Koh Samet

[Khun Jean]

I planning a small trip to Koh Samet next week. I live close to Don Muang and will be traveling 3 adults and two small children.

Which chooses do i have to get to Koh Samet.

I guess Bus or Train and then a ferry.

We would like it to be a big boat and doesn't need to be fast. Is there something like that?

Anybody know names or timetables?

We want to stay there for 1 maybe 2 weeks. We love the sea and the kids like to play in the water.

Which area of the island would be good for the kids, with shallow water and clean beaches?

I still have to do a little bit work now and then. Is the GPRS coverage good? I use AIS.

Thanks in advance.

[tim77]

Train to ferry is the best and safest. The Thai train services offers a package with a combination train/ferry ticket. Not all travel agents like to sell these, as their commission is low. A few times I just went to Hualampong (sorry about the spelling, but it is close enough). Hualampong is at one end of the subway. If budget is a bit tight, get the 2nd class air-con seats on the train.

On the train, for yourself and your children: DO NOT TAKE CANDY FROM STRANGERS. Once in awhile some fool tries to spike water, cigarettes, candy, etc with sleeping powder so as to rob the victim. Worse, the fool sometimes uses an overdose and this may kill the victim.

On the ferry, you have the option of paying for air-con. I always take it. Just my choice. It sure beats the hot deck.

As for beaches, there are two main beaches, Lamai and Chawang (again sorry for the bad spelling). Lamai is cheaper, but the water gets deep very quickly. Chawang is now quite touristy, but the water stays shallow for a long ways out.

I prefer Chawang.

[tim77]

Oh . . sorry . . .you asked about Kho Samet, and not Kho Samui.

Take the bus . . .the train is too slow. You will have no problem geting from the bus station to the ferry

[sunreader]

Ferrys are regular, sit on the deck in one of the deck chairs, it costs more for farangs, stay at JEPS BUNGALOWS cheap clean, great air con and amazing food just feet from the water at night time. Something you will remember.

http://www.jepbungalow.com/

Edited August 19, 2006 by sunreader

[jdinasia]

Jeps is a bit loud for families.

You might think about TubTim Resort .. quite decent but just standard accom for an island .. they have a website

we have always driven down in the car so am not sure about other ways .. there may be a "how to get here" on some of the Samet websites

[Jockstar]

Bus or mini bus to the pier. Then you can either take the slow boat over taking nearly a hour or take a speed boat. I say go for the speed boat. More fun and alot quicker. Also TubTim beach is good for families. If you dont mind paying for nice place to stay you can try Samet Villas. Very nice but costs 1800 baht up a night.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Jockstar

[julie_f]

Samet Villa is nice with a couple nice beaches close by. also Siver Sands which is next to it. Silver Sands has a better restaurant, there is only a small restaurant at Samet Villa which doesnt have much choice.

We drove down to the ferry, so can't tell you about that but the ferrys are regular. I think it was 100bt each return trip.

[jdinasia]

i've stayed at TubTim many times ... love it .. 5 minute walk to Silver sands

have stayed at Ao Prao? a few times cool! pet pig with a harness on wandering the beach ... and a 10 minute walk to Vong Duern

i prefer staying at quieter beaches that are walking distance to the party beaches

[think_too_mut]

I just don't know what I would do at Koh Samet for a week with young children.

The place is nice, for a family on a day trip.

At nite, mosquitos, loud music from the beach almost until the dawn, no shops. There is 7-11 but paid ride is needed to get there.

Even smaller beaches have a jet-ski or two that may ruin your day with their noise and exhausts.

The ferries arrive at one point, from there you have to take a song thiew to anywhere. Not expensive but a hassle with children. There are no roads (luckily Koh Samet is the least raining place in Thai), it's almost 4WD bumpy ride.

Speed boats would take u straight to your beach but the price is (was in my case, not me paying) 4000B return.

The "ferries" are battered floating wrecks and they run accross for 45-50 mins.

I would not go there again with my child and stay overnight. What happens if a child needs medical assistance?

Honestly, I would not go there in any case, unless that backpackers feeling comes into my stream again.

[jdinasia]

I just don't know what I would do at Koh Samet for a week with young children.

The place is nice, for a family on a day trip.

At nite, mosquitos, loud music from the beach almost until the dawn, no shops. There is 7-11 but paid ride is needed to get there.

Even smaller beaches have a jet-ski or two that may ruin your day with their noise and exhausts.

The ferries arrive at one point, from there you have to take a song thiew to anywhere. Not expensive but a hassle with children. There are no roads (luckily Koh Samet is the least raining place in Thai), it's almost 4WD bumpy ride.

Speed boats would take u straight to your beach but the price is (was in my case, not me paying) 4000B return.

The "ferries" are battered floating wrecks and they run accross for 45-50 mins.

I would not go there again with my child and stay overnight. What happens if a child needs medical assistance?

Honestly, I would not go there in any case, unless that backpackers feeling comes into my stream again.

there's a couple of 7/11's now ... and atms ... and various minimarts ... ferrys set in at 2 locations ... charter a whole speedboat for 1500 1way or about 400pp ... or 60bht1way and 100 return by the bigger boats 25 mins to one spot and 50 to the other <vong duern is further>

some relatively inexpensive tours around are available ....

no noise including jetskis or discos at TubTim and Ao Chor (messed it up above I think) but walking distance to the beaches with entertainment

best of all .... relatively safe swimming .... but do check for local conditions

we all have different ideals ... but for its proximity to BKK it is one of my fave beach spots <or was until I moved to Phuket!

[Jockstar]

but the price is (was in my case, not me paying) 4000B return.

###### were ripped off or what?

[julie_f]

The mosquitos on Samet are big and bite during the day in some areas. Make sure you take some good mozzie repellant