Your favourite beach?

[SamSpades]

Hello world!

What is your favourite place to stay in Koh Samui, beach-wise?

I've been to Samui five years ago, so the memories are sort of faded away.

Now planning a 2-3 months vacation there. Asking for a friendly advice.

Some say Chong Mon is good. Or Bophut? Which of them has better renting

options (newer condotels or apartments) plus restaurants?

Thanks for the help!

[samuijimmy]

Depends really, on what you want, busy beaches like Chong Mon, Chawang, or areas of Lamai...

Or quieter beaches, like Maenam, Ban Tai or Ban Por beaches or west side beaches, Lipa Noi, Thaling Ngam etc...... all have places to stay at various price levels and all have food / restaurants... Up to you!

But we are not revealing our favorite beaches!

[smokie36]

The one I am currently dipping my toes in the sand.....

[happylarry]

If you are staying for 3 months then why stay in one place.......move around a bit and enjoy them all !!!

HL

[Virt]

There are so many beautiful beaches on Samui and some of them are hard to find and not full of people, but it requires you to drive around and look for them.

Why not rent a car and drive around for a few days while exploring the island?

That way you always come across something not described on various tourist sites, and it's an adventure in itself.

Just be careful out there in the traffic.

Enjoy your stay.

I wish we could stay for 3 months, but we have to settle for 3 weeks at a time.

42 days and countng down .......

[Absolut]

As a tourist I love the hype of Chaweng but my favourite beaches are Maenam and Bang Po to visit during the day, especially lunch and a swim at Bang Po.

[BradinAsia]

For the last 20 years, I have usually stayed at MaeNam or Bophut beach. Stayed

once at Rocky Resort on Lamai beach. It was nice, but too rocky...

[MantisMan]

As a tourist I love the hype of Chaweng but my favourite beaches are Maenam and Bang Po to visit during the day, especially lunch and a swim at Bang Po.

Like he said. Maenam and Bang Por for the quietness and solitude.

Choeng Mon has the best sand and water. Not too many people and best for people watching.

Now, on the other hand, if you want to see bare breast, female version that is, you've got a good chance at Chaweng.

I've seen a few at Choeng Mon as well.........Take you pick.

[flyingdoc]

Choeng Mon has a good beach, but the best is in Maenam by Fisherman's Village, though it gets deep quite quickly.

If you want a more gradual slope, then Big Buddha Beach would be the best!

[smokie36]

Look south young man......

Now I'll probably get banned for saying that....

[superdome]

For the last 20 years, I have usually stayed at MaeNam or Bophut beach. Stayed

once at Rocky Resort on Lamai beach. It was nice, but too rocky...

THAT WHY ITS CALLED ROCKY RESORT....

[silver sea]

If you google "laem sor beach Koh Samui", you get a list of links including photos and a location map. It's on the south east of the island.

I was walking there this morning for the first time. It is a very long beautiful sandy beach; much how I have always imagined beaches on a tropical island to be. It's a bit off the beaten track though. Quite isolated but lots of places to stay nearby. There were people on the beach but it was not crowded.

Walking back to my starting point, I then walked on and found a rocky, less attractive beach and then noticed a pagoda close to the beach and then another one up in the hills. I visited the first one and then nearby found another pagoda on top of a boat in an artificial pool of water. I could go on but I appreciate that you are not coming to Samui for the temples ...

If you're spending three months here, then it might be worth staying there for a few days, if only to catch your breath from the nightlife in Chaweng and Lamai.

Edited January 12, 2014 by jukebox

[khunPer]

»… Chong Mon is good. Or Bophut? Which of them has better renting options plus restaurants?»

Bo Phut has better options, and another possibility is Rang Rak between Bo Phut and Big Buddha; but there are many beaches with both affordable renting options and many restaurants.

As other posters said, it’s depending of what you are looking for and if you have transportation, for example plan to rent a motorbike.

If you want something very quiet and affordable West coast and South are good options, but far from nightlife and the many restaurants. Most beaches at the North coast offer both options. If you want crowd and party then Chaweng or eventually Lamai.

[Nemesis7]

Maenam

[Alwyn]

easy. Lipa Noi

[Icarus1]

The southern part of Chaweng beach is lovely, but if you're there for 3 months, get on the Ferry and head to Ko Phangan for Had Ran Beach (nice beach but lively during peak season) or my favourite, Chalok Bay on Ko Tao- superb

[ikbenhet]

»… Chong Mon is good. Or Bophut? Which of them has better renting options plus restaurants?»

Bo Phut has better options, and another possibility is Rang Rak between Bo Phut and Big Buddha; but there are many beaches with both affordable renting options and many restaurants.

As other posters said, it’s depending of what you are looking for and if you have transportation, for example plan to rent a motorbike.

If you want something very quiet and affordable West coast and South are good options, but far from nightlife and the many restaurants. Most beaches at the North coast offer both options. If you want crowd and party then Chaweng or eventually Lamai.

I guess you mean Bang Rak.

Bang Rak is nice but is becoming to be to commercial.

When the old Secret Garden was still there, i loved Bang Rak and thought it was the best place on Samui.

Still remember the Sunday sessions on the beach. Really paradise island.

Nowadays the best beaches, imo, are the Ban Por and Ban Thai beaches.

Its not the finest and most white sand nor the best swimming but everything together its the most enjoyable.

Just my opinion.

