Thinking about moving to Samui.

dagling · July 3, 2016

Staying up in Khon Kaen, and thinking of moving. Consider moving back to Bang Saen, a place we enjoyed very much.

But at the same time, so I miss the nice beaches on Kho Samui. Have visited the island a few times, but it's not the same as and so you live there ;-)

Some of you will share posetive or negative experiences with it and live there?

What about crime? Is it as bad as I've been told? Is it an expensive place and stay?

Can I rent a small house for 15000 THB per month. or cheaper?

Some areas that one should not stay?

Thank you in advance for any help;-)

khunPer · July 4, 2016

My best advise is, first to come and stay for a couple of weeks or month – move around and stay, from some days to a couple of weeks, in different areas of interest, so you can feel the local atmosphere.

Some of you will share posetive or negative experiences with it and live there?

Mine, mainly overwhelming positive.

As you (OP) has been living in LoS, you know that something is different from "home", and something at Samui may be little different from mainland or up North – some say, that there is a long,long way up to Bangkok...

Experiences are relative to what you look for, so what may be positive to me, may be extremely negative to others; vice versa. Therefore I think you shall be a little more specific in what you are aiming for at Samui, beside beaches – nightlife or lack-of-same, parties or quiet areas, gourmet food or local dining, nature, diving, jungle, etc. etc. – you can have most, but if you settle the wrong place, you may be disappointed...

What about crime? Is it as bad as I've been told? Is it an expensive place and stay?

I don't know about bad crime told by some – as (what I think is considered like) normal expat, not mingling with the wrong folks, and coming wrong places at wrong times, I have felt safe here during all the almost 15 years I've been coming here, more than 10 as permanent resident. And yes, I do attend the exciting nightlife, including infamous Full Moon Party, and I feel very safe.

It's normally little more expensive to live on an island, than on mainland, due to transport. Samui is not different, but superstores like BigC, Makro and Tesco-Lotus keep the prices for daily needs at approximately same level as anywhere else; however gasoline and house-rent are little higer priced, the latter also because of Samui being an attractive tourist destination.

Can I rent a small house for 15000 THB per month. or cheaper?

Yes.

Most "houses" are bungalows, and you can rent a 1-bed from 10,000 baht/month or less, and 2-bed from 15,000 baht/month or less; depending of area, location, and distance from beach. Just 200 meters or so back from beachfront you will find many attractive houses for a fair price; even in prime beach areas with a good number of local shopping and restaurants.

Some areas that one should not stay?

Again, it's depending what you are looking for.

Chaweng definitely not, if you're not a disco, party or nightlife seeking person (some areas can be quite noisy, unless you enjoy funky bass till early morning). The southern part definitely not, if you are looking for party and nightlife; or just a 7-eleven store. Bang Por and Maenam and part of Bo Phut, definitely not, if you are looking for activity after 10 pm. apart from a 7-eleven store; etc. etc.
All areas can be not stay, depending of what you are looking...

I wish you good luck with your Samui-plan...

Edited July 4, 2016 by khunPer

slipperylobster · July 4, 2016

We are thinking about a move there too, before at the very end of this year. We will pack up the car with my computers and large screen tv's and do the long drive/ferry. If we find a place, My wife will go back to Udon (alone) and rent a truck for our pack up. I won't worry much, as our stuff is not expensive or delicate. The place I have now is only 2500, and I might just consider keeping it, as well, just to store the stuff we don't need in Samui. I would like to go light. We have the option of coming back, if things don't pan out.

It looks about as expensive as you want it to be. I had a huge 4 bedroom house for 5000 baht a month in Chiang Mai. Moved to Udon six months ago (lived here before), and we are not so thrilled about staying here for much longer. We enjoy living in a fairly quiet location, and would not mind Samui (As long as we are out of earshot of the nightlife)

From what I remember, there are reasonable rents, if you look hard enough. Longer leases are better deals. An older home within a 15 minute drive to Lamai would be fine. I would expect 10,000 for a 2 bedroom...but I am sure there are cheaper (looked online). The best deals are not advertised...just need to have the wife ask around. A bit North of Lamai is fine.

Five years is a long time ago, but I remember there was plenty of decent priced restaurants. Plenty of farang food. Not sure about electricity, cable, wifi....but it should be about the same.

I would be quite happy with it...for a few years. Not looking to stay longer than that. I am not much of an outgoing person nowadays. A good meal with a beer on the beach is ok. Not interested in hanging out at the "buy me drink" places. Live Music is ok....even just a singer and a guitar. Walks near the beach, gym, and lots of quiet time is good. Number one is a membership where there is a gym/pool at one of the resorts. When we find that, we will live nearby.

samuijimmy · July 4, 2016

Agree with both above posts, but would advise not arriving during high season, to look for a long term house, although there may be a few around, but it gets to be slim pickings from December to about April .... right now it's almost a "buyers" market, especially on long term rentals... that could change later this month and though August...

Always good just to drive around and ask!

dagling · July 4, 2016

Is there a web site I can search for houses for rent in Samui?

samuijimmy · July 4, 2016

A few get posted here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888455-2016-bungalows-houses-apartments-for-short-long-term-rental-private-listings-non-commercial/

Usually better to look around the different areas yourself,

carmine · July 5, 2016

Samui has its merits but if you have an open mind of where to stay there has to be much better options.

Come here to visit then go elsewhere to see what measures up.

slipperylobster · July 5, 2016

Appreciate it if anyone could recommend a resort/hotel with a gym/pool membership.

I will google anyways, but sometimes it is hard to find one that accepts the general public for annual memberships.

Always like a pool/gym combination....rather than gym only. The gym does not have to be fancy....but perhaps running machines and some nautilus/pulley type machines. Not crowded.

