Starting over in paradise: 8 people on what it's like to run a business, find a home, and build a life in Koh Samui

On this sun-drenched tropical island, time moves more slowly — and that's exactly what many people were looking for when they chose to make it home.
I had just wrapped up an interview with a millennial who left his life in the US behind to become a Muay Thai fighter. Next, I was heading off to speak with the French owner of a boutique hotel.
Three days into my reporting trip, I was starting to see why so many people are drawn to Koh Samui, the Thai island that's recently been thrust into the global spotlight thanks to HBO's hit series "The White Lotus." Long before the show put it on the radar of TV audiences, Samui had already been quietly attracting people in search of something different: an unhurried pace of life, a lower cost of living, and the promise of a fresh start far from home.
Samui, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is known for its gorgeous beaches and waterfalls. It spans about 88 square miles and is home to around 70,300 residents — including about 3,800 foreigners — per the latest May data. For comparison, Phuket, Thailand's largest island at roughly 210 square miles, is home to about 430,000 people, including almost 9,700 foreigners.
Nearly everything of interest on Samui is connected by a single main road — Route 4169, also known as the Samui Ring Road — which loops around the island. The island's airport was built on the site of a former coconut plantation. Unlike Phuket's airport, which has flights across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Samui International Airport mainly serves nearby domestic cities and a few countries in Asia. Six international schools also make it possible for families with children to settle in for the long term.
It helps that the Thai government is invested in developing policies designed to welcome long-term visitors. In 2024, the country launched the Destination Thailand Visa in a bid to attract digital nomads, remote workers, and individuals interested in participating in cultural or wellness activities.
All of these help position the island as an attractive place to live.
Whether they arrived last year or almost two decades ago, everyone I interviewed considered Samui to be home.
Some came to escape the 9-to-5 grind, while others came to start a business or raise a family. Regardless of their reasons, they all say they've found a rhythm that feels freer and more sustainable than what they left behind.
From the US to the UK and beyond, they've put down roots — and aren't planning to leave.
Editors: Alex Karplus, Lina Batarags Reporters: Amanda Goh Design: Alyssa Powell
Read the original article on Business Insider

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Teen ‘Lost It' After Parents Upgraded Her Younger Sister to Business Class on a Long Flight — and Not Her: It's 'Unfair'

A teenager said she 'lost it' on her parents after they upgraded her younger sister to business class for a long flight, but didn't do the same for her The 17-year-old said in a post on Reddit that she is upset her parents would treat her and her 14-year-old sibling "differently" "It's just the fact that they have two children, and they would leave the other one out when there were other solutions,' she saidA teen girl said she "lost it" after her parents got her younger sister a business class ticket for a long flight and didn't do the same for her. In a post on Reddit's 'Am I the A------?' forum, the 17-year-old wrote that she and her family will be traveling to China later this year for a family vacation. She and her mother will be flying separately from her father and her 14-year-old sister, as her sibling will be finishing summer camp. 'My dad decided to use all of his frequent flyer points to upgrade him and my sister to premium economy on the way there (12 hours), and business class on the way back (14 hours),' the teen said, adding, 'He sent a message after he did this to the family group chat without discussing it with anybody.' According to the Redditor, her mom then attempted to upgrade herself to business class, but didn't have enough points, so she ended up upgrading both herself and her daughter to premium economy seating instead. The teen girl said she attempted to 'confront' her parents about the travel ordeal, telling them that she thought they could have tried harder to come up with a 'fair solution.' 'My father could've gifted some of his points to my mom so that she also could've upgraded both of us to business class too. In this case, we would've all flown there in economy and back in business,' she explained. However, the teenager wrote that her parents did not appreciate her complaints. 'My father just told me that life isn't fair. My mother said that I'm selfish and the a------ for not being happy for them," she said. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. At that point is when the teen said she started to "lose it" and asked her parents why it was considered 'selfish' to 'want to be treated equally as my sister.' Further explaining that she's 'actually not jealous' of her sister, but rather 'hurt" that her parents didn't try to work out a fairer solution between their two children, the teen continued, "I think my parents can use their points on themselves [because] it's their money, and I wouldn't mind if they only upgraded themselves." "It's just the fact that they have two children, and they would leave the other one out when there were other solutions,' she added. 'This truly isn't about me complaining about being in economy — I don't care about that. I'm just sad they would treat us differently." In the comments section, Reddit users were divided over whether or not the teen was being unreasonable. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! 'You're getting a trip funded by your parents and are complaining about not getting the same upgrade as your younger sister,' one person pointed out. They added, 'You have three years of having your parents to yourself before she arrived. How many things did you get first, or only because you were born first? Why does everything have to be equal to what your sister has? Life isn't fair, and your parents don't have to bend over backwards to make everything be even for you and your sister.' Other Redditors, however, said that they thought the teen's feelings were entirely valid — and that the parents should have worked harder to try to create a fairer solution. 'There is no way in hell I would do this to one of our kids," one person wrote. "It's not about the better seats. It's being left out and being told she is unreasonable for feeling left out." 'As a parent, I would do my best to be fair to both my children. If both the kids seats couldn't be upgraded then don't upgrade either. [On] a family trip that we took, my parents got the upgraded seats, and my brother and I were back in economy. But at least then neither one of us felt like the other was being treated better. You just want to be treated equally,' said another. Read the original article on People

