The beautiful island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand has a mass of restaurants to choose from, but with so many it can be easy to miss the best. Below is my guide to some of the better restaurants for when you are starving in Samui:

Dining on the Rocks - Located in Samrong bay and part of the Sila Evason Hideaway & Spa, in the north east of Samui is much more than just a dining experience. On many different levels each platform enjoys a fantastic 270 degree sea view. The food is spectacular and each dish a has a quite remarkable flavor so that there is not one that comes out on top but the experiences set dinner will give you a fantastic range of dishes . The restaurant can be contacted on 0 7724 5678.

Bellini - This wine bar and restaurant is located in Chaweng away from the beach road at the end of Soi Colibiri. The winner of the Thailand tattler award for Samui’ best restaurant it serves an unforgettable range of delicious Italian food and wines. Whilst not cheap it offers very reasonable prices for the food it serves. Contact number 0 7741 3831

The Cliff bar and Grill - This extremely popular restaurant between Chaweng and Lamai and has a fantastic view and offers a good range of wine and drinks. The food served is Mediterranean mainly from Portugal, Spain and Italy and is prepared by the owner and master chef Bradley Munns who has already had several successful restaurants in Bangkok. For larger groups it is worth booking at this busy restaurant, or else the opportunity to sit in the bar waiting for a table is always worth taking, the restaurant can be contacted on 0 7741 4266.

Baitong restaurant and Terrace Bar - Right on Chaweng beach the setting is pretty unbeatable and pretty popular so booking in advance is a good idea. The restaurant offers an à la carte menu and buffet. Serving international and Thai-fusion dishes the à la carte menu is delicious with offerings such as roasted tenderloin of pork, stuffed with dried apricots and an Amaretto cream sauce this alone is worth coming for. The buffets are themed and there are 5 different themes each week and at 550 Baht a head when you are starving in Samui there is nowhere better to eat;

Tuesday night Italian Fiesta – Orders are freshly cooked in front of you at the pasta station.
Wednesday night BBQ Beach Party – All the meat plus squid prawns and crab you could want plus a Polynesian show.
Thursday night Thai Buffet – A huge spread of traditional Thai dishes plus a cultural dance show.
Friday night Reef’n’Beef – Steaks and seafood grilled to your specification.
Saturday night International buffet night – An enormous spread of international dishes plus a cabaret.

There is always an excellent salad bar along with the buffet so vegetarians can also enjoy themselves and all this for 550 Baht and under 10’s eat for free. Located at Banana Fan Sea Resort it is open from 9am to 10 pm and the buffet is from 7pm till 10pm, contact number 0 7741 3483-6

Big John Seafood - Located in Lipa Noi on the road towards the car ferry this restaurant offers both a pick up and delivery service within a 10km radius. The ambiance here is perfect as it is one of the best places to enjoy a spectacular sunset but the food is what makes this place so special a huge range of seafood and some great steaks all accompanied by some live music. Reasonable prices and fantastic food make this place a great choice, open from 7 till 11, contact number 0 7742 3025/3186.

Chom Dao - In Bo Phut at the Bandara Resort and Spa this Thai seafood and fusion restaurant has a fantastic view of the island of Koh Pha-Ngan and a fantastic deck from which to view it. The range of seafood is fresh and delicious and particularly good is the Bandara seafood platter with prawns, snapper, salmon, crab and lobster although supposed to be for two you may want to ask some friends to help you. The restaurant/hotel can be contacted on 0 7724 5795.

Noori India - On the Chaweng beach road this Indian restaurant stands head and shoulders above the others on the island. Not actually on the noisy beach road close to Poppies resort and restaurant it can seat 60 and has an outside terrace as well. The restaurant has a huge range of dishes and the staff are friendly and efficient, all in the dining experience is excellent. The restaurant can be contacted on 0 7741 3600.

Zazen Restaurant - Located at Zazen Boutique Resort and Spa between Bophut and Maenam at the far west of Bophut bay and has a large interior and open air terrace. The menu is huge with lots of fantastic dishes and extremely popular is the Lobster four course set meal for two to share. The restaurant has an extensive wine list and after you meal there is a good lounge with bar and pool table where you can relax. The restaurant can be contacted on 0 7742 5085.

Angela’s Bakery and Café - This is a popular lunch spot and is reckoned to be one of the best bakeries on the island. Located in Maenam it offers a great range of sandwiches, pastries and cakes as well as a number of Thai and western dishes. Located on the ring road the bakery can be contacted on contact number 0 7742 7396

Billabong Surf Club - This Aussie bar and restaurant is a favourite for those craving a taste of home. Amongst their delights are chip butties, doorstop sandwiches, pies and bangers and mash. It may not be fine dining but if you need to fill a hole then you can’t go wrong. Located in the fisherman’s village Bo Phut, they can be contacted on 0 7743 0144.

Samui may not have the reputation of Bangkok or Phuket for dining, but in truth it has some fantastic restaurants and a little research will ensure that your dining experience is more enjoyable than either of these places.