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Samet Island in Thailand

The island of Samet belongs to Thailand and is located in the Gulf of Thailand, a few kilometers from the mainland. It is a small island, its area is about 13 square kilometers.

Complete information about Samet

Koh Samet is the perfect place for a secluded beach vacation. It is part of a national park and has almost untouched by human civilization wildlife, flora and fauna.

Cultural and historical attractions of its own Samet does not have. If you want to diversify your vacation excursions, you can go to the nearest cities – Pattaya and Bangkok.

On Ko Samet yet underdeveloped tourist infrastructure, no entertainment, such as discos or nightclubs, it is only recently interested in tourists and, accordingly, the tourism business.

But there are some excellent but small sandy beaches, many hotels and bungalows, cafes and restaurants with decent food. The most popular beaches are near the pier, they are called Sai Kaew and Ao Phai.

Koh Samet Island, Thailand

Ko Samet is located near the national park, the sea water of the island is characterized by crystal clarity. The sights include a Buddhist temple and stone Buddhas at the pier, and climbing observation decks.

Keep in mind that there are no banking institutions on the island, but there are several quite modern ATMs near the pier. Exchanging currency is quite problematic, but possible.

There is no fee to enter the island. You can also visit any local beach for free. You will be asked to pay 200 baht or $6.33 to enter the national park, and you can forget about it.

Arriving by boat or ferry to Koh Samet, you can go ashore, take a short walk, choose a hotel room or bungalow and stay here to rest for the whole vacation. A great choice for couples with children and introverts.

The island is small, its infrastructure is concentrated between Nadan Pier and the nearest beach Sai Keo: accommodation, restaurants, cafes, etc. For budget travelers there is a wide range of inexpensive hostels and hostels.

Koh Samet is designed for those who like all day sunbathing on the beach, and in the evening, sitting in a restaurant or cafe, watching the sunset and the movement of sea waves, rather than trying to warm up the adrenaline in water sports or a night bar.

If you like a rough nightlife, accompanied by drinking alcohol and dating girls, then on the island of Samet in Thailand you have absolutely nothing to do. These unpretentious pleasures of life are not here.

Koh Samet - recreation, diving

Lovers of partying can rest here a couple of days, sleep, swim in the sea in crystal clear water, clean up, and then go on to new feats in Pattaya or Bangkok.

There is no raucous entertainment on Ko Samet for a simple reason – it is forbidden, because. There is a national park nearby. Everything on the island is subordinated to the observance of environmental norms, preservation of local flora and fauna in an intact form.

The beaches closest to the pier show traces of human civilization: hotels, restaurants, sun loungers and umbrellas, and around – wild, untouched nature, where no man has set foot. The Thai authorities dream of preserving this condition for as long as possible.

If you are looking for silence and solitude, come to the island of Samet on weekdays. On weekends and holidays here in the morning come a lot of Thais from Bangkok and Pattaya, they have a dance with drinking until morning.

Weather

Weather on the island of SametThe main advantage of the island lies in its climatic features. When the weather in the rest of Thailand’s resorts is not conducive to visit, here it can just rush through a short downpour, and the water off the coast will remain clear and relatively calm.

Officially, the rainy season is from May to October, but it is not clear and does not interfere with rest. It mostly rains at night and as the sun rises, the last puddles disappear in 1.5-2 hours.

The water temperature is about +26-28, the air during the day warms up to +32, at night it becomes 3-4 degrees cooler. High season is from November to mid-April, but the number of tourists increases several times.

Attractions

They are few, the island can not offer a large excursion program, but there are a few interesting places.

  1. Temple complex and statue of the White Buddha. It is located near Sai Kaew Beach in a quiet, picturesque corner of the island. The main deity is depicted in a lotus pose, with a flower-decorated altar in front of him. Everyone can bring gifts in the form of fruit, bright tropical flowers or a few small coins. Around the reigns silence, complements the landscape obligatory artificial pond with fish. The deity is guarded by fearsome-looking bodyguards with swords, fangs, and claws, and the traditional staircase to the foot of the pedestal has been replaced by a railing that forms a peculiar path on the ground.
  2. Standing stones can not be called a very interesting object, but if you stroll along the beach Ao Putsa, it is worth a closer look at them. There are freestanding rocks at the edge of the surf and some homemade stone buildings in the primitive style.
  3. Even the smallest inhabited islands have a Buddhist temple, as do statues of Buddha. It’s a tribute to tradition. According to reviews, the temple on Koh Samet is quite small, but is very important to the locals. There are several statues of the gods in the open-air area, and it is worth taking a walk between them and taking a closer look because of the intricate paintings and the sense of tranquility that reigns around the temple.
  4. The mermaid statue is located on Sai Kaew beach and many people take pictures with it as a memento, trying to get a piece of the island’s lush nature into the frame.
  5. The main viewing platform is equipped with benches and canopies. It is located on the west side of the island and offers mesmerizing views. The second point for a great view and great photos is not equipped, but is well known among tourists. It is located on a hill not far from Sai Kaew Beach. Several winding paths lead up to the summit, so it’s impossible to get lost or get caught in the thicket. From the top point the view is great, you can see almost the entire island, not just a piece of jungle and a small strip of water. Long stay there will not work, there are no shelters or pavilions with water, but for the sake of vivid impressions to get up here worth it. There are more viewpoints in the south of the island, in the National Park.

