Ko Samui
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
Ko Samui is a big island, with more than 1,000 places to stay spread around the island’s coast and interior. We commence at the capital and main west coast port town of Nathon, then travel around in a clockwise direction, covering first primarily residential Bang Po, then Mae Nam and Bophut, which run across Samui’s north coast and are popular with families. Next comes slightly more affordable Bang Rak, then onto a spur on the island’s northeast corner, Thongson Bay and Choeng Mon.
After this we head south, along Samui’s most popular beaches of Chaweng, Chaweng Noi, Thong Ta Kien and Lamai. These attract the bulk of the island’s visitors, especially those looking for the party. For those wanting a quieter experience, the west coast beaches of Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi beckon. From the latter it’s possible to walk to Nathon, bringing us back to where we started. One additional entry is the glistening island of Ko Taen, just off the south coast of Samui and attractive to wannabe time travellers.
Please see the areas guides such as Chaweng, Lamai and Mae Nam for individual accommodation reviews, while below you’ll find more island-wide pieces.
Not everyone's dream holiday includes sorting through near neverending lists of places to stay, so we put together this collection of great budget places to stay on Ko Samui for you. These are spread around the island, from popular beaches like Chaweng and Lamai to lesser-known, laidback spots in the south. All of the following have some kind of offering for under 1,000 baht a night, with many... Read our full review of The best budget accommodation on Ko Samui.
When it comes to picking the right place for a family holiday on Ko Samui, it can be easy to get waylaid by the larger resorts with their wealth of facilities – and wallet-busting prices – but it need not be that way. Samui is no slouch when it comes to interesting, memorable and mid-priced options. Here are our top picks for family-friendly resorts and guesthouses on Ko Samui. A few points... Read our full review of Great family accommodation on Ko Samui.
Few choose to stay in Ko Samui’s capital of Nathon, but it’s home to decent stretches of beach -- though very shallow -- both to the north and south. West facing, the sunsets are comparable only to Lipa Noi and Taling Ngam to the south of here.
Ko Samui is a small enough island that there is really little reason to stay in the island’s capital of Nathon, but if, for whatever reason, you do need to stay here, the Grand View Beach Resortel is a reasonable flashpacker option. Staff told us the hotel is the biggest in Nathon, and the location is great, at the southern extent of the Nathon loop road facing over a moderately sized... Read our full review of Grand Sea View Beach Resortel.
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