The quaint village of Bo Phut is something of a contrast to neighbouring Chaweng, which is Koh Samui’s main tourist centre. Bo Phut is much smaller than Chaweng, a picturesque seaside village and beach with a laid back, almost Mediterranean atmosphere focused around a narrow, one-way street lined with a good mix of restaurants and bars, many housed in traditional wooden buildings. The original fishing village has expanded to the point that it can no longer be called sleepy and the jetty is a popular starting point for speedboat trips to outer islands including Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Ang Thong National Marine Park. Just past the village, Bo Phut bay stretches north and is fringed with palm-fronted, upscale boutique resorts. Bo Phut district actually covers a relatively large part of Koh Samui, stretching from the main west coast tourist centre of Chaweng to Mae Nam beach in the north. In the last few years, the hills behind the original village have become the location of choice for a number of new high-end residential developments. Large luxury villas are scattered amongst the palm plantations and the main road that serves them is now lined with all kinds of commercial suppliers, furniture outlets and convenience stores.