Venue
Bo Phut, Ko Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand
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Samui Regatta, Koh Samui guide
A week of yacht racing off Chaweng.
In short
The Samui Regatta usually takes about a week in the second half of May, beginning with registration and a practice race before several days of racing. Keelboats and cruising yachts from across Asia compete off Chaweng beach, and evenings bring prizegivings, music and food on the sand. It suits sailors and beachgoers alike.
This week of yacht racing brings ocean racers and cruising boats from across Asia and further afield to the bay off Chaweng, the longest beach on the island. It is a serious handicap regatta with an easy social side, and anyone sitting on the sand can follow it.
What began as a gathering of beach catamarans now draws big keelboats with professional crews. The evenings matter nearly as much as the racing: prizes handed out on the beach, music, food and sunburnt sailors comparing notes on the day's wind shifts. For non-sailors it is the easiest way to see top-level yacht racing in Thailand without leaving shore.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Ends: Saturday, 29 May 2027
Where: Koh Samui, Thailand
Venue: Chaweng Beach
Held: Every year
Type of event: Sporting Events, Leisure Events
Currency: Thai baht (฿ THB)
Time zone: UTC+7, no daylight saving
Language: Thai
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Sun protection and rain gear for spectators
- Midday glare off the bay is fierce. Bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water if you plan to watch for hours.
- Showers are possible in late May. A light rain jacket earns its place in the bag.
- Binoculars make a real difference when the course is set further out.
- Beach bars along Chaweng fill early on days when the boats race close in; arrive before the first start to claim a seat.
Keeping spectator boats away from the racecourse
Spectators are welcome on shore, but the water belongs to the racing fleet. Never hire a longtail or private boat to get close to the course during a race: a spectator craft in the wrong place can wreck a start and is a danger to everyone. If you want to watch from the water, ask at the event office whether any official spectator trips are running that day.
Social events where crews and visitors meet
The opening party and the open beach nights are the moments when sailors and visitors mix. Dress is beach casual. Crews are usually happy to talk about their boats once the day's results are posted, less so while they are packing sails. If you hope to crew in a future edition, the organisers' website has a contact address and a newsletter that carries entry news.
What happens on the day
- Opening Saturday
Registration and practice
In 2026 the week opened with registration, sail measurement, a practice race and a skippers' briefing, then the opening party.
- Morning
Boats head out
The fleet leaves for the course, and start sequences fill the late morning.
- Mid-afternoon
Back on shore
Racing usually finishes by mid-afternoon, leaving the hottest hours for the crews to wash down.
- Evening
Prizes on the sand
Each day's prizes are handed out on the beach, and some nights become open parties with music and food.
- Final day
Last race and awards
One day is held in reserve in case the wind fails, and the final race closes the week.
The regatta's history and racing classes
The regatta started out as a modest gathering of beach catamarans. Today the headline fleet is keelboats racing in an IRC Open division, alongside cruising divisions for boats set up for comfort. Scoring is on handicap. Every yacht carries a rating, its elapsed time is corrected, and a small, well-sailed boat can beat a much bigger one.
The 2026 results showed how that works. Alive, a two-time winner of the Sydney to Hobart, was first across the line in every race and still finished second overall once times were corrected. Further down, Aftershock, a 55ft boat with 18 crew, and Iolanthe 3, a 35ft yacht sailed by 7, ended the week level on points. The last race settled it, after a wind shift on the final leg let Aftershock through.
Behind the racing sits a wide group of partners, from the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to island tourism bodies. Local ferry firm Lomprayah has supplied start and support boats.
Getting there
Flying to the island
Samui International (USM), in Bo Phut, is about 2 km north of Chaweng. Flights come from Bangkok (Bangkok to Koh Samui), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Singapore (Singapore to Koh Samui), Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. See our Thailand visa page for entry rules.
