A landmark of the last ten years

Samui Regatta 2026 (23rd edition)

The 23rd Samui Regatta ran from 24 to 30 May 2026, with keelboats racing in the IRC Open class.

When
24 - 30 May 2026
Where
Chaweng, Koh Samui
A majestic sailing yacht competes on open waters under a clear blue sky.
A general photo of this kind of event, not a photo of this event. Photo: Christian Palau, Pexels License

About this event

The 23rd Samui Regatta continued a series that began in 2002 with 11 boats. Regattas Asia organises it with the Samui Yacht Club Regatta and the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand. Earlier announcements gave 23 to 30 May for the week, while the reports describe racing from 24 May, so a final notice of instructions is the place to confirm dates for any future edition.

The racing had a simpler shape than in older years. Keelboats raced in one IRC Open class, where the 2017 and 2018 editions had several classes. Sail-World reported the day-by-day racing and Eglobal Travel Media ran the final report. The host in recent years has been Nora Beach Resort and Spa, but the sources for 2026 do not name the host, so verify it before you plan a visit.

The facts

  1. 1 Ray Roberts' Team Hollywood won a second Samui Regatta in a row, clinching it before the final day and winning seven races.
  2. 2 Alive, a two-time Sydney-Hobart winner, took line honours in every race but finished second on corrected time. Aftershock took third over Iolanthe 3 on a tie-break.

Why it matters

The latest edition, in which Team Hollywood won back-to-back titles.

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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From the history of Koh Samui

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