What To Buy During Koh Samui Shopping Trips

There are plenty of cool souvenirs you can buy while in Koh Samui (photo courtesy of flickr.com) 

Some of the best memories are forged during vacations in distant places. A traveller was asked about what he loved the most during his trip to Thailand’s third biggest island, and he said it was the world-class accommodations he received at the ShaSa Resort as well as the mouth-watering exotic dishes he had at a couple of restaurants.

When asked how he planned on capturing the memory he had on the island, he answered: “with a camera and by doing a little Koh Samui shopping.” The most common way people cherish memories is by taking photographs, which is great. However, using this in combination with the acquisition of an actual commodity unique to the place would be even better.

There are many things that any vacationist can buy to commemorate his trip to this paradise island. With that being said, one item that seasoned travellers and locals recommend for tourists to bring back home is jewellery.

Shops on the island offer custom-made pieces that can be crafted in such a way that’s aesthetically appealing to the buyer, or in a way that’d remind the buyer of the island.

However, when doing a little Koh Samui shopping for jewelleries, shoppers are advised to make sure that the shop is authorized with a Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) license to warrant the goods’ authenticity.

Moving forward, Koh Samui hotel staff say Thai triangular cushions also make great souvenirs. While these merchandises can be found everywhere, the widest selection of such goods is located at Nathon Town and Fisherman’s Village. At these places, silk wall hangings, wooden carvings plus other crafts can be purchased as well, all of which make great mementos of holiday spent in the charming island.

Another item that’d help commemorate the trip is local Samui rum – not only does it come in different delicious-tasting flavours, but many of these sport handsome wooden cases which look good at most (or some) western home displays.

A person can also purchase a tailor made suit in Koh Samui at a reasonable price. The prices for suits are extremely cheap and will last a good amount of time.

Koh Samui shopping for art works such as sculpted wooden images or paintings is advised, as they make great keepsakes, and are bound to blend well in anyone’s house. Many of these painters and carvers are willing to do custom jobs for their customers. Although it’ll cost more (depending on the rate charged by the dealer,) getting something truly unique is always a great way to remember any cherished holiday. 

Shopping at Nathon Walking Street

There are tons of souvenirs at the Nathon Walking Street (kohsamui-thailand.org)

The scenic town of Nathon in Koh Samui is not only famous for its lovely sunsets but for its fun-filled Koh Samui shopping and dining. It is easily accessible from the mainland and from other towns on the island. A visit to Nathon is not complete without stopping by its famous street full of local foods and products once a week. It is a must-see Koh Samui shopping destination. Aside from that, tourists can also enjoy the spectacular view of the ocean while chit chatting over pre-dinner cocktails in a restaurant nearby.

Thailand is famous for its night markets and this town in Koh Samui does not lag behind. It is a favourite destination for Koh Samui shopping enthusiasts. What makes the shopping experience in Nathon unique though is its concept of walking street once a week. Every Saturday a street in Nathon is transformed into a popular Koh Samui shopping enclave from five o'clock in the afternoon to eleven o'clock at night.

Nathon walking street is closed up entirely to traffic. Vendors then set up their respective stalls selling a wide array of goods at reasonable prices. Shoppers can choose from different household and beauty products, trendy clothes, bags, antiques, slippers, watches and more.  Every tourist in town should not miss out this chance to see various local hand-made products on display and sample popular local delicacies. It is a great way to mingle with the locals, observe their norms and understand their culture and tradition.

Western foods like pizza are sold in Nathon walking street but the ubiquitous presence of hawkers is the ultimate food lover's delight. These hawker food stalls are common sights in Thailand but are particularly abundant on Saturday nights in this quaint Samui town. Going to this walking street for a meal during your stay is worth a trip. The foods are delicious but if you want to taste the best, watch where the locals buy their food from, these are typically the best hawker stalls. Thai delicacies that every gourmet food lover should try are khanoom cheen (rice noodles with spicy fish flake curry served with fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs), som tam (papaya salad), nam prik kung siap (dried prawn on a stick), khao yam (rice with shrimp paste) and khao mok khai (fragrant rice served with chicken). Visiting this street is indeed not only a fun Koh Samui shopping experience but a dining adventure as well.

Bophut Beach Shopping

Bophut Beach is a great place to get some Koh Samui shopping done. 

Most of us travel to faraway island for the beach and to relax but in Koh Samui shopping is a delightful extra treat. Going tropical doesn’t always mean giving up your next big love – buying stuff for loved ones, friends and yourself. 

