“We had authentic Ko Samui cooking the kind you don't get in restaurants and only get in people's homes. A must for any foodie”
— Rex, 2026
01 Food tours
Original food tours, curated with our local tastemakers to showcase the neighbourhood kitchens, markets and family-run eateries that define Koh Samui.
Coconut Corners
Koh Samui
Eat Koh Samui at lunchtime — massaman, som tam thale and coconut sticky rice.
Samui Suppers
Koh Samui
Discover Samui's Gulf-adapted Thai — massaman with goat, hoy nang rom and coconut sticky rice.
02 Meet the tastemakers
The local food experts who help us research, refine and lead every A Chef's Tour.
Massaman curry made with local goat, hoy nang rom oysters, coconut sticky rice steamed in banana leaf, som tam thale. Samui adapts Thai classics to the Gulf of Siam.
04 The pantry
- Coconut, from the vast plantations that gave the island its name
- Local goat, raised on the highlands for southern massaman
- Sator beans, stink beans stir-fried with dried prawn
- Turmeric, fresh root ground into every yellow curry
- Palm sugar, pressed from the sap of local sugar palms
05 In the kitchen
- Slow-simmering massaman curry with local goat and cardamom
- Pressing coconut milk by hand from freshly grated flesh
- Grilling whole reef fish in banana leaf over palm charcoal
- Pounding southern curry paste in wooden mortars
- Steaming coconut sticky rice in banana-leaf packets
06 Eat this first
- Massaman gae, southern goat curry with cardamom and cinnamon
- Hoy nang rom, Gulf oysters with lime and green chilli
- Gaeng leung, southern yellow curry with sea bass
- Khao niao dam, black sticky rice with fresh coconut cream
- Som tam thale, papaya salad tossed with fresh seafood
What happens inside a hammam kitchen
A morning with the cooks who feed the neighbourhood before dawn. Charcoal, dough, the smell of a bakery working its second oven.
09 Recipes
A collection of authentic recipes we couldn't leave behind.
A thick potato-and-egg omelette sandwiched inside soft roti or crusty bread with chili sauce. Bangkok's Muslim-quarter breakfast snack.
Butterflied chicken marinated in garlic, coriander root, fish sauce and palm sugar, then grilled hard over charcoal. Isaan's roadside classic, served with sticky rice.
Clear beef broth over rice noodles with slow-braised beef shin, meatballs, bean sprouts and fresh coriander. Bangkok's iconic noodle lunch.
A pile of shaved ice drenched in sweetened coconut cream, topped with a customer-chosen selection of jelly, tapioca pearls, sweetened beans and jackfruit. Bangkok's summertime cooler.
Soft rice paper rolls filled with lettuce, coriander, cooked prawn, glass noodles and sweet Chinese sausage, dipped in a tangy plum-tamarind sauce. Bangkok's lightest starter.
Fresh corn kernels pounded with garlic, chili, palm sugar and lime instead of green papaya — a modern Bangkok variation of the classical som tum.
10 Field Notes
Quick field notes to help you get accustomed to Koh Samui.
Weather
Tropical island. Warm year-round (28–32°C). The dry season runs February to April. Heaviest rains October to December (different rhythm to the mainland).
Currency
The Thai baht (THB). Cash for markets, night stalls, and small restaurants. Cards in resorts and larger restaurants. ATMs are common but often charge extra.
Language
Thai. English is widely spoken in resorts and tourist areas.
Etiquette
Cover shoulders and knees at temples like Wat Plai Laem and the Big Buddha. The beach itself is more relaxed but topless bathing is technically illegal.
Getting around
Songthaews (red trucks) circle the island on set routes. Ccooter hire is very common but road conditions are hazardous. Helmet always. Grab works in the main resort areas.
Prayer
Predominantly Theravada Buddhist. Temples dot every headland. The Big Buddha shrine is the island's landmark spiritual site.