Things to do in Koh Samui.

SEP28

Gluten-Free Restaurants in Koh Samui: The Honest List

Gluten free restaurants koh samui actually has, by area, plus the sauce cupboard problem that matters more than any menu label.

Close-up of a Thai rice noodle soup and jasmine rice plate on a rustic wooden table at golden hour

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP27

Lad Koh Viewpoint, Koh Samui: The Free Lookout Everyone Gets Wrong

Lad Koh Viewpoint, Koh Samui sits free on the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai. Here's why sunrise beats sunset, what's actually there, and how it compares to Lamai Viewpoint.

Golden-hour clifftop viewpoint over a calm curving bay at sunrise, wooden lookout railing in the foreground

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP27

Halal Restaurants in Koh Samui: Where to Actually Eat

A local's honest guide to halal restaurants in Koh Samui, where the real options cluster, which named venues are current, and what to check before you sit down.

A wooden beach dining table set for two at golden hour, tropical bay beyond

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP26

Guan Yu Shrine, Koh Samui: The Statue Everyone Photographs

The honest guide to the Guan Yu Shrine, Koh Samui: the 16-metre bronze statue near Hua Thanon, who Guan Yu actually was, and why the removal rumour isn't about this one.

Red paper lanterns strung along a golden-hour temple courtyard walkway with a potted frangipani in the foreground

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP26

Koh Samui Supermarkets: The Villa Guest's Big-Shop Guide

The honest Koh Samui supermarket guide from two locals: Big C and Makro in Bophut, Tesco Lotus in Lamai, and where to actually stock a villa kitchen.

Golden-hour still life on a villa kitchen counter: a basket of tropical fruit, brown paper grocery bags, a bottle of wine and a wedge of cheese, with a pool terrace visible through the window

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP25

The Red Temple, Koh Samui: A Local's Guide to Wat Sila Ngu

The Red Temple, Koh Samui: why Wat Sila Ngu is painted that colour, what the snake carvings actually mean, and how to find it above Hua Thanon Beach.

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP19

Khun Si Waterfall, Koh Samui: The Local's Guide

Khun Si Waterfall, Koh Samui: the viewpoint everyone confuses it with, the short steep walk through the durian trees, and whether the pool is worth the climb.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP19

Taling Ngam Beach, Koh Samui: The Honest Sand-and-Sunset Guide

Taling Ngam Beach, Koh Samui, from two locals: the real sand and water, the sea urchins nobody warns you about, and why the sunset is worth the drive anyway.

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP18

Tan Rua Waterfall, Koh Samui: The Local's Guide

Tan Rua Waterfall (Secret Falls), Koh Samui: the real drive, the parking, the walk, and whether the pool is actually swimmable. A local's honest guide.

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP16

Best Restaurants in Maenam, Koh Samui

The best restaurants in Maenam, Koh Samui, from a local who actually eats there. Roadside curry pots to the one Italian pizzeria worth the drive.

A candlelit beachfront dining table for two set on soft sand at the edge of a calm turquoise bay at golden hour

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP15

Things to Do in Bophut, Koh Samui (Beyond the Postcard Street)

Things to do in Bophut, Koh Samui beyond the shophouse photo. The real Fisherman's Village, the working boats, the honest sunset, and the pier to Koh Phangan.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP15

Koh Samui or Koh Phi Phi: Which Island Should You Actually Pick?

Koh Samui or Koh Phi Phi for your Thailand trip? A Chaweng Noi local breaks down the ferry-only logistics, the party scene, and who each island actually suits.

A quiet tropical beach framed through palm fronds at golden hour, calm turquoise water and a distant green headland

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP14

Best Sunset Spots in Koh Samui: The Honest, West-Coast Guide

The best sunset spots in Koh Samui, and why the beach you're staying on almost certainly isn't one of them. Lipa Noi, Taling Ngam, the Jungle Club and Big Buddha, from people who live on the wrong side.

