Where am I again?
Region: Eastern Thailand> Province: Rayong> Location: Ko Samet

Getting There and Away

Bus

One of the best things about Ko Samet is that it's reached easily and cheaply from Bangkok. Direct buses to the port town of Ban Phe leave the Ekkamai Eastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok every hour from 5:00 until 22:00. The fare is 163B, and takes about 3 and a half hours. Buses drop passengers in the centre of town, right across from the pier where you can catch your ferry to Ko Samet.

Boat

Boats leave from the pier throughout the day; there is ostensibly an hourly schedule, but since boats simply leave when full, it's not followed closely. The ferry costs 50B, and is a fairly comfortable half hour ride. The ferry will take you to Nadan Village on the North Coast of Ko Samet -- from there, it's a 20-30 baht pick-up taxi ride to anywhere on the island.

The ferry only travels until 17:00 so if you're travelling later you'll need to charter a speedboat. The cost for this should be 1,000-1,200B, which can work out to be fairly affordable if you can get a group together, but can be pretty steep if you're travelling alone or in a pair (though its worth it avoid spending the night in Ban Phe). The speedboat will drop you off on whichever beach you'd like -- but be prepared to wade to shore.

Getting Around

Samet is a small island that now has 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 3-4 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 -- the best deals are to be found around Nadan Village and Ao Phai. For around 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 wild feeling of being in a National Park, there isn't much to see, and there are no trails for hiking. Instead, driving out on motorbike is one of the best ways to visit different beaches around the island.