Ko Samet

The main ferry boat pier on the island is in the little settlement of Nadan, which is little more than a row of shops lining the kilometre-long road from the ferry to the national park entrance booth. A few essential services are available here, including a pharmacy. Prices in Nadan tend to be lower than on the beaches, particularly for motorcycle rental. If you're really stuck there are a few places to rent a room in Nadan.

At the time of writing, Ko Samet is home to three ATMs. The first is outside the 7-Eleven at the arrivals pier in Nadan. The other two are near the 7-Eleven just outside the national park entrance booth near Haad Sai Kaew.

Once you're off the boat in Nadan, songthaews ferry passengers the one km from the pier to the national park entrance and Haad Sai Kaew for 10B per person, or to Ao Phai for 20B each, as long as a minimum of 10 passengers make the trip. For beaches farther south, the fare increases dramatically.

Notes and precautions
In the past Ko Samet had a bit of a bad rap for malaria, but it hasn't been a serious problem in over a decade. Dengue fever however remains an issue, so take all the usual precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. In the past rumours swirled of disease-ridden dogs roaming free in packs -- the truth is a lot of strays wander round, but they're well taken care of by the locals and are used to tourists, so they will be no bother. Just be sure not to leave your half-full Sangsom buckets on the beach after a night's partying -- the dogs have been known to imbibe. And though the climate on Ko Samet is generally pleasant, the tides manage to pull a couple of people to their deaths every year, so be wary when swimming.

National park entry fee
One thing that really bothers people about Ko Samet is the fee charged to all visitors upon arrival. It's bad enough having to pay the inflated fee to enter a well-protected national park, but being charged 10 times a local to enter a park that has been over-developed and largely trashed by developers is a bit of a joke. Thankfully, after spending a year at 400B, the entry fee was reduced in late 2007 to a more affordable 200B. In the past, it was possible to avoid paying this fee by arriving on the island at places other than Nadan or Ao Wong Deun. However, proactive rangers now meet arriving boats at almost every location to collect this fee.