Bangrak and Big Buddha
Bangrak Beach at Sunrise, Noon and Sunset
The same stretch of sand is three different places depending on when you walk it. A case for the hour almost nobody uses.
Reference · Koh Samui
Guides.
Notes on the island and the neighbourhood, and what to know before you visit.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Bangrak Pier: Ferries, Timings and What to Expect
The pier at the end of the beach is a working ferry terminal, not a viewpoint. What leaves from it, what does not, and the mistake people make booking it.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Bangrak, Fisherman's Village or Chaweng: Where to Stay on Koh Samui
Three areas on the same stretch of coast, fifteen minutes apart, and completely different trips. An honest comparison from people who live in one of them.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
The Big Buddha: What to Know Before You Go
Twenty minutes, no entry fee, and one decision that changes the whole visit. What to expect at Wat Phra Yai, and the temple a few minutes away that most people skip.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Koh Samui in Low Season: Why October and November Are Better Than You Think
The wet months are the ones everyone avoids and the ones the island is arguably at its best. What the rain is actually like, and who should come anyway.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Getting Around Koh Samui Without a Scooter
You will be told you need a scooter. You do not, if you choose where you stay carefully. What the alternatives actually cost, and where they fall down.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
The Quiet North-East: Bangrak, Plai Laem and Choeng Mon
The corner of Koh Samui most guides drive through on the way to somewhere else. Three areas, two temples, one genuinely good small beach, and very few people.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Ten Minutes From the Airport: Your First and Last Hours on Samui
Samui airport is unusually pleasant and unusually close to Bangrak. What to do with a late arrival, an early departure, or the six hours between checkout and your flight.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
Where to Eat in Bangrak
The Bangrak beach road has a lot of restaurants and the quality is uneven. Here is what we would actually send a friend to, and what to order when they get there.
Bangrak and Big Buddha
A Local's Guide to Bangrak and Big Buddha Beach
Bangrak is not the island's best swimming beach, and most guides will not tell you that. Here is what it is actually good for, from someone who works here every day.
Cannabis, the Law and Visiting
Cannabis in Koh Samui: What the Law Actually Says in 2026
A lot of what you will read about cannabis in Thailand is out of date or simply wrong. Here is the current position, in plain language, from a licensed dispensary.
Events and Community
Meeting People on Koh Samui When You Do Not Know Anyone
Samui is an easy island to be alone on and a surprisingly hard one to make friends on. If you are here for more than a fortnight, this is the thing nobody warns you about.
After Dark
Open Late on Koh Samui: Where to Go After Midnight
Most of Koh Samui shuts at ten. If you are awake after that and you do not want a nightclub, the island gets narrow fast. Here is what is actually open.
Deep Work and Island Time
Working Remotely From Koh Samui: An Honest Guide
Samui is a harder place to work from than Chiang Mai or Bangkok, and better than either at some things. Where to actually get work done, and what nobody tells you first.
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