Newbie to Samui

[Finlaco]

Hi to Ko Samui residents 

 

I'm not new to Thailand but will soon be new to Ko Samui.  I have a few questions and hopefully, you may be able to offer some advice.

Buying a Honda Click  - Any suggestions where on the island or better to buy at Surat Thani

Accommodation - Bophut area ish.   Budget 5k - We are two people and wondering what we might get for that - Ideally a separate bedroom and a living room come kitchen.  I like a coffee on my balcony or in a shared garden  I know vague but ...

Any negatives about Ko Samui that you might care to mention - Can DM if you prefer.

Immigration - I'm on my first Retirement Visa.  How is Samui IO? -  Can DM if you prefer.

[Rmac442]

One negative ..it's an island !!

Careful you are not viewing it with rose tinted glasses ...

[khunPer]

An excellent place to look for a Honda Click would be the Honda dealer, situated in Maenam, about 5 kilometers from Bo Phut. Street View HERE (click on arrow upper left map map).

 

There are numerous possibilities for renting something in the Bo Phut area - mind you, Bo Phut is huge and includes Chaweng, but you probably think of the area close to Fisherman Village and surrounding neighborhood - but with a 5k budget, if it's baht and per month, you shall look up in the smaller sois (streets) at the land side; however 10k baht a month would be more realistic to find something of a normalle acceptable standard for foreigners. I've marked one around 10k baht per month at the map in the link HERE, there might be several possibilities both in that area and on that side om the Ring Road, the main road around the island.

 

If it's 5k baht per day your possibilities for accommodation increases a lot, you can even find beach front pool villas when in that level...

 

You will find lots of both negatives and positives about Samui if you check the threads in the local forum - some hater the island, and some loves it - best thing is to check it out yourself for a few weeks or a month before you settle too permanently; and don't regard the monsoon season from October till December as all year round weather condition...????

[Tropicalevo]

I am not sure how much you know about Samui and how committed you in coming here.

KhunPer has good local knowledge and gives good advice eg new Honda Click.

I buy second hand bikes for staff from the local guy who services and rents bikes, on the understanding that if there are any problems - he fixes them. I have bought 7 or 8 bikes off him over the years - for staff. Even my own 'Noah's Ark' era PCX. No problems with any of them.

If by Bophut you are thinking Fisherman's Village, Maybe reconsider a kilometer or two along the coast.

Maenam has some cheaper long term places as does Bangrak.

The downside for Fisherman's village (and Chaweng) is the cost of meals in restaurants.

The rents in those villages are higher (many tourists) so the meals tend to be a more expensive.

Being on an island has an extra cost. Get your Bangkok Airways resident's card as soon as you can. Big savings on flights.

Regarding Samui Immigration. These days, I and my friends, have no issues. Learn their rules and just follow them. Simple. I do not have a retirement visa yet (71 and counting) but there is a separate thread on this forum about them.

Good luck. It's a lovely island. It is a lot more than just Chaweng.

[Finlaco]

@khunPer @Tropicalevo thanks for all the advice.  It's not a dream come through for me just my partner is considering a job offer and I'm flexible.   I like nature and quiet and not into the party scene.   Basic needs well met by Tesco or Big C.

 

We will read what you've written over a cup of coffee and appreciate your kindness

[gearbox]

6 hours ago, Finlaco said:

@khunPer @Tropicalevo thanks for all the advice.  It's not a dream come through for me just my partner is considering a job offer and I'm flexible.   I like nature and quiet and not into the party scene.   Basic needs well met by Tesco or Big C.

 

We will read what you've written over a cup of coffee and appreciate your kindness

As khunPer mentioned the Honda dealer at Maenam is a good one, we thought before buying from Surat Thani, but the price difference was negligible and not worth the hassle, we bought 2 new Honda Clicks from that dealer.

 

As for rentals for around 5k you can get a bungalow with a bedroom and kitchen in the areas between Tesco and the Fisherman's village, but it may not be up to your standards. My Gf staff rents in that area for around 4-5k per month. Many foreigners rent long term in the sois off Khao Phra Soi, but the rents there start from 8-10k. The best thing IMO is to post first in the Samui FB groups, lots of business is done this way.

Maenam rentals as far as I know are around 20% cheaper.

 

As an island a drawback would be going anywhere out of it, airfare is expensive and the ferry charges have gone up a lot. Also everything is more expensive than the mainland, it is a tourist destination.

[thaibeachlovers]

It's a shame that OPs on such threads rarely, if ever, post again to let us know how they got on and if the advice was helpful.

If posters are prepared to give their time and advice for free it would be good manners to give an update.

At least the OP on this thread did say thank you, but even that is rare.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/20/2022 at 10:17 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

It's a shame that OPs on such threads rarely, if ever, post again to let us know how they got on and if the advice was helpful.

If posters are prepared to give their time and advice for free it would be good manners to give an update.

At least the OP on this thread did say thank you, but even that is rare.

2 months exactly since OP posted and nothing. I rest my case.

[Finlaco]

@thaibeachlovers it's sweet that you take such an interest in my life, thanks and kinda scary at the same time.

 

I use DM to communicate my thanks etc to the contributors above. 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/5/2022 at 5:21 PM, Finlaco said:

@thaibeachlovers it's sweet that you take such an interest in my life, thanks and kinda scary at the same time.

 

I use DM to communicate my thanks etc to the contributors above. 

 

 

 

Is that "PM"?

 

It's a public forum and people that take the time to read posts do so because they are interested. It's polite to get back and let those that did read the thread know what happened.

 

Anyway, it was more a general comment about the many posters that ask for advice and never get back, not just yourself.