About Koh Samet Island

The Island of the White Beaches

= Short Facts =
In Thai language: เกาะเสม็ด
The name means: Island of the cajeput tree
Distance from Bangkok: About 220 kilometers
Location: Central Thailand, in The Gulf of Thailand
Status: National park
Located in district: Amphoe Muang (เมืองระยอง)
Located in province: Rayong (ระยอง)

= Getting Here - 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.

= General Facts =
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 400 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 30-45 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
= Weather on the Island =
The weather in Koh Samet is normally good the whole year. Also during the rain season, between June and October, people go here because it's not generally raining that much during the rainy monsoon season here. Koh Samet is actually the island in Thailand that has the driest weather during the rain season.
There are many really nice resorts and cozy bungalows in Koh Samet and you can easily book them from this website. It is 100% safe and we are open 24 hours a day.