There are several options for how to get from Pattaya to Samet Island; there is the option of going on an excursion. For example, the Samet Day Tour includes a round-trip transfer (bus + ferry), an umbrella and a sun lounger plus lunch. Second excursion "Day and night Samet Island". This also includes a round-trip transfer, an umbrella and a sunbed, lunch and dinner, plus a fire show. There is an option to simply use a transfer, this will allow you to get there both ways using a bus or ferry.

The fourth option is to organize an independent trip in the Pattaya-Samet direction. You can implement your idea by taking a regular bus from Pattaya Station, it is located near the intersection of Sukhumvit Road and North Pattaya, coordinates 12.949231,100.903023. It is quite easy to recognize the bus station; you will see a large blue sign with the text Air Conditioned Bus Terminal Pattaya-Bangkok on it. Alternatively, you can get to the bus station from the square with dolphins; few people know about it. On the map this area is marked in red, and the bus station in yellow. If you have never traveled on your own, this option may be difficult. The cost is, of course, slightly cheaper than the previous options, but this advantage is negated by the presence of a large number of transfers. Therefore, this method also allows you to get to Samet on your own, but I will not consider it in more detail.

There is no point in considering the first couple of options in more detail, since they are not very long, and as a rule, they do not include an overnight stay on the island, and without spending the night, you will not fully feel the spirit of Samet Island, and most of the time it is a road, it and will remain in memory.

The third option is to order a transfer; first, you should decide on a company that provides such a service in the Pattaya-Samet direction and in the opposite direction. It will be better if you are recommended by someone you know who has already used such a service. On my own behalf, I would like to add that Run Ren Tour is a normal company. After choosing a company, decide on the date, time and payment for these company services, one way cost is three hundred baht one way per person, the cost includes the ferry and bus from the hotel. The bus will take you from Pattaya to one of the bus stations located near the Ban Phe pier in Rayong province. Then, accompanied by a person from the company, you will be taken on a ferry to the island. If you want to buy something, it is better to do it at the market near the pier, since on Samet the prices are higher and the choice is small. After paying two hundred baht for entry into the National Park, as well as the Samet Island Nature Reserve, you must be marked INCLUDED NATIONAL PARK on your ticket; it will be presented in the form of a red stamp. I heard that some tourists even used such a mark several times when visiting Samet again and even passed it on to other tourists.

Pay for your return ticket immediately. The ferries that go to Samet are no different in appearance from the others. On the way, you can look at diagrams and maps of the island, with their help it is very easy to determine the direction where to go and your location. By ferry you will arrive at one of the island's beaches. This is where the transfer services end; then you need to get there yourself. Be sure to remember the date and time when you will be expected on your way back. How long you want to stay on Samet is up to you to decide. The road from Samet Island to Pattaya is no different. Everything happens the same way, only in reverse order. Only now, having gotten a little accustomed to Samet, you will want to get to the beach, where they will be waiting for you, on foot along the coastline, while moving from one beach to another.

I did not consider here the cost of an overnight stay and how to find it since B was not asked about this, but I can tell you the approximate cost of a trip for one person from Pattaya to Samet Island. So, an independent trip will cost: bus travel + ferry = 600 baht; entry to Samet (National Park) = 200 baht; tuk-tuk on Samet (if necessary) = 100 x 2 = 200 baht; renting a hotel or bungalow costs from 1000 baht per day. The total is about 2000 baht. To this amount it is worth adding an additional payment for food and other personal pleasures. Prices are for last year, they may be different now.

A few more recommendations. It is best to get to Samet Island during the week, since on weekends it will be more difficult to find accommodation, and the prices will not be so pleasant. It is worth taking with you sunscreen SPF50 no less. It’s worth taking a Russian-English dictionary with you, in case you don’t speak a foreign language. When traveling on your own, always inform your loved ones about the departure and return dates and your location. On the island, you need to rent an ATV or bike with extreme caution; never give original documents as collateral, only copies of your documents. It is also worth photographing the vehicle from all sides in front of the lessor; if there are scratches or dents, be sure to notify them immediately.

How to get from Pattaya to Samet on your own and what budget a trip to one of the “paradise” islands of the Gulf of Thailand will require is required in advance, because this information will allow you to more carefully plan your own vacation.

Google Maps / google.ru

Samet Island is located closer to than the others and, accordingly, getting to it from the city is easier and cheaper than getting to other fabulous island beaches.

How to get to the island?

You can only get to Koh Samet by sea, there is no airport on the island and there are no bridges connecting it to the mainland, but this does not mean that the trip will be difficult or expensive, quite the opposite.

Transfer to the tropical paradise from the Ban Phe piers by ferry or speedboat. Ferries, in fact, are actually an analogue of public land transport, and boats, accordingly, resemble taxis, the price differences are also similar to the difference between a taxi and a bus ride.