Lovers of noisy parties on the island quickly gets bored and they tend to return closer to civilization. Tourists seeking peace and quiet have enough entertainment to offer without sacrificing the unique nature. In high demand are boat trips around the island, fishing, snorkeling and diving, you can take a water ski. There are no more noisy and spectacular rides because of the status of the reserve.

Beaches

The Beaches of Samet Island in Thailand

All the island beaches, as if to order, made in the style of “Bounty”: the blue sea, soft sand, palm trees and lots of sun. In the evenings you can watch just as beautiful sunsets and listen to romantic music.

  1. Sai Keo. This is the main and most popular beach of the island, it has snow-white sand and azure water. In the evenings here near the bars and restaurants gathers a big party, you can watch the fire show.
  2. Ao Wai. One of the best beaches with white sand and clear blue water, but located a bit far from the pier. There is a lot of vegetation, under which you can hide from the midday heat, and few vacationers.
  3. Ao Prao. This beach is located on the west of the island. It has an observation deck and several gazebos. From here you can gaze into the vast expanse of the Gulf of Thailand for days and evenings.

Koh Samet Beach Map

A map of the beaches of Koh Samet, Thailand

Lodging and Hotels

Bungalows, hostels, and hotels rented to tourists on the island are slightly more expensive than in mainland Thailand. They all have air conditioning (1,000 baht or $31.65 per day) or fans (600 baht or $18.99 per day).

A room with a fan in a guesthouse is cheaper – about 500 baht or $15.82 per night, but the hostels are exclusively by the pier. On remote beaches, the cost of housing is cheaper, but there are virtually no amenities.

Lodging on the island of Samet in ThailandIn hotels, the cost of a room with a fan is higher – about 800 baht or $25.32 per night. Most of the hotels, guesthouses and bungalows are located a few meters from the sea, some have 4 and 5 stars.

Here are some good options for booking:

  • Sky Friend Guesthouse;
  • Paradise Resort;
  • Seamd Pavilion Resort;
  • Sai Keo Beach Resort;
  • Barbados Terrace;
  • Bellhouse, etc.

If you want to go on a vacation on Ko Samet, it is advisable to book accommodation online in advance. As a last resort, you can always set up a tent on any beach here.

Transportation

The island has had a paved road for three years, running north-south and branching off to every local beach. The most common island transport are bikes and tuk-tuks.

Transport can be rented for the holiday, on Ko Samet have branches of rental companies offering it to tourists. ATVs used to be popular, but after the road was paved, they were no longer in demand.

How to get to the island of Samet?

How to get to the island of Samet in Thailand?

Directly from Russia to Koh Samet is not possible, because. The island is too small and does not have its own airport. Therefore, tourists most often choose Bangkok airports, and from there drive and sail by shuttle.

From Bangkok

Buy a plane ticket to Bangkok today you can on the Internet with the help of special search engines that collect together data on airline tickets from various airlines around the world.

From the airport you can go to Bangkok East Bus Station or take a cab to Banpe Pier, where the boats and ferries go to Samet Island. It costs about 3,000 baht or $94.94.

From Pattaya

How to get to Ko Samet from Pattaya?

Well developed transport infrastructure, if you decide to get to the island from Pattaya or Phuket. You can buy a ticket at a travel agency or book online on the Internet services. The bus is 250 baht ($7.91) and the ferry is 50 baht ($1.58).

From Banpe Pier toward Samet Island, ferries depart every hour during daylight hours during High Season. The travel time is half an hour. The ferry docks at Nadan Island Pier or Wong Duan Beach.

Benefits of vacationing on the island of Samet

Holidays on Koh Samet, Thailand

Proximity to civilization. Ko Samet – almost a wild island in Thailand, located near the developed human civilization, closer is no less wild Ko Lan, but there are too many tourists, and the beaches are of poorer quality.

Only three hours by bus and ferry from ultra-modern Bangkok and you are in a real paradise, on an incredibly beautiful beach among the sea, sun, sand and palm trees. And for entertainment and sightseeing you can drive to Bangkok or Pattaya.

It‘s a great climate. One of the obvious advantages of the island of Samet is the lack of rainy season. From May to October in Thailand it rains 24 hours a day, but on Ko Samet – dry, no exhausting heat, but cloudy.

