Koh Samui has a large villa rental industry with guests having the choice to stay in a wide variety of private villas across the island.

Spurred by an ever increasing number of tourist arrivals, investors and property developers on the island realised that providing an alternative to the more traditional hotel and resort rooms commonly available on the island was not only make business sense, it would also make Koh Samui into one of the most popular upscale tourist destinations in the region.

Many of the villas are located on the eastern side of the island where easy access to popular beaches and tourist centres such as Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut make them favourable to villas in more remote areas where guests might need a car or other transport to get around.

In recent years, the more quiet west and south coasts of the island have gradually become more developed and some now people prefer these areas to the busier east side because of the more secluded beaches and lazy island feel found there.

Facilities at private villas on Koh Samui commonly include a pool as a minimum but some of the larger villas have such a vast amount of added facilities, amenities and services that guests never need to leave. A number of dedicated staff are quite often employed at the villa, such as a chef, able to cook both western and Thai meals, a housekeeper and waiting staff ready to take care of even the most unusual requests. Some villa rental agencies also offer a welcome package with airport transfer and the option to place special requests such as a fridge stocked with particular food items or other individual requests.

Koh Samui also boasts a lot of activities and interesting places to visit, so even if your villa has everything you could wish for in terms of tennis courts, fitness centre and even private cinema, it is worth venturing out and exploring this beautiful island. The Big Buddha statue is impressive for its sheer size, while the Ang Thong National Marine Park is well worth a day trip to venture onto uninhabited islands, climb steep limestone hills and swim in the crystal blue ocean. For those interested in golf, the island also offers the world class Santiburi Country Club featuring a 18-hole par-72 course landscaped into an oceanview hillside.