Many people start with a holiday on Koh Samui and end up browsing apartment listings. One of the projects you have been asking us about most lately is The Astra Samui in Bophut. Below we have gathered what is worth knowing at the start: where the development is being built, what apartments it has, what they cost and how buying works when you live abroad.
Bophut on the island map
Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island (after Phuket), in Surat Thani province, with its own international airport. The development is being built in Bophut. According to the developer, it is about 300 m to Bophut Beach, about 850 m to Fisherman's Village, about 7.3 km to the airport and about 6.3 km to Chaweng Beach. Hospitals are close too (Wattanapat Hospital about 1.8 km, Bangkok Hospital Samui about 6.1 km), as are large shops, for example Big C at about 2.4 km.
The developer does not say whether these distances are measured in a straight line or by road, so it is best to check the routes on a map yourself. The overall picture is clear, though: you do not have to cross half the island to reach the beach, restaurants or shops, which matters if you plan to spend several months a year here.
What the development looks like
The Astra Samui is a low-rise, resort-style condominium: 237 apartments spread across three buildings, A, B and C. Each has four storeys above ground and one basement level. According to the developer, the project area is about 17,600 m². At the heart of the development is a 70 m tropical lagoon pool surrounded by gardens. There are also 3 lobbies and a lounge, a fitness centre with garden views, a sauna, key-card access and CCTV. Parking is free of charge.
Apartments look onto the pool or the gardens. The project does not promise a sea view, and it is better not to assume one. Ceiling height is 2.6 m. Handover is planned for December 2028, but that is a target date, not a guarantee.
Apartment types and sizes
The floor plans show four unit types:
- studio, about 26 m² (52 units),
- 1 bedroom, 34 to 35 m² (78 units),
- 1 bedroom plus, 40 to 48 m² (64 units),
- 2 bedrooms, 62 to 73 m² (43 units).
So one-bedroom apartments make up the largest group. If you work remotely or travel with a child, take a look at the one-bedroom layout with an extra room. The extra room can be a study, a children's corner or a second sleeping area.
There is a limited number of ground-floor units with direct pool access from a private balcony. The apartments come furnished: kitchen units with an induction hob, a sofa, a bed with a mattress, a built-in wardrobe, air-conditioning and a fitted bathroom. This description is based on the show apartment, and the final list is confirmed in the sale and purchase agreement.
How much an apartment costs
The cheapest unit in the foreign quota (freehold) starts from about THB 3.7 million, as of October 2026. That is the starting price for the whole project, already after the launch promotion, not the price of every unit. Prices for each type are indicative and come from the launch price grid. The binding price is the one in Thai baht on the official price list; an amount in any other currency is only a conversion. You will find the current figures on the page with indicative apartment prices in Bophut.
A few items come on top of the price. The transfer fee is 2% and is split equally, so the buyer pays 1%. The sinking fund is a one-off THB 500 per m². The common area fee is THB 50 per m² per month, paid 12 months in advance. For a 26 m² studio, that comes to about THB 1,300 a month.
Freehold or leasehold
This question comes up in almost every conversation. In short, and not as a substitute for legal advice:
Foreign quota freehold. Thailand's Condominium Act allows foreigners to own up to 49% of the total unit area in a condominium. The unit title deed is then issued in the buyer's name. The condition is that the money must be transferred from abroad in a foreign currency, not in baht, and the transfer is documented with an FET form. The buyer pays the transfer costs.
Leasehold. This is a registered 30-year lease. Renewal is not guaranteed. If you sell such a unit, the buyer takes over the remaining years. In the launch price grid, a square metre of leasehold is priced lower than foreign quota freehold (THB 139,000 versus THB 150,000 per m², before promotions).
The choice depends on how long you want to keep the apartment and what you plan to do with it later. Before signing the agreement, it is worth showing the documents to an independent lawyer in Thailand.
Buying from abroad, step by step
- Choosing a unit. You look through the types and plans, talk to an adviser, and they check the price list to see whether the apartment you have chosen is available.
- Reservation. The reservation fee is THB 100,000 (studio, 1 bedroom, 1 bedroom plus) or THB 150,000 (2 bedrooms). It is fully refundable until 20 November 2026, 17:00, and after that it counts towards the purchase price.
- First payment. 30% by 20 December 2026, together with signing the reservation agreement.
- Sale and purchase agreement. It comes once the project receives its environmental approval (EIA), which is expected in February 2027.
- Second payment. Another 30% once the roof structure is complete, which is planned for February 2028.
- Handover. The final 40% at handover and transfer of ownership, planned for December 2028.
There is no developer financing, so the purchase has to be paid from your own funds. With freehold, remember the foreign currency rule from the previous section.
The 3D model: choosing an apartment before you talk to us
Before you ask about a specific unit, have a look at the interactive 3D model of the development. You can rotate the buildings, go through them floor by floor and click an apartment to see its type, its floor-plan area and its layout. Each unit has its own link, so it is easy to send it to your partner or family. The model shows where an apartment is, but not whether it is still available. The current price list confirms that.
Final thoughts
Among other offers on Koh Samui, The Astra Samui stands out mainly for its low-rise buildings and the large pool the whole development is built around. Before you decide, compare the sizes and prices of a few units, think through the choice between freehold and leasehold, and plan your payments over time. The payments are spread over more than two years, so it is good to know in advance where the money for each of them will come from.
Cover image: visualisation, illustrative.
Varsovia Estate is the sales agent of The Astra Samui.