Christmas & New Year in Samui.

[phetphet]

Will be spending my first Christmas and NY in Samui.

Where to go for a good Christmas dinner with all the trimmings?

Any special events going on for NYE?

Any special firework displays going on?

Any recommendations or suggestions please?

[Rooo]

Was waiting for this topic to come up.

The island is your Oyster. Xmas dinners from high end to lower entry level, NY Eve again depending on your preferences, fireworks everywhere, good to watch from up the hill on on the beaches..

I'm sure you will get heaps of suggestions & self promotions.

[khunPer]

OP may get better (more specified) answers if posting which area or village he expect to stay in - and eventually age / party-seeking for NY...

Edited November 14, 2014 by khunPer

[Tropicalevo]

Where to start (and no self promo!) A lot is down to location.

Christmas Dinner

Most up market hotels do a 'Gala' dinner. Most are expensive as you would expect.

Lots of 'English pubs 'usually do this. You willl need to book. Known candidates in my area are

Shakespear (Bangrak) currently moving but promises to be open

BBC (Bangrak)

Premier Bar (Bangrak)

Islander (Chaweng)

there are more but I do not travel much on that day.

NYE

Chaweng Beach - manic and dangerous with uncontrolled fireworks.

Try and get somewhere higher up so that you can see a whole bay.

My favourite when I am not staying at home is Choengmon Beach (Crystal Restaurant.) Not a 'rave' place. Mostly families and oldies. See the fireworks for the whole Bay and the larger hotels.

[phetphet]

OP may get better (more specified) answers if posting which area or village he expect to stay in - and eventually age / party-seeking for NY...

I am based in Bangrak, so anything from Maenam to Chaweng is probably a reasonable distance.

For Christmas, looking for somewhere for a "proper" Christmas dinner.

For NYE, I saw on the internet that W Hotel will be having a party. Obviously, most hotels, clubs will be doing something.

Was also thinking of popping into Q bar and asking them what they have planned. Their terrace is probably a great place to see any firework displays.

Hoping to find something a bit special for NYE.

Someone just told me that the Ark Bar is absolutely rammo for New Year, and you can wait ages to get served a drink.

Edited November 14, 2014 by phetphet

[Tropicalevo]

OP may get better (more specified) answers if posting which area or village he expect to stay in - and eventually age / party-seeking for NY...

I am based in Bangrak, so anything from Maenam to Chaweng is probably a reasonable distance.

For Christmas, looking for somewhere for a "proper" Christmas dinner.

For NYE, I saw on the internet that W Hotel will be having a party. Obviously, most hotels, clubs will be doing something.

Was also thinking of popping into Q bar and asking them what they have planned. Their terrace is probably a great place to see any firework displays.

Hoping to find something a bit special for NYE.

Someone just told me that the Ark Bar is absolutely rammo for New Year, and you can wait ages to get served a drink.

Last sentence is a definite - as are most bars in that area on NYE.

Q Bar might be a good one. I have not tried it but your thinking is sound.

If you want to splash out for a hotel do - Zazen always has very good fireworks. Good food and you would probably see the rest of Bangrak Bay fireworks.

(We regularly see Zazen fireworks from our place on the hill at Plai Laem. (They have them for weddings, birthdays etc.)

[khunPer]

As Tropicalevo says, there are many possibilities for both Xmas and NYE arrangements in that area, and if you are looking for some typical British style Xmas dinner – you don’t state your nationality – you may well find it (I’m Scandinavian and our typical tradition is slightly different, so I’m not for much help).

For NYE both Bangrak, Bo Phut and Maenam, beachfront or uphill with sea view, are all excellent spots for viewing the fireworks. Most of the many-star-hotels there have one – and also a dinner party with entertainment – in the distance over at Koh Phangan the Full Moon Party use to burn off a considerable amount. In the beginning here at Samui we used to head for Chaweng with countdown at Raggae Pub or Green Mango and then outside to watch the sky, but we experienced that “our own beach” at Maenam is a far better spot – after the firework we head for partying in Chaweng.

Which place to choose depends of what kind of partying you prefers, many places are well crowded and often folks migrates from one spot to another as they are within walking distance – every place has its advantages – most or all open until very late. For the late night partying we prefers Green Mango and Sound Club, but if you prefers beach partying Ark Bar is fair option; perhaps they also have something going on at Cha Cha Moon Beach almost next to Ark Bar. It’s really a question of taste, we tried QBar the first year they was open here, and it was – in our modest opinion – outstanding boring, but then easy to change location for something more amusing for our life-style.

