• Koh Samui in Spotlight

Places to visit in Koh Samui

Teak wood houses by the water

There are many places to visit in Koh Samui. Start with Fisherman’s Village in Bophut a picturesque village by the water with some original teak houses still standing and home to a number of popular restaurants and cafés.

Fisherman's Village is changing all the time with new restaurants and cafés appearing all the time. There are also a good number of pubs along the waterfront and they serve great pub grub and beer. Also, some have live music and most of them carry the major sports channels on their TV's, so if you are on holiday you need not miss an important match back home.

Along the main street you will also find some eclectic looking clothes and shoe shops, so it is worth going in and browsing around, you never know what you may find.

Fisherman's Village has a pier, but don't be put off by its rickety appearance. Here you can buy tickets for the ferry, which will take you to Koh Phangan.

If you miss the ferry and want to go to Koh Phangan early in the morning then further along the beach from the pier, at the far end of Fisherman's Village, you will find a number of speed boats. This is the fastest way to travel to the outlying islands, but make sure you are not getting into an overcrowded boat and be sure to wear a life jacket.

Visit Fisherman's Village on a Friday night, it's buzzing! The high street is closed off from all traffic and the locals set up stalls selling everything from jewellery to tasty snacks.

TIP. Beware if you intend to park in Fisherman's Village, as it is a one-way street from the pier end and quite narrow. You cannot park in the street. There is another parking area half way down the high street on the left hand side behind some village houses and shops. In the evening expect to pay anything from 20-100 Baht to park here. Don't park in the village on a Friday... you will never get back out!

Alternatively, look for a parking space at the far end where the beach can be reached from the road. You can also park on the left as you enter Fisherman's Village through the arch. If you see a sign saying no parking do not ignore it as an irate local resident might vandalise your vehicle while you are away.