They say, “If it’s worth doing something at all, it’s worth doing well.” And the owners have certainly followed that old adage at Krua Bophut where they’ve done it very well indeed. And that’s probably why it’s become the undisputed best fine-dining Thai restaurant in Fisherman’s Village.

Krua Bophut’s at the far western end of the beach with its very own car park opposite (the parking isn’t easy in Fisherman’s Village so this is the restaurant’s first plus-point, of which there’re many), and it spans a lengthy 150 metres of beach and road.

Step through the ornate gabled entrance and your choices of the evening begin. Turn right and you enter the elaborate wooden Thai ‘house’ complete with traditional Thai tiling on the floor, high-vaulted ceilings and numerous interesting collections of antique telephones, radios, tea & coffee sets, gas lamps, and more. It really is a most elegant place to dine, totally encapsulating the spirit of Thailand, in general, and Samui, in particular. Anywhere else in the world, this 56-seat interior section of the restaurant would be the most sought-after place to reserve a table. But then every other eatery doesn’t also have outdoor areas on an idyllic tropical beach!

Which leads me on to your second choice of dining location. And that’s on the 44-seat raised garden terrace which looks down upon the rustic lane on one side, the beautiful Thai ‘house’ on another and across the beach on a third. This area gives you the option of enjoying al fresco dining on the beach without actually getting sand in your shoes!

And the final dining area is, as you’ve probably guessed by now, on the beach itself. With seating for 30 spread along this beautiful shoreline amongst the swaying coconut trees with the nearby waves softly lapping the sand just metres away and the twinkling stars above, there aren’t that many Thai restaurants on Samui that can compete with the location. And they’d have a hard job competing with the Thai fare offered here, too.

The extensive Southern Thai menu is a treasure trove of authentic Thai cuisine prepared in classical style. And, as you’d expect from being in a restaurant on a tropical island beach, there’s a lot of fresh seafood dishes amongst the national favourites. There’s a wide choice of tasty appetisers at Krua Bophut with the particularly recommendable ‘Bophut Kitchen’ Selection of Appetisers for those of you who can’t make your minds up what to go for and want to ‘try a bit of everything’!

“… and the extensive Southern Thai menu is a treasure trove of authentic Thai cuisine.”

And if you’re a lover of Thailand’s famous spicy and sour prawn soup – Tom Yum Goong – then you’ll just have to try it here. Just make sure you let the serving staff know how hot you want it!

Although I could happily personally recommend every main course dish that I’ve tried at Krua Bophut, I’ll limit myself to just two. Firstly, there’s the exceptional Deep-fried White Jumbo Prawn in tamarind sauce, which will have you praising the chefs, and then there’s the equally praiseworthy Steamed White Snapper with lemon and chili sauce. Both are excellent examples of just how breathtakingly delicious Thai cuisine can be – if it’s cooked to perfection.

And what better why to end the Thai dining experience than to enjoy a palate-cooling Thai dessert? Again, there’re many but I’d suggest either the seemingly impossible Fried Ice-cream, or the dangerously addictive Deep-fried Banana Served with Honey and Ice-cream. Should you try them you’ll be thanking me afterwards!

Finally, there’s entertainment in the form of live classical Thai instrumental music three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:00 – 10:00 pm), a good selection of both New and Old World wines, and some of the most courteous and friendly staff you’ll find in a restaurant – anywhere. Not so surprising, then, that this decidedly 5-star restaurant is so very popular. Especially so when I let you in on the final secret. Krua Bophut is probably the most inexpensive fine-dining Thai restaurant on the island!

Krua Bophut is open from 1:00 pm – midnight (kitchen closes at 10:30 pm).
For reservations and further information, telephone 0 7743 0030 or 0 7724 5035.