Where to spend New Year's Eve in Koh Samui: how we chose
Spend it on Chaweng Beach if you want the party, and look further round the island if you want dinner, a view or the children with you. Koh Samui is small, but New Year's Eve feels very different from one bay to the next. Chaweng is where the island comes for midnight. The quieter coasts do long dinners and their own fireworks.
We run ARKbar Beach Club on Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, so ARKbar is on this list. The other nine are the places we would point our own guests to, with at least one for every part of the island and every kind of night.
Most venues had not announced their 2026 plans when we wrote this in September 2026. So each entry shows what the place did last New Year's Eve, with the times and prices it published, and a map link. Prices marked ++ add a 10% service charge and 7% tax. Check with the venue before you book.
The 10 at a glance
| Venue | Area | The night | Children | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ARKbar Beach Club | Chaweng | Beach party, fire show, fireworks | No, 18+ | 500 THB, tables from 15,000 THB |
| 2Love Beach Club | Chaweng | Beach club with tables | Yes, all ages | 500 THB, tables from 15,000 THB |
| 3Talay Restaurant | Chaweng | Sit-down dinner on the sand | Yes | Not published yet |
| 4SEEN Beach Club | Chaweng | DJ party, dinner first | Not stated | 2,400++ THB (2024) |
| 5Kimpton Kitalay | Choeng Mon | Dinner, then a beach countdown | Yes, kids' club | Dinner from 5,900++ THB |
| 679 Beach Club | Bang Rak | Beach party, free-flow drinks | Not stated | No longer shown |
| 7Coco Tam's | Bophut | Barefoot beach bar | Not stated | Not published yet |
| 8W Koh Samui | Maenam | Fine dining, then a club countdown | Party 20+ | 4,000 THB net |
| 9Nikki Beach | Lipa Noi | Gala dinner into a DJ party | At the gala dinner | 1,500++ THB, gala 6,000++ THB |
| 10Banyan Tree Samui | Lamai | Seafood gala, then the beach | Not stated | Not published |
Ten places, seven areas
- East coast, the fireworks over the bay
Chaweng
1ARKbar Beach Club, the beach party2Love Beach Club, children welcome3Talay Restaurant, a sit-down dinner4SEEN Beach Club, a DJ countdown - North east
Choeng Mon
5Kimpton Kitalay, dinner and a beach countdown - North, by the airport
Bang Rak
679 Beach Club, a free-flow beach party - North coast
Bophut
7Coco Tam's, barefoot at Fisherman's Village - North coast
Maenam
8W Koh Samui, fine dining then a party - West coast, the sunset side
Lipa Noi
9Nikki Beach, a gala dinner into a DJ party - South east
Lamai
10Banyan Tree Samui, a seafood gala
The top 10 places for New Year's Eve in Koh Samui
Here is where to spend New Year's Eve in Koh Samui, starting on Chaweng, where most people spend the night, and working round the island from there.
1ARKbar Beach Club
The countdown on the sand, with the fireworks going up over Chaweng Bay at midnight. This is us, so read it knowing that. The New Year's Eve Countdown Beach Festival is the busiest night of our year: gates at 5:00 PM, our fire show on the sand at 8:00 PM, DJs until the countdown, and the party carries on well after it.
You can stand on the beach with a general ticket, or take one of 112 tables across five zones, from the Restaurant View tables at the back to the Platinum tables on the Beach Front Deck and in the VIP Lounge. The tables are on sale now, and the Platinum rows go first. If you stay at ARKbar Beach Resort, general entry is free.
- Where
- The middle of Chaweng Beach, at the beach end of Soi Green Mango, off Chaweng Beach Road.
Open in Google Maps - When
- Thursday 31 December 2026. 5:00 PM gates open, 8:00 PM fire show, 9:00 PM tables must check in, 12:00 AM countdown, fireworks and last entry.
- Entry
- 500 THB general standing, sold in advance. A few are sold on the door on the night.
