Fisherman’s Village Walking Street

Fisherman’s Village in Bo Phut is one of Koh Samui's most popular attractions, and perhaps one of the oldest settlements on the island. It is made up of several old wooden houses in Chinese style, used as houses and shops, blended with other more modern but not invasive buildings. The village has a particular charm resembling the Mediterranean style, probably due to the fact that it was the main French outpost on the island in the past. On the main street that crosses the village, there are several boutiques selling high quality clothing and jewellery, local handicraft shops, several stalls selling street foods and fruit juices, as well as a number of restaurants where you can enjoy excellent fresh fish dishes. There are also some dive centers offering scuba lessons or day trips to the best diving sites around Samui, like Sail Rock, Koh Tao and Ang Thong Marine Park. This mix of traditional and modern makes the village a very charming place that worth a visit. Fisherman’s Village is open from 10am to late in the night. However, as most shops open only after 4pm, we do not recommend visiting this place for shopping during the day.
Fisherman’s Village Walking Street takes place in Bo Phut village every Friday from 17:00 to 23:00. Although of the stalls sell the same items as you will find in all night bazaars throughout the island, it's probably the most popular weekly market on Koh Samui and attracts a huge number of tourists and Thais. This is mainly due to its unique and charming location. The Mediterranean-style Fisherman’s Village in Bo Phut is already a great place for shopping when the sun goes down every day of week, with a large selection of small local and boutique shops. Many of these take part at this weekly Walking Street by simply extending their racks and shelves out onto the street. This mean that the already quite narrow streets quickly become so packed that even maintaining a good walking speed is nearly impossible, so it is important to be patient and prepared. But this also creates a great atmosphere, making Fisherman’s Village in Bo Phut the island's liveliest place on a Friday evening. There are stalls on both sides of 860-metre street and its side lanes, with a diverse range of wares available at very low prices. These include T-shirts, handbags, sunglasses, souvenirs, watches, fake branded clothes, shoes, an impressive range of high quality local fabrics, jewellery, fashion designs, handicrafts, herbs, spices and musical instruments. About half way down you will find a roundabout that turns into a beer garden every Friday with a dozen bars selling cocktails at only 70 baht and play tunes and light up the night. You will also see fun street performances, including Muay Thai demonstrations, beat boxing and traditional Thai dances, particularly in front of the village’s old pier. The range of food stalls is very impressive, allowing you to enjoy Thai favourites like Pad Thai, banana pancakes, tempura seafood, a host of cakes and sweets and a colourful array of skewers. Prices are very low, with fresh spring rolls at 20 baht, skewers of shrimp or squid or meat cooked on small barbecues at 40 baht, Pad Thai at 50 baht and so on.
Opening Hours: Fisherman’s Village is open daily from 10am until late in the evening but most shops only open after 4pm. Fisherman’s Village Walking Street is held every Friday from 5pm till 11pm.Read More