After Khao Lak, we took a really long and unnecessary mini van + bus + ferry trip to Koh Samui. All tourist routes from Khao Lak had to go through Krabi which meant we were back tracking. The entire trip took 10+ hours.

So when we finally got to Koh Samui, we were hoping our accommodation choice, The Sundays Sanctuary, lived up to the name. While Chaweng Beach is the tourist hot spot in Samui, we opted to stay in Bophut which is known for Fisherman's Village. I was hoping for a local fisherman community, but it's actually a very manufactured area with higher end restaurants on the waterfront. The beach is lined with resorts and since we also hit some overcast weather and rain, we barely made it to the beach and instead enjoyed our lodging.

I don't usually review our accommodations because a backpacker budget has limitations, but I was loving that minimalist chic on a budget can actually exist! We booked through Agoda and opted for the mountain view room which set us back around $30/night. There are more expensive deluxe cottages that overlook the pool, but we found the mountain view rooms which are set back a bit were quite peaceful.

What did I love about this place? The pool, the balcony, and the minimalist concrete & wood design.

The only downside? There is only internet in the lobby.

The Sundays Sanctuary Resort & Spa