Where to Stay in Koh Samui (2027): Best Areas & Hotels

Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island, with lively beach towns, quiet bays, jungle-covered hills and sunset coves. The beach you choose makes a big difference to your holiday, so it pays to pick the right one.

This guide explains the best areas to stay in Koh Samui for nightlife, couples, families and quieter breaks, with hotel picks and links to compare prices in each area.

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The best areas to stay in Koh Samui at a glance

If you want…	Stay in	Why
Nightlife & a busy beach	Chaweng	The island's longest, liveliest beach	See hotels
A livelier beach, more laid-back	Lamai	Big beach with a relaxed town behind it	See hotels
Couples & boutique stays	Bophut	Fisherman's Village, restaurants and boutique hotels	See hotels
Families & a quiet beach	Mae Nam	Long, calm beach with a local feel	See hotels
Families & luxury	Choeng Mon	Sheltered bay with upmarket resorts	See hotels
Near the airport	Bang Rak	The Big Buddha and easy airport access	See hotels
Sunsets & peace	Lipa Noi	Quiet west-coast beach facing the sunset	See hotels
Secluded luxury	Taling Ngam	Remote south-west coast and sunset views	See hotels

Which part of Koh Samui?

Koh Samui is small enough to drive around in a couple of hours. The east coast, around Chaweng and Lamai, has the busiest beaches, the most hotels and the nightlife. The north coast, from Choeng Mon and Bang Rak to Bophut and Mae Nam, is calmer, close to the airport and popular with couples and families. The west coast, around Lipa Noi and Taling Ngam, is the quietest side of the island and the place for sunsets.

Where to stay on the east coast

Chaweng

Best for: Nightlife, first-timers, groups

Koh Samui's longest and busiest beach, with soft white sand and a long strip of bars, restaurants, shops and clubs just behind it. The liveliest place to stay, and close to the airport.

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Lamai

Best for: Couples, a relaxed beach holiday

The island's second-biggest beach town, more laid-back than Chaweng but with plenty of restaurants and bars. The famous Hin Ta and Hin Yai rocks are at the southern end of the bay.

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Where to stay on the north coast

Bophut and Fisherman's Village

Best for: Couples, food lovers, boutique stays

Bophut's Fisherman's Village is a charming strip of old wooden shophouses turned into restaurants, bars and boutiques, with a busy walking-street market on Friday evenings.

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Mae Nam

Best for: Families, a quiet beach

A long, quiet beach with calm water and a more local feel, plus a good choice of family-friendly and luxury resorts. Boats to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao leave from the north coast.

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Big Buddha, Bang Rak · Photo: Simon Vetterli / Unsplash

Bang Rak (Big Buddha Beach)

Best for: Short stays, near the airport

The beach below the island's famous Big Buddha temple, just a few minutes from the airport. Handy for short stays and for boats to the neighbouring islands.

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Where to stay on the quieter west coast

Koh Samui · Photo: Robert Eklund / Unsplash

Lipa Noi

Best for: Peace and quiet, sunsets, families

A long, quiet beach on the west coast with shallow water and some of the best sunsets on the island, well away from the busy east coast.

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Hotels in Koh Samui worth a look

Browse Koh Samui hotels by star rating:3-star hotels 4-star hotels 5-star hotels

Luxury

Centara Reserve Samui (formerly Centara Grand)

Chaweng

The former Centara Grand, relaunched as Centara Reserve Samui, set in gardens on the quieter end of Chaweng Beach with suites, pool-access rooms and ocean-facing villas.

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Couples

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

Bophut

A tropical beachfront resort in Bophut, within walking distance of Fisherman's Village and its restaurants.

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Luxury

Banyan Tree Samui

Near Lamai

Pool villas set on a hillside above a private bay near Lamai, each with its own pool, plus a large spa.

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Luxury

W Koh Samui

Mae Nam

A stylish resort on Mae Nam beach with private pool villas and a lively bar scene of its own.

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Luxury

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

North-west coast

Villas on a hillside on the island's north-west tip, looking out to sea and over the sunset coast.

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Lively

Ark Bar Beach Resort

Chaweng

A good-value beach resort in the centre of Chaweng, known for its beach bar and parties.

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Koh Samui holiday packages

Booking your flight and hotel together can work out cheaper, especially in the school holidays, and flight-inclusive package holidays from UK travel companies are ATOL protected.

Arriving in Koh Samui and getting around

There are no direct flights from the UK to Koh Samui. Most people fly to Bangkok, around 11 to 12 hours from London, then take a short connecting flight of about an hour to Samui Airport (USM). Another option is to fly to Surat Thani on the mainland and take the ferry across.

Samui Airport is in the north-east of the island, close to Chaweng, Bophut, Choeng Mon and Bang Rak. Taxis and songthaews (shared pick-up trucks) are the main way to get around. If you hire a scooter, check your travel insurance covers it.

Book an airport taxi

Car hire in Koh Samui

When to visit Koh Samui

Koh Samui's weather is different from much of Thailand: the driest, sunniest months are usually January to April, and July and August are often good too. The heaviest rain usually falls from October to early December. For a season-by-season guide, see Best time to travel to Thailand.

Things to do in Koh Samui

Ang Thong Marine Park: kayaking, snorkelling and lunch among the islands of the marine park.
Pig Island by speedboat: snorkelling and a buffet lunch on a speedboat trip.
Island highlights tour: the island's top sights in half a day.
Tree Bridge zipline: ziplines and a café in the jungle canopy.
Quad bike safari: an off-road ride through the island's hills.
Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: a speedboat snorkelling trip to the neighbouring islands.

Travel insurance for Koh Samui

Book your cover as soon as you've paid for your trip, so you're protected if you need to cancel. The GHIC doesn't cover you in Thailand and medical treatment can be expensive, so make sure your policy includes good medical cover. If you plan to ride a scooter, check the policy covers it.

Koh Samui FAQs

Which is the best area to stay in Koh Samui?

It depends on your holiday. Chaweng is best for nightlife and a busy beach, Lamai for a livelier but more relaxed stay, Bophut for couples and restaurants, Mae Nam and Choeng Mon for families, and Lipa Noi on the west coast for peace and sunsets.

Where should families stay in Koh Samui?

Mae Nam and Choeng Mon are the most popular choices, with calm water and family-friendly resorts. Bophut is also a good option if you want restaurants nearby.

Is Chaweng or Lamai better?

Chaweng is the busiest beach, with the most bars, clubs and restaurants. Lamai is smaller and more laid-back but still has plenty going on. Choose Chaweng for nightlife and Lamai for a quieter base.

How do I get to Koh Samui from the UK?

There are no direct flights. Most people fly to Bangkok and take a connecting flight of about an hour to Samui Airport. You can also fly to Surat Thani and take the ferry.

When is the best time to visit Koh Samui?

January to April is usually the driest and sunniest time, and July and August are often good too. The heaviest rain usually falls from October to early December.