Koh Samui: some of the best hotels under 2,000 baht
Some Samui resorts have excellent locations
Samui is all about boutique villas and VIP treatment but that doesn’t mean it’s unaffordable. It may have gone very upmarket compared to its humble bacnpacker beginnings but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a good selection of hotels at reasonable prices. You can have comfort for a comfortable price so we’ve found some of the most recommended hotels on the island for under 2000 baht a night.
Tourists first discovered the beauty and beaches of Koh Samui in the 1970s, but Chinese and Malay fishermen first inhabited this circular island in the Gulf of Thailand 15 centuries ago. Koh Samui’s tourism industry has made it far less isolated in recent years, but Thailand’s third largest island still offers budget accommodation and unspoilt beaches for visitors looking to get away from it all.
Before Koh Samui’s first roads were built in the early 1970s, the only way to travel from one end of this 21km-wide island to the other was a treacherous day-long journey through mountainous jungles. Today, motorists can easily drive around Koh Samui’s spectacular coastline in just a few hours, making it easy to access the island’s choice accommodation.
The southwestern coastal town of Nathon is the first stop for tourists arriving in Koh Samui by ferry. Charming and walkable, Nathon is known for its affordable and offbeat shopping, and it is also the departure point for ferries headed to Ang Thong National Marine Park, a popular daytrip. From here you can take a shared taxi to the beach and guesthouse or hotel of your choice.
Chaweng beach, on Koh Samui’s northeast coast, is where most of the action happens. Home to the 1,350-baht-a-nightSamui Island Beach Resort & Hotel, the island’s largest resort, Chaweng is where most visitors to Samui stay. This hotel’s lush garden setting combines traditional Thai hospitality and culture with modern comforts such as cable television and air conditioning.
Other affordable accommodations along Chaweng’s beach strip include the 1,400-baht-a-night Island Resort and Spa, whose tranquil bungalows and unique spa treatments are ideal for visitors looking to pamper themselves, and the 1,054-baht-a-night Akwa Guesthouse, one of Chaweng’s most unique accommodations with its funky pop-art decor.
Samui Island resort is one of many with a beachfront
In addition to accommodation the popular 1,640 baht a night Montien House provides relaxing massages and beauty treatments, as well as live folk, blues, and traditional Thai music, while the 999 baht a night Samui First House hotel offers a weekly Thai dance or cabaret show. Both establishments provide live music six nights a week and easy access to Chaweng beach.
Visitors planning a longer stay may prefer the nearby 1,300 baht a night Samui Beach Apartments, whose 10 rooms include a kitchenette, satellite television, and hot showers. Daily, monthly, and yearly rates are available.
South of Chaweng is the large, beautiful valley and sweeping bay of Lamai. Despite the beach’s popularity, Lamai retains a spacious and uncrowded feel which made it one of Samui’s first well-known tourist destinations. The beach’s northern end is one of the few locations offering year-round deep water swimming.
The 850-baht-a-night Serene Hill Resort and Spa’s teakwood villas are a perfect escape from Lamai’s seedier side. Free shuttles to Chaweng, Lamai, and Bophut are available, along with daily trips to the nearby islands of Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, and Ang Thong National Marine Park. The staff here also offer trips to the Samui Aquarium, Na Muang’s spectacular waterfalls, and Lamai beach’s Papa and Mama rock formations, whose resemblance to male and female genitalia amuse many visitors.
The 1,300-baht-a-night Auberge Resort, with each of its bungalows including a private balcony, is another affordable Lamai accommodation choice. This resort also offers massages, Thai cooking classes, and elephant rides.
Visitors looking for a more private and tranquil beach experience can easily find it in Maenam. Located in the middle of the island’s north coast, Maenam offers spectacular views of nearby Ang Thong National Marine Park. The golden sands and calm, warm waters of Maenam’s uncrowded beaches are a well-preserved reminder of the unspoilt scenery and solitude which first attracted visitors to Koh Samui. Here visitors will find affordable, pleasant hotels such as the 1,500-baht-a-nightMaenamburi Resort.
The rapidly growing community of Bophut, just east of Maenam, is a wonderful compromise between lively Chaweng and Lamai, and Koh Samui’s more isolated destinations. Bophut maintains a quiet, laid-back feel, and the traditional fisherman’s village in the beach’s middle section seamlessly blends in with more modern architecture.
MaeNaam Buri is peaceful and away from the action
Bophut’s main attractions are its beaches and its many French restaurants and cafés, some of which also provide accommodation such as the 1,600-baht-a-night Carpe Diem Hotel. The 40 spacious chalets and bungalows at the long-established 1,517-baht-a-night Smile House Resortare also popular and affordable.
The airy bungalows of the 750-baht-a-night Sundays Sanctuary Resort and Spa offer a unique combination of east and west with traditional bamboo paneling, air conditioning, and a communal pool table. Among this resort’s unique spa and beauty services are a natural steam room and a cold water relaxing pool.
Bangrak, also known as Big Buddha beach, is home to Koh Samui’s best-known tourist attraction. The 12-metre gold statue of Big Buddha dominating the view from Bangrak is one of the first sights visitors see before landing at nearby Samui Airport. Bangrak is quieter than Chaweng and Samui, but during important festivals it becomes one of Koh Samui’s liveliest spots.
The tropical gardens and private balconies of the 890-baht-a-night Full Moon Bungalows are among the best places to enjoy Bangrak’s outstanding views and uncrowded beaches. This laid-back English run resort also offers a beach bar and package tours to the monthly and high energy full moon parties at nearby Koh Pha Ngan.
The secluded beach of Choeng Mon, located on Koh Samui’s northeastern tip, is one of the island’s most peaceful places. Choeng Mon is an ideal destination for young families, and the 850-baht-a-night Choengmon Buri Hotel is one of its most affordable accommodations. This hotel offers massages, a restaurant, and private mini bus tours across Koh Samui and its surrounding islands.
Idyllic and romantic Lipa Noi is considered the west coast’s best swimming beach and an excellent vantage point for Koh Samui’s most beautiful sunsets. Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Set, Bang Kao and Thong Krut are the most well known beaches on the south coast. Budget accommodation in the form of beach bungalows can be found at these idyllic spots.
Not long ago, there was little contact between Koh Samui and mainland Thailand. Today, Samui Airport offers daily flights to Bangkok and other major Southeast Asian airports, although tickets are expensive and surcharges are levied on both domestic and international departures. Flying to mainland Surat Thani or Chumphon and taking a ferry to Koh Samui is a cheaper but less convenient option.
