Planning a trip from Pattaya to Koh Samet? Whether you’re looking for budget-priced or convenient—here are all the best transport options and insider tips on how and where to get the cheapest price for hassle-free shared transfers including ferry or speedboat tickets online or in person, along with some handy Koh Samet hotel booking tips.
Going to Koh Samet from Bangkok? No problem, I show you the best transport options from Bangkok too.
Why Go To Koh Samet?
Koh Samet (also spelled Koh Samed) is a 6.7-kilometer long island located approximately 2.6 kilometers offshore from Ban Phe in the Rayong province on the eastern seaboard of Thailand, 1–1.5 hours driving time from Pattaya, and 2.5–4 hours from Bangkok.
With little traffic, few roads, and beaches fringed by shady coconut palms and boasting the soft white sand and inviting shallow waters that give the sea its beautiful turquoise hue—Koh Samet is a chilled-out and idyllic island near Pattaya and within easy reach of Bangkok.
Driving To Koh Samet
The only way to reach Koh Samet is by ferry or speed boat from the ferry terminals in Ban Phe. Vehicles are not allowed on the ferries. However, if you drive to Koh Samet from Pattaya or Bangkok, car and motorcycle parking is available at and near the Ban Phe ferry piers and costs around 50–100 baht per day.
How to Get From Pattaya To Koh Samet
There are no big buses from Pattaya to Koh Samet. Apart from driving yourself—the options are private taxis, Grab or Bolt taxis, or shared transfer minivans.
Disclosure: If you buy a ticket or make a booking after clicking on one of the links on this page, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Cheapest Pattaya to Koh Samet Tickets
The 35 Group in Pattaya offer daily transfers from Pattaya to Koh Samet for just 350 baht per person. You need to either call into thier office on 3rd Road or contact them through Line or Whatsapp. You can find more information, and message them through the 35 Group Faebook page.
The Easiest Way to Buy Cheap Pattaya To Koh Samet Tickets Online
You can buy Pattaya to Koh Samet tickets, including 35 Group through 12Go. Because it’s so convenient, it’s always worth seeing what options are available online. The number of services and departures can be seasonal, but expect to find cheap shuttle services similar to those that go from Pattaya to Koh Chang, including some that pick you up at your hotel and drop you off at the ferry temrinal.
Pattaya To Koh Samet by Bolt or Grab Taxi
If you’re not already using the Bolt and Grab apps, you should. They are a great way to get around Pattaya cheaply.
There are many different types of vehicles capable of carrying various numbers of passengers on the Bolt and Grab taxi booking apps. So it’s worth comparing prices according to the number of people in your group.
A standard saloon-type Grab or Bolt taxi from Pattaya to Ban Phe will cost 700–1000 baht.
Private Taxi To Koh Samet From Pattaya
Most taxi services in Pattaya offer a service to the Koh Samet ferry piers in Ban Phe, either by car or minibus, with prices ranging from approximately 1,100 baht for a car or 1,600 to 1,800 baht for a minivan.
Booking Pattaya to Koh Samet with Pattaya Travel Agents
Almost everywhere you go in Pattaya, there are travel and tour booking agents, especially along 2nd Road and the Soi Buakhao area. They might be a shop, office, or even a tiny kiosk like in the picture below.
Koh Samet Hotels
Book in advance. Don’t be tempted to book a hotel through the touts at the ferry pier. They offer a poor choice of hotels; you never really know what you’re getting or if the prices are fair.
Use Agoda, they have the best choice of hotels on Koh Samet at the lowest prices.
It’s possible to find cheap accommodation on Koh Samet, especially in the city/town area, but you will find hotels and resorts on the beach are more expensive than comparable hotels on the beach in Pattaya.
