We will be staying at the Renaissance in Ko Samui, which is north of Lamai and south of Chaweng. The hotel emailed me offering transportation from the airport to the hotel for US$15. Is that a good deal or would a taxi be cheaper?

i think i paid $6 each to bophut which is closer....i would opt for the hotel car..

i don't remember taxis as such, but rather converted pic-up trucks with benches in the back

Thanks Bob. The hotel's website indicates that a taxi to the hotel is $20 vs their transportation for $15. I was a little suspicious that they were just saying a taxi is $20 to get you to take their car.

In a Songthaew I would have thought it would be about 200B, but I haven't been to Samui for a few years so things may well have changed. A songthaew is one of the converted pick ups that Bob has mentioned. There are no taxis as such, although you can sometimes pick up a shared minivan at the airport - again for around the same fare as the songthaew. If you want a private transfer in comfort, go for the hotel's offer.

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BB

oops - sorry posted last message on the wrong thread!

All transportation on Koh Samui is run buy a single-family mafia that literally has you coming and going when they want to give you a hard time about prices. That said (I needed to get that much off my chest), one of the best "deals" on Samui is the initial ride you get to your hotel as offered at the airport.

Simply arrive in Koh Samui, go to the trasportation desk at the airport baggage claim area (you can't miss it) and, like someone suggested in a previous post, let the airport arrange transportation for you in a shared mini-van. The fare, last time I checked, was no more than 200 THB (5 USD) PER PERSON to the location you're describing.

Depending on how many of you there are in your party (3 or more?), however, a 15 USD taxi may the better way to go. Generally speaking though, rule of thumb: ANYTHING quoted in dollars rather than baht -- no matter where you travel in Thailand, especially in the islands -- is a rip off.

Thanks DrZZ. There are only two of us so I have to decide between spending about $10 for a shared van or $15 for the hotel car. I am leaning toward "splurging" and taking the hotel car, which should be a bit more comfortable and a direct ride to the hotel.