Where Can I Live On Samui?

[mudkicker]

Hi everyone,

Hope those with more knowledge of Samui than me can help me out here.

I'm going to be living here for at least six months and am looking a bungalow rental for that time. I'm not specifically looking for recommendations for places/landlords as there are some in the pinned post, but more which area would be good. I'm currently in a bungalow off the ring road in Chaweng, which I do really like - 10 minutes from Tesco, wireless, 8k a month - but I don't drive so I'd prefer to be somewhere a bit closer to the beach. It's about half an hour walk at the moment - I do sometimes get a motorbike taxi but it would be great if I could be at a beach in 10 minutes or so.

The other, main, reason is that I'm on Samui on my own at the minute and would like to head out to a pub the occasional night, but don't like Chaweng at night and am looking for a quieter vibe. I could stay where I am and taxi to Lamai or whatever for a night out, but I'd really like a decent little local bar I could walk to for an hour or so (I'm here to finish up some work projects so get cabin fever a bit in the evenings) rather than going for the whole 'big night out' thing. Obviously safety is a concern too as I'm on my own, but I've travelled fairly extensively so know the usual caveats and precautions.

I like the look of Fisherman's Village and Lamai - any thoughts from anyone living there?

Other considerations: I'm paying 8k a month so would like to find something at that price or less. I don't need a big or fancy place - all that's really essential is cooking space and wireless, and as I say it would be great to be closer to a beach.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most appreciated! Thank you

[Tropicalevo]

You might want to look at Choengmon. Quiet little beach village.

It's a bit of a trek to tesco/Big C (you would need a taxi-shopping expedition maybe once a week) but apart from that it is very pleasant (IF you like the quiet life.)

If you want to party every night - forget it.

[joe84330]

not sure how many comparable places are available in FV at that rate. sounds like you're a match for bang rak. it's not a swimming beach to be sure but it is a beach, has a number of bars and an easy songthaew ride to tesco.

[mudkicker]

not sure how many comparable places are available in FV at that rate. sounds like you're a match for bang rak. it's not a swimming beach to be sure but it is a beach, has a number of bars and an easy songthaew ride to tesco.

Thanks guys, will check those out. Cheers.

[robsamui]

Hmm. OK. Wants to stay here for 6+ months. Wants to be 'close' to the beach somewhere for 8K a month but doesn't drive/have a motorbike. Needs easy access to Tesco/Big C. Also needs to be close to one or more pleasant bars as likes to pop out for a nightcap.

Basic Samui Rule: the closer to the beach the more expensive your rent becomes - with rare exceptions. The universally-accepted compromise here is to trade-off a cheaper rent against the need to have a motorbike to get around on - it's Catch 22. Even getting somewhere close to Bang Rak means a 3K+ stroll (6K+ there and back again) to check out all the bars and pubs on the strip. In a nutshell: if you live close to the beach/pubs you don't need a motorbike to get there and back but you'll pay a lot more than 8K a month. If you want a lower rent it means being further away and you'll need transport.

Fisherman's Village is now one of the island's premium attractions and I cannot for an instant imagine that anyone is offering a room there for 8K a month ... a week, maybe ... it's safe to reckon on a minimum of 800-1,000 baht a night, if you can find anything that cheap and there is not much in the way of accommodation there anyway - it's mostly shops and restaurants.

Bang Rak is one very long strip-development along the beach ... 5K or so in length but with the advantage that if you head up any of the side-streets on the landward side of the beach road there are hundreds of small houses to rent scattered about, all privately owned and none of them widely advertised. BUT YOU"LL NEED A MOTORBIKE to scout out where they are and look them over! The Mermaid Hotel is cheap and right on the beach (500 baht a night and probably negotiable for long stays) but it also might offer you a good base for a week to spend wandering about to find something more permanent.

If I were you I'd take Wi-Fi and Tesco-access out of the equation as they seem to be clouding the issue. A cheap aircard costs very little to maintain and surely just about any supermarket will be adequate?

Another alternative is Mae Nam. Same applies - don't bother looking directly on the beach, but even 100 metres away from the sand the prices drop from 1,500B a day to around 10,000 a month. And if you want to look for somewhere across the other side of the ring road then it's cheaper again but you'll need transport to get around. And there are 5 or 6 excellent pub-style bars plus dozens of more basic alternatives, too.

Bottom line: you need transport on Samui as there is no public transport system!

Hope this helps!

Rob

Edited April 21, 2011 by robsamui

[mudkicker]

Hmm. OK. Wants to stay here for 6+ months. Wants to be 'close' to the beach somewhere for 8K a month but doesn't drive/have a motorbike. Needs easy access to Tesco/Big C. Also needs to be close to one or more pleasant bars as likes to pop out for a nightcap.