Scooter

The Ban Phe pier does not provide scooter rentals for an independent boat trip to the island, although it is very close, about 70 km from the mainland piers. This is not at all due to the reluctance of the Thais to look for lost travelers, but to the peculiarities of the currents in this sea area - the sea here is almost always restless.

smalljude/flickr.com

But this nuance applies only to a certain section of the route; on the sandy beaches of the island lagoons there is complete silence, even if it is stormy in most of the Gulf of Thailand.

The ferry schedule directly depends on their demand; the following flights depart daily, regardless of calendar holidays, days of the week and seasons:

1. To Wong Duern Beach (Wong Duan) - at 9:00, 12:00, 13:30, 17:00, one-way ticket price - 40 baht.
2. To Ao Kiu Beach - at 10:00, ticket price - 100 baht one way.
3. To Ao Wai Beach (Ao Phai) - at 11:30, 14:00, the trip costs 80 baht one way.
4. To Ao Prao Beach - at 08:00, 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, the price of one ticket is 80 baht.

The farthest of all is Wong Duern Beach, the ferry takes more than 45 minutes to reach it and upon arrival there is no pier waiting for tourists. When you get to this beach, you should be prepared for the fact that the ferry will stop within sight of the shore, which you will have to get to by rowing boats - for a fee of 10 to 15 baht, or by swimming.

Thanate Tan / flickr.com

This beach is the least in demand among tourists; here you can almost always find yourself “alone,” illusory, of course, but unlike other beach areas of the island, there will be no sunbeds of other vacationers in sight.

The trip to the rest of the beaches will last from half an hour to forty minutes and, in good weather, will bring a lot of positive emotions. When boarding the ferry, you need to pay attention to where the locals sit. Thais constantly travel from the island to the mainland and back, and most of them use the ferry.

If Thais go to the upper deck, you need to go up, if down, you need to stay down. This will help you avoid weather-related hassles along the way. For example, if the waves are “high”, then travelers on the lower deck will come out to the piers of Samet thoroughly wet from the salty sea spray, and the upper deck will simply be very seasick, but not flooded.

And, conversely, with a strong wind, but a relatively calm sea, you can freeze “to the bone” at the top. It is impossible to predict such nuances, but local residents know very well what awaits along the way, so it makes sense to focus on them.

smalljude/flickr.com

Ferries also depart back to Ban Phe depending on demand. There are always the following flights:

• from Wong Duern - at 08:30, 12:00, 15:30 it is better to approach the boats ten minutes before this time;
• from Ao Kiu - at 08:00, 12:00;
• from Ao Wai - at 14:00;
• from Ao Prao - at 10:00, 12:30, 15:00, 17:00.

Prices are the same as in the direction of the island. During the season of influx of travelers, on holidays and weekends, there are more flights, ferries depart literally every 20-40 minutes from early morning until evening. Tickets must be purchased immediately before departure, as the flight may be canceled due to weather.

Speed ​​boat

A very good way to find yourself on a tropical beach without being tied to time. You can rent a boat at Ban Phe pier, you can see them, the boats are lined up a little further than the ferry piers.

There are no set prices for how to get to Samet Island by boat. You need to bargain, but you should first assess the situation. If there are several dozen ships moored along the pier, and there are no people willing to become their passengers, you need to bargain loudly and confidently.

It will take about half an hour, and will end with an amount several times less than that originally requested by the “captain” of the boat. For example, if a Thai asks for 2000 baht on a Monday morning in early April, you can sail for 500 baht, but if this situation occurs at the end of May on a Saturday morning, then the maximum you can bargain for is 1800 baht.

smalljude/flickr.com

Whether or not to agree on how and when to get back on the same boat depends on the specific situation, but there is no particular point in this; there are also shipowners on the island who are always ready to take tourists to the mainland. Moreover, you should not make any advance payments for the return trip, even if the Thai does not deceive you, it will be difficult to recognize his boat among the others of the same type, and for the Thais themselves, all Europeans look the same.

How to get to Ban Phe?

In how to get from Pattaya to the island of Koh Sumet, an important point is the path from the city to the Ban Phe pier, which, in fact, is located in a “suburban” village.

As elsewhere, the easiest way to do this in Thailand is to take a taxi, tuk-tuk or bus. You can also come by bike, which you can rent through the website; there is a parking lot near the pier, which is quite “civilized.” You need to take the Sukhumvit Rd or Highway No. 3. If you follow the speed limit, the journey will take about 3 hours.

The taxi fare will range from 600 to 1200 baht, depending on where exactly the trip starts. You can order a car in advance on the website.

Regular buses leave every forty minutes from the central bus station, of course, they do not carry to Koh Samet from Pattaya, and do not even reach the Ban Phe piers. You need to take a bus to Rayong, and then change to a tuk-tuk.

Espen Aaeng / flickr.com

The route diagram just seems complicated. All necessary buses have the inscription “Sukhumvit”. This means that they are following the Sukhumvit Highway, which means they are passing through Rayong. The price of the trip is 70 baht, there is no space for luggage on these regular buses, so you should only take what will be convenient to take with you into the cabin.

