Moving to Ko Samui

[AAArdvark]

On 5/21/2019 at 1:16 PM, wilcopops said:

Rainy season us one of the longest in Thailand....it gets a double whammy in November and December, when the rest of the country is enjoying the cool dry season.

I went there once during rainy season.  Scheduled for 3 weeks but I gave up after 1.  Constant minor flooding and rain rain and more rain.  Very unpleasant during the rainy season.

[Tropposurfer]

On insurance: You can get top flight - private everything up to 1 million a year benefit (I have such a policy & it actually works 100%) international insurance that will work seamlessly in Thailand (and except mainland USA everywhere else in the world) at any hospital you choose (yes any) for about 3K AUD a year. Both inpatient and outpatient, dental, prescriptions, specialist surgeons etc. - I've used it a few times over the years and never an issue.

DON"T live in Thailand without good private health insurance! If folks tell you you don't need it ... run like hell !

[robertson468]

Samui is an interesting mix.  There are very quiet beach locations and very busy touristy areas on the Island and it's fun to go from one to the other depending on how you feel that day.  Despite one OP saying we have two months of rain, sorry this is not true.  Depending on what weather system is dominante (El Nino or the other one) will influence the weather.  We have just gone through a very hot period, also the local authority are repairing and upgrading the roads, because at the moment is low season, and again you will see a marked difference in the population depending on the seasons.  The infrastructure is quite reasonable and improving all the time.  I have been here 15 years and have seen considerable changes, both in the amount of buildings and traffic on the roads.  I think most towns are inclined to develop and it's called progress, I believe.  The people are lovely and in the main, very friendly.  You could do worse by coming to Samui.

[dotpoom]

All my life I have acted on "compulsion" (even to this day).. .some good results and some not so good but learned a lot either way.

   I love the excitement of it all and the sense of adventure.

   I guess some people like to plan down to the minutest detail...we àre all different...which is good.

   I wish you a successful move.

  

[fishtank]

At your age you are going to have problems with Visas.

There is not much option for young people.

You will see snakes including Cobras.

Edited May 23, 2019 by fishtank

[fishtank]

Samui Thais are not very friendly as most of them come from the mainland after the tourist dollar.

That is their only interest in you.

[Mansell]

I spent last November on the island and couldn't wait to leave. The traffic is horrible with one road around the island....the Songthaews rip you off....charge 50 baht but want a hundred. The beaches I saw were not very nice, and the water wasn't clear and was quite cool compared to Phuket. The hospital I was getting specialized treatment at charged me 1,200 baht for my last anti-rabies injection, and where I live it would have cost 700 baht at a private hospital. Not easy to get around the island, and I had my car with me. The scooter riders are crazy, the cars not much better.

I lived on Phuket for two years and I think it is miles further ahead than Rip Off Koh Samui. And I don't want to hear from all the lovers of this dump as I won't read them. If you check out Phuket try the area around Ao Yon.....beautiful beach with very few tourists, clear warm sea, Songthaews for 30 baht, but expensive taxis......but both islands are the same in that regard......but at least you can leave Phuket without getting on a ferry for 90 minutes. On Phuket everything like Big C etc are pretty centralized......on the other island not quite as accessible. Whatever you choose....Good luck.

[khunPer]

10 hours ago, madmen said:

You guys have links to super cheap housing? When I search air bnb for 10k I get not a single listing

The good offers you most likely won't find on Airbnb, you'll find them locally by looking after signs, posters on pin boards and like, or just asking the locals; plenty of available possibilities at fine locations – for example a few hundred meters from beach, some places even less than 100 meter; walking distance of less than a few hundred meters to restaurants, shops and 24/7 convenient stores – from around 8,000 baht and up.

 

You can use Internet booking for short term, or for having a place to stay the first few weeks, while checking potential areas and prices. Its by the way so much better so see the neighborhood in real time, and feel the atmosphere, than looking photo-shopped images on the web...????

[myjawe]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:16 AM, Peterw42 said:

I hope you realise you wont be able to work legally. And given your age (I presume 20s-30s as per OP) will need to be doing border runs for visa etc. Being on an island will add to the travel/expense.

Day to day life would/could be similar in Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin. 

 

 

HE will just marry a Thai to get a 1 year visa as anybody smart does ?!

