Koh Samui

is located in the Gulf of Thailand, about 35 km northeast of Surat Thani town ,The island measures some 21 kilometres at its narrowest point, and 25 km at its longest. It is surrounded by about sixty other islands, which compose the Ang Thong Marine National Park (Moo Koh Ang Thong National Park) and include other tourist destinations (Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan).The island is roughly circular in shape, and is about 15 km across. The central part of the island is an almost uninhabitable mountain jungle, Khao Pom, peaking at 635 m. The various lowland areas are connected together by a single 51 km road, running mostly along the coast to encircle the bulk of the island.The old capital is Nathon, on the southwest coast of the island. It remains the major port for fishing and inter-island transportation. Nathon is the seat of the regional government, and the true commercial hub of the Samui locals. It has a charming pace, and is almost small enough to walk everywhere. ,Koh Samui Airport (USM) is a private airport originally built by Bangkok Airways, which is still the main operator and was for a long time the only airline with services to Koh Samui from mainland Thailand. The airport is additionally served by Thai Airways International. Several ferries connect the Island with the mainland, including the car ferry from Don Sak to a pier in the west of the Island, south of the main town Nathon. Public buses to all parts of the mainland operate from a small bus station located in the south of Nathon. private taxis are available throughout the island although these are often criticised for failure to use meters and flagrant overcharging.