8 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

There are 2 islands right next to each other.  Koh Samae San and Koh Kham.  I think the below (in bold) applies for both but I realised once I'd written it that it might just apply for Koh Kham and not Koh Samae San.  I think both - the navy in this area seems to discriminate against foreigners a lot.  There's an old war vessel tourist attraction in Sattahip (HTMS Chakri Naruebet) which Thais are allowed to visit (for free) and foreigners are completely banned...  Can you imagine that in Europe/US?

 

Double-pricing for the boat (foreigners pay double) and you're only allowed there if you are with a Thai!  So effectively if you weren't already taking a Thai, you have to pay 3 times what a Thai pays...

 

Worth avoiding for that reason alone.  I looked at swimming there...

I went to Koh Samet about 12 years ago with my wife, GF at the time. We made the mistake of taking the ferry rather than a speed boat, she was 40 baht to get into the national park and I was 400, would never go back. Apparently if you went by speedboat they dropped you off inside the national park avoiding the charge. Don't know if that is still the case.

On 3/19/2018 at 9:07 AM, giddyup said:

Not the last time I went, the beach was disgusting, covered in rubbish, and soi dogs everywhere.

I went by motorbike about a month ago - absolutely pristine! One of the nicest beaches I'd seen in my life.

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

I went to Koh Samet about 12 years ago with my wife, GF at the time. We made the mistake of taking the ferry rather than a speed boat, she was 40 baht to get into the national park and I was 400, would never go back. Apparently if you went by speedboat they dropped you off inside the national park avoiding the charge. Don't know if that is still the case.

The park rangers get people coming off speed boats as well now, I think the park fee is 200 baht now. If you really want to avoid the fee and don't have much luggage then walk from Nadan pier and go off to the left and bypass the park entrance .......

24 minutes ago, quandow said:

I went by motorbike about a month ago - absolutely pristine! One of the nicest beaches I'd seen in my life.

Nicest in Thailand or nicest anywhere? Because there is some pretty stiff competition out there, Fiji, Australia, Seychelles etc. All those scrubby old trees on the beach at Ban Chang aren't exactly picturesque, but maybe I went to a different beach.

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Nicest in Thailand or nicest anywhere? Because there is some pretty stiff competition out there, Fiji, Australia, Seychelles etc. All those scrubby old trees on the beach at Ban Chang aren't exactly picturesque, but maybe I went to a different beach.

Agreed, shabby old beaches to say the least..

Bang Phra Reservoir

 

8 hours ago, sandrabbit said:

The park rangers get people coming off speed boats as well now, I think the park fee is 200 baht now. If you really want to avoid the fee and don't have much luggage then walk from Nadan pier and go off to the left and bypass the park entrance .......

 

So the left trick is still working ?

 

But how can they catch you when going by speedboat on another side of the island ? They are not even able to stop drug dealers !

 

 

2 hours ago, gamesgplayemail said:

So the left trick is still working ?

 

On Koh Lipe they've set their desk up at the top of the beach.  If you don't want to pay you just get off the boat and nonchalantly walk along the beach in the other direction.

On 3/20/2018 at 11:53 AM, sandrabbit said:

The park rangers get people coming off speed boats as well now, I think the park fee is 200 baht now. If you really want to avoid the fee and don't have much luggage then walk from Nadan pier and go off to the left and bypass the park entrance .......

 

yes walking on the left always works.