Whether you’re teaching online or looking for in-person work opportunities, Koh Samui in Thailand is a great location for TEFL-certified teachers!

I’m absolutely loving my experience living and teaching English online in Koh Samui, Thailand and can almost guarantee you will too. It may be comforting to know that there is a large expat community on Koh Samui; I’ve mingled with and have become very good friends with a lot of like-minded people, many of whom are also working online. I’ve also really enjoyed getting to know the locals. I find the local community to be very humble and welcoming of foreigners.

Online English Teaching Working Hours in Thailand

I teach online for GoGoKid and VIPKid. These China-based companies offer an amazing opportunity for TEFL certified teachers – Pay your bills and have the freedom to travel while teaching English online to young learners through a fun and interactive platform. Koh Samui, Thailand is 1-hour behind Beijing, China.

Therefore, the peak teaching hours are 5:30-7:30 pm local time (6:30-8:30 pm Beijing time). Teaching in the evenings may seem unpleasant at first, but it really does make for the perfect lifestyle in Koh Samui. I have the majority of the morning and early afternoon to enjoy the beaches, waterfalls, hikes, and markets on Koh Samui and make it home just in time for sunset to set up for class.

Cost of Living in Koh Samui, Thailand

Housing: One of the best things about living and working in Koh Samui is how affordable the cost of living is. You can find nice apartments on Airbnb for about $200-$300/month average, depending on the size and location.

My first apartment was between the two most popular areas on the island, which are Chaweng and Lamai. Chaweng is the most popular area on the island. It has much more of a city vibe, with lots of different food options, nightlife, entertainment, and shopping. Lamai has a little more of a laid-back island feel, and is slightly more affordable than Chaweng.

I’m currently living in the neighborhood of Maenam, which is just West of Chaweng. It’s become one of my favorite areas on the island, mostly because of the lack of tourists, the friendly locals, close proximity to many markets, and the beautiful Maenam beach. It’s considered the most pristine beach on the island.

 

Food: Eating out is also very affordable, as long as you avoid the touristy locations that tend to charge double or triple the price for many of the same meals. Some of my favorite restaurants are Kung Nang (in Maret) and Kwankao (in Maenam). If you prefer to cook your own meals, you can find affordable groceries at Tesco (basically the WalMart of Thailand) or Makro supermarket.

 

Transportation: To get around the island, you will need to drive a car, motorbike, or use a taxi. Keep in mind that people drive on the left side of the road here. I ride a motorbike, which costs about 200 baht/day (= $6-7) or 2,000-3,500 baht/month ($66-$100/month) depending on the size and make of the bike. The traffic in Koh Samui is not as hectic as other parts of Thailand, so riding the motorbike is not as scary as it may seem. Always wear a helmet and make sure to use your blinkers.

Data plan:  There is a mobile store on the island called “Basic Mobile.” I got a sim card from here for 50 baht and my data plan for 200 baht. The total cost is about $8 and the plan includes unlimited data. This is a lifesaver if I ever have trouble with the wifi and need to use my iPhone’s hotspot to have an internet connection on my laptop.

Things to Do in Koh Samui, Thailand

Markets:

  • Lamai’s Sunday night market
  • Chaweng’s Saturday night market
  • Maenam’s Thursday night market
  • Fisherman’s Village Friday night market – My absolute favorite on the island! A very lively night market with lots of food, shopping, live music, fire shows, and beachfront restaurants/bars.

 

 

Chaweng Walking street:

Chaweng is the biggest and busiest area in Koh Samui. For very little money, you can enjoy cocktails, food, music or a night of shopping. It’s pretty easy to bargain for goods; Just be friendly and keep a smile on your face. There’s also a wonderful outdoor food court in Chaweng. You can eat well for pretty cheap here. There are countless food stands selling grilled meats, seafood, curries, sticky rice, smoothies, and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Buddha: (photo above)

You must check out Koh Samui’s star attraction, the Big Buddha! You can also visit its surrounding temple. It’s free to enter, but donations are always welcome.

Wat Laem Suwannaram Buddhist temple: (photo below)

This temple is just 1 km away from the famous Big Buddha statue.

✔️Always take your shoes off before entering the temple

X Never take a photo with your back to the Buddha

Beaches:

  • Lamai Beach: This is a pretty touristy beach, which means lots of locals selling goods and services on the beach. You can get a full body massage for around 250-300 baht (about $10).
  • Chaweng Beach: Chaweng is perhaps the most popular beach on Koh Samui. There are endless accommodation options along the beach, along with sunbeds to relax on, various water sports, and many restaurants/bars.
  • Maenam beach: (photo below) If you prefer a less touristy beach, head to Maenam. It’s one of the most pristine beaches on the island. From here, you’ll catch amazing views of Koh Phangan, a neighboring island that’s just across the water. Plus! You can get a 1-hour Thai massage on the beach for about $10.

Island hopping:

 

When you’re in Koh Samui, definitely make time to visit the neighboring islands. You can get from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan in less than an hour and Koh Tao in about 1.5 hours. Catch the ferry from Raja Ferry Port. They run almost every hour and tickets are around 150 baht / 5 USD. If you drive a motorbike, good news! You can take the motorbike on the ferry with you. The ticket price is 200 baht. Make sure to have enough baht on you; All tickets are cash only!

Additional Things to Know About Living and Working in Thailand

Thailand is known as the country of smiles. The locals are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet and they are always willing to help out a stranger.

When greeting someone, men should say “Sawatdee-krap” and women should say “Sawatdee-kah”, while smiling and nodding their heads.

If you want to thank someone, bow your head and say “Khob Khun Ka” (if you’re a woman) and “Khob-kun-Krub” (if you’re a man).

If you encounter any issues with your technology, such as your cellphone or laptop, head to a store called “Dr. Mac” for repairs. My laptop had liquid damage and I was very worried about not being able to teach, but Dr. Mac was able to repair my laptop within two days.

 

For more information, please feel free to check out my blog seajcub.wordpress.com, and/or my Instagram @sea_jcub.

If you apply for GoGoKid or VIPKid using my referral code, I’m happy to provide further resources and tips as well as answer any questions you may have throughout the application process.

Please feel free to email me at amira.jcub@gmail.com

  • GoGoKid referral code: 4RYKSEE3YGA
  • VIPKid referral code: CHRIS2028

 Good luck and happy teaching!