Koh Samui is a large island with every type of accommodation available, from $8/night hostel to $300+ a night 5 star resorts. Also many airbnb rooms and villas are available also. While taxis are readily available, they are relatively expensive. A short trip can cost 300-500 baht($11-16usd). Most people get around on Koh Samui by renting motorbikes/scooters for 200-300 baht per day. If you are not comfortable driving a motorbike I highly recommend booking a room in Maenam within walking distance of the course. Everyday people will meet at the course and it will be easy to get a ride or share a taxi from there.
The 4 main areas players stay at
Maenam:
– Where the course is located
– Quiet town at night, while there are small bars, they won’t be busy.
– Slightly cheaper, bit more local feel
– Good for families
– The main ring road is just a 12-15-minute walk from the course down Soi 5 or Soi 6.
– Within a 15min walk of the course there is a hostel available for under 500 baht, and hotel rooms available for 1000 baht or less.
– Best for people who don’t need a lot of nightlife and want to be closest to the course.
Places to check out where players have stayed before:
- On the Beach
- On the main ring road:
- Amarin Samui Hotel
- Chollada Place cholladaplace@gmail.com [no online booking]
- My Living Place Samui mylivingplacesamui@gmail.com
- In-land
-
Samui Zenity hotel
-
Fisherman’s Village:
– Perhaps the most family-friendly and couples-friendly area on the island.
– Approximately 10 min drive from the course in the direction of Chaweng
– Hosts two Walking Street festivals each week with street food, souvenirs, cheap drinks and live music.
– Bars, restaurants and shopping – but not a loud party area and places are generally closed early.
– Good clean beach running along the bar/dining/shopping street and several nice resorts.
– Large westernized hotels and resorts – as well as some smaller ones – are located here
– best for people who aren’t planning to party late and still relatively close to the course by vehicle.
Chaweng:
– Approximately 30-minute drive from the course
– Biggest town on the island
– Lots of nightlife, many bars and restaurants open until midnight and some until 2am.
– 2 red-light streets, but small enough that If you don’t go looking for it you won’t see them.
– Busy main street/beach road
– Home of Samui’s largest most modern shopping mall with movie theater, etc.
– Bigger, more westernized hotels and resorts are located here
– Widest range of food options, from street food to high end dining.
– Best for anyone who plans on drinking often, as Chaweng is where people go to party
Lamai:
– Approximately 35min drive from the course
– For those who think Maenam is too slow, but Chaweng too busy
– Sort of mid-way between the two courses on the island.
– Only recommended for those renting a car or motorbike, as sometimes it can be difficult to get taxis to go far on Samui – and it wouldn’t be cheap.