Nora! Nora! Nora!

Nora Beach Resort is still one of the best around! Here’s why.

Nora Beach Resort & Spa is a large and comfortable traditionally-styled resort, laid-out in descending terraces as befits the geography of North Chaweng. This means that the usual way to get down to the beach is via one of the little golf carts that regularly make their way back and forth – simply head for reception and ask for a buggy to the restaurant. Rounding the last twist in the path you’ll see their signature restaurant, Prasuthon, just below you, against the lovely backdrop of the deep blue sea and islands in the background.

This is Thailand, there’s a warm and pleasant climate, and nearly all the restaurants here are either open to the skies or have at least open sides. Prasuthon is no exception – but it’s a lot more expansive than you might imagine. Firstly, it’s big – with space for almost 180 diners, although you’d never believe it. Everything’s on slightly different levels – two or three steps up or down from one area to another. And everything’s open on all sides, with several roofed-over areas. So the main dining floor of Prasuthon – octagonal in shape – is raised above the rest. Warm wooden decking runs throughout and links everything, and just next to this is the roomy circular bar, The Blue Bar, also with tables around it.

If you go back a decade or so there was only one name on Samui for the ultimate in beach buffets. Buffets that ran in a huge spread onto the sand, with tables laden down with every kind of gourmet delicacy regardless of cost, and which had outside guests coming from all over the island. Yes – it was Nora Beach. And this is still true today.

Coming down the hill in your buggy at night is a fairyland adventure all on its own, with narrow paths and underlit bushes and plants glowing alluringly as you make your way down. And then, as you arrive on the landing stage above Prasuthon, you’ll gasp with delight. The restaurant edges onto the beach. And while that means it’s overlooking the sand, there’s also a patch of beach that actually runs into the restaurant. This is where the buffets are held, with tables and easy chairs making this into an extension of the restaurant itself, with snow-white cloths, gleaming stainless steel servers for the hot food and countless other side tables for the salads and cold cuts and seafood and potatoes and pastas and sashimi.

The restaurant has now extended itself into beachside tables, too, the lighting is low and intimate, except for where the food’s laid out, and here the clean, bright spotlights not only highlight what’s on offer, but form a pleasant contrast to the low lighting around. Altogether it’s a most congenial and relaxing dining layout. This is fine-dining, beach-buffet style!

Nora Beach runs two superb buffets every week. Each Tuesday it’s ‘Around Asia’. There’s cuisine from Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore – Executive Chef, Khun Sith, actually worked in Singapore for a couple of years, and so you’ll find both unusual and typical dishes here. Not only is there a super spread of meats and fish, satay, chilli crab, massaman curry, beef randang, salmon plus starters, salads and sides, but live cooking stations, too, plus an excellent live performance of Thai ponglang dancing and music.

And every Thursday, you’ll enjoy ‘Hawaiian Night’. The same sumptuously-huge selection of eats prevails, but this time influenced by the region, and featuring salmon fillet, racks of lamb, honey-roast duck, paella and pasta offerings, a whole table of salads, potato variations, dips, sauces sides and cold cuts, but with also live cooking stations for rock lobster, crab, prawns, steaks, pork cuts and roasted ham. Plus there’s an utterly amazing performance of fire dancing to give you pause before you start the feast again!

One final thing. Here at Nora Beach they have 20 years of experience of what people want. And both of these two buffets – arguably the best on the island – are less than 1,000 baht per head for all you can eat plus top entertainment, with ‘Around Asia’ coming in at just 850 baht – and that’s includes VAT and the service charge. Amazing.

What more can I say? When it comes to a great night out with possibly the finest beach buffet anywhere on the island, then it has to be – “Nora Nora Nora”!

Rob De Wet