Thailand has one of the highest annual numbers of tourists among Southeast Asian countries. This means there’s a high tourist turnover in Koh Samui, Thailand’s second biggest island next to Phuket.
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Here in Samui Island, the gorgeous crescent of the palm-lined Lamai Beach is located. Lamai is also one of the premier tourist attractions of the already touristy island that’s a prime spot for villas and vacation homes galore.
On that note, let’s talk about what Lamai brings to the table and which properties are available there for sale.
Why You Should Buy Property in Lamai
Lamai Beach is a slice of paradise near the shore showcasing a romantic view of the infinite blue skies and the deep turquoise seas, leading to what feels like an endless horizon of possibilities.
At this part of Koh Samui, the water is literally fine, sparkling, and alluring, giving you a deep central stretch of the sea for your watersports and swimming needs.
It’s a particular favorite among sunbathers, for one thing. It’s a prime location for prime real estate ranging from rental private villas to condominiums with beachside views, for another thing.
There’s also room for more modest accommodations that aren’t commercial-grade or million-dollar vacation homes like bungalows with garden and mountain views nearby.
Natural Beauty in the Crescent of Lamai
As per usual with most Koh Samui properties, their main pull or selling point is the seaside view. The closer you are to the beach the more expensive the property is.
The northern end of Lamai has shallow water and rocky land. It’s not as swimmable as its middle and southern tips, but the sea’s calm, shallow nature makes it more ideal for beach picnics with families carrying small children with them.
This family appeal is further proven by its central stretch being filled with kayaks and jet skis for rent so that you can indulge in watersports activities.
The beach of Lamai is one of the best beaches in Thailand, not just Koh Samui! Here you can charter speed boats, do parasailing, get into water skiing or windsurfing, or try out wakeboarding.
It’s also filled with lush palm trees, white sand, happy locals, and the feeling of attending daily festivities every day.
Infrastructure and Development
Lamai is a well-developed piece of Koh Samui paradise full of resorts and massage salas on top of nearby villa developments featuring the best views of the emerald waters.
If you’re more of a commercial investor, you might be interested in investing in commercial property like major resorts and humble beachfront massage shops and cafes.
It’s developed just enough to entice tourists to enjoy dinner under the stars or a cocktail at the beach without worrying about crowd control or long lines of more overpopulated areas.
Lamai is a place of romance, particularly when the sun goes down and a golden blanket envelops the land before it quietly turns on the neon lights, signaling the start of nocturnal entertainment or the Lamai Night Market.
Education and Schools
Lamai is near many of the top primary and secondary schools in the island, which also includes international schools featuring British or Cambridge curriculums. The available Samui schools include:
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Greenacre International School
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St. Joseph School
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PBISS British International School
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Oonrak Bilingual
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IPC Green Samui International School
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Koh Samui School
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International School of Samui
Tourist Attractions and Activities
You won't run out of things to do at Lamai Beach, whether you're staying there for a week, a month, or you're attempting permanent residence in Koh Samui as a retiree or expatriate. Don’t forget to look for Overlap Stone, one of the nearby landmarks of Lamai.
Lamai is full of beach massage shops alluring masseurs that offer oil and Thai massages on top of hair braiding, manicures, henna tattoos, and aloe vera body wraps.
You can go on a yacht cruise, join a Muay Thai class for beginners, shop for Versace clothes or get a gentlemen's fit custom tailor for suits, and try your hand at Thai cooking with a Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea.
People
It’s hard to find unhappy people in Koh Samui, much less Lamai Beach. Every person has their ups and downs, but these sun-kissed people in Southeast Asia get to live in the middle of relaxing paradise as well.
Their disposition is comparable to that of the Canadians in North America or the Hawaiians of Hawaii. They’re chill, fun-loving locals that live worry-free lives.
Local Cuisine
Street food is a Thailand specialty everywhere in the country, and Lamai Beach at Koh Samui is no exception to this rule. The vendors are all polite and helpful as well.
Here, you can enjoy cold drinks, Thai papaya salad, grilled sweet corn, barbecue chicken, fruit, and ice cream galore. This is on top of souvenir products like jewelry and sarongs plus nearby queues to beach games.
Meanwhile, the Lamai restaurant scene is packed with the usual tourist favorites of Chinese, Indian, and Italian cuisine as well as Asian fusion, seafood wildlife served fresh off the grill, and many local delights (from Khao Pad to Pad Thai and Wan Gai).
Cost of Living
It’s more affordable to live in Lamai compared to Bangkok and Phuket. However, its wealth of touristy locations, nightlife hotspots, and commercial properties galore means it’s pricier than Plai Laem or Bangrak.
It doesn’t have as much of an active club-based night scene as Chaweng, but it has a night market and plaza to spare for all those nocturnal shoppers and merrymakers.
This also drives the price up, making the cost of living pricier than the more remote parts of Koh Samui and comparable to Chaweng Noi.
It’s one of the more developed locations with its collection of touristy vehicle rentals, massage parlors, cafes, restaurants, and resorts so it has fewer underdeveloped wilderness to bring property prices down.
A Portfolio of Properties for Sale in Lamai
Lamai is full of villas and beach houses galore for your vacation or residential needs as well as condominium units for rental and ownership. Pick and choose which realty option best suits your needs!
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Lamai Bungalows and Complexes for Sale: Lamai also has bungalows and complexes available just behind the prioritized (and more expensive) beachfront villas. They’re the affordable options because they’re one-story structures.
They also mainly feature garden views or views of the mountain, if not a distant panorama of the sea (you have to pay extra for sea views). In the complexes, residents need to share their walls with neighbors but benefit from greater affordability.
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Lamai Villas for Sale: The top sellers among Thailand investors are of course the beachfront villas. You can get them at more cost-effective prices as garden-view or mountain-view villas, but at Lamai they’re mostly beachfront or sea view.
These luxury accommodations come complete with amenities, utilities, furniture, appliances, and even parking plus swimming pools are like mansions with spacious resort-style facilities.
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Lamai Apartments and Condos for Sale: For many foreigners, the condominium or apartment life might work best for them, especially as first-time investors who are forbidden to own land in their name traditionally in Thailand.
Condo units allow condo renters or owners to share utilities in the building like a pool or rec room, unlike apartments where the unit itself is your sole ownership. In Thailand, about 49 percent of units are reserved for foreigners while 51 percent are for locals.
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Lamai Land for Sale: Foreigners can’t buy Lamai land in Thailand under their name. They are allowed to get a 30-year leasehold (renewable twice) on land so that they can build and own whatever is on the leased land.
Investors also have the option to start a Thai limited company with majority of shareholders being Thai citizens to buy the land on your behalf but with the land being company property. Make your own beachfront structure from scratch for maximum ROI.
In gorgeous Lamai, you’ll have your choice of sea-view, beachfront villas along with condominium units near the beach or at least have access to it. It’s one of the more developed parts of Koh Samui, thus everything there is topnotch and tourist-grade.
If you can’t wait to see all the beauty in the area surrounding Lamai Beach, begin your exciting search below for your choice of Lamai luxury property in Koh Samui, Thailand!
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