Where to Stay, Shop and be Merry at Christmas in Koh Samui
Christmas is a huge thing in our family, so being away from home was a big thing for us. We love the commercial festivities of the western world and were apprehensive about how christmassy Christmas would be in Asia. Koh Samui celebrates Christmas big time and the festivities on this island were amazing! Even more, Koh Samui stocked everything we could think of from Christmas presents to Christmas dinner!
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Also Read: Sightseeing Guide to Koh Samui
Where to Stay
We visited Koh Samui for Christmas with some friends we met travelling. We stayed in a Moon Cottage 3 in Choeng Mon, outside of the centre of Koh Samui, which we found on Air BnB. It worked out super cheap as there was 6 of us to split the cost with. The villas are super modern, well equipped, there’s a pool on site AND the hosts are so friendly and helpful! We’d recommend hiring a bike near to the ferry (you’ll need a bike to explore Koh Samui) to make it easy when returning to the ferry – that way taxis won’t be needed and you’ll have transport sorted for the whole of your stay! Shop around as prices vary from shop to shop.
Christmas Dinner
Never in a million years did we think we’d find a Christmas dinner on a Thai island, let alone find everything we needed to make our own! Tesco, Makro & Tops (who stock Waitrose) sorted us out. You could pick one to shop in but we wanted to browse them all. BIG FYI – if you want a Turkey you’ll only be able to get a frozen one from Makro, so plan ahead. We’d ruled out the possibility of a Turkey so did our shopping on the day, but if we’d given ourselves more time we defo would’ve thawed one (we had 2 chickens instead which was just as tasty). Only thing we couldn’t find was Christmas Crackers. If you don’t want to make your own dinner then head to pubs or resorts a few days before Christmas and book into one of the many places serving up Christmas feasts (SALA Samui, Shakespeare Pub, Outrigger all served Xmas dinner in 2019)!
Xmas Shopping
This was the most festive feeling area on the island with a HUGE tree and festive decorations. If you want to buy Christmas presents on the island Central Festival is the place. We treated ourselves and bought a GoPro 8, housing, 3-way mount and SD card! The great thing about Central Festival is peace of mind its all official products (you’ll find a lot of fakes). There’s some designer shops, high street shops, electronics, toy stores – you’ll 100% find something for everyone here!
Fisherman’s Village Walking Street/ Bophut Night Market
Close to the fishing village you’ll find this huge night market with food, entertainment and souvenirs in abundance. If you’re looking for more unique, Thai gifts, you’ll find it at this night market! We found a stall selling porchetta sandwiches which we didn’t see anywhere else on our travels! It’s one of Sam’s favourite foods, and we did contemplate buying the whole thing! You’ll also find great falafel and smoothies at this market. There’s a 7/11 as you walk in where you can but Chang beer to wander the stalls with. There’s a toilet next to 7/11 too.
Being away from home at Christmas is a big deal for lots of people. Whether you’re backpacking or looking for the perfect location for a festive getaway, you should really consider Koh Samui! There’s something festive going on in all areas of Samui, but Chaweng will have Christmas parties going for days. Comment if you decide to go, we’d love to hear how you enjoyed your time on this stunning island! If you’re heading at any other time then there’s still tons to do! Check out our guides to the best beaches and the best sightseeing spots!
