Our island favorites

You’ve made it to the tropical paradise of Koh Samui—now what?

The manager can help with tours and activities, but here are a few of our favorite restaurants and other helpful tips.

Restaurants

Delicious food is everywhere on Samui, from cheap to pricey. There are so many great places to choose from, and everyone has their favorites, but we like these. If you go to Fisherman's Village or Chaweng, you can just walk around and pick from any number of places that catch your eye. Bangrak is also home to a lot of restaurants.

If you want to eat Thai street food, go to one of the many night markets on the island. We like going to Fisherman's Village on Wednesday evenings, plus there's a fun trivia contest at The Frog & Gecko Pub every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Most of these places are on Google maps even if they don't have a website.

THAI

Chao Ruea. Great Thai food on the beach in Bangrak. Easy to miss. The restaurant is on the inside of the beach road but they have a bunch of tables set up on the beach.
Anna Made-to-order. A local place that will deliver their absolutely delicious food to the villa with Food Panda. When you just need the best chicken fried rice (with fried egg on top) on the planet, this is the place.
The Corner. Authentic Thai food in Chaweng Noi. Excellent and worth the trip. We like especially like their curries and Tom Kha Gai (chicken coconut soup). Delivery on Food Panda.
Noi Friendly. Another local business in Bangrak that serves delicious homemade food. Delivery on Food Panda.
Phensiri. Down at the south end of Chaweng Beach, Phensiri is a bit higher priced, but has some good options if you want a nicer dining experience. We like the khao soi, a northern Thai dish of chicken, coconut curry and egg noodles.

ITALIAN

Ristorante Pizzeria Da Papa. In Chaweng Noi. Fantastic pizzas. There are so many great Italian choices on Samui, but we like Da Papa pizza da best.
Antiqua Locanda. In Bangrak, also fantastic pizzas.
Four Blacks Pizzeria. South of Lake Chaweng, also great pizzas.
Duomo. Right in the middle of Chaweng Beach, this popular place has authentic and fresh dishes and a good wine selection.
Giulietta e Romeo. On the north end of Chaweng beach, it's authentic and artisan, with ingredients flown in from Italy. We loved it. It's a bit pricey but worth it.

GERMAN

P&B Bratwurst Hut. When you just need a schnitzel. On Bond Kai Road on the way to Bangrak. Tasty assortment of German favorites with a Tagesmenü. Closed on Fridays and Saturdays.

MEXICAN

The Jumpin' Bean. We say this as former Texans: it's the best Tex-Mex, BBQ, wings, and margaritas you'll find in Thailand. The owner comes from Austin you'll think you are in Texas! Yee-haw! In Plai Laem.

OTHER

Secret Garden. Thai, European, pizzas and BBQ on the beach in Bangrak. Very popular place with frequent live music.

COFFEE NEARBY

Cup of Joy. A local business with good coffee and pastries. Go to the main road, make a right and it’s about 500 meters on the right. It doesn’t open until about 9:30 a.m.
Starbucks. It's open early and on the ring road in front of the Big C. Another location at Central Samui in Chaweng.
King of Bread (K.O.B.) on Bangrak Beach (or ring road), has good coffee and very tasty breakfasts.
Sasatorn Coffee in Fisherman's Village is locally owned and also a great place. Open early.

A few other things

Here are a few other thoughts about the neighborhood and the island, in no particular order.

7-11. The indispensable, ubiquitous convenience store that has whatever you need. There are two stores nearby Villa Shiloh. Go up to the main road and turn left. It’s about 450 meters on the right (north) side. For the other one, go to the main road and turn right. Drive about 700 meters to the intersection and you’ll see it on the corner. (This one also has a couple of ATMs.)
Big C Super Center, a department and grocery store. On the ring road a short distance away is Big C, a big department store with a huge grocery area that carries international foods.
Please be aware that you cannot buy alcohol from stores in Thailand between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Plus, restaurants will not serve you on Buddhist holidays and certain other days designated by the government. Check online.

Hospitals and clinics. Not where you want to be on holiday, but if you need one, there are a number of hospitals on the island. The closest ones are Bandon Hospital, Wattanapat Hospital, and Thai International Hospital. Bangkok Hospital Samui is popular among visitors, is the largest, and is several kilometers away in Chaweng Noi. For minor things, we go to Samui Home Clinic in Bangrak. Open 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays, shorter hours on the weekend.

Home