Ko Samet

Samet Still Has It
By tezza (dabbler - 7 reviews)
Written on 23rd April, 2010 after a visit to Ko Samet in March, 2010
Plenty of old-time travellers say Samet isn’t what it used to be. Well sure, but neither is your high street, the price of a Chang or Madonna Louise Ciccone’s hair style (or anything else).
But Samet is still well worth visiting whether you are chasing party or chill, luxury or low-end. It is a compact island where you can usually walk to several other nice beaches within minutes of your own. And being the driest island in Thailand this is a good one for a wet season visit. Which is helped by the popular beaches being on the east coast, sheltered from the wet season westerlies. And closest nice island to Bangkok doesn’t hurt.

I will say at the outset it is not as cheap as gems like Phayam and Jum, is not the place to find good snorkelling off the beach, lacks spectacular landscapes like Phi Phi and Railay, and is not big on culture - not that any Thai island is.

LIVELIEST BEACH - has to be the first from the north-east corner, WHITE SAND - HAT SAI KAEW. Tends to pull the package tourists and Thai weekenders. Plenty of nightlife-shopping-restaurants/bars-on-the-sand. Lots of more expensive joints here but there is one real nice traditional style travellers’ joint, Laem Yai Hut House way down the quiet northern end.

MOST LAID BACK - has to be tiny Ao Nuan about one third the way down the east coast with no road access. But the only bungalow joint might be taking advantage - has a wide range of accommodation from tiny rustic outside bathroom traditional bungalows to big aircon jobs, but wanted 700b for the former in almost shoulder season 2010 (2000b for the latter).

BEST LIVELY BACKPACKERS’ BEACH - AO HIN KOK in the north. Still plenty of cheap bungalows (and flash packer-midrange) plus a night club, reggae bar and plenty of beachfront dining at night.

BEST LAID BACK BACKPACKERS’ BEACH (away from Ao Nuan) - AO THIAN (Candlelight Beach)/AO LUNG DAM about 60% down the east coast - this longish bay with several patches of sand separated by sections of rock has a lot of accommodation spread along it these days but doesn’t seem to be crammed. Super cool outrigger dining platforms on Apache’s pier is my sort of place for a beer or five. I know TRAVELFISH has a downer on Apache, but I do like its pier.

BEST HIGH END BEACH - I’m ignoring super luxury Paradee Resort, the only joint on KUI NA NOK in the island’s south because it deliberately blocks the coastal walking track with felled vegetation and sends goons to try and kid you the beach is private (no beach in Thailand is private). Don’t stay with this outfit.
For the same reason, midrangers don’t stay one beach north, AO WAI, where Sametville Resort (not to be confused with the excellent Samed Villa on Ao Phai) has thrown a barbed wire fence and locked gate across the track. Hell, what do we pay our 200 baht National Park entry fee for if NP allows this??
Anyway, both places have wildly overpriced accommodation.
Nah, high-enders should head to the only beach on the west coast, AO PHRAO which is an exclusive enclave of upper range resorts on a very nice, very quiet beach with security gates on the entrance road. This is okay, they don’t block visitors and it is not on the main walking track.

BEST ALL ROUNDER - the 4th beach down, AO PUDSA-PUDSA/TUBTIM. Attractive and quiet beach but 3 minutes walk around the headland to lively Ao Phrai and not that far to Hinkok and White Sand. 2 places to stay, Tubtim Resort and Pudsa Bungalows with a lot of accommodation between them from budget to midrange+.
Note that VONG DUERN and adjacent AO CHO are also attractive all rounders, but I rate them a step down because they are further from the party beaches and have less budget accommodation. Nice Ao Phai also goes close, but may be a bit lively for some.

THE LESS VISITED NORTH COAST.
If you turn right off the ferry you can walk along the north coast beaches in about 15 minutes. This section has some real nice resorts like Moonbay Taley and Samed Cliff Resort plus quite a few budget joints with rooms down to 250 baht. You don’t pay the National Park 200baht entrance fee here, and I noticed the NP guys were not challenging people walking into the park without packs, so you could stay on the north coast and beach it on the east coast.

DOWNSIDES.
The NP entrance fee gives little for your money. The main road south is still a dusty pot-holed disgrace and as said, NP does nothing about the blockages on the coastal walking track .
Busy - closeness to Bangkok and Rayong sees weekends and public holidays crowded with locals. Good idea to book ahead at these times.
Water shortage - the reservoir is small relative to demand. Lots of places ship in water from the mainland, one reason accommodation is dearer than some islands.
Expensive songhaew-taxis - fares are posted at the pier and pick-up points at beaches and are quite modest if there is a full load. But if you have to charter one for just yourself it is very expensive - we paid 200baht for a 3km 5 minute trip from Vong Duern to Ao Phai.
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I always try a different beach on revisits so for my latest March 2010 trip I stayed at Vong Duern and Ao Phai. I’ll file a trip report and accommodation reports (Vong Duern Villa and Samed Villa) when I get a chance.
Also reviewed by tezza: Haad Sai Khao, Ko Lipe, Ko Pha Ngan East Coast, Ko Samui, Kuala Perlis, Thong Ta Kien Bay,

Ton Had Bungalows, Ao Lung Dum
By kawadjan (dabbler - 1 review)
Written on 22nd February, 2010 after a visit to Ko Samet in February, 2010
Ao Lung Dum is a rather peaceful spot, away from the crazy party and fireworks found in the rest of the island.

Ao Lung Dum is between Ao Thian and Ao Wai. I stayed in this cove in February 2010 and we had a peaceful stay. It was a perfect getaway!

The beach is rather rocky, which is truly an advantage because not that many speedboats dock there. And because there's a steep hill behind it, the resorts form only a single line facing the beach, hence it's also less crowded. We did most of our swimming, however, in the beautiful cove of Ao Wai, which is about ten minutes away through a steep cliff and the way there is a good warm up.

There are a number of good resorts, such as Apache, which has a charming restaurant cantilevered over the water, pretty much hanging on a rickety pier.

For those who want to have something very basic though, I would strongly recommend Ton Had Bungalows, which is found on the part of the beach with the most rocks. The woman who welcomed us was very accommodating and friendly.

The collection of bungalows is very close to the water, some of them just a few short steps away. The bungalows are basic. We stayed in a fan room for eight people, 800 baht (and there were just two of us). For that price, one cannot really ask for more than the basic, but it's definitely worth the price. The AC rooms are around 1,000 to 1,200 baht. Each bungalow has a porch overlooking the water, as well as a hammock.

This place does not serve food though but there are restaurants very close to it, and I would strongly recommend Apache Resort for a good meal.

Ton Had Bungalows can be contacted through 0877833262.