A Swiss Escape: Lakes, Mountains & Scenic Rails

Our Family Adventure in Koh Samui: 9 Nights at Outrigger

Asia

We’ve just returned from the most incredible 9-night stay at Outrigger Koh Samui as a family of four, with our boys aged 7 and 10. Koh Samui really was everything we had hoped for – relaxing, adventurous, full of flavour, and absolutely family friendly.

The Hotel: Outrigger Koh Samui

Outrigger was the perfect choice for us. The hotel is set right on the beach and had something for everyone. There was a quiet pool for those wanting to get away from splashing families, and then a series of beachfront pools with their own personalities:

A shallow splash pool for younger children
An infinity pool overlooking the beach (perfect for sunsets!)
A lively main pool where the boys spent hours with their inflatables
A fun slide pool where the kids’ club team often organised pool games

What was great and you’ll see from the pictures and videos is that the pools are all in one area, so you can always see the kids from wherever you get a sunbed.

The location was spot on. Just a 10-15 minute walk brought us into the heart of Lamai, with its shops, bars, and restaurants. Along the way we found plenty of local food stalls and small restaurants – not only serving delicious meals but often at half the price of the main strip. We had a few nights where we didn’t fancy the walk either there or back, but taxis are everywhere and only cost the equivalent of £2.50 each way

On top of all of the pool fun, the kids club was absolutely brilliant, with so many activities for the children to choose from including a games room and Laser Tag (additional cost for laser tag) and the gym was pretty good too

A Day of Adventure: Pink Dolphins & Pig Island

One of our favourite days was taking a 30-minute speedboat ride to spot pink dolphins. Yu can easily spot the babies as they start off grey and then the older the dolphin gets, the more pink it becomes! From there we headed to Koh Tan island for snorkelling in crystal-clear waters before finishing up on Mudsum island, known as Pig Island. The boys loved meeting the pigs, especially the newest arrival – a tiny newborn piglet! But word of warning: Daddy pig is not to be messed with, as Bobby found out when he got a little too close and suffered a bit on the tummy!!

Ethical Encounters: Samui Elephant Haven

Another highlight was our morning at Samui Elephant Haven, an ethical sanctuary where observation comes before interaction. Here we met all 12 of the elephants, including baby Haven – the only elephant ever born in a rescue centre after his mother arrived pregnant. He was cheeky and playful, but my heart was stolen by 65 year old grandma!

We were guided around the 23 acres and learned about the background of each elephant and why it’s so important to only choose ethical experiences rather than riding and bathing. The boys found it fascinating learning about the differences between Asian and African elephants, elephant teeth and their diets and they’re very similar to humans with their lifespan, character traits and emotions. It’s rare for rescue sanctuaries to take in male elephants as they are just too boisterous, so we were lucky to meet Bank. A gentle giant with his magnifcent tusks

We also helped prepare protein balls for the older elephants, who have naturally lost their teeth and need softer food. It was an experience we’ll never forget and one I’d recommend to any family visiting Koh Samui.

Exploring the Island by Car

We decided to hire a car for a day – and it was one of the best decisions we made. Driving was much calmer than Bangkok, though you do have to keep an eye out for the mopeds zipping around! For just £20 a day (plus roadside petrol sold in old whiskey bottles!) we had the freedom to explore at our own pace.

Our route took us to:

Namuang Waterfall for a photo stop
A relaxed beachfront lunch in Bohput
Wat Plai Laem, two stunning Buddha temples set on a lotus flower in the lake, where the boys loved feeding the catfish and turtles for just 10 baht (25 pence)
A scenic drive through Chaweng, with a stop at a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the island

If you’d prefer not to drive, all of this can also be done as part of a guided half-day tour.

Fisherman’s Village

An evening at Fisherman’s Village in Bohput is a must. With its pretty walking street, market stalls, live music, and mix of trendy bars and restaurants right by the beach, the atmosphere is incredible. We tucked into a huge seafood platter here at a great price – the perfect end to a wonderful day. The market is open everyday from 6pm and becomes a car free zone at this time.

Foodie Highlights

Food was a real highlight of our trip. Some of our favourites included:

Secret Oven (Lamai): An Italian restaurant on the main strip where we enjoyed our first night dinner.
The Shack Bar & Grill (Fisherman’s Village): One of the best steaks we’ve ever had and great atmosphere. I’d recommend booking in avance as it’s popular and was busy every night.
Lamai Night Market: Open every night, we loved picking and sharing food from the street vendors.
Seafood Market (Lamai): Open daily (except Sunday) – another seafood platter here, and even tried shark!
Local Family-Run Restaurants: These simple spots, with plastic tables and chairs, served some of the best Thai food we’ve ever eaten. One meal cost us just £23, with mum cooking, dad at the bar, and their 10-year-old daughter as our waitress – unforgettable.
New Hut Bungalow (Lamai): A beachfront hostel with a fantastic restaurant. We loved it so much we went twice, strolling back along the beach afterwards.

Why Choose Lamai?

For families, Lamai is a brilliant choice. It has plenty going on, but without the intensity of Chaweng, which is better suited to those after late nights and lively clubs. We loved the balance – enough atmosphere for us, but still relaxed enough for the boys. Plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from to eat somewhere different every night and different styles of bars to suit everyone’s vibe, so not exculsively for families.

Final Thoughts

Koh Samui really offered us the perfect blend of relaxation, fun, culture, and adventure. Outrigger was an incredible base for our 9 nights, and we came away with memories we’ll treasure forever – from swimming with inflatables to feeding elephants, from market street food to dining under the stars, we even saw a local casually walking his ox along the beach one evening!

If you’re considering Koh Samui for your next family trip, we couldn’t recommend it more!