In Rayong, you don’t need to leave the car platform anywhere, since the songhthaews stop right there, you don’t even have to raise your hand, the drivers drive up to the stop themselves. The cost of a trip to the pier is 30 baht.

The entire trip will take about 3-3.5 hours. It is quite difficult to get there in less time, given the wait for the bus and tuk-tuk. When tourists say that they got to the pier on their own in a couple of hours, this only means one thing that they used a service such as transfer Pattaya - Koh Samet or Pattaya - Ban Phe pier.

This is the fastest and most convenient way to get to the island. Transfers can be completely different, for example, there are minibuses that take groups of 12-14 people to the pier and meet them there. The price of this transfer option ranges from 200 to 350 baht one way.

There are transfers from Pattaya to Koh Samet, which also include a crossing to the island. When renting a boat for a group, the cost is from 700 to 800 baht, the boat will not only deliver, but also pick up from Samet, just as the minibus will not only take you to the pier, but also meet you on the way back.

smalljude/flickr.com

There are a lot of transfer options and prices. It is very convenient to search for a suitable car through.

Among the most budget travel agencies targeting Russians, it is worth noting the Pattaya Group.

Traveling by tuk-tuk will require good orientation in Thailand, since you will have to travel with transfers. You should take minibuses along the Sukhumvit Highway. It is difficult to predict how long such a trip will take and how much it will cost.

Despite the obvious disadvantages, this method also has an advantage - it is quite extreme. When choosing a ride on a tuk-tuk, you need to stock up on cash and keep in mind that drivers usually don’t have change.

For those who don’t want to stress, there is an excellent way to get from Pattaya to Samet and back - a sightseeing tour. There are a lot of tour options; “one-day” trips are very popular, which include lunch, an excursion and, of course, free time on the beach.

Video: excursion to Samet Island from Pattaya.

The cost of tours starts from 1200 baht and has no upper limits; it all depends on what the tour will be filled with, where exactly the traveler wants to go and how many days he plans to spend on the island.

Finding yourself on the beaches of Koh Samet is not as difficult or expensive as it seems, so you shouldn’t neglect a trip to a tropical fairy tale. Koh Samet Island is a national reserve, and its visit costs from 100 to 250 baht, depending on the length of stay.

smalljude/flickr.com

The island itself has good infrastructure, tuk-tuks drive briskly, there is WI-FI almost everywhere and, in addition, there is a lot of interesting things here, for example, one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries.

The cheapest is a passenger ferry. Ticket price starts from 50 baht and approximately 30-40 minutes on the way. Opening hours of passenger ferries: from 6.00 to 17.00 Public boats move on the water a little faster and a ticket costs about 100 baht.

Ferries from the pier in Ban Phe depart daily from 08:00 to 16:30 approximately once every one to two hours, and arrive at three beaches on Koh Samet: Nadan (travel time 25 minutes), Prao (travel time 30 minutes), and Wong Duan (travel time 45 minutes). The fare in all cases is 50 baht. Remember that when the ferry arrives at Wong Duan Beach, tourists will be in for a surprise: the ferry does not moor to the shore itself, and a special boat, similar to a trough, ferries tourists to the beach for 10 baht.

Samet is located in a national reserve, which means that upon arrival on the island you need to shell out another 400 baht per adult. Keep the issued stickers confirming payment until the end of the trip.

The length of Samet Island is 7 km and the width is 3 km. Total area of ​​the island = 13.1 sq. km.

The beaches of Samet Island are located in the eastern part of the island. The largest and most popular of them is Hat Sai Kaew Beach, which translated from Thai means “beach with sand as clear as glass.” Its length is about 1 km, and its width is from 20 to 30 m. On one side it is surrounded by hotels and sun loungers with umbrellas, on the other - by turquoise water, clear as a drop of dew. The sand on Samet Island is white as flour and just as fine and delicate.

If you go south from Hat Sai Kaew beach, then straight to Auhin Kok Bay, you will find an excellent place for souvenir photos and a rather unusual sculptural composition consisting of a statue of a Mermaid and a Prince.

Attractions. National reserve. Koh Samet is both a resort and a tourist attraction.

25 years ago it was decided to assign it the status of a National Park, and thanks to this, Samet preserves its natural conditions, unaffected by aggressive human actions. In addition, it is a pleasant and hospitable resort. The reserve is distinguished by a wide variety of flora and fauna; monkeys, squirrels, more than 20 species of tropical birds and many other animals live here. Ko Samet is often called the "paradise" of Thailand. Tourists live in areas adjacent to the sea, next to emerald bays and sandy beaches. Prices and service for every taste - from simple campsites to furnished bungalows equipped with modern communications. Many restaurants, bars and cafes are located right on the beaches, offering seafood and exotic Thai cuisine.

Reviews: We went to Samet once. Before that, we visited other islands of Thailand, to which we went from Krabi. Samet did not impress, because... there are a lot of people there, civilization.

