Koh Samet is a great place to visit even during the low season.

In early August, my friends and I had the opportunity and free time to take a short trip to Koh Samet Island in Rayong Province. This article is a sharing of our travel experiences, which may not be very detailed, but it may provide some information for friends who are interested and want to travel like us. Let's not go into a long introduction, let's go on a trip!


[All photos were taken with a Nikon D90 camera + Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens and Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens]


Our journey to Koh Samet in Rayong began with a shared van ride. We chose "Khrua Khun Pa" van service (which had good reviews online) from the Victory Monument. The van departed from the Center One shopping mall. The fare was 200 baht per person (round-trip tickets were 380 baht). My friends and I bought round-trip tickets from Bangkok to Ban Phe and informed the driver that we were going to the pier for Koh Samet. He kindly drove us directly to the pier. The driver was excellent.


After approximately three and a half hours, we finally arrived at the pier to board the ferry to Koh Samet.

The sky was not clear that day, the clouds were very dark.

Upon arrival, we purchased ferry tickets to Koh Samet at Naul Thippy Pier, a renowned pier frequently featured in Koh Samet travel reviews. The pier offers both slow ferries and speedboats. We opted for the slow ferry, with round-trip tickets costing 100 baht.

While waiting for the boat to depart at one in the afternoon, we went out to find something to eat.

The area in front of the pier is lined with numerous shops selling souvenirs, local products, and processed food.

It was already one o'clock in the afternoon when we boarded the boat. The boat we were on was the same type as the one in the picture.

The journey to Koh Samet offered stunning views of the island, appearing tantalizingly close yet remaining elusive. The laughter underscores the playful frustration of the seemingly endless journey.


After a 40-minute journey, we finally arrived at Koh Samet!

View from the pier

Upon arrival at the pier, a fee of 20 baht per person will be collected. After paying the fee, we walked to the accommodation that I had booked through the website www.booking.com. Our accommodation, Ai Talay, is located near the pier where we disembarked. It took us a short walk to reach the accommodation.

It's low season right now, so my friends and I are the only ones staying here. We have the whole building to ourselves, haha! It's very private.

The lobby (which may appear slightly wider than reality due to the use of a wide-angle lens)

After settling into our accommodation, we wasted no time in searching for a motorbike rental shop. We surveyed the island, and the rental prices at each shop were similar. The shop where I rented offered the following rates:
1 hour: 100 baht
2 hours: 200 baht
24 hours: 300 baht
Naturally, we opted for the 24-hour option, allowing us to ride all day and get our money's worth.

Navigating the island is relatively straightforward. I used a map of the island from www.chillpainai.com in conjunction with Google Maps to find my way to various beaches.

Source: http://www.chillpainai.com/map/6/


The first beach we visited was "Sai Kaew Beach," a famous beach on Koh Samet known for its fine white sand. This beach is popular with tourists, and there were many international visitors, making it a lively and bustling atmosphere.

As mentioned, it was the low season, and the weather was not ideal. Therefore, Haad Sai Kaew beach was not as beautiful as we had expected. (We came at the wrong time.) Haha!

From Haad Sai Kaew, we continued our journey to Ao Thap Thim and Ao Cho. This is the wooden bridge at Ao Cho.

We then continued to Ao Thian, a bay with a secluded beach. We only went in for a short while because it was starting to get late, so we decided to save the rest of the beach for the next day.

On the way back to our accommodation, we came across a岔路口leading to Ao Phrao. Since we were already passing by, we decided to make a quick stop. Ao Phrao was once severely affected by an oil spill incident in July 2013, which led to it being declared a marine disaster area. Three years have passed, and I was curious to see for myself the current state of Ao Phrao.

And that concludes the first day of our trip to Ao Phrao.

On the second morning of our trip, my friend and I were determined to wake up early to watch the sunrise. We headed to Haad Sai Kaew Beach, but when we checked the map, we realized that the beach faced southeast. So, we started looking for a new way to catch the sunrise. We asked the locals on the island and learned that we needed to go to Laem Yai. We eventually found our way there.

By the time we reached the large cape, it was already too late. The sun had risen quite high. However, the view from the top was still quite beautiful. There were no other tourists at the cape besides us, as the path up was quite overgrown and required climbing over rocks. Most tourists tend to take pictures from the rocks below.

In the late morning, we continued our journey to the remaining beaches at the end of the island that we had not yet visited. We came across a viewpoint before reaching "Ao Lung Dam Bay." This viewpoint is located on the western side of the island and features a high cliff with rocks and stunning turquoise water below.

There is a path leading downwards, but I wouldn't recommend going too far down as it gets quite steep.

After enjoying the beautiful view for a while, we continued our journey to "Ao Lung Dam". From my research, this bay has a beautiful wooden bridge that stretches out into the sea. When we arrived, we found the wooden bridge, but it wasn't quite what I had seen in the pictures. Haha! Perhaps it's because this bridge has been through wind and rain for a long time and has become old and dilapidated over time.

Having marveled at the wooden bridge at Ao Lung Dam, we continued on to Ao Wai. Ao Wai boasts a beach with finer white sand and more inviting turquoise waters than any other beach.

From Ao Wai, we will go down to the southernmost point of the island, which is "Laem Phrakarang". The viewpoint at Laem Phrakarang is considered a beautiful place and another sunset viewing point on Koh Samet. For me, Laem Phrakarang is the highlight of visiting Koh Samet.

The descent is quite steep, but the stunning view is worth the climb.

On the other side of the Coral Bay viewpoint, there is a spot to watch the sunset.

On the third day, which was our last day, we checked out of our accommodation and prepared to return to Bangkok by boat and van using the round-trip tickets we had purchased.


The Journey's End: Reflections on Growth and Camaraderie

Our trip has finally come to an end, leaving us with more than just relaxation and rejuvenation. This journey has gifted us with invaluable experiences that extend far beyond the picturesque landscapes and tourist attractions. It has pushed us outside our comfort zones, presented us with opportunities to solve unforeseen challenges, and ultimately, strengthened the bonds of our friendship.

Through this shared adventure, we have witnessed the world in a new light, encountering diverse cultures and breathtaking scenery firsthand. Each unexpected turn and spontaneous decision has honed our problem-solving skills and fostered a sense of adaptability. Moreover, the close quarters and shared experiences have solidified the foundation of our friendship, forging a deeper connection that transcends mere acquaintanceship.

For those who yearn for exploration and personal growth, embarking on a journey with friends is an unparalleled opportunity. It is a chance to break free from routine, embrace the unknown, and discover hidden strengths within ourselves and our companions. So, pack your bags, gather your closest friends, and set off on an adventure that will leave you with memories to cherish and lessons learned that will shape your future endeavors.

Until we meet again on our next journey...

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