Samui in the Past – What Was Koh Samui Like in 1990?
June 30, 2026
Image: Lamai Beach on Koh Samui in 1992. Even though it was the peak tourist season, the beach was still relatively quiet and visitor numbers were modest. Photographer: Jens
A Lost Paradise?
In the spring of 1990, I was nineteen years old when I first arrived on Koh Samui, a tropical island in southern Thailand. Back then, it was a completely different island—quieter, simpler, and far less developed than it is today. Tourism had already begun to grow, but the island still retained much of its original character. Since then, development has accelerated rapidly, and the changes have been nothing short of dramatic.
Many people describe Koh Samui as a ”lost paradise.” I understand that sentiment, but I don't entirely agree. In many ways, life has improved significantly. The infrastructure, healthcare, electricity network, restaurants, and overall standard of living have all advanced enormously. At the same time, it's impossible to ignore that some of Samui's original charm and untouched natural beauty have been lost. Even so, much of what made the island special still remains—and continues to make it unique.
A Different Era for Tourism
During the 1990s, most visitors to Koh Samui were backpackers and long-term travelers. Many stayed for weeks or even months, enjoying a simple lifestyle close to the beach. There were beach vendors, but far fewer than you'll find today. Accommodation typically consisted of basic bamboo bungalows, often with only the essentials: a bed, a mosquito net, and sometimes a simple fan. Squat toilets were common, requiring you to squat rather than sit.
Image: A skinny Jens taking his first swim at Lamai Beach, shortly after arriving on Koh Samui for the very first time in May 1990. Photographer: Tom Weegar
Life for the Local People
Fishing, handicrafts, and coconut farming were among the island's most important industries. As tourism expanded, life on Koh Samui changed dramatically. The opening of the island's airport in 1989 accelerated that transformation even further.
At that time, the local community was still very close-knit, and family ties were strong. Coconuts remained an important part of the local economy, and it was common to use trained monkeys to climb coconut palms and harvest the coconuts. That tradition still exists in some parts of the island today.
Many of the early resorts were family-owned. Employees were often relatives of the owners and had deep roots on the island. There was rarely any need to book accommodation in advance. You could simply walk into a resort and ask if they had a bungalow available. With a little luck, you might even get one right on the beachfront. Guests were often treated as if they were part of the family.
An Island Without Today's Conveniences
Whenever I stayed on Koh Samui, I always chose Lamai Beach on the island's east coast. In 1990, the beach road had not yet been paved and was little more than a compacted dirt road. In the tropical climate, heavy rainstorms were common, and after several days of continuous rain, floodwater could sometimes reach knee height. Walking through it was simply part of daily life.
Cars were still relatively uncommon on the island in 1990. Most were old pickup trucks or songthaews—simple shared taxis with two benches mounted in the back for passengers. Motorcycles were also much less common than they are today, although they were available for rent. At the time, 125cc off-road motorcycles were particularly popular.
There were no shopping malls and no 7-Eleven stores on the island yet. Instead, people shopped at local markets and small family-run convenience stores.
Images: In 1991, the beach road in Lamai was little more than a dirt road. After heavy rain, it became muddy and difficult to pass. Photographer: Jens
A World Before the Internet and Mobile Phones
The electricity supply was far from reliable. Power outages happened constantly—sometimes as many as fifty times in a single day—so candles were considered an essential item in every bungalow.
Most visitors stayed for extended periods and often spent their days relaxing in hammocks with a paperback book. In the evenings, one or two movies would be shown on the television in the resort restaurants. Guests enjoyed dinner and drinks while watching the latest American action film.
The internet did not exist on Koh Samui in the early 1990s, although the first internet cafés began appearing around the middle of the decade. It could literally take half an hour just to open and load Hotmail, which at the time was by far the world's most popular email service.
Keeping in touch with family and friends was much more difficult than it is today. If you wanted to call home, you had to make expensive international calls through an operator. Many people still sent postcards and letters, while some relied on fax machines. Maps were, of course, printed on paper and were an essential part of every backpack.
The Vibrant Nightlife
There was also a more chaotic side to island life during this period. Most visitors were between 20 and 35 years old, and parties often continued until the early hours of the morning. It wasn't unusual to see people staggering home well into the late morning.
Singha and Kloster were two of the most popular beers, while many others preferred Mekhong or Sang Thip, both marketed as Thai whisky. Drinks were commonly mixed with ice, Coca-Cola, and soda water in small plastic buckets.
My Overall Impression
Koh Samui is no longer the island I first encountered in the spring of 1990. Much has changed over the years—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Yet despite the rapid development, something of the island's original soul still remains. Perhaps it's this blend of old and new that continues to make Koh Samui such a special place for me.
Image: Two boys training Muay Thai at Lamai Gym. The price board in the background shows the gym's rates in the early 1990s. Photographer: Jens
✪ Related posts: How I ended up on Koh Samui
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