A Long Tradition
Woobar wows at W Koh Samui.
Go up the stairs to the atrium at W Koh Samui and your mind will go silent with wonderment. You won’t be in a room with walls. Instead, there’s just this huge space filled with a panorama of sea and sky. Welcome to the world of Woobar – one of Samui’s most iconic places to eat, drink, listen to great music and just generally chill out. Make yourself at home. You have a choice between simple, comfy tables and chairs close to the bar itself, or the amazingly stylish seating which is sunk down into a pond.
This really is supreme social media territory, yet the views at Woobar aren’t too much of a distraction. And that’s because the food and drink here are stellar. Friendly bar staff cater to your every wish and provide all the drinks you can think of, along with excellent food, referred to as ‘nibbles’, though they seem a lot more substantial than that. The entire menu is on Instagram at @woobarkohsamui and is filled with treats galore. All of them are good. Try the simply named Crudités, consisting of Fresh Vegetables, Feta Cheese & Pistachio Dip, and White Miso Hummus with Dry Seaweed. Then there are Mini Beef Sliders served with Tomato, Lettuce, Chilli Relish and Gruyere Cheese with Chunky fries. And for fish lovers, the Squid and Prawns with Homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce and Lemon are absolutely delicious. Cocktails, meanwhile, range between the traditional and the entirely creative, with some taking their cue from Samui’s own heritage. In order to access Woobar, you’ll need to buy food and drink tickets to the value of 1,000 baht per person, but if you’d like just a single drink, say, then with a reservation head to the equally iconic The Kitchen Table, just a level down.
Various theme nights make Woobar more fun than most bars can ever hope to be. It’s often been said that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but how about a free drink? Many guests love the Wednesday night ‘50/50’ fun, starting at 6:00 pm. Order one of the signature cocktails or a beer and flip a coin with the barkeep to see who’s going to pay. The sides of the coin are playfully labelled W and U - there’s no such thing as losing with a deal like this. Guests love it.
‘Moheetoe Madness’ is held every Thursday, starting at 6:00 pm. No less than ten different flavours of mojitos await, all professionally made. Three hours’ free flow costs 1,300 baht ++ per person, and five hours’ free flow 1,800 baht ++ per person.
Every Saturday from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, enjoy some bubbles; ladies get a free glass at Woobar. Two hours’ free flow bubbles cost 1,300 baht ++ per person. The event’s known as Bubble Trouble and is always a relaxed occasion – what better way to enjoy that sumptuous view?
If you fancy being a professional photographer, your chance comes every Sunday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Upload a snap of your drinks and food under the #wkohsamui hashtag and you’ll receive a 15% discount off your bill. It’s more or less like being paid to take photos – and who wouldn’t want to have a go, considering how fine the food and drink looks. Enjoy #Hashtag Sunday once and you’ll probably want to come back again.
‘W Vibes’ meanwhile is held every first Friday of the month. This is a party with a different theme each time, featuring international DJs and live performers. W is well-known for offering event space for weddings, events, functions and parties of all kinds. You can stage your very own party here – just discuss with the staff what you’d like and they’ll put on your event, whether it’s big, small, corporate or between friends. Naturally, many wedding receptions are held here. If you’re a large group, you may even want to take over Woobar in its entirety.
These events are all well-attended and worth going to, but if you’re a fan of what W does, you’ll certainly not want to miss out on their pièce de résistance. Humble as it may sound, the wow factor is on max power when it comes to their afternoon tea.
W T-Time Plus, as it’s called, starts off with a surprise – a scaled-down chest of drawers arrives at your table. It’s completely transparent, and what’s inside is a chef’s brilliantly presented handiwork. You’ll find savoury items such as bacon and onion tartlet, smoked salmon crepe rolls, mini pulled pork bao and crispy vegetable spring rolls. Then come the desserts themselves - red velvet cupcake, vanilla shortbread cookies, scones with clotted cream and jam and caramel tart with mixed nuts. These are just a few examples; there are nearly 20 different items in the tea.
By all means, eat by yourself if you’ve just completed a triathlon, but really this is the ideal tea to consume with a friend or partner, while some guests often eat as a group of four. Reserve in advance if you can, as this is a work of art and needs a bit of preparation. The cost, 2,400 baht ++ per set, also includes two teas or coffees and two mocktails. It’s available daily from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
For many, Woobar is their preferred destination when it comes to atmosphere. With resident DJs playing the catchiest of music that syncs with the mood of the moment, Woobar has little competition when it comes to choosing a venue for an excellent time out. Come in the day, however, and this is a great place to enjoy a mellow drink or some food while gazing out over the dreamy sea. The creative spirit that is behind W Koh Samui keeps things fresh at Woobar and it’s wonderfully unique. For many island residents, it’s a place they like to visit over and over again – it’s that good.
Dimitri Waring