Thailand forum

Thanks Tezza: I guess I am a bit different, but the crappier the roads, the better for motorbiking. Hiking along the coast will be one of interests. How large are the swells and waves with regard to kayaking? Is it advisable to bring any of my own gear for kayaking and do most people use regular sea kayaks or sit-on-tops? Do you know anything about learning fire poi on the island?
Lee

I'm not a kayaker, but being a surfer I do watch the waves and swell a fair bit.
The island is close to the coast and big swells don't get a chance to build during January's prevailing winds. Some days do get a bit blowy and produce a chop - such days tend to be the minority.
The unsettled west coast is the lee coast and would be sheltered on these days, but there is only one beach and the upmarket resorts there may charge more for kayak hire.

I can't answer any technical stuff on the Samet kayaking scene, but I think the ones I've seen are sit-on.

Well, there's nothing EXCEPTIONAL about the tides I've noticed - two high tides and two lows (most) days, each high about 12.5 hours apart.
Difference between high and low NOT EXCEPTIONAL - but like anywhere else varying according to the phase of the moon.
Google will find a tide chart for Samet or Ban Phe or somewhere close.

Now there is an island dive trips vist, maybe snorkelling trips - but I've never done it. Once again GOOGLE if nobody else can give details?

Sin Samut resort on Saikaew beach offers speedboat trips with snorkelling around up to 7 different islands close to Samet, costing anywhere between 400 and 1200 Baht. I went on one with the boyfriend last week - as I'm not a big fan of snorkelling etc, they dropped me off at the first island where I sunbathed, paddled etc, while he and the rest of the boat (6 other people) went snorkelling, then they all came back and picked me up after, went off for another short snorkel, looked around a fish farm off the coast and then back to Samet. About 3-4 hours in all and well worth doing. Enjoy your trip!