If you’ve come this far, it’s because you want to know whether Koh Samet is really worth visiting. To help you understand our opinion, let me share something first.
Like most people, visiting beaches and islands is one of our favorite things to do when traveling. We love landscapes full of palm trees and enjoy sipping coconuts while lounging in a hammock. And when it comes to the underwater world, we can spend hours snorkeling, captivated by any coral reef.
If you’ve read any of our travel guides for Thailand, you’ll notice that we’ve explored nearly every country with a coastline. And of all the islands we’ve visited, we prefer the secluded ones—those with beaches where you can escape the crowds.
However, during our travels through Southeast Asia, we’ve sometimes come across destinations that, despite our love for beaches, have made us want to leave. One of those places is Koh Samet, which we’ll talk about today.
We arrived in Koh Samet after spending some idyllic and peaceful days on the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Kood, where we were impressed by the kindness of the people and the tranquility of the place, even after having visited many destinations in Thailand.
We were traveling with some friends who were finishing their holiday in the capital soon, and we thought, “Well, since we’re passing through, let’s visit another island.” Maybe that’s why, due to the contrast, we were disappointed right from the start.
And so, we went to the famous beach near Bangkok, where locals are said to escape when they need a break from the chaos and stress of the city. But is it really worth it? Far from being an idyllic place, the high prices, crowds, and numerous boats docking at its beaches can overshadow its natural beauty.
Additionally, on windy days, the eastern beaches have such strong currents that they’re not worth visiting. We were so disappointed that we’d only recommend this island if you’re really set on going to the beach and have ruled out all other options for one reason or another.
Koh Samet has a similar climate to Koh Kood and Koh Phangan. Here’s a breakdown of the seasons:
Travel Tip: Check out our article on the best time to visit Thailand for month-by-month climate information.
It’s essential to travel to Thailand with comprehensive insurance. We were among the first to offer the popular 5% IATI discount, and you can now get it with Heymondo Travel Insurance as well. You can find more information about both companies through the links provided above, or you can access the discount directly using the buttons below (in both cases, you’ll see the reduced final price on their website):
While many hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in Thailand offer free Wi-Fi, some travelers prefer or need a constant connection. We’ve included details on obtaining a eSIM Thailand card with unlimited data (from Holafly) or with fixed data but cheaper (from Saily).
If you want to get it directly, here’s the link (with a discount) for both companies:
Most people travel from either Bangkok or from Koh Kood or Koh Chang. Here’s how you can get there:
Bus + ferry: From Ekkamai Bus Station, take a bus from Bangkok to Ban Phe Pier in Rayong (about a 3-hour journey). From there, you can take a ferry to the island.
The Boonsiri company sells combined bus + ferry tickets, which you can purchase through 12go Asia, and some agencies sell minivan + ferry tickets.
You can also travel from Koh Kood or Koh Chang with the Boonsiri company. The ticket includes two ferry rides (one to Trat Pier and another from Rayong Pier) and the bus transfer between the two (there’s no direct ferry to Koh Samet, so you have to travel by road between the two ports).
The busiest beach is Had Sai Kaew, located in the northeast. Upon arrival, you’ll need to pay the National Park entrance fee, which is valid for several days and covers the entire island (200THB). However, despite the name “National Park,” the first thing you see is an asphalt street lined with shops that you need to cross to reach the beach.
Here, you’ll find lots of people, especially groups taking photos on the sand. We didn’t stay long and only spent enough time there to take a few pictures.
I found Ao Wai to be one of the prettiest beaches because of its beautiful water color, even though the currents and waves that day weren’t very inviting for swimming. However, more than the wind, what we didn’t like was having to pass through a resort to access the beach. So, after a quick dip, we left.
Looking at photos of this beach online and comparing them with ours, I think the issue was that the high tide, caused by the currents, forced us to stay practically inside the resort. It’s a shame we didn’t experience this part of the island on a calmer day, as it must be stunning.
We stopped at Ao Kiu Na Nok out of curiosity since it was on our way, but the sea was so rough, and the beach was covered in foam, so we quickly moved on. The only photo we took is this one, and the experience was similar to the previous beach. I’m sure it must be much better with calm seas.
Ao Prao is the beach where you can watch the sunset, and it’s perfect if the wind is too strong on the east coast. However, as mentioned earlier, it’s a bit overcrowded with resorts and packed with boats during peak hours.
As you can see from the photos, the water is crystal clear and clean—something rare on many Southeast Asian beaches (definitely a plus!).
Once the boats leave, the beach becomes a much more enjoyable spot for swimming. But when the excursion boats arrive, the beach gets crowded with people stopping for lunch. At one end of the beach, agencies set up tables with food for the tourists who come to eat there.
In the southern part of Koh Samet, there are a couple of viewpoints where you can see the small island of Koh Chan. Other than taking a few photos, there’s not much else to do there, so it’s not worth visiting unless you have your own vehicle. The good news is that you don’t have to pay to access these viewpoints.
