A landmark of the last ten years

8th Samui Open Beach Volleyball Tournament 2026

The 8th Samui Open Beach Volleyball Tournament was held from 26 to 29 March 2026 at Central Festival Samui on Chaweng Beach.

When
26 - 29 March 2026
Where
Central Festival Samui, Chaweng, Koh Samui
A dynamic scene of male and female athletes sparring in a Muay Thai ring, showcasing skill and determination.
A general photo of this kind of event, not a photo of this event. Photo: RDNE Stock project, Pexels License

About this event

The 8th Samui Open Beach Volleyball Tournament was held at Central Festival Samui, a shopping centre on Chaweng Beach, a new venue after the resort venues of earlier years. The tournament was started by Biggs Island Productions, with a first edition in 2017, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand supports it under its Amazing Thailand campaign.

The size of the event shows its growth. The first edition had 22 amateur and professional players from 10 countries, and the 2025 edition counted 130 athletes from 25 countries. Eglobal Travel Media published the 2026 preview, and it is the best source for the divisions and prize pool. Venues have moved from Choeng Mon in 2023 to Chaweng in 2025 and 2026, so check the organiser's notices for the next edition's location.

The facts

  1. 1 Semi-finals and finals were played on 29 March 2026.
  2. 2 About 90 teams from 25 countries, including Olympians and European champions, competed for 100,000 baht in prize money in four divisions.

Why it matters

The largest prize fund and field in the tournament's history, with Olympians competing.

Muay Thai and sport on Koh Samui

Sport on Samui means three things. Muay Thai fights run most nights in Chaweng: Samui International Stadium on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, Phetchbuncha on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, with six bouts from about 21:00. The Samui Regatta, the island's longest-running sporting event, brings sailing fleets to Chaweng in late May. Running events add a half marathon starting in Chaweng, which has been held in June, and the Samui Trail in November, with distances from 7 to 55 km starting in Na Mueang. Start times are early, to beat the heat.

Around Chaweng

Chaweng is the main resort town on Samui's east coast, with the longest beach on the island, roughly 7 km of sand. Soi Green Mango, just back from the beach, is the nightlife alley, and Central Festival Samui sits between the beach road and Chaweng Lake. Chaweng Beach Road is one-way northbound and slows to a crawl between 17:00 and 20:00 with taxis, scooters and pedestrians. Most club nights, pool parties and Muay Thai bouts are here, and Pru Chaweng Park hosts public festivals and races.

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