Bophut Beach used to be the largest town on Samui after Nathon. It was a thriving fishing port with a harbor full of brightly painted boats and narrow streets lined with Chinese shophouses, culmination on a small square, with a pier jutting out towards Koh Phangan in the distance. At first glance modern day Bophut hardly seems to have changed, old men and women still sit outside the shop house swapping gossip and chewing betel nut. It's only when one takes a closer look that you notice that most of the shop houses are now restaurants and that most of the colorful boats belong to scuba diving companies. Tourism has managed to weave its way into the fabric of Bophut with out changing its outward appearance, which makes it the most authentic Samui village left. The beach itself is not particularly good and the water is not great for swimming as there is a lot of seaweed and algae in this bay. Towards the eastern and of the beach (away from the village) the water is a little better and the resorts actually run onto the sands rather than the road, but it is the atmosphere that draws visitors here rather than the beach, which makes Bophut quite unique.

 

BEACH LIFE

Bophut is a sleepy little village and not much goes on beyond lazing around or enjoying one of the waterfront restaurants. There are jet skis for rent on the beach near Baby Rasta Bar. Nd four dive shops in town offering all the usual dive excursions

 

 

NIGHT LIVE

The village has no night clubs but does have a string of bars and cafes along the seafront where you can while the evenings away. In fact there are some great cafes and restaurants, mostly situated right on the ocean, giving an evening out a very Mediterranean feel, which is probably why the village attracts a discerning European crowd. You won't find loud music or bar girls anywhere in town. At the west end of the village is the new Gheko Village which was designed by a local architect and has strong Greek-Mediterranean influence. At the time of writing it was not busy but is potentially the coolest place in town. Another potential drinking spot will be The Bird In the Hand, which is also being renovated and it looks like they are putting a big bar in the seafront restaurant. Otherwise just stroll through the village and see what is going on.

 

 

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