Car Hire and Rental Services
Visitors to the serene coastal island of Koh Samui can find the most affordable car hire options by looking to Drive Car Rental. In addition to short term rental cars, we also offer long term car rental at our Samui location. Car hire in Ko Samui can be arranged online or you can book once you arrive at one of our locations.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has some of the truly remarkable sites of historic, cultural and religious significance as well as the sight of breath-taking natural beauty that you can easily explore when you hire cars.
Location and Geography of Samui
Koh Samui is an island off the Gulf of Thailand and is part of Surat Thani Province. It is the second largest island in Thailand after Phuket with an area of 229 square kilometers. It measures some 25 km at its widest point. The physical geography is mostly mountainous but is dotted with highlands and plains. The central part is the most unspoiled, natural tropical jungle, including the largest mountain named Khao Pom, peaking at 635 meters. The various lowland and coastal areas are connected by Route 4169, which is a 51 km road, running primarily along the coastline and encircling the bulk of the island. There are numerous smaller islands around Samui, to the north are the populated resort islands of Ko Phangan, Ko Tao, and Ko Nang Yuan. In the far west, there are 44 other islands that together compose the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park which is accessible by a day-trip boat tour.
Natural Wonders of Samui
Koh Samui’s natural attractions include white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and waterfalls, as well as several small uninhabited islands. Nature lovers can visit Ang Thong Marine National Park on a day trip to enjoy the splendid tropical islands.
What to do in Samui
Most activities to be enjoyed in Koh Samui take place outdoors. Visitors particularly travel from around the world enjoy a great deal of splendid natural and man-made attractions from the famous grandma and grandpa rocks (Hin Ta & Hin Yai) to attractive waterfalls and beaches. There is much to explore and enjoy in the Samui paradise. Some favorite places to visit in a hire car include:
- Angthong National Marine Park
- Big Buddha
- Hin Ta Hin Yai
- Namuang Waterfall
- Mummy Monk at Wat Khunaram
- Samui Aquarium with Tiger Show
- Ladyboy Cabaret Shows
- Secret Buddha Garden
- Snake Farm
- Wat Plai Laem
Day Trips with a Car Hire in Samui
Koh Samui is a large island, and it takes about one hour of driving to reach its opposite side or two hours to drive its full circumference. Traveling between different sites can lead to large taxi fares or sporadic tourist van routes.
Fortunately, having a car hire makes exploring convenient. Here are some of the best sights to visit with a car hire:
Hin Lat Waterfall by Car Hire
This secluded waterfall is located in the western-central region of the island. It features a large waterfall, swimming holes, a temple, picnic areas, and gathering spaces. Despite its ample facilities, its location makes it one of the quieter places to spend a few hours with your car hire.
Wat Phra Chedi Laem Sor
Located on the southern coast, Wat Phra Chedi Laem Sor is a small but locally important temple complex with excellent seaside views and easy access with a car hire. It also hosts a unique shrine building shaped like a boat and was built to honour the monk who founded the temple. Visitors often leave small model boats as offerings.
Guan Yu Shrine Near Samui
Guan Yu, not to be confused with Guan Yin (often called the ‘Lady Buddha’), was a legendary historical Chinese general. Chinese migrants in the 19th century established a small shrine and statue that has grown into a truly impressive sight.
The primary statue is sixteen metres tall and is colourfully adorned. It’s located along the southeast coast and is easily reached with a car hire.
Na Muang Waterfalls
Na Muang has two primary waterfalls for visitors to see. It is located in the south central area. It’s an ideal pre-lunch stop as it sits nestled near a small town and several jungle roads with quaint cafes and stunning garden restaurants.
Bang Po Beach by Samui
This beach along the northern shore is quieter than most and worth the trip in your car hire. Although it’s lined with vacation villas, these are often unoccupied, which makes for a long stretch of calm beach.
Bang Po is also home to a few beachside restaurants and eateries to duck into for some shade and a drink. Many visitors enjoy it for its calm waves and off-shore snorkeling.
Menam Viewpoint
Menam Viewpoint sits in the northern central region a few kilometres up the mountain from Menam Beach. It provides panoramic views to the north, where visitors can clearly see Koh Phagnan and even Koh Tao on a clear day. Don’t just take our word for it, check it out for yourself in a car hire.
There are so many more places to visit, and we can’t possibly list them all here! Visitors are encouraged to explore and see where the day takes them. There’s plenty of adventure to be found in a car hire down every road.
Airport Transportation and Car Rental Locations
Samui International Airport (USM) is located 2 km north of the town centre, Chaweng. Thai Airways and Bangkok Airway Air operate daily direct flights to Koh Samui from Bangkok, SilkAir flies direct to and from Singapore. It has a unique, open-air design, the passenger terminal consists of arrival and departure lounges, VIP rooms, shops, restaurants, and information office. Numerous transport options are available to anywhere in the Island. It should be noted, however, that unauthorized taxis and public transportation are not allowed within grounds. This limits arriving passengers to renting cars from car hire locations, pre-arranging a pickup, or using an authorized transport service.
Drive Car Rental at Samui Airport
Samui Location of Drive Car Rentals
Drive Car Rental operates within the facility on the first floor of the arrival hall. Our Samui car hire agency offers competitive rates and a variety of vehicles to choose from, so you can find a budget car. Guests can reserve their car ahead of time or visit our counter upon arrival. Take advantage of our stellar customer service and high-quality vehicles. Drive Car Rental Thailand also offers special promotions on car rentals throughout the year, which can provide you with a cheap car for your vacation. You can view reviews and deals when you book your car hire, including rental information on the number of doors or seats in the vehicle and how to add additional drivers.
Samui Car Hire Collection and Rental Return Instructions
To collect your car, please proceed to the Drive counter located just to the right of the arrivals hall of the arrival terminal. Here our friendly staff will complete your rental agreement and car pick up process.
To return your car, please contact our rental service counter before arriving and drop off the car in the temporary parking area in front of the departure hall. Our friendly staff will be waiting to complete the car hire check-in process.
After-Hours Return for Samui Cars Hire Locations:
A dropbox is available at our location for after hours returns.
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