If you are the party-type, you will also find full action late Xmas night.

Mind the weather, especially if planning beachfront, both Xmas and New Year are still within the monsoon-season and can either be excellent calm with clear sky, or an extremely stormy night with lots of rain.

Difficult to take good pictures of firework, seems like a lot more in real life that on photo, but I do try and attach two from the middle of Maenam Beach, just to illustrate the beach atmosphere...

Edited November 14, 2014 by khunPer

[cordaci]

How about Lamai area? Anything going on there?

[flyingdoc]

Fireworks display on NYE at Fisherman's Village last year was excellent. Highly recommended!"

[Aceicol]

I've spent two Christmas and New Years in Samui. I've found that there seems to be more going on on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas day, that's not to say there isn't plenty going on on Christmas day as well.

The one New Years eve we went to the Full Moon party or countdown as it was called, I'd avoid that personally. It was heaving, took ages to get there and a nightmare to get home, again similar story for the Ark bar, it was good in there, but absolutely manic, can't be too critical of them as they had plenty of staff floating around but was difficult for them to keep up, to make it worse the heavens opened so everyone forced themselves inside, although if you are around that area and you find it a pain in the Ark bar you can easily go and move back onto the main street and find loads of parties there.

I've never been there for New Years eve, but in Lamai I suppose the obvious one would be the Swing bar. The Canadian bloke who owns the place always comes across as a good bloke and I'd imagine they'd have a decent party.

[smokie36]

For NYE try somewhere at Chaweng Noi...you will see the fireworks in both Chaweng and Lamai from there.

Edited November 15, 2014 by smokie36

[Birdman]

most fireworks are on Chaweng, 'cause there are by far the most package hotels in the GoT directly on the beach. And they all have compulsory NYE parties. And all include fireworks at 00:00h.

So, if you are really into fireworks plus tropical beach and sea, best place to be would be right on Chaweng Beach at the area ~Chaweng Buri.

If you are more a panorama guy, a club or restaurant on the hills in the back of Chaweng would do or one of the places, e.g. Mr.Frogs or the public view point next to the 'holy' tree with the flowers on the Ring Road between Chaweng and Lamai are best.

If you are more relaxed, middle Menam would be fine.

If you are completely relaxed, a room to have a quiet sleep at Lipa Noi would be best

[cag8f]

Here's some extensive info I found for Christmas Day lunch/brunch:

Cliff Restaurant: Normal menu

Poppies Restaurant: Set menu; 2,000 baht

W Hotel: 3,500 baht buffet (comes with 1 glass of prosecco) Be careful as this is quite different from the information posted on their website. The lady on the phone said that was last year's menu/pricing.

Library Restaurant: Opens 7pm (no lunch). set menu; 1,900 baht

Larder Restaurant: set menu. Booked all day Christmas.

Beach Republic: Buffet + 1 welcome drink 2,490 baht. Booked all day.

Nikki Beach: Poolside buffet 1,700 baht

Zazen: 2,000 baht set menu

Nora Buri: Normal menu Christmas Day. Buffet on Xmas Eve, 4,500 baht.

Hansar: Normal menu during the day. Dinner is set price 3,800 without wine pairings, 5,800 with wine pairings

Vana Belle: Opens 6pm (no lunch). set menu; 2,500 baht

Imperial: Normal menu

KC Resort: Normal menu

Renaissance: Normal menu, set menu on Xmas Eve

Barracuda Restaurant: Normal menu

Anantara: normal menu during the day, 999++ (VAT and tax/service) buffet for dinner

[Higgins]

Q bar was 300 bht a beer last time I went.... Cheaper to buy yer own firework display

[premiersportsbar]

Premier Sports Bar in Bangrak still have a few places left for Christmas Dinner.

MENU

Prawn Cocktail or Pate

Turkey or Lamb with roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, parsnips, sprouts, carrots, stuffing, peas, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Christmas pudding or Trifle

Price is 1750 baht per person inclusive of free flow bottled beers, house wine and house spirits from 3pm until 7pm.

Booking and deposit required

Edited December 20, 2014 by premiersportsbar