After exploring the island and not finding any beach that truly stood out, we spent our time lounging around the restaurants near our accommodation in the north. They were expensive, but at least they had a pleasant atmosphere and great views.
You can also book a boat trip to visit other beaches or nearby islands around Koh Samet.
Here are a few options:
And for those who want to give back and help keep the archipelago clean, you can become a “trash hero” for a day. This initiative aims to keep the islands free of waste, with volunteers going out once a week to clean up. In return, they’re rewarded with a meal.
Accommodation on Koh Samet is generally more expensive than in other areas. As we’ve already mentioned, the island is full of resorts, though there are some accommodations available for between 10 and 20 euros, but these are rare.
We’ve listed accommodations by price range (from cheapest to most expensive), so you can choose the one that best suits your budget.
Exploring the underwater world is a fascinating yet sometimes daunting activity. Simply putting on a diving mask and peering beneath the surface reveals a whole new world of colors and unfamiliar life forms.
However, this world needs to be cared for and respected. If you’re planning to include snorkeling in your trip and want to ensure your presence doesn’t negatively impact the ecosystem, consider learning about responsible diving practices (whether with or without a tank).
I remember stopping at a restaurant opposite Had Sai Kaew and being shocked at the price of Pad Thai: 280 baht. Was it topped with caviar? Eating at restaurants on Koh Samet means doubling your budget. Needless to say, accommodation prices are much higher than in other parts of Thailand… If you’re looking for a budget-friendly island, this definitely isn’t it.
You can rent a motorbike and explore the island at your own pace, or you can take a taxi. These taxis are pickup trucks that usually transport groups of people from one beach to another, at least to the main ones.
Click on the image and it will take you to a new Google Maps window with all the points of interest to travel around Koh Samet.
Koh Samet is a fairly small island, located about 4 hours from Bangkok. To be honest, it is quite pretty, with turquoise waters and some viewpoints where you can admire the neighboring islets. With a rented motorbike, you can ride across the entire island, stopping at the beaches at a leisurely pace.
However, for us, the issue lies in the type of tourism it attracts, or more specifically, how the island has been developed.
Resorts have been built right on the beaches, sometimes making it hard to tell where the asphalt ends, and the sand begins. But it doesn’t stop there, these hotels not only take over the beach, but some of them also prevent non-guests from accessing their stretch of sand.
That’s what happened to us on Ao Prao Beach. They wouldn’t even let us use the sun loungers that took up the entire space—not even when we tried to buy a drink—forcing us to sit at the restaurant tables. Why did they think we were wearing bikinis? Anyway…
Frustrated after our first attempt to get closer to the water, and after paying too much for a coconut that was too warm, we decided to head to one of the far ends where no resort had exclusive rights.
As you can see from the photos, the beach is beautiful, but where there aren’t resorts, there’s no sand to sit on. On top of that, this is where many boat tours stop for lunch, so you can imagine how crowded it gets at certain times of the day.
On the other hand, the beaches on the east side are very beautiful, with some having mesmerizing turquoise waters. To be fair, part of our disappointment might have been amplified by the strong winds during our visit, which prevented us from fully appreciating the true beauty of some of the best beaches.
But honestly, it’s hard to enjoy a place when you can’t find a spot to lay out your towel, and it’s frustrating to have to walk through resorts just to reach the water, especially if you’re looking for a more secluded experience.
To top it off, it’s expensive.
I remember stopping at a restaurant across from Had Sai Kaew and being shocked at the price of Pad Thai: 280 baht. Was it topped with caviar? Dining at the restaurants on Koh Samet will double your budget. Needless to say, accommodation prices are also much higher than in other parts of Thailand. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly island, this definitely isn’t it.
I think it’s clear that, after our experience, we’re unlikely to return to Koh Samet. But, of course, it’s all a matter of taste. After years of traveling through Southeast Asia, we’ve seen many beaches, and in our minds, the ideal beach is a combination of all our favorites, which makes it difficult to find one that meets all our expectations, especially with the fast pace of development and environmental degradation.
In its favor, I will say that it is clean. We didn’t see the overwhelming amount of trash that you often find in other areas. Additionally, we noticed signs encouraging people not to use plastic bags or foam containers. However, we all know how quickly things can change for the worse… let’s hope that doesn’t happen here!
What draws so many people from Bangkok to Koh Samet? The main reason is its proximity to the capital, as I mentioned earlier. But the island itself is quite beautiful.
If you don’t mind crowds and your idea of a beach includes a beachfront resort, a few beers, and some sun loungers to relax on, then Koh Samet won’t overwhelm you like it did us—you’ll probably enjoy it thoroughly.
Since we didn’t want to leave without giving it a fair shot, we explored the entire island and took some photos. At least we can say we gave it a try!
Well, we wouldn’t recommend it to friends who have similar tastes to ours, but it wasn’t a hardship to spend a couple of days there. To be fair, we’ll show you the beaches, and you can judge for yourself.
Our humble personal opinion is that it’s not worth it. If you have time, we recommend heading to another area or a larger island where, at the very least, you’ll have more activities to do if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
