Fisherman's Village, Koh Samui | Night Market, Shopping, Food

Fisherman's Village, Koh Samui Overview

The Fisherman's village in Bophut is beside Lamai Beach but has a different feel from it. Get all your food, entertainment, and shopping needs met in one place. The original fishermen's shops have been transformed into shops, restaurants, and cafes. Fisherman’s Village Walking Street market is set up here every Friday. There are a couple of entrances to Fishermens Village, and vehicles are allowed every day except Friday.

Located on the Northern coast of Koh Samui in Bophut, the oldest place on the island, the Fisherman's village is an evolution of Bophut's heritage as a fishing village. Although most of the fishermen community has migrated to other parts of the island, some wooden houses still stand erect and give the town a vintage ambiance. The shops which used to feed the community with necessary supplies have now turned into tourist shops and souvenir stores. The Bophut Beach road and nearby trails constitute the Fisherman's Village and Walking Street Market.

Fisherman's Village Night Market

The Fisherman's Village Walking Street Market, probably the most popular weekly market in Koh Samui brings in new life every Friday evening from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Location of Fisherman's Village
Fisherman's village is located in the eastern half of the Bophut beach, extending to the centre of the beach. There is a reason why Fisherman's village is a top attraction in Koh Samui, and it is that you can find everything here.

Activities at the Village
There are several activities like golfing, exploring the jungle or being pampered by one of the Thai massage spas which flourish here.

Highlights
But the ultimate attraction is the three-kilometre-long Bophut beach which hosts an aqua park featuring large inflatable floating devices and other leisure activities to entertain vacationers. No wonder it is the centre of attraction in the Fisherman's village, which is the centrepiece to Bophut.

Village Shopping

Shopping is one of the top things to do in Fisherman's Village walking street market. Bophut Beach road is a vast shopping arena where you can find almost everything from Thai food to souvenirs to clothing. The market is spread across various streets, with boutique shops, small local shops, and vendor stalls, bustling with shoppers, live music and street performers.

Highlights
When you think that the market is all about the Thai hustle and bustle, a quieter section of the food and drink street takes you on a gastronomical ride. Numerous rare items such as herbs and spices, handicrafts, musical instruments, an impressive range of shoes, high-quality local fabrics, one of a kind jewellery and interesting fashion designs are some of the highlights.

Fisherman's Village Food

Coco Tam Restaurant in Fisherman's Village Koh Samui — There are Many Restaurants at Fisherman's Village in Koh Samui,
Offering a Range of Global Cuisines
(Source)

The dining options alone can be a good enough reason for anyone to take a trip to Fisherman's village. This village has enough dining options to have something for everyone, ranging from Thai, French, Italian, Indian and Mexican.

There are countless cheap Thai food vendors, whereas the fancier and more expensive restaurants like Coco Tam provide magnificent views of Bophut beach along with the dishes. There are also a couple of bakeries and pubs offering typical British and Australian pub food and standard European-style snacks.

Regional Nightlife

Fisherman's Village Koh Samui at Night — Fisherman's Village Maintains the Old Feel of the Village, Even at Night
(Source)

The nightlife in Fisherman's village differs significantly from what one would typically consider being on Koh Samui. The area is quieter than the other beaches, to maintain the old town feel of Fisherman's Village. Its nightlife is centred around small pubs and restaurants which offer romantic settings along the beachside in the evening.

You can even find steaks, pizzas, imported salmon, hotdogs and milkshakes. The variety here runs from the ever-popular Thai dishes and seafood to international cuisine and a whole range of new and funky foods.

Village History

Fisherman's Village Koh Samui Thailand — Fisherman's Village in Koh Samui, Thailand (Source)

Beginning of the Island
In Bophut, one predominant fishermen community who arrived here from the island of Hainan in Southern China set up attractive wooden houses and shops.

Island Architecture
The quaint local shops and nostalgic wooden houses are remnants of past Bophut. As the island of Hainan was a major French outpost, European architectural influence is quite evident throughout the region. The village gets its name from the fact the region was once a haven for fishers and their families.

Eventual Developments and Tourism
Up until the 1990s, the village was like a gold mine of fish. However, the fish population began depleting exponentially, thus, fishing was not primary here anymore. Tourist-footfall enormously increased by 2000, due to the wooden houses on the beachside. Although fishing was no longer the significant commercial activity, focus was shifted towards tourist activities and promotion.