Arriving In Samui Without Accomodations In August... Is It A Bad Idea?

[chaimdan]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

[kdvsn]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

You'll be able to find decent accomadation but you might wind up paying a premium or as you fear, wind up next door to another place that is better. One thing that you could do is upon arrival only book a night or two at someplace cheap and then scout around for a better place to move to a couple of days hence. BTW, $150 is a big budget for a room in Samui.

Edited July 11, 2007 by kdvsn

[Prakanong]

I booked a place last August at BKK airport just before boarding.

Paid one night there then had to pay rest when arriving. It was 4000THB a night and there was no problem getting somewhere so you budget is fine.

One thing I will say though is when i got there they wanted all the money upfront - not just a swipe of my card. Suspicious I thought so asked to see the room - I was so far from the beach I might as well have been on the road.

The room was dark and dingy as a supposed trendy boutique hotel - a poor mans "W" in Chicago I thought.

Decided not to stay except for night paid for - walked over the road next day and got somewhere at less than 50% of place booked and much cleaner and brighter.

[mlkmnz]

(also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Try Koh Phangan instead as its closer. Alternatively, it sounds like Bophut or Maenam is more your scene on Koh Samui

[lazeeboy]

(also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Try Koh Phangan instead as its closer. Alternatively, it sounds like Bophut or Maenam is more your scene on Koh Samui

plenty of rooms on samui ,just get here and book either a room in chaweng or lamai.

[ebiro]

Why not check houses before you arrive in Koh Samui? Why to spend houres on a motorbike travel around on bad roads? Then make telefon calls to a only thai speeking house owner to find out the house is not available.

Look at: http://www.samui-finder.com/en/rent-holiday-house/

[nod]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

Hi Chaimdan.

Samui has been incredibly quiet this year and accom. has been no problem at all in terms of "just turning up". However August is traditional a very crowded time indeed because most of continental Europe goes on holiday leaves and turns the lights out. Whether it will be the same this year I have no idea but with a wife and child, it may not be worth taking the risk. Sawadee.com is a good website on which to find and review accomodation all round Thailand and Samui in particular. If you don't want the bustle of Chaweng, you should perhaps try a beach resort on Maenam or maybe Bophut beach. Zazen resort at the end of Bophut beach is well run and would probably suit your budget. Food is good, staff are professional and friendly and they have a swimming pool. Good luck with your search.

[Samui Coconut]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

You'll be able to find decent accomadation but you might wind up paying a premium or as you fear, wind up next door to another place that is better. One thing that you could do is upon arrival only book a night or two at someplace cheap and then scout around for a better place to move to a couple of days hence. BTW, $150 is a big budget for a room in Samui.

Baht 5,000 in high season is not that big, at least not for decent 3/4 star acommodation.

[mlkmnz]

plenty of rooms on samui ,just get here and book either a room in chaweng or lamai.

Except they said they dont want to stay in Chaweng. Lamai's ok but a bit far away and beaches aren't arguably as nice as Bophut or Maenam. I can recommend World Resort in Bophut, nice people, nice rooms, nice pool and beach and reasonably priced (1500 a night).

[Lite Beer]

www.sawadee.com Lots of accomodation around the island. You really do not want to pay more than 2,000 Baht a night.

[Adagio]

(also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Try Koh Phangan instead as its closer. Alternatively, it sounds like Bophut or Maenam is more your scene on Koh Samui

You could stay a month on KPG on your budget for a weekend

[Geppis72]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

You can try Lipa Noi Beach, South of Nathon, nice , no busy, no risk while swimming, affordable prices, but may be to quite for you.

Cheers

[Tredz]

(also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Try Koh Phangan instead as its closer. Alternatively, it sounds like Bophut or Maenam is more your scene on Koh Samui

go to Maenam, it's a quiet place, there is a lot of good bungalows with a low price.

[BigC]

yes it is a bad idea. u need somewhere to crash for at least 1 night. best thing to do is to get someone to book somewhere for you.

sure there will be someone on here that can do.

problem is that everywehre becomes full.

there again. the tourist figures are very low for this time of the year but who knows. prices also go up for high season

[tommyj4]

I'm arriving to Ko Samui on Aug 13-19 (maybe till the 21st if I decide to skip phuket) and was wondering what you all think about the possibility of finding decent accomodations on arrival.

I am so confused as to where to stay, and past experience I always end up booking a place which is next to a much nicer one or quieter one, I thought maybe I should just come and see once I am there.

I am also debating between staying in Ko Tao as well... Any help greatly appreciated.

We (wife myself and baby) are looking for a nice location (picturesque) with nice views, not on chewang or too busy of a spot, serene, budget of $150.. (also would Ko Tao fit my criteria better than samui?)

Thanks in advance!

You'll be able to find decent accomadation but you might wind up paying a premium or as you fear, wind up next door to another place that is better. One thing that you could do is upon arrival only book a night or two at someplace cheap and then scout around for a better place to move to a couple of days hence. BTW, $150 is a big budget for a room in Samui.

[Samuian]

I already suggested the Mae Nam Resort!

Mae Nam is a nice Beach, quiet Location and not too much off the "beaten track"! Swaying palm trees just in front of the bungalows, book first row....

[Super Hans]

I'm thinking of going to Samui for a few nights towards the end of August - what's the cheapest I can expect to pay? Here in Patong, I can get perfectly good guesthouses for 4-500 a night - I take it Samui is significantly more expensive?

[Lite Beer]

I'm thinking of going to Samui for a few nights towards the end of August - what's the cheapest I can expect to pay? Here in Patong, I can get perfectly good guesthouses for 4-500 a night - I take it Samui is significantly more expensive?

No Phuket is about the only place more expensive than Samui.

[SamuiJens]

I'm thinking of going to Samui for a few nights towards the end of August - what's the cheapest I can expect to pay? Here in Patong, I can get perfectly good guesthouses for 4-500 a night - I take it Samui is significantly more expensive?

About 500-600 without a/c on the beach resorts(cheapest, with ok service) about 750-1200 with a/c!

Lite Beer, when was the last time you where in Patong?

Edited August 2, 2007 by SamuiJens

[robsamui]

I'd like to hear what happened in the end! Please do post your story!

It's too late to offer advice, but I would have said 'book into anywhere on a day-to-day basis and spend the next day or two cruising Bo Phut and Mae Nam in a jeep, daytripping and checking out what the people you speak to tell you.'

Even in August - this year - you should quite easily be able to find a good, clean bungalow within 20 seconds of the beach (but you may have to pay 2,000 baht a day for one ON the beach) and if you are prepared to look 500 yards 'inland' then you'll pay a lot less. It's actually cheaper to take a house for a month than to pay per day for two weeks.

But,then, you really need to be here and look around for a while to find this!

And, I think, that now Samui is overall more expensive than Phuket. It's the most expensive place in Thailand, now.

R

[gisele]

You might like Samui Newstar, it is not on Chaweng but on Chaweng Noi, they have upgraded since my last visit but the beach is one of the best in Samui (as told by a farang manager of Central Samui who came here to spend his day off)

http://www.samuibooking.org/samuinewstarre...CFQqgYgodWz52mA

used to be at this site

http://www.travelthailand.com/hotels/samuinewstar/index.html

or Sans Soucy

http://www.thailandhotels24.com/samui/souci.htm

Which is at the very South end of Chaweng so very few venders and quiet beach