Koh Samet from Pattaya: day trip, ferries and costs

Koh Samet lies off the coast of Rayong province, east of Pattaya. It is a narrow island of white sand bays strung down its east coast, protected as part of Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park. Boats leave from the fishing town of Ban Phe, about 81 km by road from central Pattaya, and land at Na Dan pier at the island's north end.

How do you get from Pattaya to Ban Phe pier?

There is no direct public bus from Pattaya to Ban Phe. The choice is between a private car, a shared van and a slow chain of local transport.

For a day trip, a car is the only option that leaves enough time on the island. Book the return car in advance: taxis do not wait at Ban Phe in the late afternoon. From U-Tapao airport the pier is 68 km, roughly an hour.

How the apps and fixed-fare taxis work in town is explained in getting around Pattaya.

Which pier and which boat should you take?

Ban Phe has several piers within walking distance of each other. Nuan Thip is the main one, with the ferry counters, the bus stop and paid parking at about 50 to 100 THB a day. Three kinds of boat cross to the island.

The wooden ferry is the cheap, steady choice. Speedboats land directly on the beach, which means wading ashore with your bag, and every passenger must wear the life jacket provided. Be back at Na Dan by 16:30 for the last boats; if you miss them, a charter is the only way off.

How much is the national park fee?

Almost the whole island is national park. Foreign visitors pay 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child; Thai visitors pay 40 THB and 20 THB. A Thai driving licence or work permit does not earn the Thai price. The fee is paid in cash at the park checkpoint after you land, or to a ranger on the sand if a speedboat puts you straight on a beach. Na Dan pier also charges a 20 THB landing fee. Keep the ticket for the length of your stay: rangers check it.

Which beaches are worth your time?

All the swimming beaches are on the east coast except one. Green pick-up songthaews wait at Na Dan and run down the island's single road: 20 to 60 THB per person shared to the northern beaches, 200 to 600 THB to charter one to the far south.

• Sai Kaew: the main beach, about ten minutes on foot from the pier. Long, wide and powdery, with the most restaurants, loungers and watersports, and the most people.
• Ao Phai: the next bay south, smaller and livelier in the evening, with beach restaurants and bars.
• Ao Tub Tim: a short, quieter bay with good swimming.
• Ao Wong Duan: a crescent bay halfway down the island with gentle, shallow water that suits families. Some ferries run here directly.
• Ao Phrao: the only beach on the west coast, calm and facing the sunset, with upmarket resorts.
• Ao Wai: near the southern end, the quietest of the main bays, with few vendors.

On a day trip, stay at Sai Kaew or walk on to Ao Phai and Ao Tub Tim. The southern bays need a night on the island to be worth the ride.

Can you do Koh Samet as a day trip from Pattaya?

Yes, with an early start. A realistic day looks like this:

1. 07:00: leave Pattaya by car.
2. 08:30: arrive at Ban Phe, buy boat tickets, take the fast ferry or a shared speedboat.
3. 09:00 to 09:30: land, pay the park fee, reach Sai Kaew Beach.
4. 09:30 to 16:00: beach, lunch at a beachfront restaurant, a walk to Ao Phai.
5. 16:00 to 16:30: boat back to Ban Phe, where your booked car is waiting.
6. 18:00 to 18:30: back in Pattaya.

That gives six to seven hours on the island for three to four hours of travel. An overnight stay changes the trip: the day visitors leave by late afternoon, the beach restaurants set tables on the sand and the morning swim is yours alone. Rooms are scarce and dearer on weekends and Thai public holidays, when Bangkok comes to the island.

If one day is all you have and you want less time on the road, Koh Larn is 45 minutes by ferry from Bali Hai Pier.

Is an organised tour better than going independently?

Day tours from Pattaya bundle hotel pick-up between 07:00 and 07:30, the van, a return speedboat, the park fee, an island taxi, lunch and insurance, and bring you back between 18:00 and 18:30. Expect roughly 1,200 to 1,800 THB per person depending on what is included. The time on the island is about five hours, mostly at Sai Kaew and Ao Phai.

Tours run to a fixed timetable: the boat leaves the island at about 15:30 whatever the weather or your mood, and lunch is a set menu at one restaurant. Read the meeting point and the cancellation terms before paying, and confirm the pick-up time with the operator the evening before.

A tour is the cheaper way for one or two people and removes the question of the return car. Going independently costs less per head from three people up, and you choose your beach, your lunch and your boat home. Check that any tour price states the park fee and lunch in writing.

What should you bring, and when is the best time to go?

• Cash: the park fee, songthaews and small restaurants are cash only, and ATMs are few outside the Na Dan and Sai Kaew area.
• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a dry bag for the speedboat.
• Shoes you can wade in if you take a speedboat.
• A light layer for the air-conditioned van.

Koh Samet is one of the drier islands in Thailand and can be visited all year. The sea is calmest from November to April; from May to October short storms pass and the crossing is choppier, with swimming flags on the beaches to respect. Seasons are detailed in the best time to visit Pattaya.