Getting To Ao Wong Duean Beach On Ko Samet

[Grawburg]

Driving from BKK for a couple of nights at Samet Cabana which is on Ao Wong Duean beach. Couple of questions:

1) Are there more than 1 mainland pier to pick up a boat to the island - which on will get me to Ao Wong?

2) Hotel doesn't offer speedboat service through the hotel, but I'm imagining a bunch of speedboat touts trying to pick people up...is this right and how much should it cost for me, wife, 3 yo, and 1 yo?

[darrendsd]

Hi as far as i am aware there is only 1 pier that services the boats to that particular stretch of beach Ban Phe pier

You have a few options,

The ferry which runs either 2 or 3 times a day [last set off time is 4 30 pm if i remember correctly] and is 70 baht each and takes around a hour.

Private speedboat at around 16-1800 baht

I beleive that there is now a taxi speedboat service now available at 200 baht each but it will probably be not much quicker than the ferry as it will be dropping people off at other parts of the island.

I am not sure if you are aware but all national parks in Thailand have now been made alchohol free, not sure if this applys to Samet but it is a national park so may be worth checking out before you go?

Try the Baywatch resturant when you arrive, Farang owned and great food both Farang and Thai. the other resturants are so so to say the least.

Edited February 4, 2011 by darrendsd

[rak sa_ngop]

I am not sure if you are aware but all national parks in Thailand have now been made alchohol free, not sure if this applys to Samet but it is a national park so may be worth checking out before you go?

I remember reading that certain parks which had areas leased for commercial interests would be exempt from the alcohol-free rule. They gave Ko Samet as an example, so you SHOULD be alright.

[eMzyme]

Plenty of alcohol being consumed on koh samet!

Last time I went there with my wife and 3 kids the speedboat price was 1600, they then saw the children and dropped the price down to 1000 baht.

There are a couple of piers but not sure where they are. Most speed boats will drop you off anywhere you like.

Worth noting however is, if you take the ferry (70 baht) you also have to pay for a song thew (maybe a few hundred baht) and also the national park entrance fee (250 baht per person I think) it can work out more expensive than the speedboat.

On a separate note, If I have taken the speedboat and avoided the national park fee it does make me feel a little guilty, but what do they actually do with this money? Seems like no one is ever cleaning up and that’s down to the hotels so I wonder where it goes. Also thais pay far less entrance fee to koh samet than farrang.

[mallorca284673]

Plenty of alcohol being consumed on koh samet!

Last time I went there with my wife and 3 kids the speedboat price was 1600, they then saw the children and dropped the price down to 1000 baht.

There are a couple of piers but not sure where they are. Most speed boats will drop you off anywhere you like.

Worth noting however is, if you take the ferry (70 baht) you also have to pay for a song thew (maybe a few hundred baht) and also the national park entrance fee (250 baht per person I think) it can work out more expensive than the speedboat.

For further info on piers & ferry times look at the site http://kohsamed.net it will give you all the info you require.

p.s. koh samed is not alcohol free - it is stil being served everywhere.

enjoy

On a separate note, If I have taken the speedboat and avoided the national park fee it does make me feel a little guilty, but what do they actually do with this money? Seems like no one is ever cleaning up and that's down to the hotels so I wonder where it goes. Also thais pay far less entrance fee to koh samet than farrang.

Edited February 8, 2011 by mallorca284673

[thaihome]

There are several piers, in addition to the one with the public ferry, along the water front in Ban Phe that offer speed boats to whatever beach you want to go. More importantly they also offer overnight parking for a small charge as well. We have been using one that two piers before the public pier. In some 10 years of leaving the car, we have never had a problem.

TH

[josephbloggs]

There are several piers, in addition to the one with the public ferry, along the water front in Ban Phe that offer speed boats to whatever beach you want to go. More importantly they also offer overnight parking for a small charge as well. We have been using one that two piers before the public pier. In some 10 years of leaving the car, we have never had a problem.

TH

Similar story here. I always use Chok Krisada pier which is maybe two or three before the main pier. They have good covered parking and I've never had a problem in ten plus years. They also have a good fleet of well maintained speedboats with helpful and courteous staff. I just came back from Ao Pai last weekend and paid 2,500 baht return for the speedboat.

Not sure why it's not showing, but click the square for a pic...

Edited February 8, 2011 by josephbloggs

[Grawburg]

The hotel website gives me this info:

The Travel Sea Tour speed boat service leaves Ta Rua Pae at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. everyday. It costs 300 Baht/person/trip and the boat stops in front of Samed Cabana. The average traveling time to Samed Cabana is 15-20 minutes by a speed boat. You can buy tickets at Travel Sea information desk at 300 Baht/person/trip or book from our Bangkok.

Looked to find a map where To Rua Pier is located, but can't find anything. If I type in Baan Pae into my GPS will it get me to where the piers are or is it going to be more difficult that that?

[mallorca284673]

Hi Grawburg.

Ban Phe is very easy, the whole pier road area is only 1km in length, there are 4 ferry piers the main one is called Tarua Phe - this is the main pier. you cannot miss it !!!

Take a look at http://kohsamed.net/ferryboat.html & they have a great page on ban phe also - this is the best website on koh samed & very accurate info.

have a great time