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The IslandGetting There & AroundKoh Samui has a very pretty international airport (it is a private airport operated by Bangkok Airways) and most visitors arrive via plane (there are flights from Bangkok almost every hour ). A so-called limousine counter (in reality the vehicles are minibuses that make a round trip tour to the hotels and drop the passengers off according to their wishes) is located in the arrival hall and you should book your transportation to Utopia Resort there. You can also reach Koh Samui via ferry from Surat Thani on the Thai mainland.
The express ferry (a passenger ferry) departs three times a day and is probably best. The crossing takes about 2 hours and takes you directly to the pier in Nathon (where you can easily get transportation to your hotel or guesthouse). The express ferries leave from Tha Thong Pier 4 kilometres away from Surat Thani (whereas the pier for the vehicle ferry from Son Sak is located 60 kilometres - and a 2 hour bus ride - from Surat Thani, and drops you off at a pier 10 kilometres south of Nathon). You can reach Surat Thani either by plane (with Thai Airways) or by train from Bangkok. There are a handful of taxies in Koh Samui (a relatively new development) The most common means of transport are Songthaews (lorries or vans with wooden benches for sitting). You must always determine the fare before you enter! Of course, Utopia or a rental car agency can provide you with a rental car or a motorcycle (though you should be warned that the traffic conditions are somewhat tricky it is probably better to hire a driver as well). A lot of tourists rent motorcycles in Koh Samui, but driving a motorcycle is really dangerous if you are not thoroughly familiar with both a) the art of riding a motorcycle, and b) the traffic conditions in Asian countries.
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