Located in Koh Samui’s northern coast, Bophut is a beach village that travellers and local residents love for its breath-taking sunsets, fine restaurants and plenty of pubs. Unlike some places in Thailand, Bophut doesn’t have girly bars or nightlife with all the fun and noise.  If you’re visiting as a young family or a couple, you will find the atmosphere just right. Visitors are more into playing and relaxing in the white sandy shoreline adorned with coconut palms. In the morning or lazy afternoons, when it’s not too hot, enjoy Koh Samui shopping along Bophut beach road or narrow streets lined with cafes and restaurants as well as mini shops. In the Fisherman’s Village, the centre of Bophut, you can drop by souvenir shops and boutiques with Thai and Chinese goods, which you cannot normally find in malls.

What makes Bophut’s version of Koh Samui shopping different is the beach village’s famous fine restaurants that offer Thai dishes as well as a range of specialty cuisines (yes, you can find Italian, French, Italian, and Indian food here). You can do all the hiking, choosing and buying without worrying about getting hungry in the process.  Koh Samui shopping, Bophut-style, doesn’t leave you empty in the stomach.  It’s not that you will get tired of these activities because shops and dining places are within walking distance in the Fisherman's Village.

Another plus factor for Bophut is the presence of the very best dentists that Thailand can offer. In fact, it’s a medical vacationing destination because of reasonably price dental services including restorative or general dentistry. You can sort of splurge on Koh Samui shopping (Thai-made clothing, handicrafts and many more); indulge in the finest Thai and international cooking, and still have some money left for dental cleaning and other services.

All of these you can enjoy especially if you stay at the ShaSa Hotel – Samui Boutique Hotel in Laem Sett in the southern part of the island. Reason to go south? Well, the trip is worth your while. Besides, vacationing in a tropical island is all about exploration and ShaSa Hotel supports you all the way with shuttle services. At the end of the day, after Koh Samui shopping and fun at the beach, you can go back to a paradise away from home.

KOH SAMUI SHOPPING: ESSENTIAL BARGAINING TIPS

Be sure to read this blog post to get some Koh Samui shopping advice. 

During your stay at ShaSa Resorts and Residences, you’ll know doubt want to get out there and hit the shops and markets that abound everywhere on Koh Samui island, and pick up some of the excellent bargains in clothes, gadgets, jewelry and souvenirs just waiting to be had.

Koh Samui shopping is both cheap and plentiful on the island – at every single beach, every single town and village, you’ll find vendors and stalls, shops and malls all vying for your business. But while you’ll notice that the price of goods is much cheaper than your home country than they are when Koh Samui shopping, you still might end up paying over the odds if you’re not too careful.

There’s a trick to Koh Samui shopping that every shopper needs to be aware of – you gotta bargain hard to get what you want at the right price! Bargaining is pretty much the done thing in Thailand – unless the store is an official one with clearly marked prices, virtually everything you buy has to be negotiated. 

So how to negotiate? The trick to bargaining when Koh Samui shopping is to first of all, know what a realistic price is for the item you are trying to buy. Second, always bargain with a smile on your face – don’t get angry or upset as this won’t get you anywhere. You can bargain hard, but always keep it friendly.

To begin with, ask the Koh Samui shopping vendor what the price is. Naturally, the vendor will always start off with a high price, perhaps two or three times the actual price. For example, if you’re buying a T-shirt and the vendor asks for 500 baht, then the real price is probably going to be more like 200 or 300 baht. Offer him 100, but do it with a smile on your face. Guaranteed, the vendor will look shocked! But it’s also guaranteed he or she will make a lower counter-offer. He might say “okay, 350 baht”. In that case, offer 200 baht, and then he or she’ll probably say 300. Now you’re getting closer! 300 baht isn’t a bad price at all, but with skill you may be able to get that T-shirt for even less, but remember not to push too hard or they may just refuse you altogether! With practice, you’ll soon get the hang of it.

And of course we should mention that if you can speak some Thai, even if it’s only a few simple phrase such as “How much is this?”, your Koh Samui shopping will be much easier and the prices you’ll be quoted much cheaper.

Have fun with your shopping!

LAMAI SHOPPING

Listed below are some of the best places to go to get some shopping done in Lamai, Koh Samui

Just a short drive north-east from ShaSa Resort andResidences, Lamai is perhaps the best nearby Koh Samui shopping location for our guests. Here is a place where you can find everything you will possibly need – be it swimming gear, toiletries, clothes, souvenirs, gadgets, tailor made suits or jewelry, Lamai has it in abundance.