CNN

7 hours ago

• CNN

Caves near China's ‘Avatar Mountains' found packed with decade-old trash

Caves near China's 'Avatar Mountains' found packed with decade-old trash A hidden environmental crisis is unfolding in ancient caves near China's Zhangjiajie Forest Park, famed for its massive quartz-sandstone pillar formations, which are said to have inspired the floating scenery that appears in the 2009 Hollywood blockbuster 'Avatar.' Viral social media videos showing piles of trash in the area, some reportedly dumped over a decade ago, are prompting a mass cleanup of the karst caves. 00:59 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 15 videos Caves near China's 'Avatar Mountains' found packed with decade-old trash A hidden environmental crisis is unfolding in ancient caves near China's Zhangjiajie Forest Park, famed for its massive quartz-sandstone pillar formations, which are said to have inspired the floating scenery that appears in the 2009 Hollywood blockbuster 'Avatar.' Viral social media videos showing piles of trash in the area, some reportedly dumped over a decade ago, are prompting a mass cleanup of the karst caves. 00:59 - Source: CNN 50 years of 'Jaws' and shark attacks As Steven Spielberg's summer blockbuster 'Jaws' turns 50, CNN's Harry Enten figures out how likely it is to be attacked by a shark and whether we should fear the waters. 01:57 - Source: CNN Erupting volcano puts Indonesians on high alert Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, erupted Tuesday, sending an ash cloud high into the air. The country's volcanology agency has raised the alert level to the highest. 00:59 - Source: CNN The NHL Stanley Cup's perfect imperfections The Stanley Cup is one of the most iconic trophies in all of sports, but one of the reasons the NHL's championship trophy is so lionized is its perfect imperfections. CNN's Coy Wire spoke to The Keeper of the Cup Howie Borrow for a tour of some of the trophy's character-building bloopers. 01:02 - Source: CNN Storm chaser captures 'unprecedented' view of monster hailstones falling from sky Storm chaser and research scientist Sean Waugh has documented softball sized (or greater) hailstones in freefall with an ultra-high-tech camera mounted on a retrofitted research vehicle. The goal – to study and better understand what makes gigantic hail form, and how to better detect it and ultimately improve severe weather warnings. Sean speaks with CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam while on the road, capturing imagery of this very impactful and expensive natural phenomenon. (edited) 01:47 - Source: CNN Flash flood destroys apartment building An apartment building in West Virginia partially collapsed as flash floods hit the area. The governor's office said at least five people are dead and four people remain missing following the floods. 00:31 - Source: CNN After talking to hundreds of dads, this podcaster shares his two biggest lessons Dr. John Delony speaks to millions of listeners on his popular podcast about mental health, family and relationships. As a therapist, he's used to offering advice to struggling fathers, but we asked him about the biggest lessons he's learned as a dad. 01:32 - Source: CNN Rare deep-sea squid filmed alive for first time Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of the elusive Gonatus antarcticus squid alive in its deep-sea habitat. CNN's Jeremy Roth describes the rare encounter. For more on this story, visit 01:12 - Source: CNN Trump draws boos and cheers at Kennedy Center President Donald Trump drew charged reactions of both admiration and ire at the Kennedy Center's opening night of "Les Misérables." 00:29 - Source: CNN The many adventures of the Stanley Cup Winner's of the NHL's Stanley Cup each get to take the cup for a day and do whatever they want with it. CNN's Coy Wire recounts some of the Cup's wildest days out. 00:43 - Source: CNN BTS members discharged from South Korean military One of the world's biggest boybands could soon be making a comeback with six out of seven members of K-Pop supergroup BTS now discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service. The band plans to reunite at some point later this year. 00:47 - Source: CNN Combs requests mistrial for a second time CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister explains that Sean "Diddy" Combs' defense team requested a mistrial for a second time, which was denied. Combs' team accused the prosecution of presenting false testimony from Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Cassie Ventura's, who testified that Combs dangled her over a balcony. 01:26 - Source: CNN Tennessee sheriff's office airlifts escaped zebra to safety DEK: A zebra, that escaped from its owner in Christiana, Tennessee was captured on Sunday and airlifted to safety by the local sheriff's office. The animal, named Ed, had been reported missing just a day after he was acquired by its owners in Rutherford County. They have since been reunited. 00:35 - Source: CNN Jamie Foxx breaks down during BET Awards acceptance speech Jamie Foxx was overcome with emotion while accepting the Ultimate Icon Award at the BET Awards. He reflected on his 2023 health scare. 00:45 - Source: CNN See what's coming to your iPhone and other Apple devices Apple announced major software updates at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Most of the new features won't reach users' devices for a few months when OS 26 releases this fall. 01:49 - Source: CNN

Bloomberg

12 hours ago

• Bloomberg

Mott 32's Chinese Cuisine Shines in the Dark in Hong Kong: Review

In a foodie city, it's tough to pick the restaurant — the one that holds a global reputation, that tourists flock to and that industry execs associate with Hong Kong. I might start a firestorm by saying this, but perhaps the one that comes closest is Mott 32. Founded in 2014 at the height of Hong Kong's boom times, the restaurant — located in a former bank vault and designed by Joyce Wang — has retained its magic. It's since become a culinary ambassador for Hong Kong, expanding to eight other locations as far afield as Dubai, Las Vegas and Toronto, and riding a wave of awards and accolades. It's not hard to see why: The food is familiar, delicious Chinese fare but with a unique twist; the service is prompt and well-oiled; and the interior design is immersive — a mix between a film noir set and restaurant.