Koh Samui's Fisherman’s Village raises game to lure tourist shoals
Fisherman’s Village Walking Street on Koh Samui has cast its net for a bigger haul of tourists this high season with a clean-up.
Work to beautify Beach Road in Bo Phut began on Tuesday, with landscape improvements and general tidying up of more than 100 street vendors that line the 1-kilometre walking street on Samui’s coastline.
Local tourism operators say they want to highlight the street’s old charm by presenting the authentic fishing-village lifestyle in a safe, clean and uncluttered setting.
To add colour, the walking street is also hosting nightly fire baton displays.
The makeover aims to generate up to 5 million baht of cash flow per night for local street vendors.
Suwaphak Wongthanapornsil, who operates a hotel on Fisherman’s Village Walking Street, said local tourism businesses have also asked authorities to ban traffic and parking on the street from 6pm to midnight to ensure tourist safety and maximise vending areas. He is confident the move will spark a flood of tourists and turn Fisherman’s Village into a star attraction on the island.
Koh Samui was last year ranked the second-best tourist destination in Asia behind the Andaman Islands and seventh-best in the world by Travel+Leisure magazine. The magazine cited Samui’s beautiful coastline and crystal-clear waters, giving it high scores for activities, food, friendliness and overall value.
