Head to head

Koh Samui or Maldives?

Maldives, narrowly — 60 vs 57 across the year.

The numbers give Maldives a slim edge — 60 to 57 on the Atlas Ranger Score — but it's a seasonal split, not a blowout. Maldives leads 4 of 12 months, Koh Samui the rest (Apr and Sep). Peaks land February (72) for Maldives, February (73) for Koh Samui.

Month by month

When to go

Pick a month. The line shows each place's score across the year; the figures below are that month's averages.

Koh Samui Maldives

In October, Maldives is the better bet — 58 vs 45.

Score

High / low

31° / 24°

30° / 26°

Rain

295 mm

200 mm

Sunshine

8.9 h

7 h

Koh Samui: Wet season starts — rainfall more than doubles, beach days unreliable

Maldives: Monsoon tail — improving late, still cheap

At a glance

Side by side

Koh Samui Maldives

Timing & weather

Year-round score57/10060/100

Best monthFebruary (73)February (72)

Months it leadsApr and SepJul and Oct–Dec

Cheapest monthsOct–NovMay–Jul and Sep–Oct

Driest monthFebruary (64mm)February (40mm)

Wettest monthNovember (445mm)June (230mm)

Hottest monthMay (33°C)March (31°C)

Best for

BeachesBoth are beach destinations — compare the months above for when each is warmest and driestEvenEven

Off-peak monthsKoh Samui has more shoulder and low-season months (9 vs 8), when rates and crowds easeStronger—

Practical

Main airportSamui International Airport (USM)Velana International Airport (Malé)

CurrencyTHB (Thai Baht)MVR (Maldivian Rufiyaa) — USD widely accepted at resorts

LanguageThaiDhivehi (English widely spoken in tourism)

Time zoneICT (UTC+7)MVT (UTC+5)

ClimateTropical monsoon (Köppen Am)Tropical monsoon (Köppen Am)

Visa60-day visa exemption for most Western nationalities (extended Jul 2024)Free 30-day visa on arrival for all nationalities (valid passport + onward ticket + confirmed booking)

SafetyLow risk — standard tropical precautions, scooter accidents are the main injury sourceVery low risk on resort islands. Note: alcohol is served only on resort islands; modest dress and local laws apply on inhabited/local islands and in Malé.

Named storms nearby nowNASA EONET, checked hourly. Not a forecast.None tracked within 1,000kmNone tracked within 1,000km

Your trip

Which should you pick?

PickKoh Samui

Pick Koh Samui if you're travelling Apr and Sep — that's when it leads, peaks in February (73).

Koh Samui full guide

PickMaldives

Pick Maldives if you're travelling Jul and Oct–Dec — that's when it leads, peaks in February (72).

Maldives full guide

Plan your trip

Hotels, flights and more

Switch between the two. Hotel prices are for a week in each destination's best month.

Book Koh Samui

$$ · First-time visitors, dining variety, the busiest beach

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Questions

Good to know

Is Koh Samui or Maldives better to visit?

Maldives edges it overall — 60 vs 57 on the Atlas Ranger Score, our 0–100 measure of weather, crowds, value, and timing across the year. The gap is modest and the lead flips by month — use the tool above to compare any specific month.

Which has better weather, Koh Samui or Maldives?

Koh Samui averages a higher weather score (53 vs 51). Weather is the biggest input to the score, but both have strong months and weak months; the month-by-month chart shows exactly when.

When is it cheapest to visit Koh Samui or Maldives?

Koh Samui is cheapest in Oct–Nov; Maldives is cheapest in May–Jul and Sep–Oct. Those are the low and shoulder months, when hotel rates and crowds ease — usually because the weather is less reliable, so check the month-by-month scores above before you book.

Can I visit both Koh Samui and Maldives in one trip?

Often yes — many travellers pair them. The smart move is to time each leg to its own best months. Check each destination's full guide (linked below) for the month-by-month detail, then sequence your trip so each stop lands in its strong window.