Airport to Chaweng
A shared minibus takes about 20 minutes, longer with several hotel drops, and many larger resorts collect guests if asked in advance.
Via Surat Thani
The cheaper way: fly (Bangkok to Surat Thani) into Surat Thani (URT) or take the train, then about 60 minutes by bus to Donsak pier and roughly 90 minutes on the ferry.
Ferries
Seatran and Songserm boats land at Nathon on the west coast; Raja Ferry also uses Lipa Noi. A songthaew or taxi crosses the island to Chaweng.
On the island
Songthaews follow fixed routes at set fares until 18:00 and work like taxis after that, so agree the price first. Many visitors rent a scooter for the week.
Where to stay during the festival
The dates are fixed well ahead, but rooms close to the host resort still go months early, because crews and race officials book them for the whole week. Check the official site for the host venue before choosing.
Watching the racing costs nothing, so the budget goes on the room and the evenings.
Koh Samui
Banyan Tree Samui5-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$645.00/ night
- Internet – Wifi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
9 Rooms available
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Weather and what to pack
May is the start of the south-west monsoon, but Koh Samui sits on the sheltered side of the Gulf and keeps much of its dry weather. The 1991 to 2020 normals (World Meteorological Organization) give an average high of 32.9°C and a low of 25.7°C, with 132 mm of rain on about 11 days.
Showers are usually short, and the light after rain is often the best of the week for photographs of the fleet coming home.
Worth packing
- High-factor sunscreen and a hat for the beach
- Polarised sunglasses for watching on the water
- A light rain jacket
- Sandals and something smarter for the evening parties
- Cash for songthaews and beach bars
Car hire in Koh Samui
Airport transfer to Samui Regatta, Koh Samui
Met at arrivals at Samui International Airport (USM) and driven door to door to Chaweng Beach.
- Samui International Airport (USM) → Chaweng Beach
- 2.7 km · 10 min
Restaurants and food in Thailand
Places to eat in Thailand before or after the celebrations.
Yamazato
24th floor, Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
Cuisine:KaisekiEdomae sushi
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
- Delivery
Vertigo
61st Floor, Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Road, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Cuisine:GrillInternational
- Dine-in
- Outdoor seating
- Bar
Khao Soi Mae Sai
29/1 Ratchaphruek Road, Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Cuisine:Northern ThaiNoodles
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Raya Restaurant
48/1 Dibuk Road, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Cuisine:Southern ThaiPhuket
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Sorn
56 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Cuisine:Southern ThaiFine dining
- Dine-in
Jay Fai
327 Maha Chai Road, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Cuisine:ThaiStreet food
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Timing & weather
The 24th edition runs from Saturday 22 to Saturday 29 May 2027, based at Chaweng Beach. A detailed race-by-race schedule is published closer to the event.
Some are. The opening party and several beach nights are open, with music and food, and they are the easiest way to meet the crews. The gala dinner is a separate, more formal affair.
Booking
Yes. There are no tickets. Watch from the beach or from a bar along Chaweng; the view is best on days when the course is laid close to shore.
General
It is the prize for the first boat to cross the finish line, before any handicap is applied. The overall winner is decided on corrected time, so the two are often different boats.
Ray Roberts' Team Hollywood took the overall title, its second win in a row, and also won the final race. It had already clinched the regatta before the last day.
Crews and boat owners register through the organisers. Contact them through the official website and sign up for the newsletter, which carries entry news and deadlines for the next edition.
The programme keeps a reserve day free for exactly this, so a calm day can be made up later in the week. Light winds still allow racing on many days.
Mostly windward-leeward courses. In 2026 the racing used a southern course area, with laps made up of 2-mile legs up and down the wind.
The official Samui Regatta website posts results and race reports, and its Facebook page shares photos and news throughout the week.
Getting there
By air. In 2026 roughly THB 1.5 million was spent on Bangkok Airways tickets to bring crews and officials to the island, which shows how much the event relies on the airport.