Basic Samui Rule: the closer to the beach the more expensive your rent becomes - with rare exceptions. The universally-accepted compromise here is to trade-off a cheaper rent against the need to have a motorbike to get around on - it's Catch 22. Even getting somewhere close to Bang Rak means a 3K+ stroll (6K+ there and back again) to check out all the bars and pubs on the strip. In a nutshell: if you live close to the beach/pubs you don't need a motorbike to get there and back but you'll pay a lot more than 8K a month. If you want a lower rent it means being further away and you'll need transport.

Fisherman's Village is now one of the island's premium attractions and I cannot for an instant imagine that anyone is offering a room there for 8K a month ... a week, maybe ... it's safe to reckon on a minimum of 800-1,000 baht a night, if you can find anything that cheap and there is not much in the way of accommodation there anyway - it's mostly shops and restaurants.

Bang Rak is one very long strip-development along the beach ... 5K or so in length but with the advantage that if you head up any of the side-streets on the landward side of the beach road there are hundreds of small houses to rent scattered about, all privately owned and none of them widely advertised. The Mermaid Hotel is cheap and right on the beach (500 baht a night and probably negotiable for long stays) but it also might offer you a good base for a week to spend wandering about to find something more permanent.

If I were you I'd take Wi-Fi and Tesco-access out of the equation as they seem to be clouding the issue. A cheap aircard costs very little to maintain and surely just about any supermarket will be adequate?

Another alternative is Mae Nam. Same applies - don't bother looking directly on the beach, but even 100 metres away from the sand the prices drop from 1,500B a day to around 10,000 a month. And if you want to look for somewhere across the other side of the ring road then it's cheaper again but you'll need transport to get around. And there are 5 or 6 excellent pub-style bars plus dozens of more basic alternatives, too.

Bottom line: you need transport on Samui as there is no public transport system!

Hope this helps!

Rob

Rob - thanks for that. I don't particularly care about being close to Tesco, I just said I live 10 minutes away from there now. As you say, any supermarket would be fine. And I don't have to live close to the beach - I said I'm around 30 minutes' walk from one now and was wondering if anyone could suggest an area a bit closer within my budget. I'm aware that living right on the beach isn't going to be possible on my budget - it's the same anywhere - but am asking if there are any areas I might be a bit closer than half an hour's walk for a comparable rent. I don't know the island very well yet and it seems a pity to stay in the first area I arrived in without exploring further.

And I don't drive, at all, so a bike is out of the question, hence trying to find an area where I can at least head to a local bar for a pint or to watch the football or whatever without always spending money on taxis (and where as a local bar it should be a bit safer for me.) For a proper night out it doesn't matter, but I'd like to be able to go out occasionally without relying on taxis.

I lived in Tokyo for a while and did get the train and then taxi home for nights out - but the suburb I was in also had plenty of little bars and restuarants within ten minutes' walk as well as supermarkets and markets - I'd like to find something like that here without always having to go into eg Chaweng for a night out.

I did find a room in Fisherman's Village for 9k, but with no cooking facilities so will keep looking. And will check out the Mermaid and Mae Nam as you suggest. Thanks.

[robsamui]

Hmm. OK. Wants to stay here for 6+ months. Wants to be 'close' to the beach somewhere for 8K a month but doesn't drive/have a motorbike. Needs easy access to Tesco/Big C. Also needs to be close to one or more pleasant bars as likes to pop out for a nightcap.

Basic Samui Rule: the closer to the beach the more expensive your rent becomes - with rare exceptions. The universally-accepted compromise here is to trade-off a cheaper rent against the need to have a motorbike to get around on - it's Catch 22. Even getting somewhere close to Bang Rak means a 3K+ stroll (6K+ there and back again) to check out all the bars and pubs on the strip. In a nutshell: if you live close to the beach/pubs you don't need a motorbike to get there and back but you'll pay a lot more than 8K a month. If you want a lower rent it means being further away and you'll need transport.

Fisherman's Village is now one of the island's premium attractions and I cannot for an instant imagine that anyone is offering a room there for 8K a month ... a week, maybe ... it's safe to reckon on a minimum of 800-1,000 baht a night, if you can find anything that cheap and there is not much in the way of accommodation there anyway - it's mostly shops and restaurants.

Bang Rak is one very long strip-development along the beach ... 5K or so in length but with the advantage that if you head up any of the side-streets on the landward side of the beach road there are hundreds of small houses to rent scattered about, all privately owned and none of them widely advertised. The Mermaid Hotel is cheap and right on the beach (500 baht a night and probably negotiable for long stays) but it also might offer you a good base for a week to spend wandering about to find something more permanent.

If I were you I'd take Wi-Fi and Tesco-access out of the equation as they seem to be clouding the issue. A cheap aircard costs very little to maintain and surely just about any supermarket will be adequate?

