Going to Koh Samet from Bangkok or Pattaya? Koh Samet is easy to get to by bus, minivan or taxi from Bangkok, and by minivan or taxi from Pattaya. You can also easily and cheaply book transport to Koh Samet online.
You are not allowed to take your own vehicle to Koh Samet, but you can drive to Ban Phe and leave your vehicle in secure parking areas across from the Koh Samet ferry terminals for a cost of approximately 100 baht per day.
NOTE: When planning your trip to Koh Samet, be aware that the ferries “generally” operate between 08:00 and 17:00. You can still get from by chartering a speedboat, even after dark, but it will cost considerably more. For more information on Koh Samet ferry times and speedboat prices – scroll down the page.
Journey time to Koh Samet: From Pattaya, by car or minivan it will take one hour or less. From Bangkok, allowing for traffic congestion you should allow 5 hours by bus, 4 – 4 and a half hours by minivan, and 3 to 3 and a half hours by car.
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How to Get to Koh Samet from Bangkok
Ekamai (eastern) bus terminal to Ban Phe: Cherdchai bus service departs every hour (on the hour) between 05:00 and 17:00. Tickets cost approximately 155 baht, and the journey time is 3 and a half to 4 hours. The bus stops just a short distance from Nuan Thip pier.
Ekamai bus terminal can be reached by the BTS (sky train), so very convenient and cheap if you happen to be near a BTS station in Bangkok.
From Bangkok airports to Ban Phe: There are no direct routes to ban Phe from any airport in Bangkok, but you can still easily and cheaply make your way to Ekamai BTS (sky train) terminal, from there it’s about a 50 meter walk to Ekamai bus terminal.
Suvarnabhumi Bangkok airport to Ekamai bus terminal: From the airport take the airport rail link (ARL) to Phaya Thai. From Phaya Thai take the sky train to Ekamai.
Bangkok Don Muang airport to Ekamai bus terminal: Take the A1 bus to Morchit (Mo Chit) BTS (sky train) terminal, then the sky train to Ekamai. The A1 bus service departs to Morchit bus terminal every 10 to 20 minutes from Don Muang between 07:00 and 24:00 from gate 6 on the first floor.
There are also regular bus services from Ekamai and Morchit to Rayong, it’s not the best option, but it’s an option. From Rayong bus terminal to Ban Phe takes about 30 minutes in a cheap songthaew/taxi.
Minivan from Bangkok to Koh Samet
You can take a minivan from Khaosan Road or Ekamai and Morchit bus terminals in Bangkok, costs around 300 baht and takes between 3 and 4 hours. There is very limited luggage space, unless you are traveling light you may have to purchase an extra ticket for your luggage.
Book Transport to Koh Samet from Bangkok Online
12Go: There’s a number of options available including bus or van and ferry ticket combinations, taxi, or bus – van to Rayong. Services offered do change frequently, so to check the current options just click on the link below. In reverse – Koh Samet to Bangkok, there are options from Koh Samet to Khaosan Road and the airport rail link in Bangkok.
Get tickets from Bangkok to Koh Samet
Klook: I’m going to leave a link (below) to the Klook main Bangkok page, it’s worth taking a look because they did have a great bus + ferry ticket deal from Bangkok to Koh Samet, Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kood (currently unavailable). They do though offer private taxi and van services from Bangkok to Koh Samet, and other services you might find useful, like VIP immigration fast track, SIM card services, ferry booking, and Bangkok BTS sky train day passes.
Bangkok travel booking and tourist services
How to Get to Koh Samet from Pattaya
There are no big buses from Pattaya to Koh Samet, apart from driving yourself – the options are private taxi or shared transfer minivan.
Most travel/tour agents in Pattaya will be able to book a minivan to Koh Samet, prices inclusive of the agents booking fee will be between 500 – 600 baht per person one way.
Buy Ticket from Pattaya to Koh Samet Online
For 700+ baht, Klook offers a round-trip transfer from your hotel in Pattaya to Vongduen beach on Koh Samet, returning on the date of your choice. Click on the link (below) for more details.
