I'll tell you about the personal experience of relaxing on the beach by Maenam Island Samui. Since we travel yourself, all questions like: "How to get?" And "where to settle?" We solved themselves. We were planned on holiday on Samui on 14 January, 12 of which we spent on Maenam Beach. Initially, we planned to settle on the beach of Lamai, according to reviews, he seemed more attractive to us, and we booked a bungalow in two nights there. Arriving, we realized that with the lanam you need to move. The reason is too big, even huge waves in the sea. Since we were with the children, they were unsafe in such a sea. Taking a motorbike rental, we went to look for a beach without waves. Most of all I liked on Maenam: a very calm atmosphere, a good sandy beach, clean, low, beautiful hanging palm trees, in the shade of which you can easily lie right on the sand. Sunset in the sea is convenient for those who love to swim, it is swimming, and not to poke. And, most importantly, waves are moderate, very small. The place seemed to us perfect for relaxing with 9-year-old good floating children. Later, we saw that they were resting here and with babies.
Started looking for a hotel: walked along the shore and went in everything in a row. There were no places or not, or the price for the bungalow or the number did not fit into our budget (1000 baht per day). After the hour of persistent searches, we came to a wonderful hotel consisting of 25 bungalows located right on the shore and deep into the beach. The hotel is called "Shangryl Bungaloz." We were given a pretty house in twenty steps from the beach - the sea was seen from the porch. Inside there was a refrigerator, a fan, a huge bed and a shower with hot water. We all arranged and we settled here for 12 days.
Breakfast in a cafe on the shore - decently prepare and temperate prices. Immediately dinner, and sometimes got fruit. For dinner, we went to Chaweng or Food Courts in Lotus supermarkets and Big SI. The refrigerator in the room is a very convenient thing, it has always been drinks and some products, if you suddenly want to have a snack. On vacation with children is very relevant.
The main minus, and for someone, probably "Plus" Menam Beach is remoteness from infrastructure and entertainment. For us, the main entertainment in the evenings was to go to the evening market, which works on Thursdays near the Chinese Temple (our vacation was issued to the Chinese New Year, and the market came every day). There it was possible to see national dances, drink delicious cocktails, watch salute.
In the evening, we went to a massage in one of the nearest salons, went to Lamai just to walk and make purchases. By the way, Lamaya has a children's water park.
We, adults, really liked the Beach on Maenam Beach, but the pretty movable children by the end of rest began to bored.
So, resume. Pluses of relaxing at Maenam Beach: good sea and beach, privacy, calm situation, a decent contingent - mostly foreigners with couples or children, moderate prices, safety at sea and on land.
Cons: scant infrastructure, no entertainment for children and young people. Before Chawenga can be reached on Tuk Tuka or Taxi - expensive. We had a motorbike - it solved the issue of movements.
And at the end, advice: Maenam Beach - the beach for inactive rest. If you are going with grown children, try to think over the excursion program and other entertainment, otherwise they will be boring.