Get ready to land, step by step

Visa and entry

• Check your visa optionsRules depend on your nationality. The official Thai e-Visa site and thaiembassy.com list visa types and how to apply. Remote workers often look at the DTV.
• Passport valid 6+ monthsThailand asks for 6 months validity on entry. Renew before you fly if you're close.
• Print your bookings and insuranceImmigration sometimes asks for your first accommodation and onward travel. Have them offline.

Getting there

Find cheap flights

Compare flight deals to Koh Samui, or fly to Bangkok or Surat Thani and continue by ferry, often much cheaper.

Search flights Google Flights

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First weeks stay

• Book 1 to 2 weeks, not moreStay in the area you liked most in the quiz. Look at long-term homes in person before you commit.
• View homes with a local agencyPhotos hide road noise and damp. Message 2 to 3 agencies with a clear brief once you're on the island.

Booking.com Biggest choice of hotels and serviced apartments. Free cancellation on many rates.

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Agoda Often the cheapest rates in Thailand, especially for longer hotel stays.

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Airbnb Good for a first apartment. For stays under 30 days, check the host has a hotel licence.

Money

• Set up a way to move moneyYou'll need a deposit plus first month, often 40k to 100k THB. Transfers with bad exchange rates hurt.
• Bring some cash for week oneCards work in towns, but markets, scooters and small landlords are cash.

ATMs: look for yellow with the Krungsri logo. Try those first. Fees and exchange rates differ wildly between ATMs and banks. Check the rate on the screen before you confirm, and decline any conversion offered by the machine.

Wise Cheaper transfers to THB and a card that works everywhere. Useful for deposits and rent.

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Phone and internet

eSIM or local SIM?

Three ways to get online.

YesimeSIM

Fits: short, flexible stays, unlimited data by the day

• From about $3.12 for 1 GB / 30 days
• Unlimited from about $3.84 per day

• Pay for unlimited only on the days you need
• Set up before you fly, works on arrival
• No Thai number; hotspot use depends on plan

Get Yesim

AiraloeSIM

Fits: travellers who also visit other countries

• 10 GB / 30 days about $11
• Unlimited 30 days about $49

• Biggest choice, Asia and global plans
• Easy app, set up before you fly
• No Thai number; fair use differs by plan

Get Airalo

Local SIM (AIS or True)SIM

Fits: long stays, anyone who needs a Thai number

• Tourist SIM about ฿1,199, 30 days unlimited
• Longer stays: prepaid, often ฿200 to 400/month

• Thai number for Grab, delivery, banks, agencies
• Cheapest for months of heavy use; AIS best on the islands
• Passport registration; tourist SIMs max. 60 days

Where to buy: AIS and True shops (e.g. in the big malls) and airport counters. Bring your passport.

Our tip: install an eSIM before you fly so you're online the minute you land, then get a local SIM with a Thai number if you stay longer than a month.

Prices as of October 2026, check before you buy.

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Health and insurance

• Sort health insurancePrivate hospitals on Samui are good but not cheap. Which type fits depends on registration at home, length of stay and age. Our health insurance guide compares six insurers.
• Know your nearest hospitalCheck the Hospitals layer on our area map. Save the number of the closest one.

Which insurance fits you?

The 4 most popular options in 30 seconds.

AllUp to 1 year, still insured at homeNomad, open endMoving for good

Best for scooter riders

GenkiNomad

Fits: young nomads and scooter riders

• From €52.50/month (under 30)
• Up to 12 months (Traveler)
• Longer plan for expats

• Scooters up to 125cc, no motorbike licence (helmet on)
• Monthly, flexible, built for Europeans
• Expat plan only up to entry age 55

See offerDetails

Test winner

HanseMerkurLong-stay travel

Fits: overwinterers and sabbaticals still insured in Germany

• Up to about 1 year
• German contract
• Price by age and length

• Test winner Stiftung Warentest 2026
• German service, simple and reliable
• Not for you once you deregister from Germany

See offerDetails

Lifelong cover

BDAE Expat InfinityExpat

Fits: Europeans moving for good, retirees

• From €56/month (Basic)
• Join up to age 75
• Lifelong

• Lifelong cover, visits to Germany included
• Pre-existing conditions possible (surcharge)
• Basic covers hospital stays only

See offerDetails

Cigna GlobalExpat

Fits: families and expats who want the best network

• About $1,200 to 1,600/year at 30
• Limits up to unlimited
• Renew yearly

• Strong hospital network with direct billing
• Flexible modules and high limits
• Expensive from 40, prices rise yearly

See offerDetails

Prices from, as of October 2026. General information, not insurance advice.

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See the full insurance guide

Getting around

• Licence and IDPYou need a valid licence (and ideally an International Driving Permit) for scooters and cars. You can also get a Thai licence on Koh Samui, even as a foreigner.
• Wear a helmetAlways wear one. Police checks are common: a 1,000 THB fine for riding without a licence and 1,000 THB for no helmet.
• Car for families and the west coastWith kids or in the quiet west, a car is the safer choice. Ask the rental in the tip below, they have cars too.

Schools and childcare

• Visit schools before signing a leaseSix international schools, some with waiting lists. Pick the school first, then the area. Our map has a Schools layer.

Moving with pets

• Start pet paperwork 3 to 4 months aheadThailand needs a rabies titer test and an import permit. Many rentals refuse pets, so filter early.