It rains occasionally, but not in moderate amounts, as on the mainland during the Low Season. The same obvious advantage has Pattaya, where most of the summer is dry and not too hot.

Weather on Koh Samet

Wildlife. The national park and its surroundings on Ko Samet are reverent about preserving pristine nature in its natural state. The state of Thailand in every way prevents the tourist business to take over the natural environment.

Perfectly clean sea near the island is also due to the ecology of the island. There are no water skis or motorcycles, but there are great places to go snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. Equipment can be rented on the Samet.

Maps of Samet

Koh Samet on the map of Thailand

Koh Samet Island on the map of Thailand

Map of Samet Island

Map of Samet Island in Thailand

Reviews of a visit to the island of Samet

Opinions of holidaymakers differ in detail, concurring in the opinion that the main asset of the island is a magnificent pristine nature and silence.

Olga, 28 years old:

We were going on vacation for a long time, we wanted to go to Thailand, but not far from the center and at the same time not in the thick of things. We chose Samet and did not regret a minute. We took the ferry from Pattaya. In appearance, it looks like a big boat and a car or scooter does not go on it. The trip took 40 minutes, which flew completely unnoticed, so beautiful and unusual around. The cost of the trip was 70 baht, we were told the round trip ticket was only 100, but we only needed a one-way ticket.

At the Nadan Pier we immediately paid the entrance fee of 200 baht and did not bother ourselves anymore with the legality of being on the island. The week flew by unnoticed, we did not need any special entertainment, we just wanted peace and quiet.

We went to the observation deck near Sai Keo Beach. Thank you, the hotel warned me to take water. Took a lot of mind-blowing photos. Fishing is worthy of a separate description, I really liked the walk on the boat with a clear bottom, did not want to go back to shore. We went to Pattaya once, devoting it a day and did not want to go back to the hustle and bustle.

Andrew, 49 years old:

I promised my wife an island from a Bounty commercial and I kept my word by arranging a trip to Koh Samet. We stayed in a hotel not far from the beach, no need to walk anywhere far, the restaurant is equipped with an outdoor terrace. The romantic evening turned out great, we remembered the first years of our life together. On the second day we were overcome by laziness, we decided to spend time on the beach, the choice on the advice of neighbors chose Ao Wai. We got there closer to lunch, found a spot in the shade of a palm tree. There were almost no people, apparently in the middle of the week the beach is not popular. We had a nice lunch at the restaurant, the check for two came to about 800 THB.

It was a pleasure to spend a week on the island, went to the turtle farm, booked a walking tour through the jungle, well, that’s already on the spot came to mind and rented bikes. The vacation was a success.

Eugenia, 36 years old:

We came to Koh Samet on a two-day excursion. They put us in a decent hotel, the room had a split system, and the service was good. The program included a boat trip around the island, a visit to a turtle farm, and a temple complex. I got the impression that everything is small, compact, almost toy-like. I liked the statue of the mermaid with the baby in her arms, very touching.

Had great fun diving near the coral reef, the underwater world there is truly unique, not for nothing the island is considered a nature reserve. Two days on the island was quite enough for me to swim, sunbathe and miss civilization. The impression of the beauty of Koh Samet is great.

Jeanne, 51 years old:

We went on vacation with the whole family and took our five-year-old grandson with us. We stayed on the island for four days and saw all the sights. It’s perfectly safe for a child there, we didn’t even find any mosquitoes. It is very convenient to swim with children on Wong Duan. The beach is clean, equipped with everything you need, a lot of vacationers, but somehow scattered along the beach and no one bothers anyone. No waves and no wind, but a lot of birds, my grandson watched them with pleasure, then tired, had to go back to the hotel. Prices are higher than on the mainland, the locals explain it by the fact that they have to bring everything, including drinking water.

Nadezhda, 23 years old:

When I read the reviews of tourists on the island of Samet in Thailand, I did not pay attention to the fact that during the weekend there are a lot of people. I arrived on Sunday and found myself in the thick of it. It’s good that the hotel room was booked in advance. The day passed in the hassle of settling in and scouting the area for an ATM. Naive, because I was warned that it is better to withdraw money in advance, before the trip. We had to hire a sunteo and drive to the village. Good thing there were other passengers and suggested that the fare is no more than 50 baht.

The next day there were a lot fewer people, and I went out to the beach. All day I felt like a princess on a desert island, it was so quiet, beautiful and almost deserted. I spent 5 days on the island, relieved stress, saw the underwater world in all its glory, took great pictures from all angles.

Surprisingly, there were almost no temperature changes during the day or night. There is no particular coolness from the water either, it is almost the same as the air, very warm and calm. I left the resort tanned, tranquil, with the firm conviction that for beauty and silence – only on Samet.

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