 

 

[myjawe]

4 hours ago, fishtank said:

Samui Thais are not very friendly as most of them come from the mainland after the tourist dollar.

That is their only interest in you.

 

Compared to Phuket people, Samui people are angels...

 

 

[stephen tracy]

Lots of good and informative replies here. For me personally, I lived on Samui for 6 months and realised that island life was not for me.  I felt claustrophobic after a while. 

[wilcopops]

17 hours ago, madmen said:

You guys have links to super cheap housing? When I search air bnb for 10k I get not a single listing

 

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Koh-Samui/homes?refinement_paths[]=%2Fhomes&query=Koh Samui&place_id=ChIJF7iQYFn2VDAR48nhXzVMZqU&checkin=2019-06-01&checkout=2019-06-30&search_type=FILTER_CHANGE&room_types[]=Entire home%2Fapt&price_max=10116&allow_override[]=&s_tag=tzEBfXaj

Then you are not looking in the rightis place......I can get a 2 bedroom house ... 1 year old plus garden for 10000 today.

[wilcopops]

13 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I went there once during rainy season.  Scheduled for 3 weeks but I gave up after 1.  Constant minor flooding and rain rain and more rain.  Very unpleasant during the rainy season.

Samui has a double whammy rainy season. It has the mainland Thai season from the South Westerly monsoon, which is anything from May or July to beginning of November and then when the Northeasterly monsoon kicks in instead of bring cool dry weather like it does to the rest of the country, it picks up moisture in the Gulf and dumps it all over the island creating the double whammy wet for November and December. One of the possible origins for the Samui name is "Sea Weather".

Edited May 23, 2019 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:16 AM, Peterw42 said:

I hope you realise you wont be able to work legally. And given your age (I presume 20s-30s as per OP) will need to be doing border runs for visa etc. Being on an island will add to the travel/expense.

Day to day life would/could be similar in Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin. 

 

Of course the OP can work legally....it depends entirely on the job.

[madmen]

Well I dont know.. after reading it all Im not getting warm and fuzzy feelings about Samui. The insane airfare cost to the mainland, the 90 minute ferry, transport costs, crazy traffic, accommodation posters swear by but not a single link because for some reason the cheaper landlords refuse to advertise ??? huh?

I spent 7 days there after being warned off by mates it wasn't worth it. Well they were not wrong. but that was many years ago so thought it worth a read but not getting better ..just my opinion

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by madmen

[PoorSucker]

23 hours ago, madmen said:

You guys have links to super cheap housing? When I search air bnb for 10k I get not a single listing

Airbnb is for tourists, when you live here you get the deals, best prices when you rent for one year. 

[wilcopops]

5 hours ago, madmen said:

single link because for some reason the cheaper landlords refuse to advertise ??? huh?

Landlords don't need to advertise that much...word if mouth is sufficient. However there are several Samui Community facebook pages you can start from 

I could put you into a 2 b/r house today if I thought you were a serious punter.

I got a house BEFORE I moved to Samui fir less than 9000 baht per month.

[madmen]

27 minutes ago, wilcopops said:

Landlords don't need to advertise that much...word if mouth is sufficient. However there are several Samui Community facebook pages you can start from 

I could put you into a 2 b/r house today if I thought you were a serious punter.

I got a house BEFORE I moved to Samui fir less than 9000 baht per month.

I dont need a house the OP does! Telling him to hit the ground marching around dragging suitcases trying to chat up people asking around for some cheap rent is just nonsense . How about one of you guys with boots on the ground help him as he is newbie!

 

'Landlords don't need to advertise that much"

 

You must be kidding!  unbelievable!!!

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by madmen

[fishtank]

On 5/23/2019 at 5:17 PM, myjawe said:

 

Compared to Phuket people, Samui people are angels...

 

 

You might just be correct. Not good though is it?

[wilcopops]

23 hours ago, madmen said:

Telling him to hit the ground marching around dragging suitcases trying to chat up people asking around for some cheap rent is just nonsense

Nobody is saying going that.....I think you are now just making things up as you have been clearly shown to be wrong.....a clear case of hard cheese.

As said if and when the P wants a house between 8 and 10k , I can show him several.

Just because you can't find one doesn't mean they are not there.....show show that relying on individual personal experience can be.

You looked on one site and you looked on the wrong one........learn how to research not just search.

Edited May 24, 2019 by wilcopops