Koh Samui

[Dorset Cruiser]

Whereabouts on Koh Samui is the cruise ship terminal?

 

 

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[OzKiwiJJ]

Ko Samui is a tender port. The tender wharf is at Nathon, on the western side of the island.

[villauk]

Any recommended tour operators/tours for Koh Samui? We're looking at the island tour with the elephant visit from the ship, but X want $120pp and there are 7 possibly 8 in our group. Would welcome any ideas - we also have teens in our party ;). I have contacted Mr Samui (recommended on Tripadvisor), but have not had a reply. Wondered what others had done whilst there? TIA.

[obsessionr]

Have a tour booked in Koh Samui with elephant trek for February. The website is http://www.tourskohsamui.com Just go on their sight and look at 4x4 trekking. The jeep takes 8 people max. You will have to put down a deposit to reserve the vehicle and guide, but the cost was about $45 per person including elephant trek and lunch. What a steal compared to ship tours. Have read great reviews on cruise critic about this company.

[villauk]

Have a tour booked in Koh Samui with elephant trek for February. The website is http://www.tourskohsamui.com Just go on their sight and look at 4x4 trekking. The jeep takes 8 people max. You will have to put down a deposit to reserve the vehicle and guide, but the cost was about $45 per person including elephant trek and lunch. What a steal compared to ship tours. Have read great reviews on cruise critic about this company.

 

Thanks, have emailed them an enquiry :).

[garf1108]

I booked one on Viator.

[deefer]

Have a tour booked in Koh Samui with elephant trek for February. The website is www.tourskohsamui.com Just go on their sight and look at 4x4 trekking. The jeep takes 8 people max. You will have to put down a deposit to reserve the vehicle and guide, but the cost was about $45 per person including elephant trek and lunch. What a steal compared to ship tours. Have read great reviews on cruise critic about this company.

 

 

Please come back after your cruise and let us know what this tour was like (I think you may be on the cruise right now - hope you are enjoying it!)

 

We are looking at booking this same excursion - although I am interested in the entire 4x4 experience, what I am very curious about is how the elephants are treated - I was put off when doing research about how poorly elephants were treated in some of the parks. The tourskosamui website stated that where they go for the elephant trek the animals are treated better - what was your experience?

 

Hope you had an awesome time:)

[CruisinSinceAge5]

Please come back after your cruise and let us know what this tour was like (I think you may be on the cruise right now - hope you are enjoying it!)

 

We are looking at booking this same excursion - although I am interested in the entire 4x4 experience, what I am very curious about is how the elephants are treated - I was put off when doing research about how poorly elephants were treated in some of the parks. The tourskosamui website stated that where they go for the elephant trek the animals are treated better - what was your experience?

 

Hope you had an awesome time:)

 

 

On February 7th, 6 of us took the PRIVATE tour with Tours Koh Samui. We paid 11100 Thai Bahts - about $317 for 6. We could have easily accommodated more in the van as it was quite spacious. The vehicle, driver, and guide were EXCELLENT. The guide’s name is Nikie Takako Jang. She goes by Nid. We made a 3500TB deposit. We visited the rock formations, mummified monk temple, monkeys picking coconuts, Namuang waterfall, had a delicious lunch at the waterfall, did the elephant trek and found that they are well treated, and stopped at a beach. The guide was one of the best I’ve encountered and we take private tours everywhere we go. At the elephant trek for a small price they will take your picture. They do a great job with this and everyone bought their pictures. We had a wonderful time. The couples we were with we met on cruisecritic.

[marty's mom]

On February 7th' date=' 6 of us took the PRIVATE tour with Tours Koh Samui. We paid 11100 Thai Bahts - about $317 for 6. We could have easily accommodated more in the van as it was quite spacious. The vehicle, driver, and guide were EXCELLENT. The guide’s name is Nikie Takako Jang. She goes by Nid. We made a 3500TB deposit. We visited the rock formations, mummified monk temple, monkeys picking coconuts, Namuang waterfall, had a delicious lunch at the waterfall, did the elephant trek and found that they are well treated, and stopped at a beach. The guide was one of the best I’ve encountered and we take private tours everywhere we go. At the elephant trek for a small price they will take your picture. They do a great job with this and everyone bought their pictures. We had a wonderful time. The couples we were with we met on cruisecritic.[/quote']

 

 

contact info?

