# Property in Maenam, Koh Samui Source: https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/maenam Updated: 2026-11-14 Publisher: Thailand Property Investor (Omnia Capital Group) Maenam is the quiet stretch of Koh Samui's north coast, west of Bophut: a long beach facing Koh Phangan, the Santiburi golf course in the hills and villa developments spreading up the slopes. It is one of the island's main villa locations, and held 9% of units on sale but 12% of market value in mid-2025. Hillside building permits need close checking. ## Key facts - Airport: about 20 minutes to Samui International (USM) - Coast: Gulf of Thailand - Coordinates (longitude, latitude): 100, 9.569 - Best for: Buyers who want space and quiet over nightlife; Golfers; Hillside villas with views to Koh Phangan; Long-stay residents and retirees 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 there 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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/bophut), and Bangkok Hospital Samui is in [Chaweng](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui/chaweng). ## The property on offer 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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/buying-a-villa-in-thailand), and see [Thai company ownership risks](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/thai-company-ownership-risks) for why a company with nominee shareholders is not a safe route to land. ## Who buys and what villas earn 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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/retirement-visa) and the [Long-Term Resident visa](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/tools/rental-yield-calculator) with cautious assumptions, and read [short-term rental rules](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/short-term-rental-rules) on licensing. ## Getting there and around 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 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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/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](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/freehold-vs-leasehold) explains how lease length affects value. For the island as a whole, return to the [Koh Samui overview](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui). ## What to weigh - In July 2025 authorities inspected six villas at Ban Tai in Maenam sub-district that exceeded the six-metre height limit on slopes of 35 to 50% and departed from their approved plans. Verify the permit and the as-built drawings for any hillside villa. - Villas are held on leases of up to 30 years, and the authorities are examining nominee ownership structures on the island. Do not buy through a Thai company with nominee shareholders. - Dining, shopping, the international school and the main hospitals are all a drive away in Bophut and Chaweng. - Higher ground was worst affected when mains water was rationed in mid-2026, and much of Maenam's villa stock is on the hillside. - Comparable sales are few, so test any asking price against recent registered sales your lawyer can verify. ## Questions ### Is there a golf course on Koh Samui? Yes. Santiburi Samui Country Club is an 18-hole course in the hills above Maenam, about 10 minutes from the Santiburi beach resort. There is also the Royal Samui Golf and Country Club in the hills between Lamai and Chaweng. ### What does a villa in Maenam cost? Start from the island as a whole. The island-wide median in mid-2025 was THB 60,600 per sqm for landed property, with a three-bedroom villa of 250 to 350 sqm at a median of THB 14.9 million. Maenam's share of market value was higher than its share of units, so its homes run larger or dearer than the island average. ### How far is Maenam from the airport? From the Santiburi resort on Maenam Beach it is a 15-minute drive. Allow 20 minutes from the centre of Maenam and more from villas high on the hillside. ## 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) - [Khaosod English, villas raided in Koh Samui crackdown (25 July 2025)](https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/07/25/ex-beckham-villa-among-properties-raided-in-koh-samui-crackdown/) - [Santiburi Koh Samui, golf course and airport distance](https://santiburisamui.com/) - [Pattaya Mail, emergency measures for the Koh Samui water shortage (30 July 2026)](https://www.pattayamail.com/?p=559361) - [OpenStreetMap, place coordinates](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)