Koh Samui is a tropical island that’s fringed with pristine, reef-lined beaches and filled with mountainous, waterfall-laden jungle. It’s the the second largest island in Thailand with an area of 228.7 km²/ 88.3mi2 and a population just under 70,000 people.
This slice of paradise was once a remote, roadless haven for fishermen and Chinese traders (get a brief history HERE and HERE). Everything changed in 1973 with the completion of the first road around the island. Eliminating the 15km trek from one side to the other made the island look more like a holiday destination than a boot camp. Word got out about the island’s beauty, leading to a huge foreign tourism boom in the 90s.
The classic story of “tourism meets island” played out. Today, Koh Samui is studded with luxury resorts, spas, and amenities whispering “spend money here!” With a rise of western style attractions came a rise of restaurants catering to western tastes. You’ll see “pizza!” “Italian!” “burgers!” “mediterranean!” signs in all the popular hubs.
But there are also authentic tastes of Thailand to be had. And one of the best ways to find them are at one of the many Koh Samui markets.
Most of the popular “night markets” at Lamai, Chaweng, and Fisherman’s Village are made for tourism with kitschy souvenirs and overpriced Pad Thai. I made it my mission to find more local options, and I succeeded!
Here’s my guide to the 2 best Koh Samui markets for an authentic taste of Thailand.
1. Lamai Market
If you’re looking for an authentic Thailand market experience, Lamai Market is for you. Half of it is a fresh market, with vegetables, meats, fish, spices, and anything else you may need to whip up your own feast. The other half is a street food market, with a couple dozen stalls of tasty eats. You’ll see plenty of tourists because Lamai is a big tourism hub. But the stalls are run by locals for locals., and it’s hands down one of the best Koh Samui markets.
We went several times, and heres are some of our favorite bites and sips.
Fresh Fruit Smoothies: On the far right hand side there is a smoothie stall where you can get A+ fresh fruit smoothies. Jeremy’s go-to was mango, banana, passionfruit (50thb/$1.40usd) and I was a sucker for the lemon (which is actually lime) (40thb/$1.12usd).
Classic Thai Fare: Our favorite spot is in the right backhand corner near the “Lamai Fresh Market” sign.The must-tries are the pad-see-ew and Penang curry. Although, you can’t go wrong. Everything is made fresh with local ingredients, and the difference is evident in the flavors. Plus, most the dishes are under 120thb/$3.37usd.
The other classic Thai fare joint: There’s another “go-to” stall on the left side of the market. Our top pick here is the chicken with Thai basil. The chicken has a nice smokey umani flavor from the wok that deserves a *chef’s kiss*. We also tried the green curry and massaman curry. While they were good, I preferred the curries from the stall mentioned above.
Thai coconut pancakes (kanom krok): This is the best Thai dessert that you’ve probably never heard of. They are made from a rice flour, sugar, salt, and coconut milk mixture that is cooked in a pan like the one below. The little cake is then filled with anything from coconut to taro to spring onion. They have a mochi mets tapioca texture with just enough sweetness. (Get the scoop on 3 other unique thai desserts HERE!)
Lamai Market is a gem of the island, and I guarantee you’ll find something you love!
2. Nathon Night Market
Nathon is the capital and commercial hub of Koh Samui. It’s where you’ll find the main ferry pier, and it’s also where cruise ships tender into. Most visitors simply pass through Nathon. But its home to a fabulous daily night market that well worth going to.
The fact that the market was so local amongst a touristy island was exciting. Not all the stalls had English translations, a guitarist was crooning Thai pop tunes, and we saw dozens of families perusing the stalls on their way home from school and work. Here’s a rundown of the best things we tried.
Pad Thai Stall: If you see a huge wok steaming away, you know you’re at the right stall. Efficiency is the name of the game, as each pad Thai is made to order. One man puts a mixture of fish sauce, tamarind, and a bit of sugar into the wok along with the chicken, noodles, and bean spouts and stir fries it up. He hands it off to a woman who adds the garnishes. Then a young gentleman collects the money. It has an exquisite balance of sour, salt, bitterness, and sweetness with a hint of smoke. It’s perhaps my top best pad Thai in Koh Samui. Plus, it’s only 50thb/$1.40usd. Try finding that quality for price at other Koh Samui markets!
Coconut Shake: If you feel like enjoying a refreshing beverage, give this coconut shake a try. It’s make of fresh coconut flesh, coconut water, condensed milk, and ice all blended up. The final result is creamy, thick coconut milkshake for just 35thb/$.98usd.
Mango Sticky Rice: Is there anything better than mango sticky rice?When it’s only 50thb/ $1.40usd, you can’t say no. There’s one stall selling this classic Thai dessert…. you can’t miss it!
Tip:
While there were many visitors, this market it very local and many of the stalls don’t have English translations. Use a translation app, ask the stall owner, or perhaps just point and order. Although, we did choose the “point and order” technique” and ended up with a fish curry that didn’t tickle our fancy. However, being adventurous and trying something you don’t recognize can be part of the fun!