- Tables
- 15,000 to 50,000 THB, the full package price with nothing more to pay on arrival. VIP Lounge and Beach Front Deck Platinum 50,000 THB, Beach Front Deck Gold 35,000 THB, all for up to 6. Poolside Sofas Silver 25,000 THB for up to 4. Restaurant View Bronze 15,000 THB for up to 4.
- Age
- Adults only, 18 and over. Bring photo ID.
- Getting there
- No cars in and no parking on the night. Walk, or get dropped on Chaweng Beach Road.
- Book
- On sale now. Book a table, or buy a standing ticket.
Best forGroups and couples who want the big one, on the beach, with the fireworks overhead.
2Love Beach Club
A beach club night the whole family can come to. Love Beach Club sits on Chaweng Beach next door to ARKbar, with two pools, one with a swim-up bar, daybeds on the beachfront and bean bags on the sand. On New Year's Eve it sells table packages and a 500 THB entrance, and children of all ages are allowed in.
That last point matters. Several of the big countdown parties on the island are adults only, ARKbar's included, so this is one of the few places where you can bring the kids and still be on the beach when the fireworks go up over Chaweng Bay.
- Where
- 159/75 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, next door to ARKbar.
Open in Google Maps - Entry
- 500 THB on the night.
- Tables
- 15,000 to 50,000 THB, with drinks and snacks included. VIP Platinum on the upstairs balcony, for 4 to 6, and VIP Seaview on the deck facing the beach, for 4, both 50,000 THB. Poolside Premium 25,000 THB for 2 to 4. Restaurant View 15,000 THB for 4 to 6.
- Children
- All ages welcome.
- Every day
- Open 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM. DJs from 2:00 PM, and a free fire show every hour from 7:00 PM to midnight.
- Book
- Tables go on sale on 3 November 2026. Pre-register and you can book from 1 November, two days before everyone else.
Pre-register for Love Beach Club
Best forFamilies and mixed groups who want the beach club feeling with the children along.
3Talay Restaurant
A proper table, a proper dinner, and the sea a few steps away. Talay is the open-air restaurant at Baan Chaweng Beach Resort, beside the pool and facing Chaweng Bay. The cooking is Thai and Western, led by seafood. It suits a slower, grown-up evening: a long dinner with the family, tables on the sand, then a short walk along the beach for the fireworks over the bay.
It had not published a New Year's Eve menu when we wrote this. Book early and ask for a table on the sand.
- Where
- 90/1 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach Road, at Baan Chaweng Beach Resort and Spa.
Open in Google Maps - Dinner
- Every night from 5:00 to 11:00 PM.
- Every week
- Saxophone and jazz Monday to Friday from 8:15 PM. A Thai Night on Wednesdays from 7:30 PM. A fire show on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 PM, and live music on Saturdays.
- New Year's Eve
- No menu or price published yet for 2026.
- Children
- A family restaurant, so children are fine at dinner.
- Book
- Direct with the restaurant.
Best forFamilies and couples who want to sit down, eat well and skip the dance floor.
4SEEN Beach Club
A DJ countdown on Chaweng Beach, with dinner first if you want it. Club SEEN is the beach club at Avani Chaweng Samui. Its New Year's Eve is a ticketed party built around guest DJs, and its restaurant, SEEN Eatery, runs an earlier gala dinner for people who want to eat before the music.
- Where
- Sala Koy Road, Chaweng Beach, at Avani Chaweng Samui.
Open in Google Maps - Dinner
- A gala dinner seating at SEEN Eatery from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, for dinner table bookings.
- Party
- The countdown party on the beach, with DJ sets from Tony Romera and Melvo Baptiste and fireworks at midnight.
- Price
- Last year's prices are no longer on its site. For 2024 the countdown party was reported at 2,400++ THB, or 9,500++ THB with the festive dinner.
- Every day
- The beach club is open from 11:00 AM, with daybeds and sofas on the beachfront and by the pool. Weekly nights include Ignite Fridays and SEENsation Saturdays.
