Bophut

A popular Thai seafood joint with an extensive menu. You can pick and choose your dinner and the cooking style from the day's catch. Most fish are 50 baht per 100 grams, so it will cost a few hundred baht per head to stuff yourself. Live music some evenings.

A French-Thai restaurant with good seafood. Same price range as Villa Bianca.

Despite the odd name, this is an almost exaggeratedly romantic beachside restaurant with reclining divans, flickering oil lamps, and yards of red plush. The rather dull food isn't quite up to the same standards, so you might just want to pop in for a drink instead.

Generally regarded as the best Italian restaurant on the island. True to the name, it's decorated with a stark white colour scheme that stands out from the crowd, but the beach side tables are popular so book in advance. Fairly pricy. Around 500 baht per head with a glass of wine.

An old teak shop house, tastefully and comfortably renovated. Music as you might expect from the name, plus some jazz. Cocktails quite cheap plus good snack food. Staff charming and very friendly.

An Australian pub. A nice place to watch football or cricket. Good food, but not for vegetarians.

This is a relaxed beachside Anglo-American pub with cold beer and good BLTs. Musically stuck in the 1970s, but packed on Wednesdays for their quiz night.

A nice place to grab a pint and watch some football or cricket unless there is rugby being shown as that takes precedence. A good place to find people from the UK. Only serves food during lunch, but offers some imports at a good price.

A small, family run hotel on the beach in the Fisherman's Village. All ten rooms and its two room suite have views of neighbouring Ko Pha Ngan 12 km distant across Bophut Bay. Furnished in a contemporary SE Asian style. All rooms have air-con, Wi-Fi and the usual amenities. Families are welcome, but to safeguard the tranquility of other guests, children under 12 are not encouraged. A continental breakfast is included and a comprehensive Thai menu together with Western meals are available until late evening. The hotel's small beach bar is a popular spot for watching Samui's famed sunsets.

Lacks beach views, but makes up for it with a small pool and a delightful garden. Caters to French speakers.

Has multiple dining options and a spa.

Range of private bungalows and rooms. The resort has pool and Jacuzzi and the Gulf of Thailand is a few metres away. There is an open-air beach front restaurant.

A small shop offering leather shoes and shoe repairs. The shoes are reasonably priced and are all original designs showcasing superior craftsmanship.

Souvenir seekers looking for something unique to bring home or searching for that little trinket to make their trip memorable will love this shop. Bottled orchids from Bangkok, hand-carved amulets, silver jewellery from around Asia, a wide and varied selection of handbags from India, China and Malaysia, and designer clothes from Hong Kong. All merchandise is selected by owner Sirisopa “Toy” Premananda from her shopping trips around the continent.