Koh Samet: Weekend Getaway Island near Bangkok, Ko Samet, Thailand

If you are looking for a weekend getaway island near Bangkok, Koh Samet is a great choice. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, in the province of Rayong, Koh Samet features white sand beaches, plenty of hotels and resorts catering to any budget, and a vast choice of restaurants and beach bars. 

Also written as Koh Samed or Ko Samet in English language guides and websites, Koh Samet is a somewhat tranquil and cheap alternative to the mainstream Thai islands such as Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, and Phuket. Additionally, many mistaken it for the much popular and touristy Koh Samui island. 

Situated around 220 km from the capital, it’s one of the closest islands near Bangkok famous among the local young crowd to relax and party during the weekend. It’s slowly gaining popularity among foreigners too. Most of the island is part of Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park, meaning that you’ll need to pay a small fee to enter the area: 200 THB for adults and 100 THB for children. 

Using a bus is the easiest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samet island. The buses depart from Ekkamai Bus Terminal and the final destination is Ban-Phe pier, the closest pier to the island. The first bus leaves at 7 a.m and goes till 5 p.m every 1:30hrs. The journey takes around 4 hours until the pier with a short 20-minute toilet/snack break. Buses are comfortable, with enough leg space and air conditioning. Tickets cost 155 THB per person one way. I recommend getting an open-date round-trip ticket. There is no additional fee for such a ticket and it’s just very convenient.  ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).