Maenam is the district for a buyer who wants quiet, space and a long beach, and who is content to drive for dinner. It sits on the north coast west of Bophut, facing Koh Phangan, with an 18-hole golf course in the hills behind. It is one of Samui's main villa locations, and its share of market value in mid-2025 (12%) was higher than its share of units (9%): the homes here run larger.
What it is like to live in Maenam
Maenam Beach is long, with far fewer hotels than the east coast. The village on the ring road has local shops, a market and a few restaurants, and the mood is residential. The Santiburi resort is on the beach, and W Koh Samui stands on the point at the eastern end.
Santiburi Samui Country Club, an 18-hole championship course with sea views, is in the hills about 10 minutes inland. Ferries to Koh Phangan leave from the Lomprayah pier at the western end of the beach.
For most services you drive east. The International School of Samui and Bandon International Hospital are in Bophut, and Bangkok Hospital Samui is in Chaweng.
Property in Maenam and what it costs
Maenam is villa country, one of the key locations for the island's 65 holiday-villa projects, and housing estates are mostly in the north. New projects cluster here, typically in schemes of 10 to 25 units. Many villas are on the hillside, with views across the water to Koh Phangan.
In June 2025 Maenam held 9% of units on the primary market and 12% of value, so its homes are larger or dearer than the island average. Supply will keep spreading here from Bophut. The island-wide medians are THB 60,600 per sqm for landed property and THB 14.9 million for a three-bedroom villa of 250 to 350 sqm.
A foreigner buys a villa as a registered lease of the land, for up to 30 years, with ownership of the building. Renewal terms are contractual only. Read buying a villa in Thailand, and see Thai company ownership risks for why a company with nominee shareholders is not a safe route to land.
Who buys in Maenam
Buyers are mostly Europeans, who make up more than half of demand across the island, and the district's quiet suits retirees and long-stay residents. If that is you, look at the retirement visa and the Long-Term Resident visa early.
Holiday letting works less well here than near Chaweng, because short-stay guests want restaurants and nightlife close by. Island-wide, villas averaged 56.6% occupancy in 2024 at THB 13,692 a night. Use the rental yield calculator with cautious assumptions, and read short-term rental rules on licensing.
Getting to and around Maenam
Samui International (USM) is a 15-minute drive from the Santiburi resort. Allow 20 minutes from the village and longer from the upper slopes.
What to watch for in Maenam
Permits come first. In July 2025 a task force inspected six villas at Ban Tai in Maenam sub-district, on slopes of 35 to 50% between 50 and 140 metres above sea level. They exceeded the six-metre height limit and did not match their approved plans, and the case was referred for prosecution. Have a lawyer check any hillside villa against its permit before you pay: see title deeds and due diligence.
Water is second. Rationing in mid-2026 hit elevated areas hardest.
Third, think about resale. Maenam's buyer pool is smaller than Bophut's, and a large hillside villa on a shortening lease is a narrow market. Our guide to freehold vs leasehold explains how lease length affects value. For the island as a whole, return to the Koh Samui overview.
