Nathon Town (Sunday Walking Street)
Samui's low-key administrative capital and main ferry port, with rows of Chinese-Thai wooden shophouses and a lively local Sunday-evening walking-street market.
- Category
- Markets & Night Markets
- Entrance fee
- Free entry
- Hours
- Town open daily; Sunday Walking Street market typically ~16:00/17:00–22:00 — confirm locally
- Best time
- Sunday evening for the walking street; weekday daytime for the old-town shophouses
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
About Nathon Town (Sunday Walking Street)
Nathon is the real Samui, the working town where locals actually live and where the ferries come and go. Rows of old Chinese-Thai wooden shophouses give it character, and the Sunday-evening walking street is more local and less touristy than Fisherman's Village, which makes it great for authentic street food and cheap eats.
Set your expectations right, though. This is not a beach destination and it's a fair drive from the east-coast hubs. You come for the market, the old-town feel and the food, not for sand or scenery.
Hit it on a Sunday evening for the walking street, or roll through on a weekday to browse the shophouses in daylight. Either way it's a good antidote to the resort strips.
Highlights
- Chinese-Thai wooden shophouses in the old town
- Local Sunday-evening walking-street market
- Authentic street food and cheap eats
- The island's main ferry-port town
Tips
- Come Sunday evening for the walking street
- Weekday daytime is best for the shophouses
- More local and cheaper than Fisherman's Village
- It's not a beach stop, so go for the market and character
How to get there
About 40–45 min by scooter/taxi/songthaew west from Chaweng to the island's main pier town