
- SafetyVery safe for a beach resort; the real risks are motorbike accidents on Highway 4171 (≈ US$130), rip currents in the monsoon, and unmarked taxi fares…
- RestroomsWestern toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops.Thailand-wide
- Emergency numbers191 police · 1669 (≈ US$55) ambulance · 1155 (≈ US$40) tourist police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany Bangkok street-food vendors stay off the main roads on Mondays (street-cleaning day in several districts)…Thailand-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportUSM Samui International Airport (About 15 min by car; Choeng Mon sits outside the flight path.).
- Getting aroundThe area is small enough to walk: beach to main road is about 100 m.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealGrilled chicken skewer from a street stall฿20 (≈ under US$1)
- BeerDraught beer / cocktail at a beach bar฿90–150 (≈ US$3–5)฿200–300 (≈ US$7–10)
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miGrab, Choeng Mon to Chawengcheck฿250–400 (≈ US$8–13)
- Budget bedGuesthouse or budget room, a night, per room฿900 (≈ US$30)
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse or budget room, a night, per room฿1,400 (≈ US$45)
- High-end bedGuesthouse or budget room, a night, per room฿2,200 (≈ US$70)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ฿1,500 (≈ US$50) · Mid ฿3,500 (≈ US$110) · High ฿9,000 (≈ US$300)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- USM Samui International Airport (About 15 min by car; Choeng Mon sits outside the flight path.)
Weather and climate
Choeng Mon: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
29°C84°F
24°C75°F
9 rd
Feb
30°C86°F
25°C77°F
5 rd
Mar
31°C88°F
25°C77°F
5 rd
Apr
32°C90°F
26°C79°F
8 rd
May
32°C90°F
26°C79°F
14 rd
Jun
32°C90°F
26°C79°F
14 rd
Jul
32°C90°F
25°C77°F
15 rd
Aug
31°C88°F
25°C77°F
15 rd
Sep
31°C88°F
25°C77°F
16 rd
Oct
30°C86°F
24°C75°F
18 rd
Nov
29°C84°F
24°C75°F
18 rd
Dec
29°C84°F
24°C75°F
13 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The area is small enough to walk: beach to main road is about 100 m. Songthaews rarely pass because Choeng Mon is off the island loop road, so use Grab or a metered taxi, or rent a car or motorbike for your stay. Distances: Big Buddha 5 min, Chaweng about 15 min, Nathon about 45 min.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Big Buddha (Bang Rak)
goDoor to door: About 15 min
Taxi or Grab, 5 min
Go early or at sunset; shoulders and knees covered.
Door to door: About 20 min
Taxi or Grab, about 15 min
Samui's busiest beach, bars and shopping; go for the evening, not the day.
Bophut and Fisherman's Village
goDoor to door: About 25 min
Taxi or Grab, about 20 min
Friday walking street; restaurants on the water.
Door to door: About 35 min
Taxi or Grab, about 30 min
Fine for a half day; the return fare adds up.
Mae Nam
goDoor to door: About 25 min
Taxi or Grab, about 20 min
Quieter north-coast beach, good for a slow lunch.
Ang Thong Marine Park
goDoor to door: Full day
Day boat from Bang Rak or Nathon, hotel pickup
Book a day ahead; seasick-prone travellers should sit at the back.
Door to door: Half day
Ferry from Bang Rak or Nathon, 1.5–2 h
Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep there.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Beachfront strip (west end)
Kimpton and Sala Samui side; walk straight onto the sand, highest rates.
Beachfront strip (east end)
Melia and the road to Cape Fahn; family resorts with pools and kids clubs.
Highway 4171 side streets
Set back about 100 m from the shore; cheaper rooms, walk 2–5 min to the beach.
Tongsai Bay
Separate bay north of Choeng Mon; quiet, but every trip out needs a taxi.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ฿1,200–2,000 (≈ US$40–65) excl. bed
- Mid
- ฿2,500–4,500 (≈ US$80–140) excl. bed
- High
- ฿6,000 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Midrange hotel double1 × 3 nights × ฿4,000 | ฿12,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ฿3,500 | ฿21,000 |
| Airport transfer, both ways2 × ฿600 · check | ฿1,200 |
| Motorbike rental, one day2 × ฿300 · check | ฿600 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ฿400 | ฿800 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ฿3,560 |
| Trip total≈ ฿6,530 per person per day, bed included | ฿39,160≈ US$1,300 |
2026 estimate in baht; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Beach massage, 1 hour฿200 on the main road; hotel spas from ฿3,000. | ฿300 (≈ US$10) |
| Thai main dish, local restaurant | ฿100–180 (≈ US$4–6) |
| Grilled chicken skewer from a street stall | ฿20 (≈ under US$1) |
| Beachfront restaurant main | ฿250–500 (≈ US$8–16) |
| Draught beer / cocktail at a beach bar | ฿90–150 (≈ US$3–5) / ฿200–300 (≈ US$7–10) |
| Kayak hire, 1 hourcheck | ฿200–300 (≈ US$7–10) |
| Grab, Choeng Mon to Chawengcheck | ฿250–400 (≈ US$8–13) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Songthaews are rare here — do not plan on flagging one down.
- East wind makes the water choppy and snorkelling visibility near zero.
- Do not walk above the high-tide mark on Ko Fan Yai: most of the island is a private resort.
- Beach restaurants charge a view premium for mediocre food; the main road is better value.
- Budget and midrange guesthouses closed in large numbers after 2020; book ahead.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 191
- Ambulance
- 1669
- Tourist police
- 1155
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Choeng Monเชิงมน
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ไปที่ที่อยู่นี้To this address, please
Emergency
- Police191
- Ambulance1669
- Tourist police1155
Embassy
No embassies on Samui; most countries handle consular cases through the embassy in Bangkok (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Samui Airport → Choeng Mon: about ฿400–600 (≈ US$13–19) by taxi, 15 min (check)
- Grab, Choeng Mon → Chaweng: ฿250–400 (≈ US$8–13), about 15 min (check)
- Ferry, Bang Rak → Ko Tao: about ฿600–900 (≈ US$19–30), 1.5–2 h (check)
Say or show
- สวัสดี — Hello (sawatdee)
- ขอบคุณ — Thank you (khop khun)
- เท่าไหร่ — How much is it? (tao rai)
- ไม่เผ็ด — Not spicy, please (mai phet)
- ห้องน้ำอยู่ไหน — Where is the toilet? (hong nam yu nai)
- จ่ายบัตรได้ไหม — Can I pay by card? (jai bat dai mai)
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Choeng Mon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Feb–Sep (Gulf coast dry season) · avoid Oct–Dec (northeast monsoon, choppy water) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 7 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for USM: last transfer times, Grab fallback, late-arrival rung.
- Walking clusters: beach strip, Highway 4171, Big Buddha, Tongsai Bay.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Ko Fan islets, Big Buddha, massage tents) and eat pages with last orders.
- Monsoon and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.