Holiday home in Koh Samui: owning a condo for part of the year

For many buyers a holiday home in Koh Samui is a second home: you spend a few weeks or months a year there, and the rest of the time the apartment waits for you. That kind of purchase is judged differently from a buy-to-let. The key questions are when you will come, who will look after the apartment while you are away, what a year with empty months costs and whether someone can use it in the meantime.

We take these questions one at a time. Our example is The Astra Samui, a low-rise, resort-style condominium in Bophut, where Varsovia Estate is the sales agent. Whether the island suits you at all is covered in is Koh Samui a good place to buy property.

How many months a year, and when

Start with your calendar, not with a floor plan. Write down the months you can realistically travel and for how long. Almost everything else follows from that: the apartment type, care while you are away and whether letting it for the rest of the year makes sense.

Samui’s weather does not match what many people know about Thailand. According to 1991–2020 averages from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) station on the island, the driest months are February to April and the wettest are October to December, with November the wettest of all. The island is on the east coast, where the rains last until the end of the year. If you plan to escape a northern winter in November, you will arrive in the wettest month. January is better and February is usually the driest.

The temperature hardly changes, but humidity is high all year: on TMD figures, an average of 78–86% depending on the month. That matters for an apartment that stays closed. Our guide to Koh Samui weather by month gives the detail, and getting to Koh Samui covers the journey.

The right apartment type for your own stays

For a second home the question is how it feels to live there for three weeks, not for a weekend.

According to the developer, the extra room in the 1 bedroom plus can be a study, a children’s corner or a second sleeping area. On longer stays it often settles the question of who works where.

What a floor plan does not show matters too. Is there somewhere to leave a case of your things between visits? Is there a wardrobe you can lock when the apartment is let? If you are torn between the two smaller types, read studio or one-bedroom condo.

Damp, air-conditioning and care while you are away

An apartment closed for months in the tropics needs looking after. Damp settles in fabrics, wardrobes and the bathroom, and without air moving you notice a musty smell when you come back. That is the climate, not one particular building.

Care while you are away usually covers:

• regular visits to air the apartment and run the air-conditioning for a few hours to dry the air
• a check of the bathroom, the drains and the fridge
• an inspection after heavy rain or a storm
• collecting post and parcels
• getting the apartment ready before you arrive: bed made, cleaned, water in the fridge

Agree in writing how often someone goes in, what they do and what it costs. Ask for a short note with photos after each visit. Keep personal things in sealed boxes, and bed linen and towels in a wardrobe with a moisture absorber.

What comes with an apartment at The Astra Samui? In every residence: air-conditioning, mattress with pillows and a water heater at the shower. The buildings have key-card access and CCTV, which helps when the apartment is empty. The developer provides a construction warranty after handover (the period is not stated).

Fixed costs while you are away

Condominium charges run for the whole year, however many weeks you spend there. At The Astra Samui the developer has set:

• Common area fee: THB 50 per m² per month (12 months paid in advance)
• Sinking fund: THB 500 per m², one-off

As an example, for a 1 bedroom at the top of the type’s size range the common area fee comes to THB 1,750 a month, or THB 21,000 for 12 months paid in advance. The sinking fund is a one-off THB 17,500. That is arithmetic, not a forecast of your bill, because the fee can change with the building’s budget.

On top come costs that depend on you: electricity (some of it for the air-conditioning run during checks), water, internet, contents insurance, care while you are away and small repairs. Our guide to the cost of living in Koh Samui gives sample rates for power, water and internet. Plan for the year with the fewest visits, not the most.

Letting it while you are away

Some second-home owners let the apartment in the months they do not use it. That may cover part of the costs, or it may not, and nothing is guaranteed. At The Astra Samui the position is:

• You can let your residence yourself or through a rental management company.
• There is no hotel programme.
• No rental income is promised.

Letting changes a few things for a second home. You need to block your own dates well ahead, and in the high season your weeks compete with the best weeks for guests. Personal things have to be locked away or taken home. The apartment wears faster.

Short-term letting in Thailand has its own rules and limits, and the building has its regulations. Before you build a financial plan on letting, check the rules with a lawyer. How a manager works and what belongs in the contract is covered in condo rental management in Koh Samui.

If it becomes a retirement home

If the second home may one day become your main one, three more things come in. The first is a long-stay visa, which depends on your age, your income and the rules in force when you apply. We do not summarise that here, because it needs advice from an immigration lawyer. The second is healthcare: according to the developer, Bangkok Hospital Samui is 6.1 km from the project and the airport 7.3 km. The third is the apartment type: for most of the year in one place, a studio usually feels small.

Pets are not allowed under the condominium regulations. If you plan to move with a pet, you need to know that from the start.

Furnishing for your own use

An apartment you live in yourself is furnished differently from one for guests. You might choose a better mattress, more wardrobe space or a desk instead of a second table. The developer supplies the basic fit-out, and you choose the rest yourself or as a package.

One route is Livo / Thailand Kitchens (thailandkitchens.com), Varsovia Estate’s furniture partner, which has an office and installation team on Koh Samui. We say so because the link is ours, so weigh it as a declared link, not an independent recommendation. The lists and options by type are on the furnishing page.

For a lock-up-and-leave home, think about a lockable wardrobe and materials that cope with humidity: fewer decorative fabrics, more things you can wash.

Checklist before you buy

1. Write down the months you will really come and compare them with the rainfall calendar.
2. Choose the type for your longest planned stay, not your shortest.
3. Add up the fixed costs for 12 months: the common area fee, utilities and care.
4. Decide who will look after the apartment while you are away, and ask for their prices.
5. Decide whether you want to let it, and check the rules and the building regulations.
6. Check the building rules that affect you: pets, renovation, guests.
7. Ask about the drive from the airport and to the hospital.
8. Ask for the list of what the price includes, in writing.
9. Plan your transfers and the payment currency in advance.

The Astra Samui as a second home

A few features of The Astra Samui matter for part-year living. On site there is a 70 m tropical lagoon pool, and the fitness centre has garden views and a full cardio setup. Parking is free of charge. The project also has a limited number of ground-floor residences with direct pool access from a private balcony. The airport is 7.3 km away, according to the developer.

Prices start from THB 3,700,000 (about €98,000, NBP average rate of 23 October 2026). Indicative prices per m² and the payment plan are on the prices page. You can see the types and available apartments in the apartments section, and for longer stays start with the 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom types. If you would like to plan your stays and costs with someone who lives on the island, book a call.