WHICH THAI ISLAND IS BEST FOR A FAMILY HOLIDAY?
Their merits are many, so how do you possibly choose between Phuket and Koh Samui in Thailand? We’ve got the lowdown on each to help make your decision that little bit easier
Opening image: Centara Grand Phuket
LOCATION
Phuket
Phuket is one of Thailand’s southern provinces, made up of the island of Phuket and 37 smaller islands in the Andaman Sea off the country’s west coast. Its capital city is Phuket Town. Jetstar offers direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Phuket, which take around nine hours. You can also fly via Singapore with Singapore Airlines or Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines.
Image above: Hat Patong in Phuket
LOCATION
Images below: Kingdom of Lights at Carnival Magic in Phuket, Centara Reserve Hotel in Samui
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is an island in Surat Thani province in the south of Thailand. It lies off the east coast – on the opposite side to Phuket – south of Bangkok. The quickest and easiest way to get there is to fly to Singapore with Singapore Airlines or Scoot, and connect with a flight to Samui Airport.
Image above: Kids playing in the wet playground at Centara Reserve Samui
Images: Kingdom of Lights at Carnival Magic in Phuket, Centara Reserve Hotel in Samui
BEACHES
Phuket
As it is twice as big as Koh Samui, Phuket also has more beaches to explore. They are typically livelier and offer more activities such as water sports and food vendors than Koh Samui. Patong is by far the busiest, with a party atmosphere and plenty of locals offering beach massages. Families may prefer the four-kilometre-long Karon Beach on the west coast, which has calm water and plenty of restaurants, or the 1.5-kilometre-long Kata Beach on the southern part of the island. If you want to get away from the crowds, head to Laem Singh Beach, which is a small cove between Surin and Kamala beaches, or Mai Khao Beach in Sirinath National Park.
Image above: A family on the beach in Phuket
BEACHES
Images below: An aerial view of Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, Beach activity in Samui
Koh Samui
With soft white sand beaches and calm, clear water, Koh Samui’s beaches are ideal for families. Chaweng Beach is the island’s most popular, with shallow waters that are great for children to frolic about, as well as all the amenities you need. The northern and southern ends of the beach tend to be a bit quieter. Around a 30-minute drive south, Lamai Beach has a more relaxed vibe, making it suitable for families with younger children. There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants with kid-friendly menus, as well as activities such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Image above: Centara Reserve Samui beach
Images: An aerial view of Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, Beach activity in Samui
THINGS TO DO
Phuket
Phuket abounds with water parks, theme parks and other family-friendly attractions. Kids who love waterslides will love the water park at Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, or Splash Jungle Water Park, which has a 335-metre lazy river and family raft ride.
Inspired by festivals, carnivals and fairs around the world, the adventure-themed Carnival Magic theme park has an enchanted palace, parades and spectacular light and fountain shows.
You can also visit Thailand’s biggest aquarium, Aquaria Phuket; feed, shower and walk with elephants at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and learn about conservation at The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation.
Make sure you include an island-hopping tour to see Phi Phi Lee, where the movie The Beach was filmed, and Khao Phing Kan, which was the setting for the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.
Image above: The River Carnival Parade at Carnival Magic
THINGS
TO DO
Images below: See gibbons in Phuket, A fire twirling performance at Centara Villas Samui
Koh Samui
As Koh Samui is smaller than Phuket, it’s easier to get around to visit its many attractions. Head to Wat Plai Laem Temple to see its 18-armed statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, and smiling Buddha statues, and the 12-metre-high gold ‘Big Buddha’ at the nearby Wat Phra Yai temple.
Feed and walk with rescued elephants at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, and check out the Fisherman’s Village at Bophut Beach, where traditional shophouses have been converted into cool boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Kids will also get a thrill out of seeing things like fried worms and grasshoppers for sale at Lamai Night Market.
Book a boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park to explore some of the 42 islands in the archipelago, which feature limestone cliffs, caves and waterfalls.
Koh Samui’s restaurants cater to all tastes, from authentic Thai to kid-friendly options, ensuring something for everyone.
The shopping scene in Chaweng is just as enticing, with boutiques brimming with souvenirs, trendy clothes, and trinkets for parents, plus toy stores and ice-cream for kids.
Image above: Smiling Buddha of wealth statue
Images: See gibbons in Phuket, A fire twirling performance at Centara Villas Samui
RESORTS
Phuket
Phuket is home to more than 1600 resorts. Typically, they are larger than those in Koh Samui, with drawcards such as water parks. Some of the best include Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket on Karon Beach, which was built in the classic Sino-Portuguese architectural that characterises Phuket Town and has a large pool with a lazy river and waterslide, a bright and colourful kids' club, an award-winning spa, SPA Cenvaree, and several restaurants. Centara Karon Resort Phuket, which underwent a major refurbishment in 2024, has three pools (all with swim-up bars), waterslides and an awesome kids' club.
A little further south, Centara Kata Resort Phuket is a short walk or free shuttle ride away from the two-kilometre-long Kata Beach. It has a waterslide, a separate childrens’ pool, a small toddler pool with a mushroom waterfall, and a jacuzzi. There are also two age-specific kids' clubs.
Images: Centara Grand Phuket water park, Centara Grand Beach Resort, Centara Karon Resort pool, The kids' club at Centara Karon Resort
RESORTS
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has around 600 resorts, and they tend to be smaller and often more affordable than Phuket.
Set amidst tropical gardens on the southern tip of the island near Lamai Beach, Centara Villas Samui has 102 contemporary villas that blend in with the environment, cascading down a gentle hillside to the resort’s private beach. There are three freshwater pools to swim in, a playground, a full-service spa, a gym and three restaurants.
Located on the quieter end of Chaweng Beach, the luxurious Centara Reserve Samui blends colonial-style architecture with contemporary design. The reimagined resort offers exclusive suites and villas that come with ‘Reserve Hosts’. Choose between pool access rooms ideal for families or splash out on one of the ocean-facing villas. It also has a kids' club and huge outdoor wet area for littlies, as well as a swim-up pool bar and an adults-only pool.
Images: Relax on a sun lounge at Centara Reserve Samui, Kids eating in their villa at Centara Reserve Samui, Centara Villas Samui, A family arriving at Centara Reserve Samui
THAILAND TRAVEL TIPS
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