Round-trip transfer Pattaya to Koh Samet
If you are interested, they also offer one-way transfers to Koh Samet, 1-day excursions to Koh Samet by speedboat, Samet to Pattaya island hopping tours, and 2 island hopping tours around Pattaya. You can browse those offers, and many more on the main Pattaya page.
Taxi to Koh Samet from Pattaya
Most taxi services in Pattaya offer a service to Koh Samet, either by car or minibus, with prices ranging from approximately 1000 baht for a car, or 1,300 to 1,700 baht for minibus.
Which Ferry from Ban Phe to Koh Samet
There are 6 ferry piers operated by different companies, situated within easy walking distance of each other. Nuan Thip is the most popular, closely followed by Tarua, but Nuan Thip – Tarua – Municipality – Sri (seree) Ban Phe – Chok Krista, all have hourly departures to Na Dan (Nadan) pier, the main ferry pier on Koh Samet.
You might find you bought a transfer and ferry ticket deal with an allocated pier – your hotel might include a free boat transfer to Samet, or your bus or minivan drop you off in front of a particular pier, so the choice is made for you. If you are still uncertain just go to Nuan Thip pier.
Koh Samet Ferry Departure Times
Nuan Thip – Tarua – Municipality – Sri (seree) Ban Phe and Chok Krista pier ferry services leave at least every hour between 08:00 and 17:00 every day of the week. you might find the ferry does not depart until a minimum number of passengers have boarded, which is most like to happen in the low season.
Ferry Prices: The cost of a one-way ticket for the standard wooden ferry from Ban Phe to Koh Samet is around 50 baht. There is no need to buy a return ticket at the same time, but that’s up to you. You can purchase ferry tickets at the ticket counter on the pier, or as you board the boat.
Ferry to Beaches on Samet
The main piers also have less regular ferry services to various beaches on Koh Samet, most notably Vongduan, Saikaew and Ao Wai. Samet is only a small island, and you actually won’t save much time (if any) taking a ferry to your preferred beach, but it’s an option.
New High-Speed Ferry Service from Ban Phe to Koh Samet.
There’s a new high speed 74 seater catamaran ferry service which takes just 15 minutes to get from Ban Phe to Koh Samet. The high-speed ferry service departs from Tarua pier 5 times every day between 07:30 and 17:00.
Speedboats to Koh Samet
Be warned, it may be fast, but I can tell you from experience the speed boat ride to Samet is pretty “harem scarem” if there is any significant wave height.
Prices for speedboats vary depending on which beach you go to, shared speedboats charge around 300 baht per person one way. A private speedboat costs anywhere between 2000 and 4000 baht for a return trip, they always quote you the highest price but it’s possible to haggle a significant discount.
Getting to Your Hotel on Koh Samet
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 depending on the distance traveled, but expect to pay between 50 and 200 baht.
Koh Samet National Park Fees
The songthaew from Na Dan usually stops at the national park office so national park entry fees can be collected. The fee is 200 baht. 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.
Where to Stay on Koh Samet
On Koh Samet there are quiet – secluded beaches and more populated beaches. If you prefer a little nightlife and water activities like jet skiing, parasailing, and banana-boat rides – choose Vongduan or Saikaew.
I like to be right on the beachfront when I visit Koh Samet, after all, that’s why you go to Koh Samet, so why walk to the beach when you can open your door and step right on to it?
Beachfront hotels on Koh Samet
Combine Koh Samet with Pattaya for a Perfect Family Holiday
Most people go to Koh Samet to do nothing, except chill out on the beach – drinking cocktails, reading a book, and soaking up the sun, that’s what Koh Samet is all about, but it’s also a great place for families.
The beaches on Koh Samet are the kind of beaches kids love – shallow crystal clear water and soft sand. In other words, your kids will have much more fun on the beaches on Koh Samet than they will on the beaches in Pattaya.
There’s actually lots of amazing things to do with kids in Pattaya, things you can’t do on Koh Samet, including water parks, Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and Harbor Land.
For more information on nightlife, dining and things to on Koh Samet, take a look at ExploreKohSamet.net.
You might also want to read this post about Pattaya island day trips and vacations.