Another alternative is Mae Nam. Same applies - don't bother looking directly on the beach, but even 100 metres away from the sand the prices drop from 1,500B a day to around 10,000 a month. And if you want to look for somewhere across the other side of the ring road then it's cheaper again but you'll need transport to get around. And there are 5 or 6 excellent pub-style bars plus dozens of more basic alternatives, too.

Bottom line: you need transport on Samui as there is no public transport system!

Hope this helps!

Rob

Rob - thanks for that. I don't particularly care about being close to Tesco, I just said I live 10 minutes away from there now. As you say, any supermarket would be fine. And I don't have to live close to the beach - I said I'm around 30 minutes' walk from one now and was wondering if anyone could suggest an area a bit closer within my budget. I'm aware that living right on the beach isn't going to be possible on my budget - it's the same anywhere - but am asking if there are any areas I might be a bit closer than half an hour's walk for a comparable rent. I don't know the island very well yet and it seems a pity to stay in the first area I arrived in without exploring further.

And I don't drive, at all, so a bike is out of the question, hence trying to find an area where I can at least head to a local bar for a pint or to watch the football or whatever without always spending money on taxis (and where as a local bar it should be a bit safer for me.) For a proper night out it doesn't matter, but I'd like to be able to go out occasionally without relying on taxis.

I lived in Tokyo for a while and did get the train and then taxi home for nights out - but the suburb I was in also had plenty of little bars and restuarants within ten minutes' walk as well as supermarkets and markets - I'd like to find something like that here without always having to go into eg Chaweng for a night out.

I did find a room in Fisherman's Village for 9k, but with no cooking facilities so will keep looking. And will check out the Mermaid and Mae Nam as you suggest. Thanks.

Gotcha. Take a look at your PM - 2 places you might want to cast an eye over in Mae Nam . . .

R

[mudkicker]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[joe84330]

two months or so ago i was looking for a room in bang rak for a friend and i found one at 10k directly on the beach fwiw. personally i think if you are considering mae nam, you should skip right over it and go on to ban tai area where you can find rooms directly on the beach for anywhere from 3,500 and up. you'd be on the beach and equidistant from both tesco's in chaweng and nathon. fewer bars out that way but if you are on a budget that's not always a bad thing. nice enough swimable beach and loads of authentic thai seafood restaurants lining the beach in ban tai/bang por. if you're not driving you better be close enough to the ring road or else you'll be having some long walks late at night. tons of stuff in bang rak in that price range though.

[Birdman]

...could be that Lamai would be the place. I think a rent in that budget can be found somewhere behind the Northern part of the beach road. Tesco, bars, restaurants, a very nice beach, a local market and much more is only a short walk away...

[robsamui]

two months or so ago i was looking for a room in bang rak for a friend and i found one at 10k directly on the beach fwiw. personally i think if you are considering mae nam, you should skip right over it and go on to ban tai area where you can find rooms directly on the beach for anywhere from 3,500 and up. you'd be on the beach and equidistant from both tesco's in chaweng and nathon. fewer bars out that way but if you are on a budget that's not always a bad thing. nice enough swimable beach and loads of authentic thai seafood restaurants lining the beach in ban tai/bang por. if you're not driving you better be close enough to the ring road or else you'll be having some long walks late at night. tons of stuff in bang rak in that price range though.

Seconded.

The only reason that I didn't mention this area is that this is 99% 'residential' with zero entertainment at all other than the odd backstreet supermarket with 3 or 4 farangs sitting outside on the concrete table drinking beer. This is also predominantly a German enclave: absolutely nothing wrong with that at all, but you've got to travel back into Mae Nam to find a pint, a pie and BBC World!

R

[joe84330]

...could be that Lamai would be the place. I think a rent in that budget can be found somewhere behind the Northern part of the beach road. Tesco, bars, restaurants, a very nice beach, a local market and much more is only a short walk away...

a couple of years back an old friend of mine was staying in a really nice 2BR bungalow immediately off the ring road in lamai for 9k per month. i don't remember the name but if you are passing lamai tesco headed toward hin ta hin yai it is on the left hand side before the 90degree turn. there is a motorbike repair shop directly opposite the entrance. very narrow entrance but big enough for a truck, about 8 or 10 bungalows if i remember correctly.

[Boater]

...could be that Lamai would be the place. I think a rent in that budget can be found somewhere behind the Northern part of the beach road. Tesco, bars, restaurants, a very nice beach, a local market and much more is only a short walk away...

birdman has a point here, Lamai has some very cheap places and all not to close to the beach, also all the bars and even tesco's is in walking distance, or you could get a MB taxi or songtow easily there

[OlBlackEyes]

Obviously...Nathon isn't that interesting

[mudkicker]

Thanks loads, guys, this is all really helpful. Much appreciated.