Lotus's Lamai

If you're self-catering in Lamai, this is where your week starts. It's a big Lotus's hypermarket wrapped in a small mall, so the grocery run comes with a food court, a bank, cell phone shops, a Bata and a Dunkin' Donuts on the same trip. Shoppers rate the fresh produce, the bread and the alcohol aisle, and the clothing is genuinely cheap, one reviewer picked up t-shirts at 100 baht each.

The other draw is the air conditioning. On a Samui afternoon that alone justifies the ride over, and the layout is roomy enough that you're not fighting for a cart. Several people reckon the on-site currency exchange gives better rates than the booths elsewhere on the island, which is worth knowing if you're changing more than pocket money. Nobody comes here for charm. Come for the stuff you can't get at a beach minimart, then get out.