Samui’s Big 10
From Samui’s celebrated dining rooms to family-run local kitchens, the island’s culinary identity is shaped by a rich variety of flavours and traditions. Fresh seafood, treasured recipes and time-honoured techniques come together in dishes that reflect Samui’s deep connection to the sea and its way of life. These are ten island favourites — authentic, memorable and utterly worth discovering.
Words: Sua Pon Nam
Khao Hor: Samui’s Wrapped Tradition
Khao hor, Samui’s banana leaf–wrapped meal, reflects a tradition of simplicity, sharing, and island life. Read more
Grilled Prawns with Seafood Dipping Sauce (Goong Pao)
River or sea prawns kissed over hot charcoal until the shells blister and the head butter inside turns rich and custard-like. Read more
Poh Taek — “Broken Pot” Seafood Soup
The name means “the pot explodes,” and the soup earns it. A thunderstorm of clams, mussels, prawns and fish in a clear broth rampant with galangal, lemongrass, chilli and holy basil. Read more
Seafood Tom Yum
This is Thailand’s most famous soup, done properly. A clear or slightly creamy broth that is simultaneously sour (lime), hot (chilli), savoury (fish sauce) and aromatic (lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf). Read more
Seafood Hor Mok in Young Coconut (Hor Mok Talay Maprao On)
A southern Thai steamed curry custard — fish, squid and prawns folded into a thick paste of coconut cream, kaffir lime and red curry —served inside a young coconut that lends a faint, grassy sweetness to every spoonful. Read more
Deep-Fried Sea Bass with Fish Sauce (Pla Kapong Tod Naampla)
A whole pla kapong (sea bass) fried to crackling bronze, flooded with a hot glaze of fish sauce, palm sugar and fried garlic, then scattered with shredded green mango or chilli. Read more
Steamed Sea Bass with Lime and Chilli
(Pla Kapong Neung Manao)
A whole pla kapong (sea bass) fish steamed until just barely set, then drenched in a broth of lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, chilli and a suggestion of coriander. Read more
Fried Squid Eggs
(Kai Muek Tod)
The dish that separates the curious from the cautious. Squid egg sacs, battered and fried until crisp on the outside and creamy — almost briny — within. Read more
Crab Fried Rice
(Khao Pad Poo)
This is the test of any Thai kitchen: cold rice, furious heat, a cracked egg and enough crab meat to make the whole thing feel quietly luxurious. Read more
Baked Prawns with Glass Noodles
(Goong Ob Woonsen)
Large prawns baked on a bed of glass noodles that have soaked up a rich, slightly sticky sauce of oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger — read more
Salt and Pepper Prawns
(Goong Kua Prik Glua)
Whole prawns — shell on — tossed in the wok with sea salt, cracked white pepper, garlic and a handful of chilli until the shells are dry and fragrant and the tails curl with heat. Read more
Samui’s Big 10
On Koh Samui, Thai food is at its most confident: seafood pulled from nearby waters, seasoning that prizes balance over bravado and recipes that reward curiosity. These ten dishes offer a primer in southern Thai flavours—salty, sharp, herbal and as fresh as it gets.
Hoy Nang Rom Song Kreuang
(Oysters with Condiments)
Served plump and cool, fresh oysters arrive with roasted chilli paste, crisp shallots, herbs and a bracing seafood sauce. Assemble each bite yourself-it’s a lesson in contrast and control. Read more
Goong Chae Nam Pla
(Raw Prawns in Fish Sauce)
This dish is a tribute to Thailand’s fondness for fearless freshness. Translucent prawns are dressed in a lime-led fish-sauce marinade, read more
Goong Kua Prik Kleua
(Wok-Fried Prawns with Chilli and Salt)
Minimal seasoning, maximum flavour. Prawns are flash-fried with garlic, chilli and salt, letting the seafood speak for itself. Read more
Pla Meuk Pad Kai Kem
(Squid with Salted Egg Yolk)
Who cares about the waistline when a dish tastes this good? Rich, sandy and faintly sweet, the salted egg yolk clings to springy squid in this modern Thai classic. Read more
Poo Kai Dong
(Marinated Blue Crab with Roe)
Poo Kai Dong is a cult favorite that rewards the curious. Blue crab is gently cured, its roe luxuriously molten. Some eat it neat with seafood sauce, others spoon it over hot rice. Read more
Goong Ob Woon Sen
(Baked Prawns with Glass Noodles)
A one-pot favourite scented with ginger, pepper and soy sauce. As the prawns bake, their sweetness seeps into the noodles below. Comfort food, Thai-style. Read more
Pla Meuk Dad Deaw
(Sun-Dried Squid)
Part preservation, part pleasure. Squid is lightly dried under the sun, then grilled until chewy and aromatic. Read more
Yum Woon Sen Talay
(Seafood Glass-Noodle Salad)
Light but assertive, this salad combines slippery glass (vermicelli) noodles with prawns and squid, tossed in lime juice and fish sauce. Read more
Kai Pla Meuk Tod
(Fried Squid Eggs)
Crisp outside, softly rich within. Squid eggs are lightly battered and fried, often overlooked by visitors but beloved by locals. Read more
Pla Kapong Sam Rod
(Sea Bass in Three Flavours)
Sweet, sour and salty meet in crisp harmony. Deep-fried sea bass is topped with a glossy sauce of palm sugar, read more
Holy Crab!
