Wooden houses
An old Sino-Thai fishing village.
Ralf Schmidt — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ralf Schmidt — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roma Neus — CC BY 3.0 · Ruta Badina — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Christophe95 — CC BY-SA 4.0
An old fishing village on Samui's north coast that has kept its narrow Sino-Thai wooden houses along a single seaside street, now the island's loveliest quarter for strolling and eating, with restaurants, cafes, small shops and galleries. Its best-known event is the Friday-evening walking-street market, when the street closes to cars and fills with food, craft and clothing stalls and live music. On other days the street is quiet and charming, with views of Koh Phangan on the horizon and calm Bophut beach. Wandering is free and always possible, loveliest in the late afternoon and evening when the lanterns glow. The Friday market gets very crowded, so mind your bag and come early. Check halal status at the food stalls; the area has a variety of restaurants. Bophut beach is calm and family-friendly, and speedboats leave from here for Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
An old Sino-Thai fishing village.
The street fills with stalls.
Bophut suits families.
Bophut, north coast of Koh Samui
Friday evening for the lively market, or any other evening for a quiet stroll and seaside dinner. Late afternoon is best for photos.