Koh Samet Island (also spelled Koh Samed) is one of the favorite beach destinations for Thais living in Bangkok. It’s no surprise, as the island offers white sandy beaches and turquoise waters in a stunning setting just a few hours away from Bangkok, without needing to take a plane.
In just a short time, you can find yourself in paradise, and that’s why we’re here to tell you how to get from Bangkok to Koh Samet, whether you’re planning to stay for one night or much longer.
The journey from Bangkok to Koh Samet is about 220 kilometers, and while you will need to take a boat that takes at most an hour from the mainland to the island, there are no options to fly or take a train, so the road is the only choice. Luckily, it’s a quick and straightforward trip.
The fastest way to get to Koh Samet from Bangkok, if you don’t have private transportation or don’t want to take a taxi, is to buy a combined bus and boat ticket, which will take no more than four hours from the capital to the island.
Combined trips always depart from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) (map), conveniently located next to the Ekkamai BTS Station. Tickets cost around nine euros, and for added convenience, you can buy your tickets in advance on 12GoAsia. We recommend purchasing them ahead of time.
Buses usually depart between 8:00 and 9:30 in the morning, taking about two hours on the road, followed by a short wait for the ferry that will take you to the island in about an hour.
Please note that upon arrival, foreigners must pay a 200-baht entry fee to access Koh Samet, as the entire area is a national park.
Although it doesn’t save much time, you can travel from Bangkok to Koh Samet privately, without relying on public transportation. The first step is to take a taxi to Ban Phe Pier (map). Just tell the driver that you’re headed to Koh Samet, and they’ll know where to go. The metered taxi fare should cost around 1,400 baht, or roughly 36 euros at the current exchange rate.
If you have rented a car, you can park it at the port for 200 baht. From there, you’ll find several options to get to Koh Samet. The simplest option is to buy a round-trip ferry ticket for 100 baht, or you can choose a one-way seat on a speedboat for around eight euros.
In that case, instead of an hour, you can reach the island in just fifteen minutes, and you can even ask to be dropped off at a location other than the main port.
Now that you know how to get from Bangkok to Koh Samet easily, you’ll see that the island is very close to the capital, making it possible to plan a quick getaway for just one night if you’re short on time.