A quiet tropical bay at golden hour with a single wooden sun lounger on the sand and distant island silhouettes on the horizon

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP14

Koh Samui or Koh Chang: Which Island Should You Actually Pick?

Koh Samui or Koh Chang for your Thailand trip? A Chaweng Noi local breaks down flights, ferries, weather and who each island actually suits.

A wooden jetty reaching out over calm turquoise water toward a jungle-covered headland at golden hour

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP13

What It Actually Takes to Drive Around Koh Samui

The honest numbers if you want to drive around Koh Samui in a day — real distances, real times, and which half of the loop will humble you.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP13

Hin Lad Waterfall, Koh Samui: The Local's Hike Guide

Hin Lad Waterfall Koh Samui: the real hike distance, the temple at the trailhead, entry cost, parking, and when to go. A local's honest guide.

Golden-hour jungle waterfall cascading over mossy boulders into a clear swimmable pool, ferns and palms framing the water

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP12

Where to Stay in Bang Po, Koh Samui (and Who Should)

Where to stay in Bang Po, Koh Samui, from people who live on the island. Beachfront villas, hillside pools, who the quiet northwest corner suits and who it doesn't.

A single wooden longtail boat moored in calm golden-hour shallows off a quiet palm-lined beach

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP12

Koh Samui Morning Market Guide: Maenam, Laem Din and the Real Ones

The honest Koh Samui morning market guide from two locals: Maenam at dawn, Laem Din in Chaweng, fish off the boats at Hua Thanon, and which ones let you sleep in.

Tropical fruit, drinking coconuts and Thai herbs laid out on a rustic wooden market table in warm early-morning light

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP11

Where to Stay in Lipa Noi, Koh Samui: The Sunset-Coast Guide

Where to stay in Lipa Noi, Koh Samui, from two locals: which end of the bay to book, villa or boutique resort, and what the quiet actually costs you in minutes.

Low-tide pools mirroring a warm sunset sky on a flat quiet beach, smooth stones and distant islands on the horizon

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP11

Is Koh Samui Safe? An Honest Answer From People Who Live Here

Is Koh Samui safe? Yes, but not for the reason you think. A straight local answer on crime, scooters, the sea and nights out, from people who live here.

Still infinity pool on a private villa terrace at golden hour, overlooking a calm tropical bay and green headland

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP10

Fisherman's Village Walking Street: Friday Night, Done Properly

Fisherman's Village Walking Street runs Friday evenings from 5pm in Bophut, Koh Samui. What gets set up, what it costs, and how to play the best market night on the island.

Lane of old wooden shophouses at golden hour with festoon lights and paper lanterns strung overhead, empty market tables set out and the sea at the far end

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP10

Best Restaurants in Choeng Mon, Koh Samui: A Local's Honest Guide

The best restaurants in Choeng Mon, Koh Samui, picked by locals one bay south. Beachfront seafood, the main-road family kitchens, and the resort tables worth it.

A wooden dining table for two set on pale sand at the edge of a calm turquoise bay, framed by palm fronds, green headland beyond

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP9

Things to Do in Maenam, Koh Samui: A Local's Honest List

Things to do in Maenam, Koh Samui, from two locals: the 7 km beach, the Thursday walking street, a hilltop temple, golf, disc golf and the boats out. The real list.

A weathered wooden jetty at golden hour, reaching over calm water along a long, quiet palm-backed beach toward a green headland

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP9

Wat Khunaram and the Mummified Monk of Koh Samui

The Wat Khunaram mummified monk is Koh Samui's strangest sight. Who Luang Pho Daeng was, why he wears sunglasses, and how to visit respectfully. By two locals.

Burning incense sticks in a weathered stone bowl with frangipani blossoms on old teak wood, tropical greenery behind, warm golden-hour light

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP8

Koh Samui Temples: Which Ones Are Actually Worth Your Time

Koh Samui temples ranked by two locals. The prettiest, the famous one, the mummified monk, the red one, and the sculpture park that isn't a temple at all.

