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 Traveller's Tales: Shopping suggestions in Samui, Thailand
Get the best advice on shopping in Samui, Thailand. You may read about shopping malls, souvenir items and best buys in the area. Also, you might want to read our
Bangkok city guide,
Chiang Mai city guide,
Hua Hin city guide,
Koh Samet city guide,
Koh Samui city guide,
Krabi city guide,
Pattaya city guide,
and Phuket city guide.
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| J Melnychuk |
29 September 2004 |
Stayed at Coral Bay Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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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!
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| Z Adamjee |
09 July 2004 |
Stayed at Central Samui Beach Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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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.
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| M Flux |
14 February 2004 |
Stayed at Impiana Resort Samui - Samui, Thailand.
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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.
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| J Pasturel |
15 April 2003 |
Stayed at Central Samui Beach Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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Koh Samui is very much a 'quieter' beach resort from, say, Phuket but has everything to offer the traveller. Get off the island on kayaking and/or snorkelling trips and you'll gain more from your trip.
Lamai Beach was certainly more quiet than Chaweng but the shopping wasn't nearly as good as Chaweng.
Thailand must remain in everyone's top 3 holiday destinations in the world - it has something for everybody. Don't miss it.
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| P Hamilton |
25 March 2003 |
Stayed at Papillon Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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Good destination for a quiet lazy holiday. Locals are very friendly. Good value for money though you need to barter when shopping (especially on the beach). Mostly used taxis to get around (covered utes with benches). Harder to get a taxi at a reasonable cost out to the quieter spots. Elephant trekking was disappointing - too short. Some excellent restaurants, recommend using the free "Samui Dining Guide".
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| K Kosinski |
28 December 2002 |
Stayed at Impiana Resort Samui - Samui, Thailand.
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Jimmi at Roma Tailors in Chewang is delightful (and makes a good suit too!).
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| O Angel |
01 September 2002 |
Stayed at Chaweng Regent Beach Resort, The - Samui, Thailand.
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Great shopping and relaxing. The waterfalls were almost totally dried (big disappointment) this time of the year.
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| K Gunnar |
22 June 2002 |
Stayed at Pavilion Samui Boutique Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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Koh Samui is a very beautiful island with very nice white-sand beaches and really clean water, which is remarkably seldome for Asian beaches. Though in the water there are also cliffs covering about half of Lamai beach making it not the perfect experience to swim there. But in contrast to Phuket there are no jellyfishes in the water.
But everything what comes behind the nice beaches and the fitted resort- and hotel-front is not so nice in Caweng and Lamai beach, which I saw. Both beach-towns gave me more the impression of a meeting-point for tattooed bike-driving yuppies than a relaxing holiday-destination for families. The beach-roads of Chaweng and Lamai have a dirty, neglected and noisy athmosphere. The average picture of Chaweng and especially Lamai beach road is a alternation of beer-bars, girly-bars, restaurants, small supermarkets and copy-product shops. There is no continuous pedestrian area, so you have to step up and down all the time and walk on the busy street, which is quite dangerous - especialy for children. The motorbikes drive some times by far too fast.
Restaurants serving good food and are quite cheap, but you are heavily exposed to the noise of the street. Every evening they used to drive for 3 hours up and down the beachroad with a pickup packed with big boxes advertising noisily for the next 'ritual' techno-rave party taking place every week.
This athmosphere yuppies may find 'funky' but its definitely not suitable for families with young children. Especially because the general price-level of the hotels and resort is much higher compare to Phuket, I have expected 'quality-holiday' with clean streets and restaurants. The administration of Koh Samui will have to invest heavily in an upgrade to lift the apperance of Chaweng and Lamai. And stop noisy advertising of beach-parties. Who wonders that no international Hotel-chain wants to construct hotels on those beaches. Le Meridien has constructed their 5-star resort on a remote west-beach.
I have been told that other beaches in the north and west are much better, so most probably the above said doesn't apply to them.
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| M Tobata |
06 May 2002 |
Stayed at Central Samui Beach Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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Compared with Phuket Patong, there are less shops and restaurants but the environment here is better for families.
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| A Shaw |
18 January 2002 |
Stayed at Chaweng Buri Resort - Samui, Thailand.
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Koh Samui is becoming far too commercial. I do not travel to "exotic" locations to eat Burger King, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut, to drink StarBucks coffeee, or to Shop at Nautica and Addidas stores.
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