Tucked away in the heart of Bophut lies one of Koh Samui’s best kept secrets and most intriguing corners. Affectionately dubbed the Fisherman’s Village this thriving epicenter of Bophut is home to a cultural phenomenon that is fast becoming one of the most popular reasons to visit Samui. Lined with Rasta bars Fisherman’s Village is Samui’s Jamaican incarnate with all the joys and trappings of the Caribbean nation contained within the coastal venue. Beloved and revered by reggae music lovers and beach fanatics alike the locality is a true celebration of the laid back Rasta lifestyle with reggae music serving as its soundtrack.
Reggae musicians and bands are a common feature in Fisherman’s Village where dreadlocks and colourful personalities with a love for the world’s most famous proponent of the Rasta lifestyle and the king of reggae music are the norm. The pub culture also feeds off of this Caribbean flavour with many of the drinking holes in Fisherman’s Village playing reggae music and adopting a Rasta theme in interior décor, selection of drinks and general attitude. The Bob Marley Reggae Pub is of course the most popular example of this phenomenon. Located on the banks of Chaweng Lake this historic pub dedicated to the memory of the man who conquered the global charts with the Wailers was established in 1988 at perhaps the height of the icon’s popularity. A veritable shrine to the legendary singer and songwriter the Reggae Pub as it is locally known began as a single floor bar with a handful of chairs. Having expanded over the decades to a two storey venue the historic pub now boasts a stage for live musical acts and pool tables for billiards fans as well. The locale is such a fixture of Samui’s identity that the soi on which it is located is named after the venue. Renowned as a cozy pub with refreshing cocktails and a lively atmosphere one finds an eclectic mix of visitors gracing this famed pub synonymous with the founder of reggae music.
