Guide to Koh Samet
Ko Samet is a tiny and very attractive island which is the closest decent leisure island to Bangkok and easily reachable if you want a quick escape from the concrete jungle. The beaches are among Thailand’s finest with brilliant white sand, clear water and picture postcard views.
Because of its close proximity to Bangkok the island receives a lot of Thai visitors, often staying just for the weekend. In the high season Samet can get very crowded – for its size, it is very popular and so finding accommodation as well as space on the beach can sometimes be difficult in the high season.
But Koh Samet should not be overlooked during the rainy season too, as it is one of the driest places in Thailand. In fact, this is probably the best time to visit as you can enjoy the beaches all the more when you have more space to move around.
The most developed beaches which can become crowded with sunbathers and Thai families by day and a buzzing, happy-hour fuelled party by night, are Hat Sai Kaew and Ao Hin Khock which are both on the north end of the east coast of the island. The beaches are very nice – although becoming over-developed these days.
Moving south, Ao Phai and Ao Phutsa are two more very popular beaches and are also typically stunning. Towards the south end are a few operations offering ‘banana boats’, ‘bumper rides’ and other fun water pursuits, as well as a few more serious water sports such as wake boarding or jet skiing. If you want to get involved in even more water sports, head to Ao Wong Deuan, further south, which has the largest amount of jet skis and speed boats on the island.
The further south you go the more secluded it becomes and beyond Ao Phutsa there are a series of small exclusive beaches that are best reached by longtail boat. The quietest beach on the east coast is Hat Saeng Thian, or Candlelight Beach, which really is getting away from it all. Don’t expect to be able to use ATMs or internet cafes here though!
The other coasts are largely uninhabited, although Hat Ao Phrao on the west coast is a pretty beach with some large resorts and guest houses nearby. This is the best place to catch sunsets. In general there isn’t much else to see and do on the island beyond the beaches. The interior is small and low lying so it attracts little rain and can be quite dry and without the lovely waterfalls that other islands boast.
Koh Samet is small enough to walk around anywhere really, although it can be fun to hire motorbikes and ride around the island for an afternoon, and you’ll easily be able to cover the entire island in that time. Be warned however, the roads are quite rough. For generally getting around and for practicality, a bike isn’t really necessary though.
Recently, Koh Samet has become developed enough to have an ATM on the island, and a couple of 7-11 stores. Whereas this may be a drawback for some, those who need these amenities will be well served.
The only real negative aspect of Ko Samet, apart from the over-crowdedness which may put some people off, are the presence of a lot of huge, mean mosquitoes. If you go to Samet, remember to pack plenty of repellent!
Ko Samet nightlife and restaurants
For its size, there’s a surprisingly lively nightlife scene on Koh Samet, with fire-shows on the beach and many buzzing parties at the various guest houses nearby. It’s all very much dancing on the sand or under wooden shelters, you won’t get anything resembling a pub or a club here, except for a couple of newly opened operations on Hat Sai Kaew. Silver Sands seems to be the epicenter of the Koh Samet beach party scene.
Prior to the partying, there are many beach side restaurants offering seafood barbeques which are usually very good: these places will also typically offer Thai and international food too. Naga comes well recommended, as does the Ao Phai resort.
Places to stay on Koh Samet
Coconut Bungalow:
Situated by Kat Sai Kaew, this is one of Koh Samet’s most attractive beaches and has rooms for 350 Baht with a fan, or 1,400 Baht with a/c, TV and a fridge. Tel 0 38 651 661.
Naga Bungalow:
By the beautiful Ao Hin Khok beach, this guest house has an excellent restaurant and it’s rooms are 150 – 250 Baht.
Ao Phai Hut:
Nice, friendly guest house with a decent restaurant. The nearby Ao Phai beach is pretty but busy. Rooms here go for 700 – 2,000 Baht.
Silver Sand:
The main party place on the island. Rooms here are OK too, and priced at 300 Baht for fan rooms or 500 – 1,500 Baht for a/c but you might find it a little noisy.
Seahorse Bungalow:
Good place to stay if water sports are your thing – not if you want peace and quiet though! Fan rooms are 500 Baht, air con for 800 – 1,200 Baht.
Ao Phrao Resort:
Probably the closest Koh Samet gets to a proper luxury resort, this attractive place on the west coast has a great restaurant and luxuries such as cable TV, air con and telephones in the rooms. Prices start at 5,720 Baht and go up to 17,050 for a family suite. Booking telephone (Bangkok): 02 438 9771, resort telephone: 038 651 377.
Getting to Koh Samet
The easiest way to get to Ko Samet is by bus and boat combination –a pre-arranged package can be bought from most travel agents which will include the bus and boat together for about 260 Baht one-way, 370 Baht for a small, uncomfortable minibus; or 290 one way, 470 Baht return for a much better VIP coach. These buses take you to Ban Phe in the Rayong province, from where you catch a boat over to the island, but you can make your own way to Ban Phe if you prefer, by catching a public bus from Bangkok’s eastern bus terminal. For the small saving this makes it’s not really worth the extra hassle. The total journey time is about 3.5 hours.
You can also drive from Bangkok – simply keep heading down Sukhumvit Road out of Bangkok and follow signs to Chon Buri, Rayong and then Ban Phe. In Ban Phe there are plenty of places to leave your car, for a small charge of about 50 Baht per night.
