Samui Hotel Reviews

We went in the low season (May) but Chaweng Beach didn''t seem crowded at all and it was kept really clean. Transport was easy along Chaweng road. There was lots of Taxis and Songthaew. Chaweng is ideal as a base to go on tours, see the island, buy things you forgot to bring or simply take a break from backpacking although you might look forward to something a bit more peacefull after a while. The food and accomodation can be expensive compared to what you pay on Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. Blue Stars kakaying tour to the marine park is well worth paying a bit more for.

Easy and fun to hire a jeep for the day to visit some of the quieter areas of the island and easy to find deserted beaches! If venturing up to the highest level of Namnang waterfall accept the help of the local guides as it''s very steep and not that clearly marked. Good restaurants found in Chaweng include the more expensive end Olivio, an Italian within walking distance of Coral Bay Resort (still cheap by UK standards) and if on a tighter budget the Long Table restaurant towards the far end of the town where we had some lovely fish and thai food. Dont forget to sample the thai massages/foot massages on the beach or main road - amazingly cheap.

Very local atmosphere with nothing much to do than snorkling and ralaxation. Restaurant to be recommended was "Panviman" five minutes away (free pickup) with fantastic view and excellent food.

We were tired after a hectic period at work, and so ended up spending most of the time strolling around Chaweng beach, the shops and restaurants & bars, and lying by the pool to recharge our batteries. The pace was leisurely and the people very friendly and helpful. We went on one outing; to Namuruang falls 2, combined with elephant trekking (surprisingly expensive at 600 bath/head for 30 minutes) and animal shows. We spent a couple of hours there and for us that was a nice package all in one.

We hired a motorbike from hotel - normally 200B/day but for a week they let us have it for 170B/day. Could have got it cheaper in town but all private hirers require you to leave your passport with them and we were not keen on that so for the limited extra cost (once you convert back to own currency) we used hotel bikes. Cheap and fun transport!!

We have been going to Koh Samui for years and seen its changes. The beach and the sea are still nice. There have been more working women on the island and a lot more mixed couples residing there. People used to get around the island by renting a motorbike,a jeep or get on a public pick-up truck. Now there are private taxis and I think they are very expensive, though comfortable. From Chaweng beach to Lotus shopping centre is Bt150 and to the airport is Bt300. Our recommended restaurant is Will Wait on Chawent beach. Great food with reasonable price and shows latest movies. The other one we like I don''t remember the name, but it''s at the end of Chawent beach. A small, normal looking resaurant across from the new Chedi spa. It''s a place for authentic Thai food with a Thai-people price.

On your first day, rent a moped for the entire stay. You can get from place to place easily, since Ko Samui is basically one main strip with resorts scattered throughout. Take a day trip to see the island''s attractions...although the alligator / monkey shows were a bit grim for my taste. But the people who take you make up for it with their "mai pen rai" attitude ("nevermind" in Thai) and open smiles. Eat as much food as you can...Thai, Italian, and I had the best steak and caesar salad I''ve ever tried in Asia. The vendors were less aggressive here than they were in Phuket. It''s amazing what you can get for your dollar...we couldn''t even spend all the money we brought! I had a few hours in an upscale spa...where I tipped the girl way more than needed, simply because she made me feel something beyond "relaxed". Take the time to venture into the alleyways that shoot off from the main strip..it''s where the more interesting shopping (and personalities) are. There''s also a Boots Pharmacy, where you can easily stock your bathroom for the next year for under $50...everything you ever saw in a Western pharmacy / drugstore. Bring extra luggage, because you will buy every gift you ever needed. Finally, don''t forget to save $15 per person for the departure tax the day you leave. Lots of surprised people in that line-up!

A five minute walk from the hotel will find you at the beginning of the main shopping scene. Great spas all over the island. A must is a Thai meal at Poppies.

We lined up some tours through the hotel. They were fun. Plenty of great restaurants on the beach, our favorites were Budsoba, Iyata, and Baan Thai. Didn''t have a bad meal in Thailand...except KFC at BKK!!

Zazen restaurant the best in the area. Cactus also had good food. For a change, there is a superb new Steakhouse and Grill in Fisherman''s Village, run by an American guy you can watch cooking from the street and tables.

The best way for getting around the island is by motor scooter. The resort offers rentals, but if there are none available, there are plenty rental shops nearby.

The Amari Palm Reef has a wonderful new Italian restaurant called Prego which is stylish and has great food. The Coco Blues Cafe down the road has good food and excellent jazz/blues music. We also ate at the Tamarind Restaurant in the Impiana Resort and had a lovely dinner there.

We went on a tour - Anthong Marine Park - which was a group of unspoilt islands. We did snorkelling and sea kayaking. Lovely and relaxing. We went with a company called Sea Safari. The down side was it was a 2 hour trip to get over which wasn''t told beforehand. Canopy adventures was another tour which could be booked in Chaweng where you swung on ropes in the jungle! The children loved it. We hired a car and toured the island - very interesting. We travelled mostly by taxis which were easy to get and inexpensive. The beach restaurants by the White House hotel were cheap and good.

Since we had two young boys, we only managed to go to the Aquarium and the Tiger show, which was okay. Food at "Poppies" was outstanding and we really enjoyed our evening at Zico''s also. Some nice shops also for household stuff and jewellery.

There is a good beach restaurant for lunch and dinner next to Impiana. Especially Baan Ma-Praw is highly recommended. The beach is nice but nothing special; it is relative narrow and gets very crowded close to the hotel.

I''ve been to Phuket before and I would have to say that I enjoyed Koh Samui more. It is much less developed and therfore not the madhouse that the other island is. The one downside is that it can be hard to find a good meal as most of the restaurants cater to European palates (ie blander than average food). Koh Samui is a great island to relax by the beach and catch some sun and just plain unwind. In addition to the Muang Kulaypan hotel and its restaurant I also enjoyed Arc Bar (great place to spend a few hours at sunset with a drink, the cool crowd, and great music) and Eat Sense Restaurant. It has a perfect location and better than average food.

If you are at koh samui, rent a jeep to travel around at koh samui at least 1 day. As for where to eat, you can choose Drop In Restaurant. It''s cheap and good(Chaweng). If you like to lay around at beach and have same drinks, go to chaweng beach and you can find few pubs and restaurants along the beach and spend a great evening with your loved one.

Go to Nathan restaurant, it''s a pure thai restaurant with great dishes and very good value for money but don''t expect romantic flair.

Beautiful lush island (Koh Samui). Car hire was well worth doing for a day. Waterfall 2 had the most fantastic views, but took 1hr to climb (only 15 mins to return!). Lamai shopping prices were much cheaper than Chaweng and the beach sellers were the most expensive. Recommend the Tamarind Restaurant and Baan Ma-Praw.

Always bargain with the collective pickup taxis. You can usually cut the quoted fare in half. We enjoy the Drop Inn on the main chaweng road. Good seafood and nice cocktails. They have a very good selection of western foods too. Next door is Baskin Robbins. Starbucks have also arrived on the island. Great coffee and cheesecake served here.<br> <br> Would recommend that you rent a car/jeep and tour the island youself. Remember, drive on the left! Not difficult to get used to if you come from a country where its right hand driving. There are very little traffic lights or intersections on the island.