Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, is a laid-back Thai-style destination that still offers Thai Village charm, rustic beach bars and restaurants, and a beach fringed with coconut trees and picturesque boulders.
Unlike the more popular destination Chaweng Beach, Lamia Beach offers more of an authentic feel with a Thai village charm. The hills surrounding Lamai, unlike Chaweng, are alive with nature, not villas. Villas nestle in the mountains of Lamai, providing breathtaking views and harmoniously merging with the surrounding landscape.
Rustic beach restaurant bars and massage salas adorn the beaches during the day. At night, the village transforms into a vibrant Thai village. Small Thai bars and restaurants line every street. A mix of Western-style restaurants, sports bars, and shops line the village’s main street.
Compared to Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach is more suitable for families due to its easier accessibility. Despite being vibrant and busy during the evening, Lamai Beach lacks the chaotic atmosphere of Chaweng Beach.
Koh Samui is a beach destination that caters to couples and families, providing accommodations devoid of Western-style design. You can find accommodation for all budgets, ranging from low-budget hostels to 2* to 5* accommodations.
For fitness enthusiasts, Lamai Beach offers the best Muay Thai training camps, providing daily training schedules suitable for all levels. You can find a healthy lifestyle, detox accommodation, and vegan and raw food restaurants.
Lamai Centre Nightlife
Live music fills sports bars in Lamai Centre at night, and small bars and restaurants line every street, ready for your patronage.
Saturday Evening: Muay Thai Night in Lamai
On Saturday evening, the open Muay Thai ring at Lamai Centre hosts fighters ranging from novices to ladyboys and, later in the evening, professionals.
There are bars located around the ring where you can sit and enjoy the night’s fights. Entry is free for all; the drinks are slightly higher than normal.
Lamai Beach: Sports Bars
Sports bars and Irish bars, which show nightly sports programs and feature live music, are only a short walk away.
Our favorite place to hang out is Harry’s sports bar. There is no live music, but the backing music is from the 1970s. 80s and 90s.
Central Lamai Beach
Lamai Beach offers a variety of rustic beach bars, restaurants, and massage services. Watersports are available in this area of Lamai Beach.
Accommodation tips along Central Lamai Beach
Click here to navigate to our accommodation page, which redirects to Booking.com. Browse pricing and full accommodation information throughout Lamai Beach, Koh Samui.
South Lamai Beach
My favourite part of Lamai Beach lies to the south. Large boulders can be seen in the water, and the beach provides a beautiful setting for stunning photos, lined with rustic restaurant bars. Only a short stroll to Lamai Centre makes it a perfect location to stay away from the nightlife.
South Lamai Beach offers a wide range of hotel budgets to cater to all budgets. We highly recommend Ammatara Pura Resort Koh Samui for those opting for a unique style and a touch of luxury.
Accommodation Tips along South Lamai Beach
Click here to navigate to our accommodation page, which redirects to Booking.com. Browse pricing and full accommodation information throughout Lamai Beach, Koh Samui.
North Lamai Beach
North Lamai shares similarities with the beach in the south, but it is not in close proximity to the Lamai Centre. The picturesque beach is shared by both 5* and 3* accommodations.
In addition to these 5* resorts, there are charming little low-budget hotels that share the same beach. Palm Coco Mantra is a 3-star hotel comprising large sea-view rooms or beach bungalows.
Accommodation Tips along North Lamai Beach
- Banyan Tree Samui
- Silavadee Resort
- Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa
- Beach Republic
- OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort
Click here to navigate to our accommodation page, which redirects to Booking.com. Browse pricing and full accommodation information throughout Lamai Beach, Koh Samui.
Lamai Food Markets
Lamai is home to the largest food market in Koh Samui. Open 7 days a week, they sell everything from Thai drinks, desserts, fruits and vegetables, and seafood. Inside, there are local restaurants where you can sit and enjoy easy, low-cost Thai food.
On a Sunday evening, the walking street market is open with a mix of Thai favorites. Additionally, the seafood restaurant area sits at the bottom of a side street.
Restaurant Recommendations
You can find Italian, British Pub Grub, Mediterranean, French, and German Restaurants, as well as a fabulous Thai Esaan Restaurant. Listed below are a few of the Samui Explorers’ favorites.
Tropical Tonys Restaurant & Sports Bar offers a traditional British pub atmosphere, complemented by delicious BBQ ribs and lasagna.
Tony, the owner, is a British ex-pat from Yorkshire who moved to Koh Samui decades ago to establish this iconic British Pub Grub business. If you’re missing some homecooked British pub grub, it’s the perfect place to meet British expats enjoying the sports.
You can locate Tropical Tonys sports bar & diner on Google Maps!
For pizza lovers, it’s a must to visit Mozza Italian Restaurant. It’s all about the pizzas at Mozzas Pizzas: delicious stone-baked pizzas plus a tasty selection of Italian cuisine.
You can locate Mozza-Pizzeria on Google Maps!
For authentic Isan Thai food, visit Krok Mai Lamai. You can sample a vast array of Isan dishes. You should definitely try the Larb Moo (minced pork salad), Larb Pla Douk (minced catfish salad), and Thom Sep (soft bone spicy soup). Don’t forget to order sticky rice as well!
You can locate Krokmai Lamai on Google Maps!
For first-timers to Thailand, find our Thailand Travel Tips by following this link: “Thailand Travel Tips by Samui Explorer“