Best forGroups who want a DJ line-up and a dinner booked in the same place.
5Kimpton Kitalay Samui
The best all-rounder for families on the north-east coast. Choeng Mon is a quieter bay at the north-east tip of the island, and Kimpton Kitalay has run its own Kitalay Countdown every year since at least 2022. The adults choose a dinner, the children have the kids' club, and everyone meets on the beach for midnight.
- Where
- 10/79 Moo 5, Choeng Mon Beach, at the north-east tip of the island.
Open in Google Maps - Dinner
- A crimson and gold dinner at Boho Thai Lifestyle Café with a live band, from 7:00 to 11:00 PM. Or a five-course Countdown Feast with a tableside magic show at FishHouse, which is in the MICHELIN Guide, from 7:00 PM to midnight. The dinners were listed from 5,900++ THB a head, or 7,200++ THB with a bottle of Champagne.
- Party
- An after-party on the beach with a live DJ, a fire show and fireworks at midnight.
- Children
- Festive activities at the JUNIO kids' club, from painting fireworks to face painting.
- 2026
- It has already said it will hold a New Year's Eve celebration again, with an early-booking discount for IHG members who pay by 15 December 2026.
- Every week
- A beach BBQ with a DJ and fire show on Wednesdays, and one with an acoustic duo and fire show on Saturdays, both from 6:00 PM.
Best forFamilies staying in the north east who want dinner, a party and childcare in one place.
679 Beach Club
A produced beach party near the Big Buddha. 79 Beach Club sits on Bang Rak beach, close to the airport, with a pool, daybeds and a restaurant on the sand. Its New Year's Eve is a ticketed party with a guest DJ, fire dancers and free-flow drinks included in every ticket.
- Where
- 79/79 Moo 4, Bang Rak beach, near the Big Buddha and the airport.
Open in Google Maps - When
- 7:30 PM to 2:00 AM, with free-flow drinks from 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM.
- On the night
- Resident DJ Mizzg, fire dancers, CO2 cannons, flame throwers and fireworks at midnight. It told guests to leave the heels at home.
- Price
- Tickets were sold on Megatix. The prices are no longer shown.
- Every day
- Open 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The Free Zone has no minimum spend. VIP sunbeds are a 5,000 THB minimum spend, and pods for up to six are 8,000 THB. A fire show on the beach every Sunday.
Best forGroups staying in the north who want a big party without the trip to Chaweng.
7Coco Tam's
Barefoot on the sand at Fisherman's Village. Coco Tam's is the laid-back beach bar at Bophut, with bean bags on the sand and fire shows every night. It is the opposite of a ticketed party: turn up, find a spot, and watch the year change from the beach.
It had not published New Year's Eve plans when we wrote this, so check its Instagram before you go.
- Where
- 62/1 Moo 1, Bophut Beach, at the edge of Fisherman's Village.
Open in Google Maps - Every night
- Fire shows on the beach at about 7:15 PM and 9:00 PM, bean bags on the sand, and a DJ or live music in the evening.
- Food
- A restaurant, a café and the beach bar, from burgers to cocktails.
- New Year's Eve
- No plans published yet for 2026. In past years it has run its own countdown with a fire show, a DJ and fireworks.
Best forCouples and small groups who want a relaxed countdown in the old fishing village.
8W Koh Samui
Dinner that is an event in itself, then a club countdown. W Koh Samui on Maenam beach splits the night in two. The restaurants run a tasting menu and a festive buffet, then WOOBAR takes over for a ticketed countdown with a DJ and fireworks.
- Where
- 4/1 Moo 1, Maenam Beach, on the north coast.
Open in Google Maps - Party
- Illumination, the WOOBAR countdown, 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM, with DJ Armando Mendes, a Champagne toast and fireworks at midnight.
- Price
- 4,000 THB net with free-flow cocktails, house spirits, beer, wine and soft drinks. Tables with a bottle of Champagne from 16,000 THB net for two, up to 80,000 THB net for a pod of eight.