We went to Samet Island, Bangkok and Pattaya. The easiest way to get to the island is to order a taxi from the hotel to the pier and take the ferry there. In general, we liked Samet, although the beaches were not very crowded. We walked around half the island, staying overnight in a bungalow near Ao Thian beach, there are rocky shores, but there are few people and a good place to relax. Of the beaches, I liked Ao Phrao on the west coast the most. A civilized and expensive beach, of course, but it’s great to swim there, and to take pictures too, a real “bounty”)) It’s better to book a hotel in advance on websites; you can also rent on the spot, but it will be more expensive and if you need a cheap room for the night, you’ll have to look. We haven't found one cheaper than 1000 baht.

When you go to the pier, whether by taxi or even on your own for the first time, you will in any case end up in a parking lot, and there is a tourist area where you will be offered to go to the island for 300 baht per person, or maybe less if you negotiate, they will offer speed boat (a regular boat takes an hour, a boat takes 15 minutes) and bungalows, etc. Do not buy! Go back a little to where you came from and after the 7-11 store turn left to the pier ticket office, there is also a good and inexpensive market for everything you need. You can leave your scooter in paid parking for 30 baht per day. So, at the box office you can buy your own ticket to the island for only 50 baht one way. We were so scammed on our first trip (On the island you can walk around the hotels yourself and rent a room or bungalow on your own, it’s much cheaper. There is also an entrance to the national park. The island itself is very cool and small. You can walk, you can also take a scooter or a taxi. On The beach is very clean, there are many cafes, restaurants, hotels, entertainment. The sea is calm even in summer.

KO SAMET ISLAND. GENERAL INFORMATION. Samet is a small island 200 km from Bangkok. This is the Thai name for a tree that grows on the island and is used in medicine and in the construction of boats. The island is very small and can easily be walked around in two hours. Samet Island is a paradise for lovers of untouched nature. It is surrounded by greenery of coconut palm plantations and is practically uninhabited. Only local fishermen live there permanently.

The island is shaped like the letter P with a long tail. At the top of R is a fishing village with a pier and a monastery with a temple. The rest of the island is a national park. The left side of the R is a straight rocky coast with one sandy beach. The other long side has long sandy beaches. The island is small, which allows you to walk around it in 2 hours.

Samet can rightfully be called a paradise Thailand A. Dozens of emerald bays and sandy beaches offer a wide choice of accommodation - from campsites located in areas adjacent to the sea, to bungalows that have a high level of service and all modern communications. There are many cozy bars and restaurants on the beaches where you can try amazing Thai cuisine and seafood dishes.
Samet is not rich in shopping centers and supermarkets - the range of goods in stores is mainly limited to beach accessories (sarongs, T-shirts, etc.). In many hotel x books are sold or rented, and can also be purchased from numerous street vendors.
Vibrant nightlife and discos are practically absent on Samet, because the main motto of the island is closeness to nature. The cleanliness of the sea makes it possible to engage in all types of water sports, and there are many coral reefs near the island. Canoe trips, spearfishing, visits to SPA centers - these are just some of the offers from the long list of activities on Samet. Tourists are offered a wonderful opportunity to rent a bicycle or moped and have fun traveling along the mountain trails.

Those interested in ancient culture Thailand or they can visit a Buddhist temple, which managed to combine classical Thai style with the styles of various countries of the West and East, thereby emphasizing its beauty and grandeur.
Since the island is a national park, for your stay here when registering hotel you will have to pay 200 baht. Only motorcycles can be rented on the island.

SAMET BEACHES

The most developed tourist area of ​​Samet Island is the northeast coast. Its beaches, such as Ao Pai and Wong Deuan, provide all the conditions for windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. The beaches on the southeast coast are the least populated and least visited by vacationers. On the rocky west coast of Koh Samet lies the secluded Ao Prao Beach, equipped with comfortable bungalows and an alternative wellness center offering courses in yoga, painting, dance, meditation, etc. Naga Beach is the most popular place among young people who love noisy entertainment. There are several bars and hotels in the form of huts, as well as a small shop and an Internet cafe. The rest of Koh Samet consists of smaller beaches with a wide choice hotels various price categories. Majority hotels, bungalows and hotel complexes are concentrated on the east coast. The tourist season on Koh Samet usually lasts from November to February and from June to August, during which time it is quite difficult to find available accommodation. Some of these places get crowded on weekends, so it's best to visit the island midweek as many hotels don't accept reservations.

The island's numerous beaches are hidden in small coves. Popular among them are Ao Wong Duean in the eastern part of the island and Hat Sai Kaew (aka Diamond Beach), and the beaches

Ao Wong Duean and Hat Sai Kaeo will delight you with the finest white sand.

Sai Kaew is a white sand beach with many hotels and beach restaurants.

Ao Prao is a small closed bay with azure water. Higher class hotels are located here.
.
ENTERTAINMENT, EXCURSIONS AND ATTRACTIONS OF SAMET.

Explore the western coast of the island, the neighboring islands of Talu and Mann Nai, travel along mountain trails by bicycle and ocean fishing. History buffs are advised to visit Auhin Kok Bay, where the monument is located, a beautiful statue of the Prince and the Mermaid. It was built in honor of the 19th century Thai poet Sunthon Phu.

