Lamai Koh Samui – A guide on where to stay, shop, eat, drink, relax and party!

Updated April 2019.

Lamai Koh Samui is one of our favourite places to stay. Situated on the east coast just south of Chaweng, it is a lively resort with plenty on offer. Here we provide information on where to stay, shop, eat, drink, relax and party.

Relax on the beach in Lamai Koh Samui

Lamai Beach stretches for approximately 5 kms and is beautiful. It is a fun beach but the water can get choppy at times but otherwise great for swimming. There are plenty of bars and restaurants along it’s length where you can buy a drink or food and use their sunbeds. Our particular favourite is on the southern part of the beach called No Stress. Lamai beach is on the east side of the island,the sunsets behind the beach but sun rises can be spectacular.

Paul and Carole Lamai Beach Koh Samui

Lamai Beach Koh Samui

Inflatable anyone?

Fire Shows on the Beach Lamai Koh Samui

Fire shows happen about 3 times a week, around 7-8pm and are always spectacular. They are free to watch but it is expected that you give tips at the end. The guys will come round with a bucket, we normally put in 100 baht to show our appreciation. Here is a short video showing you what to expect. We watched this from the Kon-Tiki Nordic Beach Restaurant & Bar which was previously known as the Swing Bar.

Food options in Lamai Koh Samui

There are so many good Thai restaurants in Lamai it is hard to pick the best, you can’t really go wrong and we didn’t have a bad meal while we were there on our last visit.

Tempura Prawns – Paul’s favourite!

Yellow curry and Massaman curry in Lamai Koh Samui

However if you do fancy a change from Thai food there are plenty of other options too.

Get your Jamaican Jerk Sauce Fix on Lamai Beach

Head towards the Lamai Wanta hotel and follow the road around to the left and you will find the Bikini Bar. A Jamaican themed restaurant with reggae music playing right on the beach. The jerk sauce here is amazing with options of ribs and chicken, it was so delicious. The Bikini Bar service is really friendly and efficient and offers a full Thai menu too.

Ribs and jerk Sauce at the Bikini Bar

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Get your Roast Dinner Fix in Lamai

Being from England though we do crave a gravy dinner from time to time and in Lamai we have found one of the best places ever for a roast dinner. It is very popular with the ex-pat community and we do advise booking particularly if you want Lamb.

Easy to find, face Cozy Corner Bar and take the road to the left and you will find Gow Badger next to Woody’s on the right hand side. Run by a fun group of girls it is a great place to eat. Seating available inside and out and prices reasonable. We paid 220 baht for Chicken and 270 baht for lamb, both excellent served with a Yorkshire pudding and mint sauce. They also do the best Apple crumble with custard and ice cream, so delicious! You definitely need a lie down after this meal!

Gow Badger – the best roast dinner on the island!

The Gow Badger team

Lamb roast dinner – delicious!

Shopping in Lamai Koh Samui

Daily Local Market in Lamai

Found behind the petrol station on the main Lamai-Chaweng Road is the daily Thai market which sells all the local produce. As with most Thai Markets there are a variety of smells and experiences, I find them fascinating, Paul does struggle with the smells.

Local market in Lamai Koh Samui

Fresh Mango

Sunday Night Market in Lamai Koh Samui

Lamai Sunday market starts at about 1600 and goes on until Midnight. It is located between the bridge and the daily local market described above. It is arranged in a cross spreading out in four directions, with food along one and gifts/clothes along the other. Here you will find all sorts of foods, thai treats but also Pizza and european food too. A great place to spend your Sunday evening.

Coconut bowls at the night market

Sunday Night Market Lamai Koh Samui

Muay Thai Boxing on a Saturday Night in Lamai

On a Saturday night in Lamai there are ladies and mens boxing matches performed on the main Had Lamai Road at the girly bar square. Easy to find and free to get in as long as you purchase a drink, with a bottle of beer being £2.50. It is a very entertaining place to be, boxing finishes at midnight but the bars are open until the very early hours. If you are planning to visit Lamai then we would recommend you visit over the weekend.

Grab a cheap cocktail or beer at Pik Bar in Lamai Koh Samui

There are so many bars in Lamai but we always end up returning here for many reasons. The service is efficient, live music is great, sport on the TV and a good toilet. However the very best thing is that beers are 50 baht and some cocktails 70 baht, and we do love a bargain. You can’t miss it, on the main Lamai road look out for the Incredible Hulk! Further up the road is another bar called the Dolphin Bar which also has cheap drinks!

Cocktails by Pik Bar Lamai Koh Samui

Get your late night fast food fix in Lamai Koh Samui

The challenge every night is to see if I can persuade Paul not to stop at the Cosy Corner, unfortunately most times I fail! This is a great late night fast food joint that is open well into the early hours. The food is excellent and reasonably priced too!

Cozy Corner Lamai Koh Samui

Bacon Cheeseburger at Cozy Corner

Where to stay in Lamai Koh Samui

We have stayed in a number of properties on our many visits to Lamai, see our recommendations below.

We stayed at the Holiday Park Hotel, it cost £20 per night and was a great budget choice. Right in the centre, with a lovely swimming pool, do have a look around the hotel with us here.

If your looking for a hotel that has an infinity pool right on the beach costing £40-70 per night then the Weekender Resort may be for you.

We have also stayed at the Lamai Wanta Hotel which is a similar price to the Weekender Resort, in a central location right on the beach.

If you don’t want to stay in Lamai and prefer somewhere quieter but within easy reach then the Baan Sukreep Resort is an excellent choice and you can read our full review here. Situated within walking distance of Chaweng Noi beach it is only a short ride away from Lamai. In fact we have already booked to stay here again next year!

The cost of transport and getting around Koh Samui

On our recent trip to Koh Samui we discovered Navigo, an app where you can book taxis. Our video here explains how to use it.

Not only was it so easy but it saved us a lot of money too. The fares were about 30% cheaper than conventional taxis. We have updated our Koh Samui transport post so do have a read and share with friends who are heading that way!

Have you visited Lamai, is there anything you could add or wanted to ask? We would love to hear in the comments below?

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