Edited January 12, 2014 by ikbenhet

[samuijimmy]

Some of these beaches mentioned are several kilometers long, and can vary from one end to the other.... sand type and drop off, etc!

Some parts of Ban Por beach, have very nice fine sand, great for kids to make sand castles etc! Ban Tai beach is nice sand too... more family orientated

The Laem sor beach mentioned is a nice quiet place, as mentioned by Jukebox! worth searching out not much in the way of vendors usually, so one needs to take drink etc!

There are images of just about all these beaches, in the Photo section at the top of the main page! Beaches do vary at different times of year.... after April the tide levels really drop, usually more noticeable on the west and south coasts of Samui!

[Tropicalevo]

»… Chong Mon is good. Or Bophut? Which of them has better renting options plus restaurants?»

Bo Phut has better options, and another possibility is Rang Rak between Bo Phut and Big Buddha; but there are many beaches with both affordable renting options and many restaurants.

As other posters said, it’s depending of what you are looking for and if you have transportation, for example plan to rent a motorbike.

If you want something very quiet and affordable West coast and South are good options, but far from nightlife and the many restaurants. Most beaches at the North coast offer both options. If you want crowd and party then Chaweng or eventually Lamai.

I guess you mean Bang Rak.

Bang Rak is nice but is becoming to be to commercial.

When the old Secret Garden was still there, i loved Bang Rak and thought it was the best place on Samui.

Still remember the Sunday sessions on the beach. Really paradise island.

Nowadays the best beaches, imo, are the Ban Por and Ban Thai beaches.

Its not the finest and most white sand nor the best swimming but everything together its the most enjoyable.

Just my opinion.

Sunday sessions are back on under new ownership! People tell me that it is good.

I have not been and so I cannot comment - other than Bangrak beach is a bit 'dirty' thanks to all of the ferries that leave the 'film' of diesel. It's a working beach.

As someone said earlier - Lipa Noi is excellent and nothing there.

My personal favourite is Choengmon - lots of restaurants, people watching, safe clean beach (no rips or hidden rocks) and not many touts/jet skis.

Then there is Sunday 5 - 7 Samrong Bay. O2 Beach Club - buy one beer/cocktail/wine - get one free. Nice quiet beach. A good way to end the weekend. 8 beers, 2 wines, 2 cocktails and change from 1,000 baht. All whilst sitting on the beach - only 4 other people today, apart from us locals.

[reptile91602]

I lived there over 5 years some years ago and wouldn't go back even for a visit. Not worth it.

But if you look around you can find less contaminated islands where you don't get put in a coma from the water pollution.

[crazykopite]

Choeng Mon has a good beach, but the best is in Maenam by Fisherman's Village, though it gets deep quite quickly.

If you want a more gradual slope, then Big Buddha Beach would be the best!

Cheong Mon very nice beach only problem is the very tiny like jelly fish when they nibble on you it is like a small electric current running thru your body. May enamel fo me you can swim all year round and your not hustled by sellers of souvenirs

[BeachGuySamui]

Try Silver Beach in Lamai. That's our favorite.

[Tropicalevo]

I lived there over 5 years some years ago and wouldn't go back even for a visit. Not worth it.

But if you look around you can find less contaminated islands where you don't get put in a coma from the water pollution.

.

Amazing how this subject brings out the trolls.

The OP asked for comments on your favourite beach. Not the same old rhetoric from people who failed on Samui.

I am so pleased that we won't be seeing you here again.

By the way - I have lived here for 13 years. Never been in a coma yet - so not accurate either.

[PoorSucker]

9°29'26.48" N 100°03'43.47" E

[Tropicalevo]

Crystal Bay is another nice beach. Last time I snorkeled there I saw that there was still some live coral about.

http://www.samuiwebcam.com/crystal_bay_koh_samui.html

[John 1]

I lived there over 5 years some years ago and wouldn't go back even for a visit. Not worth it.

But if you look around you can find less contaminated islands where you don't get put in a coma from the water pollution.

.

Amazing how this subject brings out the trolls.

The OP asked for comments on your favourite beach. Not the same old rhetoric from people who failed on Samui.

I am so pleased that we won't be seeing you here again.

By the way - I have lived here for 13 years. Never been in a coma yet - so not accurate either.

Yes he might be a troll but we can't hide our head's in the sand and say there is no water pollution. You might not go into a coma unless you swallow some turd's.

[evadgib]

There is some great snorkelling around Hinta Hinyai too, with access via Sunrise beach.

[evadgib]

I lived there over 5 years some years ago and wouldn't go back even for a visit. Not worth it.

But if you look around you can find less contaminated islands where you don't get put in a coma from the water pollution.

.

Amazing how this subject brings out the trolls.

The OP asked for comments on your favourite beach. Not the same old rhetoric from people who failed on Samui.

I am so pleased that we won't be seeing you here again.

By the way - I have lived here for 13 years. Never been in a coma yet - so not accurate either.

Yes he might be a troll but we can't hide our head's in the sand and say there is no water pollution. You might not go into a coma unless you swallow some turd's.

Nearly...

Edited January 13, 2014 by evadgib

[Birdman]

There is some great snorkelling around Hinta Hinyai too, with access via Sunrise beach.

nether great nor safe

[ajarnmarc]

9°29'26.48" N 100°03'43.47" E

Now there you go...

This is true info at it's best.

Thanks for the share,

glad someone brought up this topic,

saves us a lot of time.