Ko Samui help please
 

Hi
we are travelling to Thailand inJanuary and haven't deiced what to see, where to go. I like the sound of Ko Samui but someone has said you have to pay a departure tax? befoer you can leaveas the only way to and fromthe island is by air
1. is departure tax true
2. is there a car ferry to the island

can anyone suggest must see places to visit. We want to chill but also go out walking to see rural Thailand
Thanks

There is a departure tax, we didn't know about it either, and had used all our cash. Good thing they took VISA.

A couple of years ago, it was 500 baht per person. There is a car ferry also. You might want to post a separate post as to other must see places to visit

The departure tax you mention is the airport departure tax which is now B 400 I think, it used to be B 500.
Note that most airports worldwide have departure taxes but these are added in to your ticket costs so you are paying them anyway, this one though you have to pay as you leave.
Flights are also quite expensive.

There are ferries and fast boats from Surat Thani plus Jet-Cats through the other islands.

From Bangkok you can fly direct to Samui with bangkok Airways ( www.bangkokair.com ) on you can take either a bus and ferry or a train and ferry comination, these journeys take around 12 hours or more whereas the flight is either 1 hr or 1 hr 20 depending on aircraft type.

You can also take a bus/jet cat combination via Chumphon which takes 12-14 hours total but island hops through Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.

If you are looking for 'rurual' Thailand there is a lot of choice but if you are heading to Koh Samui for the beach/nightlife etc you are close to mainland rural coastal areas such as Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Pranburi etc, lors of plantataions, small villages, fishing villages, beaches, local life, plus easy to get arounbd as the train line and buses along the highway all along the coast, this area sometimes called the 'Sunrise Coast'.

Note Koh Samui is a busy Island very tourist orientated, if you tell us a little more about the sort of place you like and how you want to spend your days we can see if Samui is really what you are looking for, there are lots of smaller islands and beaches, depends how busy you want, shopping, nightlife etc