Hi Rick!
I've been to Samui for some times now, and development is going fast over there, specially on Chaweng Beach. Won't take long until it can rival Patong. Although not as many bars as Patong yet, it has it's fair share. The beer-bars are to be found on Chaweng and Lamai beach, with the first one being the biggest. In Chaweng bars are concentrated mainly in Soi Green Mango, named for it's famed disco, and on the other side of Chaweng Lake between the boxing stadium and The Reggae Pub, most famous disco of Samui. Lamai beach is smaller and not so long distances to walk, with it's most famous venue The Bauhaus a big complex with disco, pubs and restaurants. Lamai has a more raunchier feel with barbeers and girls more visable, than in Chaweng that is becoming a more sophisticated place with designer-clothes shops, posh restaurants and bars moved from the main road into special areas.There is only two aGoGos in Samui both in Soi Green Mango in Chaweng, The Dreamgirls in a two story building with glass ceiling between the floors and a revolving dance-stage, and there is a older place GB Lounge further inside on the same street, both places owned by the same guy. In Lamai you can watch bargirls boxing every saturday night at Lamai Night Plaza! Lamai still has some of the old Samui atmosphere left with cheaper accomodation in small huts directly on the beach about 200-300 baht a night(low season). In Chaweng most beachland is now occupied by deluxe resorts and middle-range hotels,the beach is whiter and water more shallow, than Lamai were the sand is more coarse and the water deeper, but with a nice backdrop with tall coconut trees and big granite boulders! There are also plenty of other beaches for more laidback holidays, without noisy nightlife, if that is what you want!
TJ
