Koh Samet - worth it ? Where and how

[Jeffr2]

9 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I must admit the last few trips I have stayed at Kacha at White Sand Beach and  Sea view in Kae Bae and it is nice. Best thing about Koh Chang in my opinion is the huge hills and forest that you can see from the beaches. 

Have you been to Salaphet?  That seafood restaurant is amazing.  As is the mangrove boardwalk and the drive out to the memorial of the war of Koh Chang.  The beaches down there are amazing.  And now...deserted.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

17 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Have you been to Salaphet?  That seafood restaurant is amazing.  As is the mangrove boardwalk and the drive out to the memorial of the war of Koh Chang.  The beaches down there are amazing.  And now...deserted.

No. Stayed at the beach just past Bang Bao that isn't too far.   That place you stayed on the beach looks cool too. My girl friend is in Thailand too so I have a big incentive to come back. 

[Pmbkk]

I've been going to Samed for over 25 years.

It's a great little island & has changed a great deal in that period, from backpackers to mainly decent hotels.
It was the place that in the end I decided I could live in Thailand - flight from LHR, taxi from the airport, speedboat straight to Samet, before Jeps ( yes, that old backpackers place in the day). I went straight to their beach, ordered a Thai red curry & a Singha beer & after several hrs checked in.
Couple of young western guys having lunch/fun with their Thai Gfs from BKK. I decided then I'd get a job in BKK at one of the banks.

 

My wife and I still go 2 to 3 times a year, usually just for long weekends or festive periods.

We've spent several Songkran, Christmas, New year hols there. 

I'd recommend Samed Villa(Ao Phai Beach), been going there for years. Lovely villas at the front overlooking the sea. Good beach, good restaurant.
You can get dropped off by Speedboat to most beaches along there - last year was 600 baht for two, return trip. Get the early ones and the Park rangers aren't usually around.

 

It's a nice stretch of beaches where you can walk into town one way or down south the other - there are footpaths/beach that you can walk along for a nice 6-8 hr incl lunch( my missus's limit ).
With the new road, most is now accessible via cycles,m/c, ATVs.

 

Ten days is a lot there, if I was going for that length of time I'd have to split my time over different hotels/beaches.

[Jeffr2]

13 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

No. Stayed at the beach just past Bang Bao that isn't too far.   That place you stayed on the beach looks cool too. My girl friend is in Thailand too so I have a big incentive to come back. 

If you go to Bang Bao, on a sunny afternoon, visit Rasta View.  It's an amazing view from there.  OK food also.

 

Salakphet is on the other side of the island.  Along with the boardwalk and war memorial.  A completely different view of the island over there.  Quite nice.  I'd like to stay here one time.  Free kayaks and some great places to explore.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/TYbuETRW6Ngj2Whw6

[Fat is a type of crazy]

3 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

If you go to Bang Bao, on a sunny afternoon, visit Rasta View.  It's an amazing view from there.  OK food also.

 

Salakphet is on the other side of the island.  Along with the boardwalk and war memorial.  A completely different view of the island over there.  Quite nice.  I'd like to stay here one time.  Free kayaks and some great places to explore.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/TYbuETRW6Ngj2Whw6

But just minutes from Khlong Kloi beach after Bang Bao if  a stubborn landowner or two would let the road be finished. It sounds like a worthwhile trip.  Have to hire a car one time or get a tour. 

[thaicookingchef]

it's funny that some people can tell that Kohchang beaches are nice ! Maybe you have never been to the south to know what is a real nice beach ?!

So please, indulge yourself by going to Koh samet, wich is a so much nicer than any Kohchang beach (except for the crowd)

 

try to find this on kohchang...

 

 

 

[simple1]

On 12/10/2020 at 3:28 PM, Jeffr2 said:

If you really want a relaxing sunbathing week, go to Koh Mak or Koh Kut (Kood).  Absolutely paradise, crystal clear waters, and no tourists right now.

 

I remember sand flies on Koh Mak, absolutely terrible,

 

OP: There is parking for car, have to pay, at the pier for Koh Samet in Ban Phe

Edited December 11, 2020 by simple1

[Hanuman2547]

I used to go to Koh Samet and Koh Chang quite often 30 years ago and then all through the 90's.  300 baht a night got you a front row bungalow on White Sand beach at Koh Chang.  Went down to Kai Bae beach a few times which was where the road ended.  Fast forward to 2007 and Koh Chang was built up over many places on the island.  I had a lot of good times there but the small village atmosphere seems to have left when the big resorts moved in.

 

Koh Samet was beautiful and close by which made it quicker to get to.  I stayed at Ao Prao once in 1996 when my parents came to visit.  It was very nice.  Only 3-4 places to stay back then if even that.  Now it's chock full of places.  I usually stayed at the main beach on most of my visits there.  I've taken my mtn. bike there and rode all over the island which is a fun day out.  

 

Food was great on both islands and accommodations were generally quite good.  I believe that neither are quite that inexpensive anymore as I haven't visited either island in over 10 years.  

