Ko Samet

Bus

Air-con buses leave Bangkok's Eastern (Ekkamai) bus station every hour, 05:00–20:00 daily. Buses do the reverse trip from 04:00 to 19:00. Tickets cost 157B. The journey takes three and a half to four hours. Buses drop passengers in the centre of Ban Phe, right across from Nuanthip Pier where you can catch a ferry to Ko Samet. There is no direct bus route from Pattaya to Ban Phe. Buses do run from Pattaya to Rayong town, and from there you can jump on a Ban Phe-bound songthaew for 20B.

A regular minibus service is available from Ban Phe to several popular tourist destinations. Minibuses bound for Laem Ngop (for Ko Chang) depart at 09:30 and 12:00, costing 250B. The minibus to Bangkok and Khao San Road also costs 250B and departs at 10:00 and 14:00. Ban Phe minibuses to Pattaya leave at 10:00, 13:30 and 17:00 and cost 250B. For other destinations, songthaews to Rayong cost 20B and leave frequently throughout the day.

Boat

Boats to Ko Samet leave from the pier throughout the day, supposedly on an hourly schedule, but since boats simply leave when full, it's not followed closely. The ferry costs 50B one-way, and is a fairly comfortable 40-minute ride. The ferry will take you to Nadan village on the north coast of Ko Samet -- from there, it's a 20-70B pick-up taxi ride to anywhere on the island.

Ferries leave from Ban Phe between 08:00 and 18:00, and from Ko Samet every two hours between 08:30 and 16:30. If you want to travel any other time, it's possible to charter a speedboat. The cost for this should be 1,000-1,200B which can work out to be fairly affordable if you get a group together, but can be pretty steep if you're traveling alone or in a pair. The speedboat will drop you off on whichever beach you'd like -- but be prepared to wade to shore. It takes only 10 to 20 minutes to get to anywhere on the island by speedboat from Ban Phe.

Getting Around

Samet is a small island with a good network of dirt roads and trails that you can walk yourself. To walk from Nadan (at the top of the island) to Ao Kiu at the bottom takes 3 to 4 hours at a reasonable pace, about 90% of the walk being along beaches and around headlands.

Motorbikes can be rented at many of the guesthouses and resorts around the island, with the best deals found around Nadan and Ao Phai. For 100B an hour or 300B for a day, you're free to head out and explore the island on your own. Though the centre of Ko Samet is the only place where you'll get the isolated feeling of being in a national park, there isn't much to see, nor are there trails for hiking. Instead, jumping on a motorbike is one of the best ways to visit different beaches around the island. The main road running from north to south is a dirt track with plenty of holes to surprise inexperienced bikers, so be warned. ATVs can also be hired but they are more expensive -- around 500B for two hours. The Gold Shop, just before the main park entrance, has some of the best deals.