Koh Samui

Koh Samui has a surprisingly strong Italian food scene for an island its size, thanks to a long-established community of Italian chefs and restaurateurs. You can eat handmade pasta in an intimate family-run trattoria, wood-fired pizza with your toes almost in the sand, or a dressed-up dinner on a resort terrace overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.

Fisherman's Village in Bophut is the busiest spot for Italian dining, with balcony tables over the beach and a lively Friday walking street market. Chaweng has beachfront trattorias that stay open late, while the cliffs above Chaweng Noi hold more polished resort restaurants. For something quieter and more personal, the north coast around Maenam has some of the island's most loved Italian kitchens.

Many Samui restaurants are dinner-only and some close one day a week, so check the opening hours on each listing before you head out. Booking by WhatsApp is common, and in peak season from December to April it is wise to reserve a day or two ahead.