[CruisinSinceAge5]

tks@tourskohsamui.com

[Trend]

Looking for a good beach or hotel beach for a few hours as our ship has a short stop.

[villauk]

On February 7th' date=' 6 of us took the PRIVATE tour with Tours Koh Samui. We paid 11100 Thai Bahts - about $317 for 6. We could have easily accommodated more in the van as it was quite spacious. The vehicle, driver, and guide were EXCELLENT. The guide’s name is Nikie Takako Jang. She goes by Nid. We made a 3500TB deposit. We visited the rock formations, mummified monk temple, monkeys picking coconuts, Namuang waterfall, had a delicious lunch at the waterfall, did the elephant trek and found that they are well treated, and stopped at a beach. The guide was one of the best I’ve encountered and we take private tours everywhere we go. At the elephant trek for a small price they will take your picture. They do a great job with this and everyone bought their pictures. We had a wonderful time. The couples we were with we met on cruisecritic.[/quote']

 

 

We took the same tour back in December. Whilst the tour was good, I'll be honest and say that Koh Samui was not how I imagined it to be - certainly not the island paradise I was expecting (I know others may have a different opinion). Agree about the elephant trek, it was very good ;). Another one off our bucket list :).

[CruisinSinceAge5]

The six of us who took the Koh Samui tour were pleasantly surprised. We thought that it would be what we call “ a throwaway port” yet we had a fantastic day. The tour guide we had made it very pleasant. Whilst I wold agree that it’s not a picturesque island paradise all of the things we did were interesting and fun.

[el barco]

We were on Celebrity Constellation and were in koh Samui on the 27th Feb 2017. We used Michelle of Samui explorer, email samuiexplorer@hotmail.com. She was very fast to respond to all our questions and put us an itinerary together to do what we wanted, which was visit Big Buddha, Wat Plai Leam and some beach time at a good hotel with lunch. A driver met us at the pier and we had a lovely day with lunch and beach/pool at Royal Muang Samui resort. We paid 3000 thai baht for the driver which equals approx £70 or $84, and bought lunch at the resort to cover the use of resort, I think this was about 1400 thai baht. Could not recommend Michelle enough very fast response to emails and sorted an itinerary to do what we wanted. Or there was an option of a pre organised tour to do the elephant trekking.

[herdingdogmom]

On 3/10/2017 at 2:23 AM, el barco said:

We were on Celebrity Constellation and were in koh Samui on the 27th Feb 2017. We used Michelle of Samui explorer, email samuiexplorer@hotmail.com. She was very fast to respond to all our questions and put us an itinerary together to do what we wanted, which was visit Big Buddha, Wat Plai Leam and some beach time at a good hotel with lunch. A driver met us at the pier and we had a lovely day with lunch and beach/pool at Royal Muang Samui resort. We paid 3000 thai baht for the driver which equals approx £70 or $84, and bought lunch at the resort to cover the use of resort, I think this was about 1400 thai baht. Could not recommend Michelle enough very fast response to emails and sorted an itinerary to do what we wanted. Or there was an option of a pre organised tour to do the elephant trekking.

 

Thank you so much for recommending Samui Explorer.  When our cruise ship tour was cancelled three before our cruise in March, I contacted Michelle.  She responded quickly but did not have a private guide available for the day we would be there.  She arranged a driver for us and put together an itinerary.  There were going to be 3 large cruise ships tendering that day so guides were hard to come by.  Just before the cruise, Michelle let me know a guide had a cancellation, so we booked him.  The 5 hour tour was 3,500 thb.  Nong met us at the pier and took us all over the island.  He avoided the crowds of buses by calling ahead to the main sights.  He was very knowledgeable about Koh Samui and Thailand.  We highly recommend Nong, Michelle and Samui Explorer.

 

www.samuiislandexplorer.com  or samuiexplorer@gmail.com

[el barco]

Pleased our review helped you, Michelle and co were brilliant and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them

[yoolykeme]

For anyone in the future, here's what I recommend.

 

You can rent a car in advance for like $40 for the whole day.  Granted, they are right hand drive and you have to drive on the left side of the street, but it's the best way to see the island!

[Expat Cruise]

On 4/11/2019 at 1:12 AM, yoolykeme said:

For anyone in the future, here's what I recommend.

 

You can rent a car in advance for like $40 for the whole day.  Granted, they are right hand drive and you have to drive on the left side of the street, but it's the best way to see the island!