Koh Samet Beach Hotels
You can use the filters on Agoda to find hotels right on the beachfront, with direct access to the beach, and just to be certain—you can confirm your hotel is on a nice sandy beach or otherwise by using the satelite view in Google Maps
How to Get To Koh Samet From Bangkok
The best way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samet, other than driving or taking a private taxi from Bangkok, is to take a bus or minivan from Bangkok Ekamai (eastern) bus terminal to Ban Phe, and if available, buy a ticket that includes a bus or minivan + connecting ferry ticket.
Several bus and minivan companies go to Ban Phe from Ekamai at (approximately) hourly intervals between 06:00 and 18:00 daily.
Buy Bangkok to Koh Samet Tickets Online
Search Bangkok to Koh Samet on 12Go to see all options, including bus, taxi, and cheap transfers.
To buy tickets online costs just a few baht more than buying them at the bus terminal ticket counter. What you get is a confirmed ticket/voucher, including clear instructions on how to use it, directions to your departure point, advice on baggage allowance, and just about everything else you need to know.
Ban Phe Ferry Piers
There are several ferry piers in Ban Phe; they’re situated within easy walking distance of each other; they are as follows:
- Nuan Thip (most popular), wooden ferry, speedboats, car parking opposite.
- Tarua (Phe), high-speed ferry, wooden ferry, speedboats.
- Municipality, wooden ferry, speedboats, covered parking.
- Sri Ban Phe, wooden ferry, speedboats, covered parking.
- Chok Krista, wooden ferry, speedboats, covered parking.
- Ao Prao Pier, private pier for customers of Samed Resorts Group, Ao Prao Resort, Levimarn Cottages and Spa, Baan Ploy Sea, Saikaew Beach Rsort.
- Jadet, (private) speedboat to Paradee resort.
Speedboats usually will not depart until they have minimum of 8 or 10 passengers.
Boats to popular beaches:
The main piers also have less frequent ferry and speedboat services to various beaches on Koh Samet, most notably Vongduan, Saikaew, and Ao Wai.
Koh Samet ferry/boat ticket prices:
- Tickets for the wooden ferry cost 50–100 baht per person
- Tickets for speedboats cost 200–500 per person
- Tickets for the high-speed ferry cost 150 baht per person
You can choose to buy return tickets, but it’s not required, you can buy them at the pier on the day, or even arrange them through your hotel.
Getting From The Ferry Pier To Your Hotel
Songthaew taxis wait at Na Dan (Nadan) pier. When filled up with passengers, they head to the beaches and resort areas, dropping passengers off along the way. The price per person depends on the distance traveled, but expect to pay between 50 and 200 baht.
Along the way, before you reach the songthaew taxi waiting area, you must pay the national park entry fee. If you go by speedboat or ferry to a beach, park rangers are usually waiting to collect the fee when you arrive on the beach.
Koh Samet Tips
Things to do on Koh Samet include beach and water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, and scuba diving. You can hire motorcycles, bicycles, or quad bikes to explore the island.
In the evening there are fire shows on many of the beaches, many excellent restaurants, and a handful of bars—including some girlie bars.
If you want more in the way of adventure and a party scene—the best of the islands near Pattaya for activities and nightlife is Koh Chang.
Going to Koh Samet from Bangkok or Pattaya is easy by bus, minivan, or taxi, and you can also quickly and cheaply book transport to Koh Samet online.
Things to remember when making your own way to Koh Samet:
- It’s best to book your hotel in advance
- Secure (paid) parking is available at the ferry terminals
- The main ferry terminal on Koh Samet is Na Dan
- Ferry services (usually) operate from 07:00 to 18:00
- To Koh Samet by wooden ferry takes 40–45 minutes
- By high-speed ferry or speedboat takes 10–15 minutes
- You need to pay a (national park) entry fee upon arrival
- The price is 200 baht for foreign adults, 100 baht for children
- For Thai adults, it’s 40 baht, 20 baht for children
If you arrive in Ban Phe after the last ferry has departed, you MIGHT be able to charter a speed boat, most likely at the Municipality Pier. There are no guarantees, though, and expect to pay more than the usual rate.