- Dinner
- A six-course dinner with sake pairing at NAMU, its Japanese restaurant, and a seafood buffet at The Kitchen Table. In 2024 they were 14,500 THB and 7,500++ THB a head.
- Age
- The party is for guests aged 20 and over.
- Every night
- A fire show at WOOBAR at 8:30 PM, and DJs from sunset.
Best forFood-first couples on the north coast who want to eat very well and still dance at midnight.
9Nikki Beach
The glamour option, on the island's sunset side. Nikki Beach sits on Lipa Noi on the west coast, facing the sunset rather than the sunrise. Its New Year's Eve is a gala dinner on the sand that turns into a DJ party, with champagne, fire performers and fireworks.
- Where
- 96/3 Moo 2, Lipa Noi, on the west coast.
Open in Google Maps - On the night
- Dawn to the New Era: a seaside gala dinner, then international DJ Vanco, champagne towers, fire performances and what it called the longest fireworks show on the island.
- Price
- Gala dinner 6,000++ THB for adults and 2,500++ THB for children aged 5 to 12. General admission 1,500++ THB. Tickets were non-refundable.
- Dress code
- White and gold in 2024. Beach chic the rest of the year.
- Children
- Priced at the gala dinner. The beach club itself is 16 and over, and the resort runs a kids' club.
- Every week
- The beach club is open 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. A pool party with a DJ on Saturdays, and a brunch with live cooking on Sundays.
Best forCouples and groups who want a dressed-up gala, away from the east coast crowds.
10Banyan Tree Samui
A special-occasion dinner above Lamai, then champagne on the beach. Banyan Tree sits on its own hillside cove at the Lamai end of the island. Its New Year's Eve is built around a seafood gala dinner, followed by a countdown party on the beach below.
- Where
- 99/9 Moo 4, Maret, on its own cove above Lamai Bay.
Open in Google Maps - Dinner
- A gala dinner at The Edge from 7:00 PM: tiger prawns, oysters, lobster and caviar on ice, sushi and sashimi, foie gras and a carving station. Or five Thai courses at Saffron, which is in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Party
- Banyan Fairytale Party Night on the beach, 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM, with Champagne, live entertainment and fireworks at midnight.
- Price
- Not published for anyone not staying at the resort.
Best forCouples marking something special who want the dinner to be the main event.
How to choose where to spend New Year's Eve in Koh Samui
Decide who is coming first, then pick the area. The list covers every kind of night, but most people fit one of these.
- Friends who want to party: Chaweng. ARKbar for the beach and the fire show, SEEN for a DJ line-up.
- The whole family: Love Beach Club or Talay on Chaweng, or Kimpton Kitalay in Choeng Mon.
- A couple marking something special: Banyan Tree above Lamai, or W Koh Samui in Maenam.
- A glamorous night out west: Nikki Beach at Lipa Noi.
- On a budget: the free countdown at Central Samui, the shopping centre on Chaweng Beach Road, which has joined Central's nationwide countdown in past years, with live music and fireworks.
Getting around Koh Samui on New Year's Eve
Stay close to where you are celebrating, or book your ride before the night. Chaweng Beach Road stays open on 31 December, but it is packed with people and traffic crawls from the evening onwards. ARKbar does not let cars in on the night.
If your countdown is on Chaweng, our guide to where to stay in Chaweng covers the best end of the beach to sleep, and the Koh Samui New Year fireworks guide covers timings and the trip home. Planning the days either side too? Try 3 days in Koh Samui over New Year, and check Koh Samui in December for the weather. For island-wide travel information, see the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Where to spend New Year's Eve in Koh Samui: your questions
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So, where should you spend New Year's Eve in Koh Samui?
If you want the party, come to Chaweng. That is where the island counts down, and the fireworks over the bay are the moment the whole night builds to. If you want dinner and calm, the other coasts do it better, and you now have a pick for each one.
Whichever you choose, book early. The best tables on the island go long before December.