Bars with videos, restaurants. In the evenings there are discos on Ao Phai and Ao Wong Duan beaches. Diving and snorkeling on the coral reef on the south side of the island can be combined with fishing and windsurfing. Starfish and pufferfish can be found in the surrounding waters, and visibility there is 5-10 meters.

A full-day sea excursion with visits to other islands and snorkeling will cost around 500 baht per person.
.
NOW ABOUT THE TRIP ITSELF:

At 7.20 a.m. hotel a minivan arrived, only 15 minutes late, picked us up and after three more hotels we hit the road. The journey to the boat's departure port took about one hour. There were three minivans traveling in a group. Our guide was Russian, his name was Fedor. He spoke briefly about our excursion, answered questions and turned on a movie: the production of paper from elephant dung, locally known as “tanga”. An instructive film for those who are late to the boat on the way back... Like later you will make paper from tanga.) There was no breakfast as such, because... not far to go. There was one stop for a smoke break and a toilet.

At 9.00 we arrived at the pier. We rested a bit at the tables under the canopy, went to the toilet, had a smoke, and wandered around the local small market. We waited for two more minivans, which were late, and at 9.30 we boarded speedboats. I will say right away that people traveling to the island for a day or two traveled together.

At 10.00 we arrived on the incredibly beautiful island of Koh Samet. Beach – Ao Phai (Ao Phai). We were disembarked from the boat, everyone immediately went to take their sunbeds, which, by the way, on the first and second lines were almost all occupied by people who stayed there overnight. We took sunbeds on the third (last) line, changed clothes in the toilet and sunbathed and swam.

Check-in to rooms at 12.30. Until this time we had free time. Some went swimming, others just relaxed on sun loungers. No entertainment. There’s not much to go see either. I got number 12, right behind the restaurant. I think it’s very convenient, because... It's not far from the beach. I advise you to take a house away from the disco, where the music pumps until 03.00 in the morning.

At 13.00 – 13.45 we had lunch. Quite modest. 4 people are seated at tables, two dishes for each and THAT'S ALL!!!. What they gave us, my kitten at home couldn’t even eat enough. Cucumber salad and a plate of rice. But the menu was brought quickly enough. It is clear that if the girls were full, then most of the men, at about 100 kilograms, did not even understand anything about this lunch. Then I realized what the joke was. Our three guides (Fyodor, Maxim and Viktor or Vitaly - the latter, by the way, pushed honey on a bee farm back in April, but did not admit it), came up with the following trick: you order a dish that is not on the menu, it is very SPECIAL!!! It's called hot fish and something else "hot". The meaning of the dish is as follows: the frying pan is heated until red, then food is poured into it - salad + fish or meat, they are rushed to you, and while it is all smoking, you must quickly mix it with both hands - with large spoons. Like, according to the Chinese custom, by stirring you put your soul into the food, and it will be very tasty, as if you cooked it yourself. Why is the dish not on the menu? To make it clear that he was pushed by the guides and would get a kickback for it. The price of the dish is 150 baht, but in reality it costs no more than fifty dollars. We tried it because you can’t sunbathe if you’re hungry, and they advertised it too loudly. I forgot - they also give you a 1.5 liter bottle of water per person. Why the hell there is so much – it’s not clear! I didn’t even open mine at breakfast or dinner. Because drank beer, there was water in the room, and I took it with me hotel 0.6 bottle of water.

HOTEL. HOUSES (bungalows). Total houses in this hotel 26-30, each with one number. They are not on the first line, but on the second and third. Scattered behind the restaurant behind it and to the right (view from the sea). I consider myself lucky with the number. A separate house, close to the beach - right behind the restaurant. There is an ordinary Chinese round sign on the door, but when you slam it from the outside you can only open it with a key. Territories hotel there is no such thing, the beach is the whole territory hotel. Absolute order and cleanliness everywhere. In front of the entrance there are two wooden chairs and a table with an ashtray overlooking the wall of the house in front. Not exactly romantic, but cheap, reliable and practical!

