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KOH SAMET TRAVEL GUIDE

Koh Samet is part of Khao Laem Ya - Koh Samet National Park, which encompasses Khao Laem Ya on the mainland, as well as various islands in the region.

Despite its national park status all of Koh Samet 's beaches have been developed -- the only way you'd know you're on a national park is via the entry fee charged to all visitors. Many who come looking for an island paradise complain that the island has been ruined -- tacky resorts crowd the best beaches, and trash sometimes spoils the landscape. Nevertheless, Koh Samet retains enough beauty and appeal to win over a regular stream of return visitors.
 

As Koh Samet misses most of the heavy monsoon that plagues other islands, the weather is guaranteed to be pleasant at almost any time of year. And though the beaches have been overdeveloped, they still manage to be beautiful, with sparkling white sand curving between coconut palms and clear cerulean water. If you can get past the fact that this should be a national park, you'll find Koh Samet to be a traveller's paradise of magnificent beaches, delicious seafood and dozens of choices for nightlife.

Koh Samet is popular with Thais, foreign travelers and expats from Bangkok and Rayong, so there's always a good mix of people. However, this also means that there is little peace to be had unless you arrive mid-week. Being so close to Bangkok, Koh Samet gets extremely crowded on weekends and holidays, and the prices do rise accordingly -- sometimes by as much as 60%. If bungalows are full when you arrive, it is possible to camp on the beach, despite what you may be told.

With the crowds comes a lively nightlife, with good deals on drinks late in the evening, including the popular coin toss, which gives you a 50/50 chance of winning a free drink. All bungalows have their own restaurant, and many fire up beach barbecues at night.
 

Where you choose to stay on Koh Samet depends largely on what your ideal scene is. The east coast is the most popular, as it's dotted with sandy beaches, coves and most of the island's restaurants, bars and accommodation. The tiny west coast beach is more secluded and upscale, with only three top-end resorts to choose from. Though the nightlife on the west coast is fairly limited, the resort bars see a fairly good crowd coming to watch the sunset over the water. The north is Ko Samet's quietest coast, with just a few small guesthouses clinging to the rocky shoreline. A few upscale resorts dot the far end of this coast on the only strip of pleasing beach.

While it's important to decide which coast is more to your taste when choosing where to stay, the island is only 6km long and 3km wide, so it isn't difficult to visit another area on a daytrip.