Phuket sits on the Andaman coast and Koh Samui on the Gulf of Thailand, so the best time to marry on each falls in different months. The listed venues differ too: Phuket's take larger guest lists, while Koh Samui's lean towards smaller weddings.
Wedded Wonderland lists wedding venues on both islands, and a Wedded Advisor can check which are free on your date.
Phuket
Koh Samui
The two coasts follow different monsoons.
The Andaman coast, with Phuket, is at its best from November to April, while the Gulf coast, with Koh Samui, stays drier through the middle of the year. If your date is fixed, the month can make the choice for you.
Photo: Maksim Romashkin
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is run by Airports of Thailand and sits on the island itself, with buses and vans to beaches such as Patong, Kata and Karon.
Koh Samui's airport was built by Bangkok Airways, which has operated it since it opened in 1989. Bangkok Airways notes that there are direct flights to Koh Samui, both domestic and international, and that the majority of flights there are its own. Check routes from your home city before you set a date.
Phuket's venues listed on Wedded Wonderland suit everything from a small jetty ceremony to a ballroom wedding.
Vows on a jetty over Patong Bay, then dinner on the seaside lawn, for up to 80 guests.
Beachfront vows on Bang Tao, a ballroom and the ASTRA rooftop, for up to 350 guests.
A Sino-Portuguese mansion veranda above a private beach, for up to 450 guests.
Vows under frangipani trees on Karon Beach, for up to 350 guests.
A lawn at the tip of Cape Yamu facing the karsts of Phang Nga Bay, with full buyouts for up to 200.
Vows on a 185-metre private pier over Nakalay Bay, for up to 200 guests.
For more ideas, see our guide to wedding venues in Phuket.
Koh Samui's venues lean towards private coves, villas and smaller guest lists.
Ceremonies on Chaweng Beach and a beach lawn, for up to 250 guests.
A private island buyout with a sea-view wedding terrace, for up to 80 guests.
A private stretch of Chaweng Beach, for up to 250 guests.
Quiet Natien Beach in south Samui, with 102 Thai-style villas, for up to 204 guests.
In-villa weddings or beach ceremonies on a private bay near Choeng Mon, for up to 50 guests.
A private cove south of Lamai, with a Thai blessing with three monks, for up to 99 guests.
A boulder-framed cove reached by a stone staircase, for up to 50 guests.
Photo: Atlantic Ambience
If you are inviting more than 250 guests, Phuket is the only one of the two with venues on Wedded Wonderland at that size, with Cape Panwa Hotel taking up to 450. For a small wedding, both islands have options, and Koh Samui adds private coves and in-villa ceremonies at Garrya Tongsai Bay and Silavadee.
According to the Australian Consulate-General in Phuket, a marriage is only legally valid in Thailand once it is formally registered with the Thai authorities. For Australian citizens, the consulate sets out four steps:
The consulate notes that people who entered Thailand on another country's passport must get the equivalent document from that country's embassy. It also notes that some Australian couples marry legally in Australia first, then hold the ceremony and celebration in Thailand.
For costs, see how much a destination wedding in Thailand costs, and our guide to planning a Thailand wedding from overseas. For inspiration, see a tropical destination wedding in Phuket and an editorial Indian wedding in Phuket.
Cover photo: Ali Kazal
Written by
Senior SEO Specialist, Wedded Wonderland
Mark Tuason is the Senior SEO Specialist at Wedded Wonderland, where he writes and refreshes the brand's guides to destination weddings and cultural wedding traditions. He starts with the questions couples search for, checks the answers against trusted sources, and shapes each guide to help them plan, compare and book with confidence. Based in the Philippines, he specialises in content strategy and on-page SEO.
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