oh Samet is probably the most convenient island to Bangkok and Pattaya. You’ll need to get yourself to Ban Phe Pier and wait for a ferry to fill up with people, or pay for a private speedboat. The speedboat option isn’t that expensive and offers a faster 20min crossing compared the slower 40 min ferry crossing. I opted for the speedboat and it offered a great (if wind-blown) views. They’ll try to upsell you on purchasing round trip tickets at the pier, but there’s no need for this.

You can pick up a big floppy hat and some sunglasses at the pier if you don’t already have some – you’ll need them.

1. Things to see

The island has changed a lot, it used to be on the backpacker trail, but rising prices and the encroachment of resorts has mostly filtered out the backpackers. Diamond Beach (Haad Sai Kaew) and Ao Phai probably offer the most in terms of restaurants, bars, and activities.

In the past, there was a lone dirt road that stretched the 6.5km distance from north to far south tip of the island. You’d rent a large dirt bike for the day and could stop at each cove and check out the views and see what kind of bungalows were offered – some were just a series of small huts along the beach, others more modern concrete block (but still rustic)… It was a great way to get photos of 15+ beaches and see some beautiful views, but also a very rough ride you’d have to share with snakes that would slither across the road from one side of the jungle to the other.

Now the road is fully paved and market, they’ve put in large speed-bumps every few meters which remove much of the fun out of riding down the island. Most of the beaches are private now and off-limits to the casual tourist unless you’ve booked a stay at them. This is a shame for the explorer, also the loss of the sense of accomplishment of reaching the southern tip. If you can read signs and keep your butt on the motorbike for an hour you’re sure to make it. Progress marches on.

The benefits of which are apparent with beautiful resorts like Sai Kaew Beach Resort; two infinity pools with upscale bungalows facing the pools. It’s a great escape from Bangkok for a long weekend or a side trip into silence from the carnival that is Pattaya.

If you have more time, there are more ‘authentic’ islands further afield.

I enjoyed my stay at Sai Kaew Beach Resort but after a few days relocated down to a smaller beach to Samed Cabana Resort – this isn’t a proper a ‘resort’ – just simple air-conditioned rooms that face a raised pool and are close to the beach. It wasn’t fancy, but simple and fun in a way that the larger resorts and masses of people lacked.

There are still some simple fan-only bungalows with nets over the beds to be had on the island but each season they seem to be getting more difficult to find.

Moody sunset on the beach of Haad Sai Kaew

One of the beautiful pools at Sai Kaew Beach Resort

Unicorn floats for rent, beach dogs, floppy beach-hat, a bungalow and jet-ski all make for a great vacation.

Beach life!

One of the quieter beaches

One of the quieter beaches

2. Nightlife

There’s not much to do on the island and that’s the point. Lay on the beach during the day, eat some seafood in the evening and hit a few bars at night. Silver Sands and Naga Beach Club are still around, along with some new players. They offer cheap bucket drinks and good mojitos with day-glow splashed wall ambiance that doesn’t quite realize the backpackers have moved on. Depending on the night and crowd they can be dead-empty or packed. Weekends, holidays and full moons are better for crowds.

Fire shows on most of the populated beaches each night

Naga Disco and Silver Sands are old standbys for inexpensive drinks and buckets of cheap whisky and coke (with multiple straws to share within a group)

3. Spend

When I was there last, there were only two 7elevens, so there’s not much to buy on the island – a bunch of tourist stalls for Koh Samet magnets, sarongs, bathing suits, beach towels, flip flops, sunscreen, snacks, and similar goods. There were no larger stores that I noticed. We had to visit the one clinic on the island and it was very basic, for anything serious you’d need to get back to the mainland.

4. Food

The resorts have their kitchens with all the expected local and foreign offerings. At night, on the beach, there are multiple barbecues set up. You stroll by and pick out your seafood, they’ll grill it and bring it to your beach table – usually, a low (leaning) bamboo table affair where you lay on a triangular cushion on the sand and eat and drink, it’s inexpensive and average but a romantic if sandy experience.

Dinner on the beach, breakfast at a resort and lunch from a small vendor

5. Getting Around

Getting around is pretty simple, for the most part just walk. At night you’ll need a flashlight, your cellphone will do if you have a charge. Alternately you can rent a motorbike, or jump in the back of a Songthaew (pickup truck taxis) that plow the road from the main beaches.

The private speedboat ride to the island offers some great photos

6. Costs

In Koh Samet comfort comes at cost while basic is cheap. You can get very rudimentary bungalows for under 1,000 baht a night, or spend 12,000 a night on an upscale bungalow facing the pool. Food and beer are inexpensive and there’s not much to spend on, renting floats, jet skis or water-sports. It can be an inexpensive vacation if you get the right price for your accommodation.

7. Tips

I’d start at one fo the busier beaches and at a nicer resort; like Sai Kaew Beach Resort, at least for a few nights. Enjoy the design, ambiance, and nightlife on offer. Then head down south to some of the smaller and simpler offerings to get a taste for what Samet was like years ago when it was more remote and innocent.

You can still get inexpensive massages on the beach under the palm trees, watch fire spinning shows at night, send up candle fueled sky lantern, skinny dip (in the shadows) of some of the clubs and generally have your fill of beach life while just being a few hours from Bangkok civilization.