Still lotus pond at golden hour with pink lotus flowers, lily pads and coconut palms reflected in glassy water

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP8

Things to Do in Choeng Mon, Koh Samui: A Local's Honest List

Things to do in Choeng Mon, Koh Samui, from locals one bay south. The island walk, the kayaks, the temple morning, the fire shows, and what this quiet corner can't do.

A single kayak with a wooden paddle resting on pale sand at the edge of a calm turquoise bay at golden hour, palms leaning overhead and a small green islet offshore

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP7

Maenam Walking Street: Thursday Night, 5pm, and Don't Believe Google

Maenam Walking Street runs Thursday evenings, 5pm to about 10pm, in the village's old Chinatown soi by the pier. What's actually there, and why Google says it's closed.

A wooden Thai street-food cart on a lane of old wooden shophouses at golden hour, paper lanterns strung overhead and a glimpse of calm turquoise sea at the end of the lane

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP7

Where to Stay in Taling Ngam, Koh Samui: The Far-End Guide

Where to stay in Taling Ngam, Koh Samui, from two locals: resort, villa or bungalow, the tide and drive times nobody prints, and who should actually book it.

Golden-hour sunset over a calm sea with distant island silhouettes, seen from a quiet stony-sand beach with leaning coconut palms

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP6

Where to Stay in Koh Samui for a Month: The Long-Stay Guide

Where to stay in Koh Samui for a month, from two locals: the towns that hold a long stay, what monthly rents really run, and the new visa maths.

Weathered wooden deck at the edge of a calm turquoise bay at golden hour, coconut palms and a jungle headland across the water

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP6

Where to Stay in Koh Samui Without a Car

Where to stay in Koh Samui without a car, from locals who live here. The walkable villages that work, the bases that strand you, and what taxis really cost.

Golden-hour palm grove with a sandy footpath winding toward a calm turquoise sea

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP5

Where to Stay in Maenam, Koh Samui: The Honest Area Guide

Where to stay in Maenam, Koh Samui, from two locals: the busy east end vs the empty west, the village strip, and who the island's slow lane actually suits.

Long empty stretch of Maenam-style north-coast sand at golden hour, seen framed through palm fronds, calm sea and a distant green headland

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP5

Is It Better to Stay in a Villa or a Hotel in Koh Samui?

Is it better to stay in a villa or hotel in Koh Samui? We run a villa, so you'd expect spin. Instead: the honest maths on group size, stay length and breakfast.

A woven hammock strung between two leaning palms on quiet pale sand, calm bay and green headland behind at golden hour

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP4

Where to Stay in Big Buddha Beach (Bang Rak), Koh Samui

Where to stay in Big Buddha Beach, Koh Samui, from people who live here. It's the airport-and-ferry corner, the swimming is a trade, and that's the honest pitch.

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP4

Koh Samui or Koh Lanta: The Honest Answer

Koh Samui or Koh Lanta for your Thailand trip? We live on Samui. Opposite coasts, opposite seasons, and the month you're going decides more than you think.

A wooden Thai longtail boat moored in calm turquoise shallows off a quiet palm-lined beach at golden hour

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP3

Koh Samui Elephant Sanctuary: How to Judge One Yourself

Every Koh Samui elephant sanctuary calls itself ethical. Here are the questions that actually sort them, what no-riding really means, and what a visit costs.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP3

Muay Thai Koh Samui Fights: Where to Watch, Not Train

Muay Thai Koh Samui fights, explained by locals: which stadium, which nights, what tickets cost, and what the evening is actually like.

An empty open-air Muay Thai ring with weathered canvas and rope lines, ringed by banana leaves and coconut palms in warm low golden-hour light

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP2

The Best Beaches in Koh Samui for Families

The best beaches in Koh Samui for families, judged on the things that actually matter with kids: how shallow the water stays, where the shade is, what's underfoot, and whether lunch is walkable.

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP2

Secret Buddha Garden Koh Samui: What It Is, What It Costs, and That Road

Secret Buddha Garden Koh Samui and the Tarnim Magic Garden are the same place. What it costs, when it opens, and why the last 4km of road decides your day.