 Lamai is actually fairly typical of Koh Samui shopping locations, in that the main shops and markets are all located in a pretty centralized area. In fact, virtually all the shops and vendors worth checking out are located on the main, Beach Road that runs through Lamai, or on the sois that run off the road. As always when doing your Koh Samui shopping, it pays to look around and see what’s available first; compare the quality of goods in different shops and try to get the best price!

Lamai Night Bazaar

Although it’s supposedly a night bazaar, you’ll find that many of the stalls open up for business before the sun comes down. This Koh Samui shopping haven is located smack bang in the middle of town, across from the McDonald’s restaurant. It’s much like the night markets you get in Bangkok’s Patpong or Khao San Road, with stalls lining both sides of the street, selling tons of pirated goods, from clothes and flip flops, to watches, knives, lighters and various other knick-knacks.

69 Slam Underwear

Although you might be expecting a display of saucy lingerie, you’ll actually find there’s far more to this popular store once you step inside. Guaranteed, no trashy tourist junk in here – they offer high quality beachwear, swimming clothes, accessories and jewelry. Well worth a look but it does cost more than what you’ll find on the street!

Asian Lights

One of our favorite Koh Samui shopping stores is this tastefully fitted store, which has a fanatastic selection of hundreds of different kinds of handmade lights and lamps. You’ll find innovative designs here in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and what’s more the prices are good.

Buddy Boutique Shopping Plaza

If you’re looking for a Koh Samui shopping experience that’s a bit more upmarket, check out this place for its range of stylish designer boutiques and brand name stores. Sure, the bargains are harder to find, but if you want genuine Thai antiques and Thai silks, quality clothes and (real) electrical goods, this is the only place to be. 

Koh Samui Shopping Guide: Chaweng Beach

There are many places to buy some wonderful Thai souvenirs in Koh Samui 

When it comes to Koh Samui shopping, the opportunities at Chaweng Beach are on a par with anywhere else on the island. Most of the best shops are located along Beach Road and in the immediate area. It seems as if many of the shops/vendors are compartmentalized, divided into beachwear, sports shops, jewelry shops, etc, while there is a long thread of mis-mash shops selling everything from DVDs to clothes and fake watches running down the length of the street.

Beach Road in Chaweng is actually six km long, and so this particular Koh Samui shopping haven will take quite some time to explore.

Street Shopping

Some of the best places to find cheap goods are on the actual street itself. As you make your way down the street, you’ll no doubt come across many different stalls selling everything from t-shirts and shorts, DVDs, computer games and cheap jewelry to fake ‘designer’ clothes, perfumes and bags. You’ll also come across all the essential beach items you need, making your Koh Samui shopping experience very easy indeed, including towels, swimming costumes, flip flops, shades and dozens of other knick knacks that you probably won’t need, but will probably end up buying anyway! Street vendors typically open up for business around 11am and will continue trading until the early hours of the morning.

Khun Chaweng Shopping Centre

Located slap bang in the middle of beach road, this shopping mall makes a most welcome respite from the scorching hit sunshine that’s impossible to escape from when doing your Koh Samui shopping outside. As well as numerous western stores like Boots, Saville Row, Guy Laroche and Alain Delon, you’ll also find the obligatory KFC, McDonalds etc.

Tailor Shops

Koh Samui shopping wouldn’t be complete without a few tailor shops thrown into the mix, and you’ll find that in actual fact it has more than its fair share of them. Most of the tailor shops along Beach Road are run by Indians or Nepalis, and you’ll instantly know where they are because every time you walk past one a tout will no doubt try to get your attention. If you have the time and the inclination, feel free to take a look around and see what they offer. Although many get tourists frustrated with being constantly asked if they want to buy a suit, for those interested in buying one, it’s possible to get very high quality suits made up for less than $100, so long as you know how to bargain them down from their astronomical starting prices!

Supermarkets

In case you decide to do a bit of grocery shopping, you won’t have to do very far. Chaweng Beach actually has two very large shopping malls in Tesco Lotus and Big C. You’ll need to jump in a tuk tuk to get there most likely, but the offerings are worth it. As well as all the groceries you could possibly want, you’ll find a number of restaurants and coffee shops to relax in, as well as shops selling sportswear, clothes, fashion items, kid’s toys, medicines, cosmetics and more.

Big C and Tesco Lotus both also have a number of banks and money changing booths, and there’s even a cinema in Tesco Lotus that shows the latest movies in English. Truly, your Koh Samui shopping experience here will be complete.