NUMBER. I would say a solid 4, as stated in the company, although on the Internet this hotel goes like 3*. Not only is the renovation quite fresh, but also the design of the room and bathroom is modern. The room has one huge bed (you can choose one bed or two from the guide immediately upon arrival), two bedside tables on each side of the bed, a flat-screen TV on the wall without Russian channels - I watched one sports TV for the background, a large mirror, a table along the entire length of one of the walls . The air conditioner is small and almost silent. Then there is a closet for things, in it there is a small refrigerator with two plastic free bottles of water and a safe, which I could not open. The room has stained glass windows, but there's not much to look out of, just for daylight. BATHROOM. The plumbing is all modern and new. The water flowing from the sink faucet was rather weak, and in the shower, although the pressure was normal, it was felt that the water heater was coping somehow. The bathroom itself is also made in a modern design; the toilet and shower area are separated by a glass partition and a door. Toilet paper and kit: soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush were included in a packaged envelope.
.
SEA AND BEACH. 14.00-19.00 free time. Swim and have a sunbath! The sea is incredibly beautiful, the water 100 meters from the shore is absolutely transparent! There are no stones or other vegetation. It's not far to go to the depths. The water is pleasantly cooling. The beach is gorgeous: snow-white sand, horizontal palm trees, a pleasant warm breeze. There are sun loungers and deck chairs on the beach. Free - exchange for tickets given to you by the guide. The guides also offered masks with snorkels for 200-250 baht, but I took ordinary glasses with me and looked at the delights of the underwater world through them. IN hotel There is free Wi-Fi, you can use it right on the beach. The speed is quite decent, the password is in the room and on the counter in the restaurant bar. You can't swim everywhere, but only in an area fenced with buoys. In other places there are stones that can be seen in the evening at low tide.
.
GROUP DEPARTURE (for 1 DAY). At 16.45, the group that arrived for 1 day began to gather, and those looking after the beach had already begun to close their umbrellas and collect the scattered sunbeds, telling vacationers that the beach holiday was over. By the way, the sun hits the beach area only until 16.20, then the beach is in the shade of trees. At 17.00 I went for a massage. Prices are more expensive than in Pattaya, but still inexpensive. Prices from 100 to 400 baht. The price is in the photo. At 18.00 I went to rest in my room, take a shower and get ready for dinner. I almost overslept it... Island life and 100% oxygen - you can put matches in your eyes as early as 18.30 pm!
.
DINNER. At 19.30-20.30. And again disappointment! They gave me two potatoes and a piece of meat! I can no longer see these “overseas delicacies” in Perm, but they brought them to me for dinner on the island... Moreover, they are not tasty either! With them was a plate of watermelon/pineapple fruit and again a 1.5 liter bottle of water, which I didn’t even touch, I took a small Chang beer - 60 baht by the way, a large one 100 baht. By the way, there is one romantic moment in the dinner: the restaurant workers lay out a large carpet right on the beach and place tables with short legs on it. People sit almost on the floor, on special pillows. The seats were taken in 2 minutes, everyone really wanted to sit next to the sea at such a table!
.
EVENING. After dinner we were invited to watch a fire show; it was included in the program. It happened three times, because... The beach line is very long. After the show, everyone was invited to launch a FLASHLIGHT OF HAPPINESS into the sky. Price 200 baht. You could buy it at the bar. Don't forget to make a wish, it will come true very soon, I checked! There were practically no RUSSIANS on the island; I can confidently say 80% were foreigners. There are a lot of French and Belgians.
.
DISCO. 21.00-03.00. Almost no one danced at the disc, everyone sat next to the restaurant at tables and simply relaxed, enjoying the beautiful night views of the island to pleasant music. We also spent the evening drinking low alcohol drinks and chatting with new friends outside the restaurant. The BAR worked exactly until 24.00 (I don’t know beyond that, I went to bed). The price tag for drinks is not high, in the range of 100-200 baht.
.
NIGHT. 0.00-8.30 I went to bed. I don’t remember how I fell asleep, apparently the sea air + alcohol did their job, and as soon as I touched my head to the pillow, I immediately fell asleep. The disco didn't interfere much; the sound was certainly audible, but not critical.
.
BREAKFAST. 7.00-10.00. In the morning I woke up at 8.30, took a swim and went to breakfast. There were only a few people on the beach, the water pleasantly cooled the body. Breakfast is what you really need to take with it hotel! Eggs, bacon, sausages, rice and coffee + rice soup with meat. Everything you need for a good start to the day!
.
At 12.00 they asked to vacate the room, took my things, and handed over the key to the “reception”. Things were collected in a bag, and I went on to sunbathe and swim.
.
16.45-17.00. Gathering, boarding the boat, we move to the mainland pier.