Moss-covered stone steps climbing through dense tropical jungle in warm late-afternoon light

Koh Samui

Thailand

SEP1

Lamai Night Market: Which Night, What Time, and Which One You Actually Mean

The Lamai night market runs every night, and there's a bigger one on Sunday. Real days, real hours, and which of the four Lamai markets you actually mean.

A wooden Thai night-market food stall at golden hour, string lights glowing above a steel griddle, skewers on a rack, banana-leaf parcels and a bowl of cut mango

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

SEP1

Koh Samui Waterfalls: The Honest Complete Guide

All the Koh Samui waterfalls worth your morning: Na Muang 1 and 2, Hin Lad, Tan Rua and Khun Si. Real walking times, real seasons, and the safety warning nobody prints.

A jungle waterfall falling into a clear green plunge pool ringed by mossy boulders, warm golden-hour light breaking through the rainforest canopy

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG31

Koh Samui West Coast vs East: Which Side of the Island Should You Stay On?

The west coast of Koh Samui, the east, the north and the south, from people who live on one of them. What the water actually does on each side, and which one suits you.

Low-tide flats on a quiet tropical shore at golden hour, a shallow tide pool reflecting the warm sky, rippled wet sand and a distant green headland

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG31

Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui: The Honest Guide

Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, from people who live over the headland. How to actually get onto it, how the north, central and south ends differ, and whether it is worth your morning.

A weathered driftwood log on pale sand at the waters edge of a long curving tropical beach at golden hour, calm turquoise shallows and coconut palms down the shore

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG30

Where to Stay in Bophut, Koh Samui: An Honest Area Guide

Where to stay in Bophut, Koh Samui, from people who live here. The district-name trap, the east end versus the west end, and which part actually suits you.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

AUG30

Where to Stay in Lamai: North End, Middle, or Up the Hill

Where to stay in Lamai: which end of the beach is quiet, where the bars actually are, beach side versus road side, and what a hillside villa really costs you.

Koh Samui

Thailand

Chaweng Noi

AUG29

Chaweng Noi vs Lamai: Which Quiet One Is Actually Quiet?

Chaweng Noi vs Lamai, settled by someone who lives in one of them. Sand, swimming, noise, price, and which of the two quiet ones is actually quiet.

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG29

Where to Stay in Choeng Mon: The Honest Guide to Samui's Quiet Corner

Where to stay in Choeng Mon, from people who live down the coast. Beachfront, main road or up the hill, what the booking maps hide, and who this quiet bay really suits.

A small palm-covered islet just offshore in calm shallow turquoise water at golden hour, with a pale sandbar curving toward it

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG28

Where to Stay in Chaweng: The Honest Guide to Each End of the Beach

Where to stay in Chaweng, from people who live one bay south. North, central, south and Chaweng Noi, what each end is actually like at 11pm, and who should book where.

A quiet curve of pale sand and calm turquoise shallows framed through tropical leaves and palm fronds at golden hour, a green headland closing the far end of the bay

Koh Samui

Thailand

Sabai Sabai Samui

Come stay above the bay.

AUG19

Nathon, Koh Samui: Is the Island's Old Town Actually Worth the Trip?

Nathon, Koh Samui is the one part of the island that isn't performing for tourists. Here's what it actually is, when to go, and whether it's worth the drive.

Koh Samui

Thailand

AUG18

Best Breakfast in Koh Samui: Where to Actually Eat in the Morning

The best breakfast in Koh Samui isn't the hotel buffet. From Thai rice soup at dawn to a proper eggs benedict, here's where we actually eat.

Golden-hour infinity pool on a private villa terrace overlooking a calm turquoise bay with palms and a green headland, a wooden table set with coffee and tropical fruit

Koh Samui

Thailand

The Villa

Come stay above the bay.

Sabai Sabai is a three-bedroom villa on the cliffs above Chaweng Noi, with an infinity pool and the whole Gulf of Thailand below.