Ko Samet Transportation

We booked the trip to Ko Samet from Holland. But there's a booking agency at the coast in front of the island. It's in a place called Ban Phe (17 km. east of Rayong).
There you can book a stay on the Ao Prao resort or Sai Kaew Beach resort (same owner), both beautiful resorts next to each other at Ao Prao beach.

This boat from Ban Phe to Ao Prao leaves a couple time a day (at the message bord at the booking agency). We left at 1.30 PM to arrive in 30 minutes at Ao Prao beach.
There's a short stop at Laem Noi Na at the North side of the island.

It's a nice boat, really Thai and colourfull.

If you want to get faster at Koh Samet you can hire a speed boat at the little harbour from Ban phe; but this will cost you a lot more.....!!!

From Bangkok and back to Ban Phe, I have taken the bus, minibus, meter taxis but the last few years use Image limo who have safe drivers (in short supply in Thailand). Maybe not the cheapest but excellent service.

We travelled from Pattaya to Koh Samet and believe we found the cheapest way to get there.
First, to Sukhumvit Road and catch the Rayong bus that passes frequently, this cost 60THB.
At Rayong bus station at the side of the ticket counters was a pick up bus which cost us 20THB to the pier and then we paid 50THB for the ferry which leaves when it has 20 customers. Total price 130THB.

The ferry to Samet leaves from Banpe Pier, Rayong everyday, from 07.00 until 17.00 .It goes to 3 piers on Samet Island, which are Thadan Pier (25min), Praw Pier (30min), Vong Duen Pier (45min).

You can hire also a speed boat from Banpe Pier to Samet , which costs around 1,000 Baht

Getting TO/AROUND: You can catch a air-con bus to Banpe Pier at Ekamai or Morchit Bus Station.The fare is about 157 baht and buses leaves regularly .The trip takes 3-4 hours depending on the trafic going out of Bangkok

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It will take about 2.5 hours to drive to Ban Phe town using a private car.
The cost of transfer from Bangkok to Ban Phe Pier is approximately 2,500-3,000 baht per car/taxi.

The highway was in good condition and mostly we travelled between 100-120 km/hour. Although traffic was quite heavy getting out of Bangkok, it was pretty smooth flowing once we got out of Bangkok. Nearing Rayong, we found quite a few traffic lights which made the journey slower than we had expected.
(more details on how to get to Ban Phe & Samet are listed under my "Things to Do")


Note to Malaysians: By comparison to Malaysian expressways, the highways here are not as straight and because of the heavy vehicles, you won't be able to speed along quite so easilly. If you are taking the bus/coach, please be prepared to spend twice as long, around 4-5 hours on the coach for the same journey.

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In order to get to Ko Samet from Bangkok, you would firstly need to drive to the town of Ban Phe. There are several highways out of Bangkok and onto Ban Phe/Rayong area.

1) Take the highway to Pattaya using Highway No 34 (Bang Na Trat) (pay a combined toll of 60 baht), and from there it is about 60 km to BanPhe/Rayong on Highway 36.

2) The more direct route is to take the highway 34 from Bangkok to Chon Buri, and then Highway No. 344 (Ban Bung-Klaeng), then turn into Highways No. 331 and No. 36 to Ban Phe/Rayong.

Since I got into Nadan pier I saw many local buses waiting for visitors. You can easily notice as they are all in green color. You can go like a share bus or just hire them private as a taxi. I took a bus for 10 Baht to Hat Sai Kaew Beach which is so close! Wow didn’t know that so on the way back I just walked. The street seems to be good only distance from pier to Hat Sai Kaew Beach after that it looks like a little adventure way!