.
TAKE WITH YOU ON THE ROAD. Sunscreen, sunglasses, swimming goggles, a towel, two pairs of swimsuits, a bottle of drinking water, a hat, a cell phone, a camera + whatever chargers are needed and money 2000 baht.
.
CELLULAR CONNECTION on the island is rather poor. DTAC is very bad, TRUE is good.
.
MOTIK. ATV. On the island you can rent mopeds and two-wheelers of various capacities. I didn’t find out the cost, but I think rent costs from 300-500 baht per day, deposit from 1000-2000 baht.
.
INFORMATION varies between necessary and unnecessary. The company did not fulfill everything it promised. 1. They promised 4* on the seashore. Actually 3* - but no complaints, the room is cool, but the seashore is a relative concept. In the photographs, the first line is really far from the water and from the window it is certainly not visible from more than one room. 2. Tickets to the park. They didn’t give us tickets anywhere, apparently tickets to the park are a ticket to the island. 3. Fire show. We even watched it three times, no questions asked. 4. All meals included. Instead, meals are served on a breakfast/lunch/dinner basis. As you understand, there is a difference.
.
NATIONAL PAKR AND SAMET ATTRACTIONS. When purchasing a ticket, we were promised tickets to a park on the island, but the guides forgot about this upon arrival. Perhaps there is no park on the island, because the island is a park. There are waterfalls and other advantages on the island, I did not study, I have very little time. You need to go for at least 5 days to understand and see it. If anyone can give me some advice on the places on the island, I would be grateful!
.
I RECOMMEND. Go to this island and to this hotel according to the system without meals or only breakfasts. The food is inexpensive, the full price menu is in the photo report. Friends went for two days without food for 1800 baht, but to the neighboring hotel– I think they did the right thing! I definitely wouldn’t eat 1400 baht for three times...
.
RESULT. Overall I really enjoyed the trip! I repeat - next time I will try to go for five days, and immediately upon arrival. This type of relaxation, although boring, is very relaxing. It feels like the brain first turns into a liquid state, and then into a gaseous state. With such relaxation, nothing can be kept in my head at all!!!
Would I go there again? Of course yes!!! And I will recommend this to all my friends hotel and this type of recreation. Travel! Ko Samet Island is worth it!!!

When I was planning the route for the first month of my trip, I wanted to see as many beautiful places as possible. The plan was to move towards Koh Chang, where we wanted to celebrate the New Year, and then go to visa, combined with a mini-trip around the country.

In this direction, I was interested in the island of Samet, because on the Google map it was marked as a national reserve.

After googling a little about Samet, I found out that it is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, which made me more determined to look there. At the same time, there was very little information in Russian; someone wrote that there was nothing to do on the island, although the views were beautiful. And that’s exactly what I needed, I wanted a little silence and relaxation after.

The Internet describes several ways to get to Koh Samet from Bangkok:

• the easiest one is to order a transfer at your hotel or buy a transfer at one of the tourist offices, of which there are plenty, for example, on a Tour you can buy for 300-350 baht, so if you don’t want to bother about the road, you can just buy a tour;
• from the Ekkamai bus station by bus to the pier, and from there by ferry (that’s how I went);
• first to the center of Rayong province, and from there - by minibus to Ban Phe + ferry (or speed boat);
• Well, the most comfortable option is to get to Ban Phe Pier by taxi. Taxis can be found either at your hotel (or at the airport, if you want to go to Samet immediately upon arrival) or online on this website.

From Pattaya you can go on an excursion (as most tourists do) - just .

In general, any option involves a ferry (or boat), because this is an island, and there is no other way to get there (there is no airport on Samet, it is a very tiny island).

Location on the map:

And if you are used to planning everything in advance, or simply prefer to use the Internet, then you can buy a ticket online on this website. Bus from Khao San + ferry will cost you 500 baht.

Thais themselves often go to Samet on weekends (due to its proximity to Bangkok), on these days all the hotels are full, so it was decided to go on weekdays. I wanted to go on Tuesday, but it didn’t work out because of the weather, so I went on Wednesday.

To get to Samet Island, I used the following route: first to the eastern bus station in Bangkok Ekkamai, from there by bus to the village, and from there by ferry to the island.

2. My route

I packed my backpack and hit the road! These are all my things:

Google showed that from my guest house you can get to the bus station by city bus 72 in 45 minutes. There were other options, but with transfers, but I wanted to get there easier. How wrong I was :)

The bus traveled for an hour and a half through gigantic morning traffic jams! So my plan to leave on a 10 o’clock bus, while still having time to have breakfast, failed successfully. It’s good that at least I managed to grab a bag of fruit on the way.

In general, bus route 72 intersects with the metro line, the best option would have been to transfer to it, but for some reason I lost my mind and went by bus. And there is a metro station right next to the bus station. I left at 8.20 and was at the station at about 10.15. I was still lost after stopping. Google refused to show the station itself on the map, so I had to search. Looks like that:

It’s convenient that at the station itself there is its own ticket office for each direction and the price is immediately written. I bought a one-way ticket (173 baht) and a round-trip ferry ticket (100 baht).

Ekkamai bus station ticket office

I just couldn’t understand the ticket saleswoman what she wanted to say, then she finally wrote to me on a piece of paper that the bus was leaving from terminal 23. I went there, bought a bun for the trip and settled on the bus.

The bus looked like this:

Bus Bangkok - Ban Phe

Comfortable and, as always, air conditioned. I regretted that I didn’t get warm socks closer, my feet were very cold, it’s good that I had a sweatshirt. Then, however, it warmed up, the air conditioning was apparently turned down. The tickets came with free water, which was handed out as soon as we left. The road is simply excellent, but it was a little shaking only towards the end of the journey. And so, most of the road could be easily read. I really had no time for reading, I was staring out the window. For the first time in my life I saw a pineapple plantation, it’s a pity the photo didn’t work out.

