Nikki Beach: The West Coast's Understated Luxury

Samui is divided into two distinct islands. The eastern part—Chaweng and Lamai—is all neon lights, traffic, and crowds. And the western part—quiet, almost rural, where the bulk of tourists simply don’t venture. It is there, on Lipa Noi Beach, that Nikki Beach is located—the Koh Samui branch of the legendary beach club chain that once began in Miami.

From the outside, you’d never guess what lies behind the gates. Inside—snow-white lounge beds with neatly rolled towels, a winding pool that flows through the entire club like a river, a stone amphitheater, coconut palms twenty meters tall, and an open deck right above the sea—from which you can see the silhouettes of the Ang Thong Archipelago islands on the horizon. Everything is done in white and wood, meticulously maintained down to the smallest detail; the staff appears before you even have a chance to ask for anything.

The main surprise is that it’s peaceful here. Nikki Beach has a reputation as a party spot, and during peak season, that’s exactly what it is: Saturday is for the dance-filled Saturdance, Sunday is for the famous Amazing Sundays brunch with live cooking stations (from 12 to 4 p.m.). But on a typical weekday, this is a place for slow relaxation: the DJ plays soft daytime sets, there are more loungers than guests, and between the pool, the sea, and coffee, no one is in a hurry to go anywhere. The club is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Now, let’s be honest about what you should know in advance. To get there from Chaweng or Bophut, you have to cross the entire island—you can’t get there without a bike or a car. Beds come with a minimum deposit: you pay an amount that you then “spend” on food and drinks, and it’s not cheap. The sea at Lipa Noi is shallow—it recedes far at low tide, so you won’t be able to swim properly; this is a beach for “wading knee-deep with a drink.” The pool, however, is for adults only (16+). And you won’t find complete silence here either—music is always playing, albeit unobtrusively.

But it’s precisely this balance that makes it worth the trip: lively enough to keep you from getting bored, quiet enough to unwind. And the main draw of the west coast is that the sun doesn’t rise from the sea here—it sets into it. Come after lunch, grab a lounger by the water, and stay until sunset—it’s the best on the island at Lipa Noi.