Koh Samui Gay Travel
Koh Samui gay travel will fill your heart with adventure. Crystal waters, nightlife and day trips to remote islands make Koh Samui the perfect destination for any traveler.
The Gay Travel Experience: Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui is perfect for gay travelers seeking a less-crowded island adventure. Life is much calmer here, away from congested areas like Phuket on the west side of Thailand. It’s one of the most popular Thai islands for relaxation without total seclusion.
Koh Samui is accepting to the gay community. There are plenty of gay-friendly hotels and hostels in Koh Samui with wonderful and accepting Thai hosts. In the next section of this guide, I’ll let you know the best areas to stay in Koh Samui for gay guys.
A Short Story: Koh Samui Upon Arrival
I would like to share a short story with you about my arrival to the island. My Airbnb host picked me and my best friend Taylor up from the airport. He gave us a one-hour tour of the island to welcome us.
A white western expat who has lived in Thailand for a decade and married a Thai woman, he initially he made some lewd and objectifying comments about local women. We were initially taken aback and were then weary to disclose our sexual orientation to avoid uncomfortable conversation…
Assuming we were straight, this man still found it important to point out the gay area of Koh Samui to us in Chaweng. He spent a little time explaining how well-accepted the gay Thai people are within the Koh Samui local community.
Taking his prior comments with a grain of salt given his age and demeanor, we appreciated his open-mindedness about the gay community. I try to see the positive in every situation and I felt happy that our host took the time to give is a well-rounded tour.
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Gay Koh Samui: Where to Stay
Koh Samui has a plethora of options for places to stay; the island is quite large. Hotels and Airbnbs come in all sorts of price ranges, too. Bophut Beach and Chaweng at the northeastern tip of the island are popular places for booking hotels in Koh Samui. They are close to the airport and there is lot of nightlife nearby. This is definitely the busiest part of the island.
I stayed in an Airbnb in Fisherman’s Village at the west end of Bophut. I absolutely loved this area. Everything we needed was nearby and the neighborhood vibe was quaint and cozy.
Not too far away from here, I’d consider the W Hotel Koh Samui. It’s jaw-droopingly beautiful and I’v heard great things. The W Hotel is located in Maenam, just west of Fisherman’s Village.
The farther south you go on the island of Koh Samui, the more secluded things get. The southern shores are where most of the luxury real estate is concentrated. Lots of timeshares are built in the south.
If you are seeking total seclusion, I would search along Koh Samui’s southern shores. There are many small beach town areas with boutique resorts down here.
Koh Samui Experiences for the Gay Traveler
What’s a trip to Thailand without a Thai massage? Walk along Bophut beach until you find massage huts. They do a great job and it is definitely an authentic Thai experience. Koh Samui is actually the only place in Thailand where I was able to get a massage right on the beach in a shaded hut!
Fisherman’s Village is home to many bars and restaurants. I tried many of them and a few really stood out. There is a French restaurant in the Enjoy Beach Hotel & Restaurant that has tables directly on the beach. Service and food were amazing. Happy Elephant and Zazen Restaurant are two other Koh Samui Restaurants I enjoyed.
I always found myself headed to Coco Tams for drinks, which has an adorable beachfront bar along the Fisherman’s Village shorefront. They also have a beer pong table, adorable string lights and a grassy area to hang out. It was like an adult playground!
Visiting Thailand is the perfect opportunity to get custom clothes and suits made. There is a suit shop in the Fisherman’s village where I got three button-down dress shirts custom measured and fitted for around $100 USD. Wouldn’t you rather get a steal on custom suits instead of buying standard fits back home?
The first day you get measured and choose the fabric. On the second day you will get adjusted and then pick up soon after. Even better, this shop keeps a book of your measurements so you can have more shirts mailed back to your home country anytime you want more.
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.Gay Koh Samui: Visit The Jungle Club
My group of friends headed to The Jungle Club for a resort day since our accommodation did not have a pool. The Jungle Club is located on a giant cliff that overlooks the entire northern part of Koh Samui.
