A 6-hour bus ride away from Phuket. The small islands can then be reached by a large catamaran within an hour for little money. By plane also possible directly. From Bangkok from about 50 €. The islands are not particularly large. You could almost drive around Koh Samui on a scooter in one day. Thats what makes these islands so interesting. You get a feeling of tropical island paradise.
The best experience is certainly to drive along the north with a rented scooter or to discover the smaller region of Lamai in the south. Lamai is a little quieter than the Chaweng area. The tourist attractions are also in Lamai and in the north towards the airport (Grandfather Rock, Grandmother Rock, Wat Plai Laem, Mummified Monk, or the big statue Big Buddha). The destinations in the north or south can be reached comfortably within 20 minutes by scooter or you can hire a tour there. The streets are empty compared to Bangkok. It is really impressive to explore such a small island. Koh Phangan, on the other hand, is very quiet when there is no Full Moon party. In many months of the year, there are hardly any tourists outside the party time (FullMoon).

In Koh Samui, on the other hand, there is always something going on. Chaweng Beach is clearly the hottest spot. The centre is around the ArkBar. If you want something quieter and more stylish, go further north or south of Chaweng Beach to the Seen-Beach-Club. The Elephant-Bar or now closed Ark-Bar are very commercial and not very romantic. It is not boring there. The beach is usually very crowded in the evening. During the day, at night and otherwise, the centre of activity is along Chaweng Beach. Chaweng Beach is located to the north-east of the island. There is one shop after the other. It is almost impossible to get to the beach because building after building block the view and the way to the beach. To get to the beach, you have to walk through a hotel (hotel garden). There are only 1-2 public access points along the entire beach. As I said, a very commercial ambience. Food, souvenirs, coffee drinking is offered more during the day than anywhere else on the islands. There is a large shopping centre with typical fashion shops, ATMs and a public forecourt that is always busy. In the evening there is music and alcohol is served. You cant miss the shopping centre. One of the most modern buildings can be seen from far away. A few minutes away, hidden by a narrow passageway, is a great square offering at least 50 different food stalls. Each with local food and drinks. Probably the best place on the island to eat in the evening. The entire street along the beach is built up with shops. But it also seems a bit too touristy. The beach is well frequented during the day, mainly at the Chaweng Beach including Elephant Beach-Club and Seen-Beach-Club. Sunbeds are free of charge. But you are expected to order (coffee, beer, etc.). Just have a coffee brought, dont move and relax. However, the beach is quite narrow and not quite as nice as the one in Patong Phuket, for example.