Rental properties in Koh Samui

[Keith5588]

Hi, my name is Keith, I am from the UK, I live in Khon Kaen with my Thai girlfriend and we are very happy together.

We play Patanque almost every day in a park near a lake near to where we live and both becoming quite good at throwing the steel balls. I also play tennis at the nearby Sports Stadium and my girlfriend does her exercise dancing.

Life is very good here but I am also thinking that we all have only one life and a little adventure would be nice.

We did visit Koh Samui last year for 2 weeks and enjoyed it, especially the Hash house Harriers run.

I am thinking of spending 3 months in Koh Samui, a bit as a trial run to maybe even living there.

So now I need to look for rental accommodation.

This is my question

Does anyone have any advice and suggestions which rental agency or person I can look at to rent for 3 months?

[phetphet]

Just google or AirBNB. With the current crisis and total lack of tourists there is a glut of accommodation to be had. You can probably be quite mercenary in any price negotiations.

Edited February 7, 2021 by phetphet

[Tropicalevo]

Pick the area where you live carefully.

eg Chaweng is very very quiet at the moment - no tourists.

I can only talk about the area where I live. (Bangrak/Plai Laem). Also look at Lamai.

Tennis in Bangrak (Koh Samui Tennis Club). Also at Horizon Villas Choengmon if you rent there.

Petanque in ???? Used to be in Bangrak. Lots of French people live in Fisherman's village.

Maybe talk to the French owners of Le Cote de Boeuf or La Virage. Le Sirene  etc

All good French restaurants as well.

As phetphet says - lots of villas available.

[khunPer]

As @Tropicalevosays, be careful not to pick the wrong location. Come down and check the area(s) of interest first, before you book anything. It's no problem to find affordable accommodation – or extreme 5-star, if that's what your are searching for – for a few days, or a week, or longer, and sometimes the best bargains are not the ones published in the Internet; offline word of mouth is still an excellent source for search of information...????

Edited February 8, 2021 by khunPer

[Keith5588]

Thanks to you all for the good advice. I will post again if I find some interesting information.

[Dart12]

either rent a hotel for a few days and go home shopping, or pick an airbnb for a month and then take your time shopping in person for a home for 3 months.

airbnb really only seems to have "OK' properties.  When you do more investigative hunting, especially for a 3 month rental you can find some real gems.

Plus its fun going house hunting ????

[jingjai9]

How active is Ko Samui now? I saw a you Tube video posted on January 8th and it was a ghost town. What is the cheapest way to get to Samui from the mainland? I understand Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on flights to the island. Is that true?  

 

Any advice on how to get around the main island would also be appriciated. Always find a good variety of ideas here. Thanks.

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, jingjai9 said:

How active is Ko Samui now? I saw a you Tube video posted on January 8th and it was a ghost town. What is the cheapest way to get to Samui from the mainland? I understand Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on flights to the island. Is that true?  

 

Any advice on how to get around the main island would also be appriciated. Always find a good variety of ideas here. Thanks.

The video you have seen is from Chaweng beach road, which is mainly targeting foreign tourists, and it's fairly dead, almost as a Dodo; so is also Lami beach road, same conditions.

 

Other parts of the island is quite alive, but some resorts are still closed or running on lower than normal level, and some business, mainly targeting foreign tourists are closed, or for sale; just like almost all over those parts of the World hit hard by the pandemic. But most areas seem almost normal with lots of traffic, life, open shops and restaurants, and even some bars and pubs (still limited opening hours); however, it's not too crowded by foreign tourists, but there are quite a number of resident expats, and still some "Covid-stranded tourists".

 

Bangkok Airways don't have monopoly, but the high airport fees reduce budget carriers to operate at low price, as the airport is private owned and only paid for by the users. However, the traffic is extremely limited at the moment due to the Covid-19 closures, and lack of foreign visitors.

