Getting to Koh Samet
The simplest way to get there is to take a bus to Ban Phe, take a 30 minute ferry ride to Koh Samet and ride a sawngthaew to the beach of your choice. Cheap and easy. Busses to Ban Phe leave from the Eastern bus terminal (also called the Ekkamai bus terminal) in Bangkok every hour from 5:00am to 8:00pm. The cost is 157 baht one way or 300 baht round trip. If you are staying near the Sky Train, you can take the sky train to the Ekkamai station and the bus terminal is right next to the station.
Ferries to Koh Samet leave from Nuanthip Pier directly across the street from the bus terminal in Ban Phe. Ferries are scheduled to run hourly-but the truth of the matter is they usually wait until there are at least 20 people before they shove off.
On the Koh Samet side there are sawngthaews that run the length of the island and will drop you off at any beach-just tell the driver what beach you want.Koh Samet is a National Park. Admission for foreigners is B200 baht and is good for the length of your stay. The main town on the island lies outside the National Park, so if you go into town, bring your park admission slip so you can get back in without paying
Accommodations
No extensive list of hotels-just some personal recommendations.
Hat Sai Kaew and Ao Hin Kok at the northern end of the island are rather densely crowded-too commercial for my tastes, but the draw of many small bars and restaurants might appeal to some. The further down the island you get the quieter and less densely packed it is. Ao Phai, the third beach down the island, is a nice combination of relaxed atmosphere, yet still close to things to do. There are a few bars and restaurants, but it’s not packed wall-to-wall like the Hat Sai Kaew and Ao Hin Kok.
On Ao Phai beach two resorts are recommended:Samed Villa has nice, clean, modern bungalows from B1000 to B2000 a night. It’s a nice, quiet location nestled in the trees. Recenlty remodeled, it’s a standout on the island.
Jep’s Bungalows has more basic wooden bungalows scattered on a hillside for B600-1000 a night. No aircon rooms-they are pretty basic but clean and the setting is nice and quiet.
Things to Do
Most of the activities on Koh Samet are centered around not doing much of anything.
The string of beaches on the eastern side of the island are all but unbroken except for a few rocky promontories. Wandering down the length of the island is a nice way to kill a few hours.
Koh Samet is quite narrow; from any point on the island from Ao Phai beach south, you can walk over to the rugged western side of the island which is quite pretty.A number of resorts and guesthouses rent snorkeling gear if you want to enjoy a peek under the waves.
Nightlife
Hat Sai Kaew has a number of smaller bars scattered along the beach, some have mats and cushions on the beach to chill by the sea.
Sea Breeze Bungalows on Ao Phai beach is one of the more happening spots on the island. Loads of mats and pillows strewn on the beach-along with fire dancers-draw crowds or people for drinks and dinner early in the evening; around 10pm a little outdoor disco swings into action and goes until 2am or so.
