Koh Samui is one of the most popular Thai destinations for tourists, with a variety of beautiful sandy beaches to choose from for sightseeing and relaxation. Traveling there is easy. Tourists may choose to fly directly to the island or travel by land and then take a boat from Surat Thani, where many different types of boat offer ferry services. Four or five days should be spent unwinding on this island.
The best time to visit Koh Samui and its surrounding islands is February to April, as the weather is good, the skies are clear, the waters are still and there is very little rain. These are suitable conditions for diving, swimming, boat trips around the islands and visiting view points to take pictures. You’ll be witness to indigo seas, blue skies and pure white beaches, a most dazzling sight.
If you would like to stay in comfort, with shopping, entertainment venues and a wide range of accommodation to choose from at a variety of prices, you should consider Chaweng and Lamai beaches, as they offer everything that a tourists could need. On the other hand, if you would like to experience the local way of life and untouched nature of the island, which would be a little less expensive, Bo Phut beach is an interesting option.
If you prefer luxurious accommodation and an intimate peaceful atmosphere close to nature, Taling Ngam, Choeng Mon and Maenam beaches are recommended, although looking for accommodation around Laem Set beach may not be very convenient, as there are very few places to stay. The beach is short and full of stones and dead coral, and not suitable for swimming.
South Pattaya features a crescent-shaped beach. There is an area called “Walking Street” filled with many retail shops selling goods such as clothes, sportswear and accessories, jewelry, and souvenirs. Lots of entertainment venues, karaokes, pubs and bars can also be found here. There are a few seafood restaurants, most of them extending into the sea to create a special atmosphere. Arthachinda Road is the border identifying the end of South Pattaya. Strolling through the soi will lead you to Pratumnak Road at the back of Pattaya and take you to Pattaya 2nd Road, where more hotels and nighttime entertainments are located. Tourists wanting to travel to Koh Lan can take a ferry at the Pattaya Pier. It is a one-hour ride to reach Koh Lan.
As the name indicates, this is the center of Pattaya Beach. You can travel anywhere easily by Song Thaew (a hop-on public taxi). The most attractive draw of this area for visitors is its nightlife activities, with many pubs, beer bars, and agogo bars. Central Pattaya is also filled with shopping places and international restaurants. The largest shopping mall in this area is the world-class Royal Garden Plaza Shopping Mall, located next to Pattaya Marriot Resort and Spa. On the beach, tourists can enjoy many activities such as sun bathing and water sports.
The starting point of North Pattaya is the Dolphin Circle. Pattaya Beach Road begins at this point as well and leads to South Pattaya. Strolling on a walkway along both sides of the road, you will find many luxury hotels, shopping malls, entertainment complexes, and restaurants. The large and prominent shopping mall in this area is the Central Festival Shopping Mall. 
Located on Vipavadee-Rangsit Road, about 24 km north of Bangkok. This is the former international airport; it closed the same day as the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 28, 2006. It reopened in 2007 to support domestic flights. This area is quite a ways from downtown and since you will not find here well-known tourist attractions like those in Sukhumvit, Siam, and Silom, most of those who look for hotels in this area will be motivated by business or economy only. To travel from Don Muang to downtown, you cannot avoid the crowded traffic. The best way is taking a taxi straight along the express way to Jatujak Station, then taking the sky train or subway to downtown. The outbound route is easier: go to Impact Arena Muangthong Thani in 15 minutes and to Ayutthaya in 40 minutes.