Bophut & Choeng Mon

A look around

What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.

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Where it sits

The circle is Bophut & Choeng Mon and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.

How far is everything?

From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.

• Chaweng Beach13 min taxi4.4 km
• Chaweng nightlife16 min taxi5.3 km
• Silver Beach (Crystal Bay)29 min taxi9.5 km
• Lamai Beach & the Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks36 min taxi12.1 km
• Lamai (beach)36 min taxi12.2 km
• Fresh Samui seafood38 min taxi12.8 km
• The Secret Buddha Garden & viewpoint drive39 min taxi13.0 km
• Na Muang Waterfalls47 min taxi15.7 km
• A sunset beach club54 min taxi18.0 km

On your doorstep

What you’re living next to if you stay here.

• 1.Ang Thong National Marine Park — The most spectacular thing to do from Samui — a boat trip to the Ang Thong National Marine Park, an archipelago of 42 dramatic, jungle-topped limestone islands rising sheer from emerald water, made famous as the inspiration for 'The Beach'. Kayak among the karsts, snorkel over coral, hike to the viewpoint above the extraordinary hidden Emerald Lagoon (a saltwater lake in the heart of an island), and swim off deserted beaches. A stunning full-day escape into pristine island scenery. Go by speedboat or a slower boat; it's unmissable. Simply breathtaking.
• 2.The Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) — Samui's most famous landmark — the Big Buddha, a golden 12-metre seated statue gleaming atop a small islet in the north-east, visible from planes coming in to land and reached by a causeway and a naga-flanked staircase. Beyond the serene, imposing Buddha itself, the temple complex has market stalls, food and views over the sea. It's free, quick and iconic; go in the late afternoon when the gold glows and it's cooler. A must-see (dress modestly — cover shoulders and knees). A serene, essential Samui sight. Impressive and calm.
• 4.Bophut Fisherman's Village — The most characterful corner of Samui — Bophut's Fisherman's Village, a pretty little seafront street of restored old Chinese-Thai shophouses now full of stylish restaurants, cafés, boutiques and bars, with a lovely beachfront and a chic, relaxed buzz come evening. Wander the atmospheric lane, browse the shops, and settle in for a great dinner by the sea; it's the island's most charming spot for an evening and a refreshing change from the beach strips. Delightful, especially at dusk. A lovely, atmospheric highlight. Charming and photogenic.
• 6.Wat Plai Laem — The island's most striking temple — Wat Plai Laem, a dazzling complex set around a lake in the north-east, dominated by an enormous, brilliant-white 18-armed statue of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy and compassion, alongside a huge, jolly laughing Buddha and vividly colourful Thai-Chinese shrines. You feed the lake's fish, wander the ornate grounds and admire the extraordinary sculptures; it's free, photogenic and quieter than the Big Buddha nearby (pair the two). A beautiful, serene and unusual highlight. Striking and peaceful. Dress modestly.
• 7.A spa day & Thai massage — Samui is one of Asia's wellness capitals, and pampering here is glorious — from a blissful, absurdly cheap hour-long Thai massage at a simple beachside shop to world-class spa treatments and full detox-and-yoga retreats at the island's famous wellness resorts. After a day on the sand, surrender to a proper Thai massage or a spa afternoon; it's the perfect, quintessentially Thai way to unwind, and Samui does it better and more affordably than almost anywhere. A blissful, essential highlight. Utterly relaxing; treat yourself.
• 11.A night walking street market — Each night a different corner of Samui hosts a walking-street market, and the best is the Friday-night Fisherman's Village market in Bophut — the pretty old street closed to traffic and packed with stalls of sizzling street food, fresh seafood, local snacks, crafts, clothes and live music, in a lively, sociable buzz. Graze your way along the food stalls (this is where to eat cheaply and brilliantly), browse the crafts, and soak up the atmosphere. Chaweng and Lamai have their own nights too. A fun, tasty, atmospheric evening. Great for street food.