Edited July 5, 2016 by slipperylobster

Neilly · July 5, 2016

Not sure where you're located, but if you're in the south then Elements should be okay...

http://www.elements-koh-samui.com/body-soul-fitness.php

slipperylobster · July 5, 2016

Thanks. I have not arrived in Samui yet. Right now we just want to gather information. We are taking some advice from the mod (he posted earlier), and may arrive there before September instead of waiting until January (when our current lease expires)

I will look at your link.

slipperylobster · July 5, 2016

Lamai, just west of the Tesco looks like a decent, quiet area. Maet?

5 kilometers in from the beach.

samuijimmy · July 5, 2016

There are a number of areas around Samui, that would fit your needs, some much closer than 5 kms to the beach! Sounds like that maybe the back road to Maenam which would be pretty quiet, although a lot of building has been going on during the last few years.

I live in a quiet area of Ban Por, only about 200 metres or 5 minute walk to the beach... very quiet, but there are many places the same.

It's a case of really looking around on some of the side roads, away from the major resort areas... large touristy bars etc.

Just find a temporary place and look around for a few days.

mopar71 · July 9, 2016

I would say before settling on a place long term try to find out if and how much it floods (if at all) during rainy season. It makes a difference if you in a car, truck, bike or on foot. I've lived places where I never had to walk through water during rainy season, and I've lived places where the road stayed flooded.

cornishcarlos · July 9, 2016

What is the attraction of living on an island ? I don't get it... Sure, if it was unspoilt with beautiful beaches and crystal clear water, it might be nice for a holiday but to live on Samui

Each to their own though...

samuijimmy · July 9, 2016

You just keep our electric coming from Khanom.....

It's fine here...

cornishcarlos · July 9, 2016

I was there on Wed for 1 night..

Had a great time but glad to get back to "terra firma"

Khanom project is slow going. Hope to have a small dwelling built by the end of this year, then

I can stay over there and get on with landscaping...

Come visit next time you escape the rock !

slipperylobster · July 9, 2016

Samui had quite enough going for it, as far as I am concerned. Much more interesting than where I am in Udon. Enough bays around the island to keep me interested. Plenty of Farang Eats. Enough nightlife for a guy "over sixty". A few other islands within a short distance. A few night bazaars. Some farang music. Udon has farang street and Tesco, and two or three half baked Thai Venues.

Frankly...I could live in Samui very easily. Pattaya and Phuket are too "over the top".

I am packed up and ready to go. Raining in Udon every day, just the same.

Edited July 9, 2016 by slipperylobster

samuijimmy · July 9, 2016

Yes all those things and more..

Just don't listen to the Samui bashers and doomsday crowd!

It is not 100% perfect, but is anywhere... ? One has to learn and adapt, some seem unable to do that....

Spend a little time to get to know the different areas of Samui, when you arrive! You're not the only one who's an OAP!

mopar71 · July 16, 2016

One of the upsides to living on Samui is that Thailand's troubles don't seem to affect life there much. Other than maybe the exchange rate.

No gov't coups, massive protests, occupying of buildings or the airport like in the BKK.

No fighting the Muslims like in the south.

No border skirmishes like in the north.

No tsunami threat like on the west coast.

KonaRain · July 17, 2016

Pretty good..I still have the 1 foot Tsunami's to deal with..

(I live at 4,000 ft on an island, but 1 foot Tsunami broke the Seawall) we have vog in Hawaii,

so Samui sounds really good..

Aloha

khunPer · July 17, 2016

So much for the "no"s – Samui has Full Moon Parties, the rest of Thailand don't...

cornishcarlos · July 17, 2016

That would be Koh Phangan..

Mrjlh · July 17, 2016

I lived in Lamai for 8 months before moving up north. Had a great landlord in a nice elevated 1 bdr with easy access to the Ring Road. No problems with Elect/TV/Internet. In fact had fiber optics on the Internet so very fast and reliable. Was near Makro for shopping without having to go to Tesco all the time. Ring road is narrow in too many places and drivers had no manors. Remember you drive around the entire island in an hour or less. Unless they got the new Immigration office open it was a real pain to use. Suggest you join the Sea-Tran club if you plan in taking the ferry even for a few trips. You can make reservations to board and jump the line. Other wise you might end up waiting over an hour for the next ferry. They also have members lounge which is nice. Up north they have a ton of shopping areas but down south not as much. Not a bad place, just need to remember this is a tourist island so prices are ridiculous.

evadgib · July 17, 2016

I thoroughly enjoy living here, having done so for well over a decade

HTH

Edited July 17, 2016 by evadgib

khunPer · July 17, 2016

...and Samui – normally a day or two before – and then commute by speed boat to Sunrise Beach at Haad Rin, Phangan for their full moon night, which is the bigger party.

slipperylobster · July 17, 2016

We moved here this week, and were pleasantly surprised.

There are a few negatives....(some smelly drainage areas and traffic (mainly rush hours...as everywhere).

I lived mostly in Udon, and there was little variety. After five years, I was missing having a choice of restaurants/nightlife.....and Samui has plenty. The rent is a bit higher, but food and beer can be fairly reasonable. Also lived in Chiang Mai...which has a completely different vibe. More shopping there, but don't miss it much. Daytime temperatures right now are hotter in Udon (33) while Samui is (29). Less rain (so far). I guess November will be worse.

Will stay at least six months, and then move to Phangan....as we don't need all the traffic, and prefer more natural settings. Plenty of nightlife/eats over there, as well. Twenty three thousand for the truck to move our things here...(gas and labor, ferry included). Happiness factor is quite high for me in Samui (as of the present). Thais and Expats seem quite friendly...and the tourists are the same.

Edited July 17, 2016 by slipperylobster

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