Koh Samet Beach/Hotel

[chiang mai]

Never been before so looking for recommendations for a good beach and an above average place to stay for a few days. Not interested in nightlife bars etc, just relaxing, swimming, pool, good food, service. Am OK with above average price....we need a holiday!

 

Ideas/recommendations, please?

 

TIA

[chiang mai]

Bump, anyone?

[steven100]

23 hours ago, chiang mai said:

Never been before so looking for recommendations for a good beach and an above average place to stay for a few days. Not interested in nightlife bars etc, just relaxing, swimming, pool, good food, service. Am OK with above average price....we need a holiday!

 

Ideas/recommendations, please?

 

TIA

 

we use to stay at Malibu resort .... nothing fancy or expensive, but rooms are good and has a swimming pool ...  

[chiang mai]

58 minutes ago, steven100 said:

 

we use to stay at Malibu resort .... nothing fancy or expensive, but rooms are good and has a swimming pool ...  

How's the beach? Is one beach better than another and if so, which is regarded as the nicest?

[chickenslegs]

Stayed many times at Samed Villa. Nice rooms and great breakfast. Easy walk to the next beaches for a change of view.

https://samedvilla.com/

[richard_smith237]

Sai Keaw Beach Resort - is one of the nicer resorts on the Island - but it's in the busier area of Sai Keaw beach.

 

On the opposite side (West), Ao Prao - its much quieter and there are a couple of quiet nice resorts there such as Ao Prao Resort.

 

Further down is a far higher end resort, Paradee - its expensive but very nice (apparently)

 

 

Ao Wong Duean beach used to be nice with nice beach front Bungalows at Samet Cabana resort, the last time I visited that beach last year, it was a shyite hole.

 

Anywhere near SilverSands is very loud at night.

 

On the North is Baan Ploy Sea...  its also quieter there, but also out of the way for restaurants. 

 

 

The last 4-5 times we've visited Koh Samet - we've stayed at Sai Keaw Beach Resort - basically because it does what it does quite well, while a lot of the rest of the island is a bit of a pit.

 

My second choice would be Ao Prao resort and hire a motorcycle to get about to the other side for dinner options (though Ao Prao has a couple of resorts so food options are available there).

[steven100]

OP .... I think your best to go there and have a look around to see which resort & beach suits.  

 

As there's so many of them to choose from.   Most of the beaches are quite nice, but it depends do you want peace and no tourists nearby or you want to be near the supermarket ... or bar or whatever.

Ao Prao is a bit pricey as it's more upmarket than others on the island.   

Also,  we stayed at Wongduan resort a few times,  it's right on the beach as most are. 

 

As I said,  if you can go and have a look then fine ....

get the boat over, then the pickup ...  get off at the beach and then walk along ...2..3 klms and see what you like,  I think Wongduen was further along so you would need the pickup ride again.  Malibu was about half way.  

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

OP .... I think your best to go there and have a look around to see which resort & beach suits.  

 

As there's so many of them to choose from.   Most of the beaches are quite nice, but it depends do you want peace and no tourists nearby or you want to be near the supermarket ... or bar or whatever.

Ao Prao is a bit pricey as it's more upmarket than others on the island.   

Also,  we stayed at Wongduan resort a few times,  it's right on the beach as most are. 

 

As I said,  if you can go and have a look then fine ....

get the boat over, then the pickup ...  get off at the beach and then walk along ...2..3 klms and see what you like,  I think Wongduen was further along so you would need the pickup ride again.  Malibu was about half way.  

 

12 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sai Keaw Beach Resort - is one of the nicer resorts on the Island - but it's in the busier area of Sai Keaw beach.

 

On the opposite side (West), Ao Prao - its much quieter and there are a couple of quiet nice resorts there such as Ao Prao Resort.

 

Further down is a far higher end resort, Paradee - its expensive but very nice (apparently)

 

 

Ao Wong Duean beach used to be nice with nice beach front Bungalows at Samet Cabana resort, the last time I visited that beach last year, it was a shyite hole.

 

Anywhere near SilverSands is very loud at night.

 

On the North is Baan Ploy Sea...  its also quieter there, but also out of the way for restaurants. 

 

 

The last 4-5 times we've visited Koh Samet - we've stayed at Sai Keaw Beach Resort - basically because it does what it does quite well, while a lot of the rest of the island is a bit of a pit.

 

My second choice would be Ao Prao resort and hire a motorcycle to get about to the other side for dinner options (though Ao Prao has a couple of resorts so food options are available there).

Many thanks for all of those things, that's exactly what I was hoping for. I'll let you know how it goes.  Cheers

[josephbloggs]

3 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

Many thanks for all of those things, that's exactly what I was hoping for. I'll let you know how it goes.  Cheers

I agree with Richard. Sai Keaw Beach Resort is great. Nice rooms, good pools, right on the nicest sandy beach, plenty of restaurants right on your doorstep. From your description of what you're looking for I don't think you can go wrong with it.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

Many thanks for all of those things, that's exactly what I was hoping for. I'll let you know how it goes.  Cheers

 

 

One thing to add... 

 

IF you chose to go with the a hotel within the Samet Resorts group, all you need to do is drive to the Ao Prao Pier (which is specific for the Samet Resorts Group) and drop your bags off, then park your car there (at the pier)...  The staff will do all the rest, the (slow 30min) boat is inclusive, as is Song Taew transport on the island side, bags will be taken straight to your hotel you've no need to deal with the hassle of dragging them on and off boats etc...  

 

 

Hotels in the Samet Resorts group

https://www.samedresorts.com/

 

Map Link to Ao Prao Pier 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kddAuEHd7zwq7Y9d8

 

[chiang mai]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

One thing to add... 