The only thing is that as soon as you get off the bus, you immediately notice the strong smell of fish. Well, that’s probably how it should be in fishing villages :)

You can immediately buy a bus ticket:

We were dropped off right next to the pier, from which boats depart for:

You have to pay 200 baht to enter the island; if you are a foreigner, it’s cheaper for children. But I read that they charge a fee on the island itself, and only if you arrive by taxi from the pier. In general, I was hoping to save money, but it didn’t work out. Now you need to pay at the pier in, they give you a sticker and a map of the island with the ferry schedule.

I paid, waited until there were 20 people on the ferry, and off we went. The island is very close, but we swam for about 40 minutes, very slowly. There is, of course, an option on a speedboat, but it is significantly more expensive.

Sea view from Ban Phe Pier:

The boat has life jackets, the inside of the boat looks like this:

And this is the view from the boat of the pier from which we sailed, such a flimsy structure:

We sail to such a pier (I had to go to the pier Na Dan, but ferries also go to others):

A figure calls from the depths of the sea...

I walk through this tunnel to the shore:

You have to pay more right away 10 baht for a taxi (pick-up trucks are used as taxis), delivers to hotels.

Pickup parking is right here, on the square in front of the pier:

3. Search for a hotel

I was traveling without any reservation, so I just got out somewhere along the road when I saw signs about housing for rent. It was a couple of hours before darkness, so I needed to find something quickly.

There is plenty of housing, but the prices do not correspond to the conditions:

Main street from Na Dan Pier

I simply went into every house where there was a sign and asked if there were any free rooms with a fan. What I watched was from 500 baht per night, but somehow very scary, even with hot water and an individual shower. I looked at it for 1000-2000 per night, the prices are just terrible, but there’s nothing special inside. In the end I stopped here:

Bungalow at the Sinsamut Hotel on Koh Samet
Bungalow at the Sinsamut Hotel on Koh Samet

View inside the bungalow:

The toilet is decorated in a very unusual way; in general, all the doors in the bungalow are two boards that can be moved. The gaps, of course, remain gigantic.

Unusual toilet/shower

It’s a very nice house, and I’d like to live in a wooden bungalow)

The hotel is called Sinsamut. Price 800 baht per night(bungalow) and key deposit 200 baht: In addition to bungalows, the hotel also has just rooms, options with and without air conditioning, the sign is like this:

What is included: A fan, a bunch of sockets, a mosquito net on the bed (without it there is no point in staying at all, because there are plenty of mosquitoes), a refrigerator, a TV (and why is it needed, it probably increases the cost), a toilet, a shower with hot water (depending on in fact, there was a very weak trickle, but this is a feature of the island, there is no fresh water here, all is brought from the mainland), free wifi, does not work in the room, only downstairs.

Yes, it’s expensive, and you can probably find something decent for less money, but I already wanted to fall somewhere, and I didn’t want to go looking deep into the island, especially since I was afraid that I wouldn’t find this place later. I thought that it was only for 3 nights, especially since I managed to save money. By the way, the beach is 5 minutes away, the beach is excellent, the sand is white, but there are a lot of people.

About the people. There are plenty of Russians! It turns out that it is very close to Pattaya, so everyone goes for a beach holiday. This explains the terrible cost for Ty. Even Russian inscriptions were found:

Massage parlor sign in Russian!

How to get to Samet: all about how to get to the paradise island of Samet from Phuket, Bangkok, Pattaya and other parts of Thailand.

• Last minute tours Worldwide

The path to Samet can be roughly divided into two stages: the road to Bangkok or Pattaya, and from there to the Bang Phe pier, from which ferries and speedboats depart for the island.

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

From Bangkok

Having arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport, you need to get to the capital's Eastern Bus Station, also known as Ekamai. This can be done by buses No. 40, 71, 501 and 545 (fare 173-200 THB) or the state taxi Taxi-Meter (1800-2000 THB). Buses to Bang Phe start departing at 4:40 and end at 20:30, the interval is 30-40 minutes. Flights are operated by two carriers: Cherdchai Tour and Rayong Tour. Return ticket cost: 200-300 THB depending on the class of bus. Travel time: 4 hours. Passenger disembarkation is right next to the pier. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

From Pattaya

There are no direct regular bus routes from Pattaya Airport to Bang Phe. But thanks to the relatively short distance (60 km) and the low cost of a Thai taxi, you can get to the pier comfortably in 50 minutes and 500-700 THB. The second option is to take a minibus to Nakhon Chai bus station (150 THB), take a bus there to Rayong (200 THB), and in Rayong take a songhaeve (pickup) to Bang Phe (50 THB).

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

From Bang Phe Pier to Samet

Arriving in Bang Phe, you need to take a ferry or speedboat, which will take passengers directly to Samet. Ferries go to the island every hour, spend 30 minutes at sea and cost 80-100 THB. Speedboats depart as soon as they are full of passengers. Travel there costs 300-400 THB, but travel time is reduced to 10-20 minutes.

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

The island is part of a nature reserve, so staying on it is paid: 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child. You can pay for the pass when purchasing a ferry ticket or upon arrival on the island. The document issued as confirmation of payment must be kept until the end of your vacation on Samet.