# Property in Bophut, Koh Samui Source: https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/bophut Updated: 2026-11-14 Publisher: Thailand Property Investor (Omnia Capital Group) Bophut, on Samui's north coast, is the island's most practical base for a family: Fisherman's Village for evenings, the International School of Samui and a private hospital close by, and the airport about 15 minutes away. Property is mostly leasehold pool villas on the slopes behind the beach. Check hillside building permits with particular care here. ## Key facts - Condominium asking prices: THB 60,000 to THB 80,000 per sqm (as of 2026-11-12) - Airport: about 15 minutes to Samui International (USM) - Coast: Gulf of Thailand - Coordinates (longitude, latitude): 100.03, 9.556 - Best for: Families who need the international school; Sea-view pool villas for personal use and holiday letting; Year-round residents who want restaurants within walking distance Bophut is the district we would point a family to first on Koh Samui. It has a British-curriculum international school, a walkable village for the evenings, a private hospital nearby and the airport about 15 minutes away. Property is mostly leasehold pool villas on the hills behind the beach, with some condominiums. Condominiums in Chaweng and Bophut, where most of the island's stock is, averaged THB 60,000 to 80,000 per sqm in Q1 2026. ## What it is like to live there The centre is Fisherman's Village, a street of old shophouses along the beach that now holds restaurants, small hotels and a walking-street market. The Wharf Samui adds shops at its western end. Behind the ring road the land rises quickly. That is where most villas are, looking north across the bay to Koh Phangan. The International School of Samui is in Bophut, between the village and Chaweng, and teaches from early years through sixth form. Bandon International Hospital is on the same stretch of road, and Bangkok Hospital Samui is in [Chaweng](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/chaweng), the next district south. Boats to Koh Phangan leave from Bang Rak, just east. ## The property on offer and what it costs Bophut sub-district, which also takes in Chaweng and the airport area, is the core of the island's market. In June 2025 it held 2,030 of the 2,882 units on sale, across 66 projects, and 61% of the market by value. Most projects are small villa developments. Typical schemes on Samui run to 10 to 25 units, and Bophut is one of the areas where new projects cluster. Condominiums are fewer but larger, which is why they made up 52% of the units on sale island-wide. Price a Bophut villa against the island as a whole: a median of 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 here as a registered lease of the land, up to 30 years, with ownership of the building. Our guides to [buying a villa in Thailand](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/buying-a-villa-in-thailand) and [freehold vs leasehold](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/freehold-vs-leasehold) explain what that does and does not give you. Condominium units can be owned freehold within the building's [foreign quota](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/condominium-foreign-quota). ## Who buys and what villas earn Buyers are mainly European families and second-home owners. Foreigners make up 85 to 90% of demand on the island. Many let their villa through a manager when they are away. Island-wide, villas averaged THB 13,692 a night and 56.6% occupancy in 2024, with February the strongest month and September the weakest. Letting for under 30 days requires a hotel licence: see [short-term rental rules](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/short-term-rental-rules) and [rental income and tax](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/rental-income-and-tax). ## Getting there and around Samui International (USM) is a 15-minute ride from Fisherman's Village. The ring road runs through the district, putting Chaweng to the south-east and [Maenam](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/maenam) to the west within easy reach. Hillside access roads are steep and some are private, so check who maintains them. ## What to watch for Permits are the main risk. In September 2024 officials closed 21 villas on Khao Ma Ngaen in Bophut, part of a group of 46 built without building permits and encroaching on the mountainside. Tenants were told to leave. Before paying a deposit, have a lawyer check the land title, the building permit and that the villa as built matches it: see [title deeds and due diligence](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/title-deeds-and-due-diligence). Water is the second. During the 2026 shortage, zoned rationing hit elevated areas hardest. A villa with its own well and generous storage is worth more than one without. Finally, rain. November averages about 445 mm on Samui. View hillside plots in the wet season if you can, and see [climate and seasons](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/climate-and-seasons). For the island as a whole, return to the [Koh Samui overview](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui). ## What to weigh - In September 2024 authorities closed 21 villas on Khao Ma Ngaen in Bophut, among 46 built by three companies without building permits. Have a lawyer verify the permit for any hillside villa. - Higher ground was worst affected when mains water was rationed in July and August 2026. Ask about wells, tank capacity and what the owner paid for deliveries. - Villas are bought on leases of up to 30 years, not freehold, and renewal clauses are contractual promises only. - Sea-view plots are steep. Access roads, retaining walls and drainage in the November rains matter as much as the view. ## Questions ### Is Bophut a good base for a family living on Samui all year? It is the most practical one we know on the island. The International School of Samui, a British-curriculum school running from early years to sixth form, is in Bophut, a private hospital is close by and Bangkok Hospital Samui is a short drive away in Chaweng. ### What does property cost in Bophut? Price Bophut against the island as a whole. In mid-2025 the island-wide median asking price was THB 60,600 per sqm for landed property and THB 88,500 for condominiums. Condominiums in Chaweng and Bophut, where most of the island's stock is, averaged THB 60,000 to 80,000 per sqm in Q1 2026. ### How far is Bophut from the airport? About 15 minutes by car from Fisherman's Village. Villas high on the hillside can add ten minutes or more on steep local roads. ## Sources - [C9 Hotelworks, Samui Property Market Review, June 2025](https://c9hotelworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samui-Property-Market-Update-June-2025.pdf) - [The Nation, Colliers on the Koh Samui residential market, Q1 2026 (6 June 2026)](https://www.nationthailand.com/business/property/40067109) - [The Nation, Savills on Phuket and Samui (29 July 2026)](https://www.nationthailand.com/business/property/40069163) - [Bangkok Post, illegal villas closed on Koh Samui (18 September 2024)](https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2867727/illegal-villas-closed-tenants-ordered-out-on-koh-samui) - [Pattaya Mail, emergency measures for the Koh Samui water shortage (30 July 2026)](https://www.pattayamail.com/?p=559361) - [Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, location](https://www.anantara.com/en/bophut-koh-samui) - [International School of Samui, address and school sections](https://www.iss.ac.th/) - [Wikipedia, Ko Samui (WMO climate normals)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Samui) - [OpenStreetMap, place coordinates](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)