Me and the wife are planning to go to Koh Samui in February for the first time. I've only got a vague feel for the various resorts from what I've read on the forum and elsewhere online. I'd appreciate any recommendations for resorts and also for hotels in the 2000-3000 Bht/night range.

To give you an idea, I would say that Patong in Phuket is too brash and busy and Sai Kaew Beach in Koh Samet is too remote and quite. I'd like to be somewhere in between; relaxed, peaceful and pretty, but with a little bit more activity than than just a beach with a few bars. I wouldn't mind if it was close enough to get a taxi to somewhere with more action, but far enough away not to be in the thick of it.

Thanks in anticipation.
Nick

Chaweng is the busiest resort, McDonald's, Pizza Hut etc etc Nowhere near as busy as Patong but still maybe a bit OTT for you.

I tend to stay there just for the convenience and I have friends there...and I get a cheap deal at an hotel...

But has a nice beach and some excellent restaurants. BUT is full of Israeli backpackers at certain times of the year (Like last week...I've just come back)...So if you don't like "culturaly insensitive behaviour"...don't stay there...or take some earplugs...

Maybe Bophut maybe more what your looking for? Quieter, but only 10 minutes from Chaweng...

I'm going again in February...last year the weather was fantastic..Also, cheaper than at Christmas and not so busy...

Enjoy your trip...


Nick

Chaweng may have everything but also stinks of sewage in the high season, I cant understand why anyone goes there. Lamai is much more family orientated and does not stink as much

I stayed at hotels at the following beaches:

maenam beach - some hotels there - so pubs/restaurants belong to the hotels- brown sand beach

choeng mon beach - a small number of hotels - more private - white/brown sand beach - again pub/restaurants belong to the hotels

Northern end of chawaneg - again just a small number hotels - again pub/restaurants belong to the hotels -
white sand and very shallow water and pebble/coral at the bottom of the sea in some areas. Too far to walk along the beach to the centre ares of Chawaeng and some big rocks in the way or some kind of obstruction which I can't remember what it is..can take a taxi from there to Chawaeng though about 5 minutes Don't like this bit- some taxi can overcharge for such a short ride...

I went walking around the southern end of the chawaneg beach twice - really like the white sand beach and very shallow water there with some waves.. can walk along the beach toward the centre. so only a walking distance to more shops and activities and not too crowded at the southern end. So if I go to samui again will stay at a hotel in the southern end of Chawaeng.

Most beaches in Samui will be just beaches with bars, restaurant, hotels with some water sport in more popular beaches. I did other activities like going to butterfly farm, going on a day trip to Nation park. Most other activities will be a bit further away from the hotels/beaches anyway.

Hope this helps.

The South of Chaweng away from "Soi Green Mango" is quieter...



Nick

In Bophut I can reccomend these apartments WWW.samuiapartments.com

We can thoroughly recommend Lolita Bungalows in Maenam beach.You can Google it or find it on the Thai hotel websites. We booked everything on-line with no probs.

The beach is great, you feel like you are miles from anywhere, but when you walk a few hundred metres to the town and main road there are plenty of restaurants, markets and 7/11s.

The restaurant in the resort is good for breakfast but I would advise you to walk into town for dinner.

Also, very friendly owners and staff. Great value for money.

Mam and JohnB

Thanks for all the replies. That's great - it really helps me to narrow down the possibilities.

Regards
Nick

the island resort on the northern part of chaweng beach, near to the airport, is nice, and just far enough from green mango (a 15-minute walk) that u can escape from the all-night revellers if u wish, but still virtually next to laundry services, clothes shops and the like on the non-beach side of the main road. ur driver will not necessarily know which place u mean when u ask for the island resort because there are several places with similar names. this one is on the beach side of the road, almost opposite the chaweng beach hotel. there are several nearby atms on the main road, especially in the direction of green mango.

the water inside the lagoon is really too shallow for swimming, as u need to wade for ages before it goes more than waist-high. canoeing is just about possible.

for a do-it-urself trip away, songthaews will take u to the big buddha at nearby bophut beach. unlike at bangkok's wat phra kaew, t-shirt and shorts is acceptable attire at this temple.

ian.

Thanks Ian

Do you know if the areas near the airport, i.e. Bophut and Choeng Mon etc suffer from any aircraft noise with them being close to the airport?

i don't recall any intrusive aircraft noise at the big buddha at bophut beach, but i've never been to cheong mon. on the bangkok airways website, the first departure from samui to bangkok is 0600 and the last bangkok departure and arrival are both at 2200, so there are eight hours of peace and quiet at night, as far as aircraft movements are concerned.

ian.

Thanks

You can never tell from looking at maps. It appears from one map that I've seen that the runway points straight towards Bophut and I had visions of lying on the beach with jets screaming overhead.

I can vouch that the jets approach on landing is directly above...and I mean DIRECTLY above...P&P Resort, Chaweng.

I know 'cos I always stay there...even then you hardly notice...the noise of the aircon usually drowns it out...

Nick

We plan on going to Lammai for a week in November....never been before....got the Samui Jasmine resort pencilled in.

Anyone any thoughts on this?

TC

quote:

I can vouch that the jets approach on landing is directly above...and I mean DIRECTLY above...P&P Resort, Chaweng

Now that there are more flights the flight path is alternated between the two directions but not on a strict 50/50 basis. Some days it seems that all flights will both arrive and take off over Chaweng (yep directly above P&P) other days most flights will use other side of island, other days take off and landing use different sides. Doesnt seem to make any difference which time of year either. My impression though is that Chaweng still suffers the most from planes both landing and taking off.

Nick - do you mean just the Jet aircraft? I never noticed if there was a difference in approach direction between the jet and the prop aircraft.

Unashamed plug follows.............

If any guys are visiting Samui, please say hi to my brother Andy at "Legends Bar" on main strip Chaweng. He has lived on samui for past 15 years or so and I am told he is quite a nice guy

Sorry, should have been clearer...jets and props..



Nick