Shopping in Koh Samui by Koh Samui hotels

Shopping in Koh Samui by Koh Samui hotels

Shopping in Koh Samui

You are never too far from a great shopping area in Koh Samui Thailand - there are shops with good deals almost everywhere. Nathon beach, Lamai beach and Chaweng beach are the main shopping areas but good shops can be found in several other areas too. While Koh Samui Chaweng offers the widest choice, Lamai has the best in quirky stores and Nathon offers the lowest prices.
Serious shoppers are advised to be alert at all times - you may spot a shopping opportunity quite unexpectedly!
This Koh Samui shopping guide gives a rundown of some of the areas you may wish to concentrate on for a shopping expedition. Information about unique Thai items that you may wish to consider purchasing can be found by visiting our Thailand shopping guide. Situated in many of the shopping areas are some great restaurants serving delicious Thai meals.

Shopping in Koh Samui

Thailand is well known for selling copies of all sorts of things, from CDs to watches and even athletic shoes. Bargaining is allowed and expected everywhere other than the department stores, which insist on fixed prices. The bargaining should be friendly and polite so that both buyer and seller can be happy. If a price still seems unreasonable, just say "no".
A lot of goods available in the shops are in fact ideal for use here. Regular visitors are known to arrive almost empty handed and buy all they need on arrival. Holiday necessities such as thin cotton shirts, Thai fisherman's trousers, sunglasses, backpacks and other cheap bags, sarongs, money pouches, sandals and many other useful things can be bought at bargain prices here.
Wherever you shop and whatever you buy, you are sure to get value for your money in Koh Samui. If you enjoy bargaining and are skilled at it, you are in even greater luck! Thai people enjoy haggling and you are expected to bargain actively too, although the amount in question may not be astronomical. Quite often, a big smile and a great sense of fun will get you the best prices. After all, Thailand is the "Land of Smiles".

Chaweng Shopping

Chaweng is Koh Samui's shopping paradise. Countless stores can be found all along the beach road. Nestled among all the restaurants and bars, these shops sell all kinds of goods, from clothes and handicrafts to jewellery, music, electronics and even some dangerous weapons! For a very wide range of goods, available in an equally wide range of styles, quality and prices, Chaweng is the place to go when the shopping bug hits you.

Lamai Shopping

Lamai is not quite as big as Chaweng, but nevertheless the shopping here is quite interesting. True, there is less to choose from here but the prices are much better. The businesses here are less pushy, too, altogether making for quite a happy shopping experience.

Bophut Shopping

Lovely furniture from Bophut beach and souvenirs from the Fisherman's Village are the things to take back from here. A great way to get the best bargains and find the best treasures is to park, walk around the streets, especially those of the village, and only then make your purchases.

Mae Nam Shopping

In spite of being a residential area rather than a shopping area, some wonderful shops can be seen in Mae Nam. The main businesses here sell Asian style furniture and teak furniture. Most of the furniture shops are quite well established and can give sound advice on how best to ship your larger purchases. They usually quote very reasonable prices for international shipping too.

Nathon Shopping

Nathon is the place where most locals shop. Samui's administrative headquarters, Nathon offers the best prices on the island. The town has two main roads and both are lined with stalls and shops selling shoes, silk products and fantastic copies as well. Although Nathon does not offer as wide a choice as Chaweng, it still has enough to satisfy most shoppers. The wonderful souvenir shops here are a great place to find that perfect something to take back home.

Local Handicrafts

In Thailand, artisans make handicrafts out of many kinds of raw materials. On Samui, several types of wood, such as the long lasting coconut wood and mango wood, among others, are used to make objects ranging from Buddhist icons and other sculptures to kitchenware. Water hyacinth is another raw material often used here. True, Bangkok offers a greater variety of products and prices, but shoppers are usually happy with their shopping all over Thailand, including Koh Samui.
Lovely embellished fabrics created out of silk or cotton, or sometimes both, are available here. Cotton fabrics are usually designed and coloured using beautiful natural dyes, and are intricately woven. Tablecloths and placemats are some of the items made out of this fabric. Another version of this fabric is lightweight and durable; this is used to make Thai-style clothing and bags.
Thailand's most well known export of course is silk. Traditionally, it is hand woven to give it the distinct natural and rough texture it is appreciated for. Such a texture is almost impossible to replicate on machines. Thai silk products are known for their imaginative use of colour, intricate styles and patterns. Scarves, shawls, and placemats are some of the items made out of this beautiful fabric.

Source: http://www.samui-hotel-link.com/kohsamui-shopping