Koh Samui Beaches
Chaweng
Beach and Lamai Beach are Koh Samui’s most beautiful and popular beaches. Both have
a huge selection of accommodations suitable for the travellers from all walks
of life. Please note that there is the difference in room rate according to
the season basically low season, high season, and peak season. The nightlife of each beach is different:
Chaweng beach is better for couples, women and families, while single men are
drawn to the beer bar culture of Lamai beach. Other beaches include Choengmon
beach, Mae Nam beach and in the north and Na Thon town, the island's major seafront
settlement where shops, restaurants, ferry pier and tour agencies are situated.
Apart from its many lovely beaches and tranquil bays, Koh Samui is also noted
for its high quality coconuts that grow densely everywhere.
Chaweng Beach
Chaweng beach is the longest beach on the island having the
biggest centre for both entertainment and shopping.
There are many hotels and bungalows along Chaweng's fine white sand beaches.
You can find anything from five-star luxury resorts to little budget bungalows
remaining from Koh Samui days as a backpacker's haven. Just in from the beach,
the main road is lined with the restaurants offering
every imaginable cuisine (you can even find Japanese Sushi, Mexican and Thai
food), numerous dive shops, and a few excellent open-air discotheques where
you can revel enjoy your evening after having relaxation at the beach during
the day time. If you wander further inland from the beach toward Chaweng lake
you can stumble upon the local Thai boxing ring, a giant open-air produce market
and numerous food stalls catering to locals.
Chaweng's main road is one of the best places for people watching nightlife, but if you are driving a scooter, go slowly through the wide puddles, as they can hide some nasty potholes.
Lamai Beach
Lamai beach is Koh Samui's second largest beach, and some
says that it is having the most beautiful beach in Koh Samui. The sea water
caters for excellent swimming and the beach is studded with graceful granite
boulders, which are often enjoyed as fishing perches by local fishermen.
Nightlife in Lamai is a bit more laid back than in Chaweng beach even though there are a couple of areas with beer bars and the Buahaus pub has a good dance floor and ample screens for watching current sports events. There are several good restaurants in Lamai town, but don't overlook Pizza Hat, on the main road near Lamai Beach which has been satisfying cheese cravings for over a decade.
Bophut Beach
Bophut Beach, If you prefer a quiet diner by the beach, Bophut
beach is a magical spot to do so. Old Chinese shops are interspersed among dozens
of good restaurants right on the beach. Both the cuisine and the architecture
of the buildings around the area lend a distinctly Mediterranean feel to the
village. There are even a few surprises up here, like some excellent restaurant
gift shops and some tasty pizza prepared at the French owned Le Gourmet.
Choengmon Beach
Located on the quiet north shore between Chaweng beach and
Mae Nam beach, the nearest shopping districts are those in Chaweng beach and
Mae Nam beach. The nearby Bophut village is just a 5-minute drive away. There
you will find a number of quiet and charming restaurants and cafes. Nightlife
is subdued. Air-conditioned taxis available around the area and public transport
is available sometimes during the day.
Maenam Beach
is the westernmost of three developed beaches in terms of
tourism on the north coast of Samui Island. It is also the longest of the three.
Right on Maenam Beach is a recommended holiday hotel, Paradise Beach Resort.
The resort has been completely renovated in 1995, and new accommodation was
also built. To switch to the pages of Paradise Beach Resort.
Nathon Town
The town on Samui is named Nathon. You will find banks, post offices, restaurants
and a few shops etc. here, but it's is not a place where most people stay. There
are many exchange offices and ATM machines around the island. Nathon also has
a rather long pier where boats from mainland of Thailand arrives.
