- Five TreasureBeaches
- A great island to start or end your vacation
- We often visit Tubtim Beach, one of our favorite spots on the island
- About a 2 to 2.5-hour drive from Bangkok Airport to Ban Phe by car or taxi
- Favorite stays:
Ao Prao Resort ****
Samed Tamarind Beach Resort ****
Tubtim Resort **
Nuan Bungalows *
Ao Prao
Tubtim
Ao Nuan
Ao Wai
Kiu Na Nok
ISLAND
Ko Samet is a popular island in the Gulf of Thailand, close to Bangkok and easy to reach. It has numerous beautiful beaches, but we have to be honest: for us, Ko Samet is actually a little too touristy. Especially around the main beaches, you will find plenty of visitors, restaurants, beach bars and nightlife.
So why include it on TreasureBeaches? Because its location makes it a great place to start or end a trip through Thailand. And there is another good reason: our favorite beach and stay on the island, Tubtim, is exactly the kind of place we love. If you only have a few days and want a beautiful beach without travelling too far from Bangkok, Ko Samet is still a very good choice.
WHAT TO DO
The main reason to visit Ko Samet is its beaches. Besides swimming and sunbathing, you can go snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking or enjoy a massage on the beach. There are also opportunities for yoga, Muay Thai and cooking classes.
The island itself is not particularly spectacular to explore compared with some of Thailand’s more remote and mountainous islands. If you are mainly looking for impressive nature and adventure, we recommend choosing another destination. Ko Samet is much more about enjoying the beaches, good food and relaxed island atmosphere.
Na Dan, in the northeast of the island, is the main village and a nice change if you have had enough of the beach for a while. You will find plenty of restaurants, small shops and souvenir stores. The temple complex near the pond is also worth a visit.
As Ko Samet is part of a national park, there is an entrance fee of 200 baht. And while you are relaxing on the beach, keep an eye out for vendors selling fresh fruit, barbecued chicken with sticky rice and papaya salad. Grab a little of everything and enjoy it right on the beach. For us, this is the perfect beach lunch!
TRANSPORT
From the airport, a taxi to Ban Phe takes about 2 hours and costs around 2,000–2,500 baht. From Bangkok, a taxi costs around 2,500 baht, including the highway toll. From Bangkok, you can also take a bus or minibus to Ban Phe for around 250 baht. The journey takes approximately 3 hours.
From Ban Phe, boats to Ko Samet leave from Ban Phe Pier, directly opposite the 7-Eleven. A shared speedboat costs around 200 baht one way, while the slow boat costs around 50 baht.We usually take the catamaran, as we find it a comfortable and convenient option. Another option is to take a speedboat from the Nuanthip Pier.
After arriving on Ko Samet, shared pick-up taxis can take you to the different beaches. A shared ride to Tubtim costs around 20 baht, while a private pick-up taxi costs around 200 baht. It is also easy to rent a scooter on Ko Samet. The island is relatively small, so you can explore most of it in just a few hours.
As boat schedules and prices may change, we recommend checking the latest information before traveling.
