Thailand Holidays

Thailand holidays : Koh Samet

Koh samet island has some of the best beaches found in the whole country. Hat Sai Kaew (Diamond Beach), Ao Vong Duan and Ao Prao is three of them. Short convenient distance to Bangkok and the climate is very pleasant.

Go to Koh Samet

From Bangkok, the most common way to get to the island is by regular bus or minibus (plus ferry). The buses leaves from either Ekkamai (Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal), from Suvarnabhumi Airport or from Khao San Road (known “backpacker-street” in Bangkok). Tickets are available at the bus station or in virtually any travel agency in Bangkok.There are also daily minibuses from Pattaya, Jomtien Trat and Koh Chang. If you’re going from other places just buy the tickets at a local travel agency. However you will then usually have to change bus once, or even twice.The bus will take you to either Rayong, or directly to the ferry pier in the fishing village of Ban Phe. From Ban Phe there are direct boats to Koh Samet. If the ferry ticket isn’t included in the price, you are able to purchase a ticket next to the pier.

Ko Samet (or Koh Samet) is a national park and a place of great natural beauty in the Rayong province. Samet is not that far from Pattaya and Bangkok, but the close distance is probably the only thing this island has in common with the other two destinations. Ko Samet has fabulous beaches but a minimum of night life, bars and discotheques. The island is located about seven kilometers from main land and the beaches here are among the best in Thailand (together with the ones in Krabi). The most well-known beaches in Samet are Hat Sai Kaew, Ao Phai, Ao Vong Duan, Ao Wai and Ao Kui Na Nok on the East coast and Ao Prao on the West coast. Many of these beaches has sand that is so fine and white, so that it almost can be compared with flour. If you have brought your camera, iPod / mp3 player etc. make sure you do not get this fine sand into these devices.

National Park Fee
When you arrive at Koh Samet, you will have to pay a small fee to enter the island and the National Park. Tourists pay about 200 Baht and Thai citizens pay about 40 baht. If you arrive with the regular ferry to the pier, and go from there with a taxi or a pick up truck, it will stop at an office where you are able to pay the fee. But if you travel by a speed-boat and arrive directly at the beach, you will probably meet an officer who will collect the fee. The boat trip from Ban Phe to Koh Samet will last about 20-40 minutes, depending on weather conditions. When you purchase the boat ticket, the sales persons might try to sell you the entrance fee to Koh Samet. But our advice is to buy it when you are on the island already.