[Jeffr2]

13 hours ago, thaicookingchef said:

it's funny that some people can tell that Kohchang beaches are nice ! Maybe you have never been to the south to know what is a real nice beach ?!

So please, indulge yourself by going to Koh samet, wich is a so much nicer than any Kohchang beach (except for the crowd)

 

try to find this on kohchang...

 

 

 

Yeah, the beaches on KC suck. LOL

[Jeffr2]

14 hours ago, simple1 said:

 

I remember sand flies on Koh Mak, absolutely terrible,

 

OP: There is parking for car, have to pay, at the pier for Koh Samet in Ban Phe

Yeah, we got hit by them on the southern side, but no problems on the other.  They are horrible!

 

We got hit by them really bad on Koh Phangnan.  Terrible.  This was a few months ago.

[Mike Teavee]

Koh Samed is my favourite Thai Island (Though I’m yet to visit Koh Lipe) & echo the recommendations for Samed Villa (though it doesn’t have a pool, doesn’t need one as the beach is pretty nice). Restaurant there is ok as is the one at the Silver Sands hotel next door

  A short walk down to Siew Kiew beach gets you lots of places to eat, personally I thought the one with the fire show (Ploy Talay?) was overrated & the one with a very similar name next door much better.

On the way back you can stop for cocktails on the beach or at Geckos ???? 

 

Having said all that our Xmas trip will be to Koh Chang (managed to get KC Grande for 2,200 per night using Travel Together,) as we want to give it another chance (went in September & it poured down the whole 4 days so was pretty miserable, so much so that we stopped off in Koh  Samed for 7 days on the way back to Bangkok).

 

Sand flies are a nuisance on KS, bring some repellent  with you.

Edited December 12, 2020 by Mike Teavee

[Pilotman]

can you take your car onto the ferry? 

[Mike Teavee]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

can you take your car onto the ferry? 

Yes to Koh Chang, No to Koh Samet 

[DBCooperthailand]

Sorry, you lost me at "We are based in Pattaya......"    

[thaicookingchef]

On 12/12/2020 at 8:30 AM, Jeffr2 said:

Yeah, the beaches on KC suck. LOL

 

 

Clearly photoshoped picture by a liar who wants more idiots who believe that KC is not a $hithole !

 

 

[Jeffr2]

13 minutes ago, thaicookingchef said:

 

 

Clearly photoshoped picture by a liar who wants more idiots who believe that KC is not a $hithole !

 

 

Go away.

[Pmbkk]

On 12/12/2020 at 3:26 AM, Pilotman said:

can you take your car onto the ferry? 

Koh Samed has  plenty of parking at the ferry terminal - but you can't take the car. There's a small market near the pier in Ban Phe(opens @8, the same time as the speedboats start) and a larger one further down if you wish to spend time/a night there. Many people stock up with crates of beers/supplies here for the trip, as in Samed you have a couple of 7-11s on the "high street" and the occasional shop as you travel around. It's quite limited for a long trip.

Funny enough this time last year it was the first day of our annual xmas break to Samed Villa. I wish we were doing the same this, but the lights of London will need to suffice for a few months more.

 

K.C., you can take the car, as we've done in the past. The issues I've heard is getting back after holidays, I've heard stories of people having to wait a day for the ferry return. When we did it last we had to wait several hours and were there early. I don't know if you can book a particular ferry time as we just turned up, but the queue was too big for the next ferry.

[Pmbkk]

A good Christmas/New Year itinerary, we’ve done it for many, many years

 

+Start – we live in Silom (but now back In London for a year). Chatrium(our old home)/Sukhumvit Soi 4-11.

+Areca Lodge Pattaya (Corona wing with a view of the big pool – obv soon to be renamed ) Room has a small but decent balcony to have a beer and get the sun, great pools good restaurant, close to LK Metro, Buakhao, Central 

+Koh Samed. Samed Villa is my recommendation. Transfer via speedboat. Walk up and down the beaches - can take a full day & gorgeous beaches. The north one is busy in the evenings, but for the last few years much quieter.

+Pattaya – Royal Cliff Beach terrace Honeymoon suite (there are many, a superb bathroom, bedroom,living room,plus a private terrace overlooking the sea - LUXURY at a good price

+Areca Lodge Pattaya  for shopping - Central/ terminal 21 & North Pattaya beaches.

+Back to BKK – Sukhumvit Soi 23+.

 

          Hotels my choice over many, many years & my usual xmas/New Year schedule

 

P.S. The reason for Soi Diana /11 in Pattaya is the missus likes it due to accessibility to shopping.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Pmbkk
Additional info'

[Sametboy2019]

Pretty much any beach is good on samed right now as there are no tourists. Gets busy on Saturdays with Thais but there isn't the need to stay far away from the center now to have a peaceful trip. 

[Hanuman2547]

On 12/13/2020 at 8:50 AM, Pmbkk said:

 

 

P.S. The reason for Soi Diana /11 in Pattaya is the missus likes it due to accessibility to shopping.

 

At least you can stay at a nearby bar/restaurant/hotel pool/etc. and have a few beers while her shopping expedition commences! 555

[solafr]

is Samet still so expensive lately ?