A night out on Koh Samui, an insiders guide
By Katie Walsh
Eating right on the beach is a real treat
Koh Samui is a holiday destination geared up towards leisure and enjoyment. Whether you prefer wining and dining, a lads night out, or a quiet beer in a sportsbar, there’s something for everyone. Try eating dinner alfresco on the beach, mingling with the locals or enjoying excellent cuisine at excellent value for money, Samui has it all. It has a vibrant nightlife which is made up from an eclectic mix of five-star restaurants, local food stalls, beach bars and modern clubs, ensuring there is something to suit everyone on the beautiful island of Koh Samui.
Chaweng restaurants
Chaweng is the main tourist destination on the island and it offers a big range of restaurants and local eateries. The main Beach Road runs the length of beach and is full of places to eat after the sun has set. Big hotels, such as the Amari, Poppies and Centara, serve great food in beautiful beach settings.
Zico’s is the only Brazilian restaurant on the island, offering a popular nightly buffet featuring 12 skewered meats and fresh fish, with performances from their resident Brazilian dancers. Eat Sense is situated on the beach and serves arguably the best seafood on Samui. The Wave serves a great selection of western and Thai food in a pleasant English-run restaurant and over the road is the famous Ninja’s, which specialises in cheap and tasty Thai food in a rustic eating area.
The Islander and Tropical Murphy’s offer good food and both venues prove extremely popular with tourists and expats alike. Coyote’s and Gringo’s offer the best Mexican food, with the Green Olive serving delicious Italian and local foods cooked to perfection by an Italian chef. Kush is situated in Laemdin Market and offers a nice sushi menu with the unique option to book a private party where the meal is tastefully served off a naked lady/man.
Chaweng bars and clubs
Chaweng has the largest medley of bars and clubs on the island and although licensing laws only permit alcohol to be served until 02:00, there are plenty of places in Chaweng that stay open until dawn. Solo Bar offers alfresco drinking and a nightly DJ, with the Solo Club encouraging hardcore party-goers until 06:00. Also down Soi Solo is the Jimmy Hendrix bar, which plays rock and roll, metal, indie and grunge music until 06:00 and can get very busy when Green Mango shuts at 03:00.
There’s plenty happening at night on Samui
Slightly further down the road is the famous Soi Green Mango where there is something to suit everyone looking to party the night away. Sweet Soul Café plays hip hop music, Catcandoo offers cheap drinks and the Green Mango Club has a giant dance floor. Mint Bar plays house tunes in the only air-conditioned bar in Green Mango and as always, there is a handful of go-go bars.
Over the lake there is a road known as the Reggae Strip, which is full of beer bars, go-go bars and the large Reggae Pub, which hosts live bands and is home to a huge dance floor. If you’re looking for some ‘company’ for the evening, head her. Half way down Reggae Strip sits the only non go-go bar, PFC. It is run and owned by a friendly Portsmouth FC fanatic and they serve cocktails, cold beers and fantastic roast dinners, making it one of the main attractions on the road.
The Q Bar offers unrivalled views of Chaweng from its hillside setting and Ice Bar Samui presents a frozen indoor bar that is well worth a visit and provides a great photo opportunity. More on Chaweng.
Lamai restaurants
The second busiest town in Samui is Lamai and it has a good selection of restaurants. Chill In beach bar and restaurant lives up to its name and serves a small Thai menu and has seating on the beach, on stools around the bar and on wooden benches. The Lamai Wanta Resort is located in the heart of the bay and boasts an exciting fusion menu.
The Sabai-Inglae is close to the Grandmother and Grandfather Rock formations and is a local secret gem of an eatery. It has an alfresco dining area under the stars and tasty food served to the background sound of the waves, which help to create a romantic ambience. The Pavilion Samui Boutique Resort is home to Lamai’s most exclusive dining, with water features splashing and expertly cooked and presented dishes of fine cuisine all served at the beach side restaurant.
Lamai bars and clubs
Lamai is home to many bars and it mainly attracts single men with its large groups of go-go and beer bars. The most popular drinking area is a group of bars that surround the ladies boxing ring and they all offer drinks at cheap prices. Following the one way system, there is a street to the right that is brimming with go-go bars, Thai bar girls and loud music, which often spill out onto the road. You might want to make a bee-line for these or give them a wide berth, either way you can’t miss it. It’s pretty harmless all the same and some people enjoy sitting here simply to people watch.
The Samui Shamrock is a busy live music venue that shows live sport on its televisions, which are scattered around the bar. The Outback Bar also shows sport, from Australian Rules football to the English Premier League, and has a decent pool table. Just outside of the main strip is Buddy’s Resort, which hosts huge monthly party nights at its Shark Bar, which is filled with pool tables, televisions and lively music. More on Lamai.
Bophut restaurants
Bophut is home to a vast array of boutique hotels and top quality restaurants. Villa Bianchi ranks high among the delicious eateries, with its Italian dishes and chic décor. It also offers one of the most exclusive champagne menus around. Starfish and Coffee is decorated in deep reds and purples and is one of Bophut’s longest running businesses. Next door is the Happy Elephant restaurant that serves great Thai dishes at good prices in an alfresco dining area looking out to the bay, with a choice of daily seafood catches available.
Larry’s Shack is perfect for meat lovers. This American-run restaurant serves top quality meats barbequed to perfection with salads, marinades, dips and dressings that make this one of the busiest restaurants on Koh Samui. Juzza Pizza is well established in Fisherman’s Village and has been providing tourists and expats with great food for eight years, including dishes such as the Oh! Ohh!!, which is a unique meal of mussels, anchovies, olives and sun-dried tomato in tomato sauce on pizza bread.
Bophut bars and clubs
Bophut is a quaint area that attracts wealthy tourists with its pleasant assortment of picturesque bars. Tramps is located on the main road, outside of Fisherman’s Village, and is a live music venue designed in the style of an original London 1950s nightclub and although expensive, it offers an unrivaled wine list. The Frog and Gecko sits at the far end of Fisherman’s Village and is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy lunch and drinks at reasonable prices.
The Billabong Surf Club has views out to neighbouring island Koh Phangan and around the bay of Bophut, as well as having a huge food and drinks menu. The Pier is fairly pricey but it is a nice place set in the centre of the village that looks out to the pier and Bophut Bay and proves popular with tourists staying in the area looking for a place to relax, read and write postcards.
Various island hotspots
Between Chaweng and Lamai there are two notable restaurants, both of which boast fabulous views. Dr Frogs sits half way up a hill looking out over the blue sea and the Chaweng area. It serves good Italian food and turns into a popular drinking venue on weekend nights. The Cliff is set on a higher hill with an even more impressive view out across the crystal waters and down to the bay below. It serves some of the best cuisine on the island, with a magnificent backdrop and a popular bar area.
The Four Seasons is located just before Nathon and as well as five-star accommodation, it also boasts a superb restaurant with spectacular scenery. For visitors seeking out tasty Italian food, it doesn’t get better than Antica Locanda in Bang Rak, a family-run restaurant that attracts tourists and expats alike with its wonderful food and decent wine list.
Further down the road is another branch of Catcandoo that serves cheap drinks without the plethora of screaming Thai girls that can be found in other bars that line the road in Bang Rak. Out past Lamai is Rocky’s Resort, which is a popular place for weddings and other events. It serves fresh seafood and hosts barbeque beach parties and is worth a visit even if you are not staying there.
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