 

IF you chose to go with the a hotel within the Samet Resorts group, all you need to do is drive to the Ao Prao Pier (which is specific for the Samet Resorts Group) and drop your bags off, then park your car there (at the pier)...  The staff will do all the rest, the (slow 30min) boat is inclusive, as is Song Taew transport on the island side, bags will be taken straight to your hotel you've no need to deal with the hassle of dragging them on and off boats etc...  

 

 

Hotels in the Samet Resorts group

https://www.samedresorts.com/

 

Map Link to Ao Prao Pier 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kddAuEHd7zwq7Y9d8

 

Icing on the cake....:)

 

Thank you Richard, Sai Keaw Beach Resort looks the most likely choice.

[richard_smith237]

 

5 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

Icing on the cake....:)

 

Thank you Richard, Sai Keaw Beach Resort looks the most likely choice.

 

Take a look at their offers and also 'sign up' as you'll get discounts. 

 

I just noticed they are charging for the boat - but in the past that and parking has been waved by whatever offer was on at the time. 

 

https://www.saikaewbeachresort.com/offers/?

 

Premier Rooms are by far the best option to go for - but they are now a fair bit pricer that I recall in the past. 

 

The Deluxe Premier Rooms are exellent, but again, more expensive still, but come included with free speed boat transfer (instead of the slower boat).... 

 

... though I prefer the slower boat as its a more relaxed way of arriving as the water can get choppy. 

 

 

Also note: You'll get stung for the 'National Park Tax' which I think is 200 baht for foreigners (40 baht for Thai's). Keep the ticket on you, as I have seen tourists arguing with the corrupt park officials that they don't have a ticket and make them buy a new one (never happened to me though).

 

 

[steven100]

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sai Keaw Beach Resort - is one of the nicer resorts on the Island - but it's in the busier area of Sai Keaw beach.

 

On the opposite side (West), Ao Prao - its much quieter and there are a couple of quiet nice resorts there such as Ao Prao Resort.

 

Further down is a far higher end resort, Paradee - its expensive but very nice (apparently)

 

 

Ao Wong Duean beach used to be nice with nice beach front Bungalows at Samet Cabana resort, the last time I visited that beach last year, it was a shyite hole.

 

Anywhere near SilverSands is very loud at night.

 

On the North is Baan Ploy Sea...  its also quieter there, but also out of the way for restaurants. 

 

 

The last 4-5 times we've visited Koh Samet - we've stayed at Sai Keaw Beach Resort - basically because it does what it does quite well, while a lot of the rest of the island is a bit of a pit.

 

My second choice would be Ao Prao resort and hire a motorcycle to get about to the other side for dinner options (though Ao Prao has a couple of resorts so food options are available there).

 

yes, haven't been there for a while, but prior we (10+) people have been 30 times or more ...  

The problem with Koh Samet resorts is they forget about any upkeep or maintenance, 

 

I know Silver sands has seen better days and I wouldn't stay there,  everything is loose or broken or fittings don't work etc ... Tub Tim is the same as are many others.

 

They just don't fix things and upgrade to make it more presentable each time ....  it's not in their logic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chiang mai]

On 10/24/2024 at 8:08 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

One thing to add... 

 

IF you chose to go with the a hotel within the Samet Resorts group, all you need to do is drive to the Ao Prao Pier (which is specific for the Samet Resorts Group) and drop your bags off, then park your car there (at the pier)...  The staff will do all the rest, the (slow 30min) boat is inclusive, as is Song Taew transport on the island side, bags will be taken straight to your hotel you've no need to deal with the hassle of dragging them on and off boats etc...  

 

 

Hotels in the Samet Resorts group

https://www.samedresorts.com/

 

Map Link to Ao Prao Pier 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kddAuEHd7zwq7Y9d8

 

We made it to Samet and did stay at the SK Beach Resort for a few days and very pleasant it was too, so thank you and others for the positive recommendation. We couldn't fault the hotel, location or the service, plus the beach was wonderful with powdery white sand. The dedicated pier, ferry and transport all ran very smoothly, an effortless ending to the 12 hours drive to get there from Chiang Mai. We had a bungalow that was very pleasant and only a short walk to a park like area that faces onto the water, all very tranquil and quiet. Lots of European guests, all fighting (literally) for beach chairs at 7am so we decided to give that a miss and hung out instead at the Exec club pool just a stones throw away. As you wrote quite appropriately, they do what they do very well. We took a truck/taxi over to the Ao Prao Resort which was pleasant enough but a little too remote for us.

 

After a short respite to take care of business we're continuing our island hopping with stays on Koh Chang and Koh Kood, both of which we know fairly well. And since I am now very firmly in vacation mode, I will catch up with the forum at some point in the distant future. Cheers.

 

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, chiang mai said:

We made it to Samet and did stay at the SK Beach Resort for a few days and very pleasant it was too, so thank you and others for the positive recommendation. We couldn't fault the hotel, location or the service, plus the beach was wonderful with powdery white sand. The dedicated pier, ferry and transport all ran very smoothly, an effortless ending to the 12 hours drive to get there from Chiang Mai. We had a bungalow that was very pleasant and only a short walk to a park like area that faces onto the water, all very tranquil and quiet. Lots of European guests, all fighting (literally) for beach chairs at 7am so we decided to give that a miss and hung out instead at the Exec club pool just a stones throw away. As you wrote quite appropriately, they do what they do very well. We took a truck/taxi over to the Ao Prao Resort which was pleasant enough but a little too remote for us.

 

After a short respite to take care of business we're continuing our island hopping with stays on Koh Chang and Koh Kood, both of which we know fairly well. And since I am now very firmly in vacation mode, I will catch up with the forum at some point in the distant future. Cheers.

 

Always nice and appreciated when people report back, thank you. Glad you had a good trip!