ATV Tours on Koh Samui: What the Ride Is Like and How to Choose

ATV tours on Koh Samui run on the mountain trails in the middle of the island, not along the coast. We sell two: a 1 or 2 hour quad tour through the hill jungle, and a 3 or 4 hour tour that links viewpoints, waterfalls and a temple. Prices run from THB 1,450 per driver for one hour to THB 3,995 for four, with hotel transfers included. The short tour takes drivers from age 12, the long tour from 15. Both start with a safety briefing and a test ride, so no experience is needed. If you would rather see every ATV park on the island before deciding, we also run a comparison site at atvkohsamui.tours.

What an ATV tour on Koh Samui actually involves

A van collects you from your hotel or villa and drives you inland to the base camp in the hills. There you get a helmet, a safety instruction and a test ride, so you can get used to the controls before the group sets off. On the 1 or 2 hour tour you can choose an automatic or a manual ATV when you arrive. You then ride in a group behind an English or Thai speaking guide.

The riding is off-road: dirt tracks climbing through rubber plantations and coconut groves, with ruts, loose surface and water crossings. This is not a groomed track and it is not a road trip. Expect to be shaken around, and expect to get dirty, packed dust in dry weather and mud after rain. At the end the air-conditioned van takes you back to your accommodation.

The two tours side by side

Every booking needs at least one driver. A passenger rides on the same machine as a driver, so a family of four riding two-up needs two drivers old enough for the tour they picked.

Which one to book

These are our opinions, based on how the two tours are built rather than on any one visitor's experience.

• One hour suits a tight schedule, a first try, or a group with young children, since passengers are accepted from age 3. It is a sample of the trails rather than a trip around the island.
• Two hours is the better value of the short options. It adds the viewpoint, the coconut groves and, depending on the season, a waterfall, for THB 1,000 more per driver.
• Three hours is where it becomes a half day out rather than an activity. You get the named stops, entrance fees and a snack box near Wat Teepangkorn.
• Four hours gives the most riding and adds a sit-down Thai lunch. Worth it if you actually want the distance, not just the lunch.

One thing to note about the long tour: the stops are subject to change depending on timing and how the group is riding. Treat the list of stops as the plan, not a guarantee.

If you want the trails without other people in the group, the same short route is available as a private ATV tour, where a passenger is added at half the regular price.

What is included and what is not

Both tours include return hotel transfers, the guide, the safety instruction and test ride, helmets and accident insurance. The 3 or 4 hour tour also includes entrance fees, drinking water, fresh fruit and the snack box or lunch set for your chosen length.

Neither price includes personal expenses or photo souvenirs, which are sold on site. Food and drinks are not included on the 1 or 2 hour tour. Alcoholic drinks are not included on the longer tour.

Riding gear beyond a helmet is not provided. There is no mention of gloves, goggles or body protection in either tour's inclusions, so if you want them, bring them.

Transfers depend on where you are staying

On the 3 or 4 hour tour, free hotel transfers cover Maenam, Bophut, Chaweng, Plai Laem, Choengmon, Lamai and Nathon. Outside those zones there is no free transfer. If your hotel or villa sits up a steep access road, the pickup may need to be a private transfer at extra cost, or you can meet the van at a nearby accessible point instead. Transfer fees, where they apply, are paid in cash at pickup.

Pickup times vary by where you are on the island, so the 09:00 to 09:30 window is a range rather than a fixed time. On the long tour, riding itself starts at roughly 10:00 or 14:30 once the group has been briefed at the base camp.

Age, weight and who is allowed to drive

On the 3 or 4 hour tour the weight limit is 140 kg per ATV, and each machine carries either one driver alone or a driver plus one passenger. Drivers must be 15 or older and are only allowed to drive after passing an ability test at the base camp, so the minimum age is a floor, not a guarantee.

The 1 or 2 hour tour is the one to look at if you are travelling with children. Drivers start at 12 and passengers at 3, which is unusually young for ATV riding on Samui. Children still ride as passengers with an adult driver unless they meet the driver age.

No previous experience is needed for either tour. First-time riders are pointed to the automatic machines.

What to wear and bring

• Closed shoes. Both tours list these. Flip flops are not suitable for a footpeg on a dirt trail.
• Clothes you do not mind ruining. Mud and dust do not come out easily.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent. All three are on both packing lists.
• Swimwear and a towel if you are booking the 3 or 4 hour tour and want to swim at the waterfalls.
• A camera. On the private tour you can request a helmet with a GoPro mount at check-in, though supply is limited and first come, first served.

Rain, season and timing

The 3 or 4 hour tour runs every day regardless of the weather. If rain is heavy enough that the roads become inaccessible, the operator offers a different date or a refund. Riding wet trails is muddier rather than shorter, and the waterfalls on the route are fuller.

The waterfall on the 2 hour version of the short tour is seasonal, so in dry months it may be little more than a rock face. If a waterfall is the main reason you are booking, the longer tour with its named waterfall stops is the safer choice. Our month-by-month Koh Samui weather guide covers what to expect through the year.

The honest drawbacks

Worth knowing before you book rather than after:

• ATV riding carries real risk, especially on wet, steep or rocky trails. Helmets and a briefing reduce it, they do not remove it.
• You ride in a group, at the pace of the group. If you are a confident rider, expect to wait for others.
• Quads are loud and the trails are dusty or muddy depending on the season. This is not a quiet scenic drive.
• A meaningful part of a short tour is spent in a van and at the base camp. The one hour option is one hour of riding, not one hour door to door.
• Facilities at trail stops are basic.
• The long tour's stop list can change on the day.
• Photos taken on site are sold separately, so factor that in if you want them.

Cancellation terms are set out in the booking conditions on each tour page. Check them at the time you book, since they are the terms that apply to your booking.

Next step: book the 1 or 2 hour ATV quad tour for a shorter ride or a group with children, or the 3 or 4 hour ATV mountain tour for the viewpoints, waterfalls and a meal. To see how these compare with every other ATV park on the island, use our Koh Samui ATV comparison.

Prices, ages, transfer zones and inclusions on this page were checked against our tour pages in July 2026. Prices and pickup zones change, so the tour page is always the current version.