Not a good idea for a cruise ship guests. First most rental car companies in Thailand require your passport and hold it while you have the car.  You will not have your passport as the ships holds it.  As a Farang, you are a target for police stops and your 100% responsible for the car, so turn signal not working, you pay a large fine. 

 

If you are involved in any accident you will not be allowed to leave until it is cleared.  And the norm in Thailand for any accident is it is the Farang's fault because it would not happen if they not here.  But even if you get through the day and return the car you may not be clear,  any damage the rental car company claims you are responsible for. They also will set the value of the claim which will be much higher than any damage real or fake on the car. 

 

I lived in Thailand for eight years know and understand the system. It is not a place a tourist wants to be renting, cars, jet skis, etc.  Don't rent a car it is a very bad idea.

 

[yoolykeme]

16 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

 

 

 

Not a good idea for a cruise ship guests. First most rental car companies in Thailand require your passport and hold it while you have the car.  You will not have your passport as the ships holds it.  As a Farang, you are a target for police stops and your 100% responsible for the car, so turn signal not working, you pay a large fine. 

 

If you are involved in any accident you will not be allowed to leave until it is cleared.  And the norm in Thailand for any accident is it is the Farang's fault because it would not happen if they not here.  But even if you get through the day and return the car you may not be clear,  any damage the rental car company claims you are responsible for. They also will set the value of the claim which will be much higher than any damage real or fake on the car. 

 

I lived in Thailand for eight years know and understand the system. It is not a place a tourist wants to be renting, cars, jet skis, etc.  Don't rent a car it is a very bad idea.

 

 

lol, here you go again.

 

Thailand is a country.  People live there.  There are rich people, poor people etc.  They have a governmental system that works for them and many parts of it are well-known vacation areas, including KS.  A tourist can have many levels of service and interaction here and anywhere else in the world.

 

I don't understand the scare-mongering in your posts.  While I agree that laws are different in Thailand than they are in America, why do you make it seem like the entire car rental industry is a front for taking advantage of visitors?  It's not.  You can rent cars here in the same way that you can rent a scooter in Italy.

 

My post was obviously for people that would have researched the area, are confident in their driving skills, and want a different experience from regular group tours.  Anyone reserving a car would of course ask if an international driving permit or a copy of a passport was required.  I was a cruise ship passenger and I was successful in renting a car without having my physical passport, so you're wrong about that.

 

So again, if anyone would like a different experience, and is confident driving in an Asian country, then renting a car is a fun alternative.

 

Again, I'm Filipino by descent.  Would I recommend driving in Manila?  Probably not.  But to make ridiculous assertions that you're going to get screwed by the cops and that you're a target is irresponsible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Expat Cruise]

On 4/13/2019 at 2:44 AM, yoolykeme said:

 

lol, here you go again.

 

Thailand is a country.  People live there.  There are rich people, poor people etc.  They have a governmental system that works for them and many parts of it are well-known vacation areas, including KS.  A tourist can have many levels of service and interaction here and anywhere else in the world.

 

I don't understand the scare-mongering in your posts.  While I agree that laws are different in Thailand than they are in America, why do you make it seem like the entire car rental industry is a front for taking advantage of visitors?  It's not.  You can rent cars here in the same way that you can rent a scooter in Italy.

 

My post was obviously for people that would have researched the area, are confident in their driving skills, and want a different experience from regular group tours.  Anyone reserving a car would of course ask if an international driving permit or a copy of a passport was required.  I was a cruise ship passenger and I was successful in renting a car without having my physical passport, so you're wrong about that.

 

So again, if anyone would like a different experience, and is confident driving in an Asian country, then renting a car is a fun alternative.

 

Again, I'm Filipino by descent.  Would I recommend driving in Manila?  Probably not.  But to make ridiculous assertions that you're going to get screwed by the cops and that you're a target is irresponsible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tourist from cruise ships should not rent cars or another vehicles in Thailand. The risks are to high. You claim to know Thailand, which seems highly unlikely at this point..... I lived in Thailand for eight years know exactly how the country operates and what tourist should and should not do.  Google "Vehicles Rental Problems Thailand"  when the Embassies are tell people to say away from rental operator you know you have a major problem. 

 

Cruise ship guests have limited time and do not want to spend that time dealing with the police. At the least it will cost you a lot of cash, or you could be held and miss the ship. Not worth it to save a couple of dollars. After spending several thousand dollars for a trip only a fool would rent a car in Thailand to try to save small money.