Bo Phut Beach on the northern side of Koh Samui island is a blend of the family-friendly and beautiful Maenam and the lively, crowded, noisy Chaweng.
2 miles (3 km) of slightly curved beach stretch between the grounds of W Koh Samui Hotel 5 in the west and an uninhabited cape in the east, at the base of which hides the “Orgazmic” bar.
Beach Overview
The centre of Bo Phut has long been Fisherman Village – one of the three oldest villages on the island that has now transformed from a fishing pier into a local attraction. It’s Bo Phut’s Walking Street, where a night market is held on Fridays.
The whole beach can be visually divided into two halves: the western part from W Koh Samui Hotel 5 to Fisherman, and the eastern part: from Fisherman to the Orgazmic bar.
The western part is more lively with many hotels along the shoreline and is considered the main tourist area of the entire district. The eastern part is spoiled by the mouth of a smelly stream and shallow water.
The sand on the beach is fine, light yellow, lighter than at Maenam. In shallow water, the sand becomes reddish with broken coral fragments and scattered stones. Cleanliness is maintained in the western part as there is a continuous row of hotels along the shore, while in the east nobody looks after the beach.
There’s quite a bit of rubbish, both natural and man-made. Particularly disappointing are the blue drainage pipes that stick out from under the houses of Fisherman Village and in places leak water (hopefully it’s just water) directly onto the sand.
The beach is very popular and during peak season you don’t always feel comfortable here. Sometimes people are lying at arm’s length from you. In the west, the shallow water does its job – people come to sit on the shore or have dinner in restaurants with sea views.
If you’re interested in reading about other places, I have a brief overview of all Koh Samui beaches to help you decide which beach to choose.
Swimming
There aren’t many deep beaches on Koh Samui. Bo Phut stands out with its deep water, which is why it’s popular among people who don’t want to get caught in the hustle and bustle of Chaweng, but also aren’t satisfied with the excessive tranquillity of Maenam.
The western part of Bo Phut doesn’t suffer from low tides; you can always have a proper swim and sunbathe here. The depth reaches 7 feet (2 метра) just 33-50 feet (10-15 метров) from the shore. The eastern part of Bo Phut becomes unsightly during low tides, somewhat reminiscent of Tong Plu, which is also on the northern coast of Koh Samui.
Sunbeds and Shade
The entire western part of Bo Phut is abundant with beach equipment. Sunbeds, beach umbrellas, tables – everything is available. Not everywhere do they offer these things for rent, but no one forbids you from walking around to look for them.
Natural shade sources at Bo Phut are mainly palm trees growing along the shore in large numbers. It’s not Maenam with its palm groves, but still good shelter from the sun for the little ones.
Beach Photos
Bo Phut near Fisherman Village
Bo Phut, western half
Amenities
Like Maenam, life at Bo Phut quietens down after dark. Most establishments and shops close, with only cafes, restaurants and food stalls remaining open. Those who like to take a stroll before bed and mingle with other evening walk enthusiasts are helped by the proximity of Fisherman Village.
In the evening it stays awake, offering strollers souvenirs, clothing, and a huge selection of international cuisine. Fisherman is home to one of the best Indian restaurants, and on Fridays, Night Markets are held here which attract crowds of people.
Bo Phut has all the conveniences and services of Koh Samui island. Banks, ATMs, laundries, equipment rentals, car and motorcycle services, petrol stations, markets, night markets, cafes, restaurants, water dispensers, water pumping stations, Thai shops and large household goods stores, furniture and leather workshops, and more.
The western part of the beach mainly offers hotel entertainment, beach volleyball nets, kayaks, jet skis. For children, there is a huge inflatable water attraction with slides and floating islands. Exactly the same one is found at Chaweng.
In the east, there are standalone bars, and open-type restaurants are more common on the shore. The attraction near Bo Phut is just one – the Buddhist temple Bo Phut (Wat Bo Phuttharam), where they recently built a large monk figure. Also, a weekly mobile fair is held in the temple courtyard.
Once The Warf shopping centre opened at Bo Phut. On a large area adjacent to the sea, a whole complex of one and two-storey buildings was built, housing souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.
Around 2017-18, more than half of the premises in the depths of the shopping centre were already empty due to the greed of the owner, who set astronomical rental prices.
Accommodation
More than two dozen hotels are concentrated on Bo Phut Beach, fitting between the Ring Road and the sea. There are some empty lots, but overall, Bo Phut is one of the most built-up beaches on the island. If hotel accommodation doesn’t appeal to you for some reason, you can always cross the road and start looking beyond the ring.
The choice of housing is enormous, with houses standing up to 1 mile (1,5 километра) inland. However, it should be kept in mind that houses closer to large shops and centres cost more.
- Samui Palm Beach Resort – Sha Extra Plus
- Ibis Samui Bophut 3
- Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort – Sha Extra Plus 5
- Hansar Samui Resort & SPA 4
- The Pool Villas by Peace Resort Samui 4
- The Lodge 3
How to Find the Beach
The beach is too extensive to create a problem with water access. The only thing to note is that the western part is completely lined with hotels. You can walk through their territory.
No one will shoot you, of course, but usually communication with staff takes time and ruins your mood because strangers from the street aren’t very welcome. It’s better to drive to the only traffic light in Bo Phut, turn left and enter the Fisherman area.
Even better, to avoid jostling with pedestrians on the narrow street, drive to the second entrance to the village. Leave your bike in the large car park there and go to the beach – it’s the same everywhere in the west. At the same time, you can see the Bo Phut piers and walk around the Fisherman Village itself.