 

Cheapest way to get to Samui is train, where a ticket includes train to Surat Thani, and bus and boat transfer to Samui, Nathon pier; however, I dont think trains operate before March. A 2nd class sleeper to Samui is normally around 800 baht.

 

A VIP-bus from Bangkok to Samui, including ferry transfer, is around 1,200 baht.

 

A ferry ticket from Don Sak on the mainland to one of the ferry piers, i.e. Lipa Naoi or Nathon, is very cheap. There is a ferry departing for each pier on the hour from early morning till about 6 pm.

 

Getting around the island can be by song thaew ("baht bus"), which costs from 20 baht to about 150 baht depending on distance, they drive on major roads from 6 am till 6 pm; or by taxi, which could be fairly expensive; or by using an app like "Grab" (might even be same car as the expensive taxi); or renting a motorbike and drive yourself (be aware of traffic behavior, and remember both helmet and good insurance); or renting a car.

????

[Tropicalevo]

If you know how to ride a scooter. Rent one when you get here. 150 - 200 baht per day MAX. 2 - 3.000 baht per month.

If you are not sure how to ride one, please do not learn here. Driving standards are low and most side roads have holes and/or sand.

Edited February 12, 2021 by Tropicalevo

[jingjai9]

Thanks so much for the information. I appreciate the time you took to reply.

 

[DrPhibes]

On 2/8/2021 at 12:06 AM, Tropicalevo said:

Pick the area where you live carefully.

eg Chaweng is very very quiet at the moment - no tourists.

I can only talk about the area where I live. (Bangrak/Plai Laem). Also look at Lamai.

Tennis in Bangrak (Koh Samui Tennis Club). Also at Horizon Villas Choengmon if you rent there.

Petanque in ???? Used to be in Bangrak. Lots of French people live in Fisherman's village.

Maybe talk to the French owners of Le Cote de Boeuf or La Virage. Le Sirene  etc

All good French restaurants as well.

As phetphet says - lots of villas available.

I'm right on the beach at northern Lamai beach for a couple of more months at really cheap price and it is a ghost town.  When I booked, google showed many restaurants and such open.  When I got here, all were closed.  The nearest restaurant is a 10 min walk and next one after that is 10 more minutes.  The 7/11 right next to the resort just closed as are the next two going in either direction.  If the family mart across the street closes, it will be a minimum 30min walk to get drinking water.  So, yes, pick carefully.  It seems Mae Nam is still pretty busy due to most residents (as opposed to tourists) living out that way.  The beach here is lovely and uncrowded but if you can't get something to eat...

[Tropicalevo]

17 minutes ago, DrPhibes said:

I'm right on the beach at northern Lamai beach for a couple of more months at really cheap price and it is a ghost town.

Thank you for the update on Lamai. I have not been there for a few years.

As you say, Maenam is still surviving, as is Bangrak and Choengmon.

There are even a couple of new foodie places opening in Bangrak but not a lot of rental places in the village. Lots just outside though. Plai Laem, Choengmon etc.)

[DrPhibes]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Thank you for the update on Lamai. I have not been there for a few years.

As you say, Maenam is still surviving, as is Bangrak and Choengmon.

There are even a couple of new foodie places opening in Bangrak but not a lot of rental places in the village. Lots just outside though. Plai Laem, Choengmon etc.)

Would not be so bad if I could get Grabfood (which is huge in Chiang Mai) but the app shows none here.  Actually working long hrs so no time to leisurely head north.

[Tropicalevo]

11 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Would not be so bad if I could get Grabfood (which is huge in Chiang Mai) but the app shows none here.  Actually working long hrs so no time to leisurely head north.

No GrabFood on Samui but there is FoodPanda and Hangover Samui for deliveries.

[Tropicalevo]

FoodPanda and Hangover Samui for deliveries.

[DrPhibes]

Thanks, a couple of restaurants in Lamai on Hangoversamui but Foodpanda returns a "not in your area yet" for Lamai.