Are you weary of life in the fast lane? Ready to escape the traffic, pollution and high cost of living in Europe or the United States? For those looking to coast into a more laid-back lifestyle, why not consider owning property at the scenic Samui Island. This could be your very own Holiday getaway or an excellent retirement home.
Working from Koh Samui
More and more companies encourage employees to work from home. Have you ever considered working from Koh Samui? Most of our properties have quality free WIFI so you can work, and enjoy the excellent weather all year round.
Samui cost of living
Please see a list of average product prices below. The full article can be found here
Thai food: 50 Baht – 300 Baht and up
Western food: 100 Baht and up we actually found a restaurant in NaThon city which sold hamburgers for 60 Baht
Thai Beer in a restaurant or Bar: 60 Baht – 190 baht and up
Cocktails: 100-120 Baht and up
Accomodation: 500 Baht in a backpackers hostel, 1000 Baht will buy you some more decent accommodation but for the beach bungalows you will have to pay 4000 Baht and up for a night.
Grilled chicken ( whole ) in a Supermarket: 99Baht
Beer in a supermarket: 30 Baht for a 33ml bottle
Drinking water in Supermarket: 9-13 Baht / 1.5 Liter
Evian in Supermarket: 64 Baht / 1.5 liter ( isn’t this just ridiculous )
Freshly baked bread ( 250g ): 30 Baht
Average cheese ( cheddar or gouda ) in a Supermarket ( 100g ): 150 Baht and up ( very expensive )
Koh Samui
Ko Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand, about 35 km northeast of Surat Thani town (9°N, 100°E). The island measures some 25 km at its widest point. It is surrounded by about sixty other islands, which compose the Ang Thong Marine National Park (Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park) and include other tourist destinations (Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Ko Nang Yuan).
The central part of the island is an almost uninhabitable jungle mountain, Khao Pom, peaking at 635 m. The various lowland areas are connected together by a single 51 km road, running mostly along the coast to encircle the bulk of the island.
The old capital is Nathon, on the southwest coast of the island. It remains the major port for fishing and inter-island transportation. Nathon is the seat of the regional government, and the true commercial hub of the Samui locals. It has a charming pace, and is almost small enough to walk everywhere. The old Chinese shop houses along the middle street whisper of an exotic history.
Each of Samui’s primary beaches is now also nominally considered as a small town, due to the number of hotels, restaurants and nightlife that have sprung up in recent years.
Samui Weather
Ko Samui, being in Surat Thani Province, has essentially two seasons; warm and tropical most of the year, with a short rainy season. Unlike Phuket and most of the rest of Southern Thailand which has a 6-month rainy season between May and November, Samui’s weather is relatively dry for the vast majority of the year, with the rainy season being primarily confined to November. For the rest of the year, since the weather is tropical, when it does rain, it usually doesn’t last long; rain showers of 20–60 minutes are typical.
How to get there and around?
Ko Samui Airport (USM) is a private airport originally built by Bangkok Airways, which is still the main operator and was for a long time the only airline with services to Ko Samui from mainland Thailand. The airport is additionally served by Thai Airways International. Several ferries connect the island with the mainland, including the car ferry from Don Sak to a pier in the west of the island, south of the main town Nathon. Public buses to all parts of the mainland operate from a small bus station located in the south of Nathon. Songthaews (tuk-tuk style buses) circle the ring road, and private taxis are available throughout the island although these are often criticised for failure to use meters and flagrant overcharging.
Retirement
There are many retirees living on Ko Samui, making it a popular destination for retirement in Thailand. This is probably due to the climate, natural surroundings, and ease of living on the island.