Crab lover alert. If you want to enjoy flower crabs to the fullest, these tips were made for you. Read more
There’s no better way to experience the country’s vibrant culture than by indulging in its fresh, flavourful seafood. The coastal destinations of Thailand offer a smorgasbord of dishes that highlight the richness of its marine bounty, and Samui is no exception. Here are the top seafood dishes that every discerning traveller should savour when venturing to Thailand’s beach destinations.
Hoy Jor
(ฮ่อยจ๊อ)
Hoy Jor usually features minced crabmeat stuffed with seasoned pork, then deep-fried into golden perfection. The contrast between the soft, juicy crabmeat and the crispy outer layer makes for a delectable bite, read more
Kraprao Pla Muek
(กระเพราปลาหมึก)
The much-loved pat krapao – crowned theworld’sbeststir-fry in 2023 —can be enjoyed with virtually any type of protein, not just chicken or pork. This version which involves tender squid, read more
Pla Krapong Tod Nampla
(ปลากะพงทอดน้ำปลา)
Crispy fried fish is a staple of Thai coastal cuisine, and Pla Krapong Tod Nampla elevates this classic with a signature drizzle of fish sauce. The dish features local sea bass, read more
Tom Yum Goong
(ต้มยำกุ้ง)
A quintessential Thai dish that perfectly balances the nation’s signature sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavours, Tom Yum Goong is a must-try. This aromatic soup, recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage, read more
Poo Maa Neung
(ปูม้านึ่ง)
Steamed flower crab offers a simple, indulgent seafood experience. Lightly seasoned, it showcases the crab’s natural sweetness, complemented by a tangy-sweet-salty seafood sauce. Read more
Khao Pad Goong
(ข้าวผัดกุ้ง)
A comforting fried rice dish with a coastal twist, Khao Pad Goong features plump, juicy shrimp stir-fried with rice, eggs, and vegetables, then seasoned with soy sauce and fish sauce. Read more
Goong Choop Pang Tod
(กุ้งชุบแป้งทอด)
Goong Choop Pang Tod, or deep-fried battered prawns, is an irresistible dish that’s both crispy and tender and especially loved by kids. The prawns are coated in a light, crunchy batter, read more
Poo Pud Pong Karee
(ปูผัดผงกะหรี่)
For a truly indulgent treat, Poo Pud Pong Karee brings together the luxurious combination of sweet crabmeat and aromatic curry powder. Stir-fried with eggs, onions, and a mild, curry sauce, read more
Or Suan
(ออส่วน)
A delightful variation of the popular oyster omelette (Hoy Tod), Or Suan combines fresh oysters with a batter-like mix of eggs and flour, then fried into a crispy, chewy texture. Read more
Khai Jiew Poo
(ไข่เจียวปู)
For a taste of Thai comfort cooking at its most elegant, Khai Jiew Poo – or crab omelette – is hard to beat. Generous chunks of fresh crab are folded into beaten eggs and lightly seasoned before being fried to golden, puffed perfection. Read more
Wai Kua
(Reef squid curry)
On Koh Samui, mornings begin with a shimmer. The sea turns silver as the sun rises, and if you look closely near the rocky shores, you’ll catch small flashes of movement — reef squid, known locally as wai, gliding gracefully through the shallows. Read more
Samui’s Secret Sour Note
Known as taling pling, the bilimbi tree is a modest presence in many Thai gardens – yet its fruit plays a quietly vital role in the kitchen. In the South, it’s also called moong mung. Read more