They have an infinity pool you can pay to use, although I dont think they normally do this! There is also a precious treehouse where you can have dinner. You actually have to climb a ladder to get to the table!
The evening we were at The Jungle Club, a heavy thunderstorm rolled through as we were having dinner in that treehouse. They let down the plastic rain guards and kept the food coming. We had an absolute blast weathering the storm.
Koh Mudsum: Day Trip Island Excursion
Absolutely take a boat tour to Koh Mudsum, often also spelled “Koh Mat Sum.” Arrange a ride at one of the travel stands in Fisherman’s Village. A buggie will drive you to the south end of the island where you catch a boat.
Koh Mudsum is a gorgeous, tiny island only inhabited by day that has one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Shallow azure waters stretch for what seems like forever. Wading through the seashore was absolute paradise.
Grab a drink at the hut when you arrive and soak in the sun. You will certainly have a chance to jump off the boat to snorkel on the ride to the island. Being amongst the schools of fish in the crystal waters was an experience words can’t describe
Koh Samui Gay Bars
I spent most nights having drinks in the vibrant Bophut Fisherman’s Village. There are firework/fire dancing shows on the beach in front of Coco Tams once the sun sets. Ask the bartenders which night they are planned for since I believe it changes. These performers are so talented
Chaweng is where you will find any and all gay bars in Koh Samui. One night we made a trip to Chaweng to visit Bar Solo. This modern spot is a hangout for some gay locals, although it is not specifically a gay bar.
In the immediate area there are a few other gay establishments but we didn’t visit any of them because we were so happy with Bar Solo!
Koh Samui Gay Travel Tips
Want even cheaper drinks? Alcohol prices can reach western standards, especially if you’re in a tourist strip. Get around this by looking for small alcohol carts in alleyways between bars and restaurants. These are usually half the price and since you can walk freely with your drink, why not?
Always have a poncho handy if you will be out exploring for the latter part of the afternoon. Pop-up storms can bring torrential rain and flood local streets. Don’t let anything valuable get wet! Read more about items you can’t forget to take to Southeast Asia.
Ridesharing is available in Koh Samui with the NaviGo app. We used this to get around quite a bit, especially when it was raining in the afternoon. Download it before you go.
Some Koh Samui Airbnb rentals are actually in buildings that were initially intended to be hotels. With this in mind, there is a chance that you will need to pay your own electricity bill at the end of your stay if you are staying in an Airbnb like this
If you want to save some money on alcohol, it’s definitely worth it to stop in a convenience store to buy a bottle. In tourist areas, drinks seem to be pretty expensive.
Take out one large sum of cash at an ATM so you don’t keep needing to use local ATM’s for more Baht. Some bank’s fees can be quite high to keep taking out cash. Just be on the safe side and keep smaller amounts in separate areas of your backpack or luggage.
The Aspiration debit card has no bank fees, no withdrawal fees and no international fees. I use Aspiration and it’s a million times better than any big bank. Using my link will get you 25$ free cash!
Bangkok to Koh Samui: Flights
Even though Koh Samui is a Thai island, it’s large enough to have its own International Airport. Flights to Samui USM airport from Bangkok are frequent, although they come at a higher price than most other domestic Thailand flights.
The Samui Airport was built by and is privately owned by Bangkok Airways. Since this airline has a monopoly, they don’t have competition pushing flight costs down. If you are coming from Bangkok, there is really no other convenient route choice to get to Samui.
If you are coming from somewhere farther south in Thailand, there are large ferries available that depart from mainland Surat Thani. They make stops at Koh Samui Island, Koh Phangan and lastly, Koh Tao. This option is definitely cheaper than flying.
Next, read wolfyy’s Chiang Mai Gay Travel Guide. Also making a stop in Bangkok? The Bangkok Gay Travel Guide has you covered.
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