Here’s how to get to Koh Samet from Bangkok by bus and Speed boat. You can go to the beautiful island of Koh Samet at an affordable price.
Sai Kaew Beach is the most representative beach on Koh Samet, and its fire show at night is famous.
How to get to Ko Samet from Bangkok
First, to enter Kosamet Island, you need to go to Ban Phe Pier in Rayong. There are several ways to get to this pier, such as going through a travel agency, taking a taxi or car, or taking a bus from Bangkok Bus Terminal, which is the cheapest option.
For taxis, it seems like a one-way trip costs around 2,000 baht. A highly recommended taxi is Mike Taxi, which can be booked online in advance. Personally, I traveled by bus, and although it was inconvenient to go back and forth, it would be a good idea to take a taxi if there are several people.
Since I went alone, I decided to take the bus since I wasn’t comparing prices between 2,000 baht and 200 baht. There are several terminals with buses to Ban Phe Nuan Tip Pier, the pier to enter Kosamet from Bangkok. I decided to go from the Ekamai Bus Terminal, which is on the east side and highly recommended.
Bus departure time from Ekkamai bus terminal to Kosamet
One of the things you may be curious about is when the bus departs from Ekamai Bus Terminal. When I went to Korsamet, I couldn’t find the boarding time at Ekamai Bus Terminal, so I searched and found 12go’s website, which seems to be a bus transportation company.
It even includes the actual bus schedule that I took from Ekamai Bus Terminal, so it’s probably correct. The prices listed here are actually more expensive than buying on the spot, so you can just refer to the time. Please note that bus times and schedules are subject to change, so you should check 12go’s website (12go.asia) and Ekamai Bus Terminal directly.
Going to Nuanthip Pier from Ekamai Bus Terminal
First, in order to take the bus, you need to go to the Ekamai Bus Terminal. You can get there by going to the BTS Ekamai Station.
My accommodation was near the Phloen Chit Station on the BTS line, so it was convenient for me to go there. If you plan to stay in Bangkok and travel, it might be convenient to book accommodation near the BTS line.
I arrived at the bus terminal a little before 9 o’clock. There were people inside the bus stop who tried to hustle me, but I didn’t pay attention to them. At the Bangkok Ekamai Bus Terminal, you need to go to the counter for your destination to buy tickets, as there are separate counters for each destination.
The first counter I found was counter 5, which said BAN PHE, KOH SAMED. But they told me to go to another counter. I later found out that the big buses only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and I took a minibus instead.
If you are going to travel on the weekend, it is recommended to take the big bus, which is more comfortable.
Next, I went to counter 13, where my destination, Ban Phe and Koh Samed, was written. I bought a ticket for 200 baht here. Unfortunately, there was no information about the departure time. Anyway, I heard the bus was leaving at 9:30 and went to the bus platform.
The bus platform was nice, with chairs to sit on while waiting.
The Ban Phe Pier is in Rayong, so you can wait for the bus around the area marked “Rayong” near counter 20. The driver came about 10 minutes before departure time, and I quickly went to the restroom.
By the time I got back, everyone had boarded the bus, and I had to take the last seat, which was too small and uncomfortable. If you take the bus, it is recommended to go to the restroom first and board the bus as soon as possible.
Here’s a picture of the inside of the bus taken during a short break at the rest stop.
Travel time from Ecamai Bus Terminal to Nuangtip Pier
When I searched for directions to the internet, I saw a post saying it would take up to 4 hours, so I was prepared. I also saw a post saying that it takes time because the bus stops to pick up and drop off people, not going directly.
I was worried from the beginning because the seats were uncomfortable. However, our bus was full of people going to La Ronge, so we went straight to the Nupa Naukutuk landing without stopping anywhere in between, so it took about 3 hours and 10 minutes. It was similar to the time it took on Google Maps.
We could also stop at a rest area in the middle, where we could use the restroom. There was a temple with a statue lying on the opposite side of the rest area we stopped at, so I took a picture of it.
Nuanthip pier
Here is a look at the Nuan Tip pier where I arrived. There seem to be other piers besides the Nuan Tip pier for going to Kosamet Island, but I heard that the Nuan Tip pier is less likely to force or scam passengers. I also didn’t have any issues going to Kosamet Island as the bus dropped me off at the Nuan Tip pier, but please make sure to check the price carefully when purchasing tickets.
Speed Boat / Price
To get from Nuan Tip Pier to Koh Samet, you need to choose between two options: a big boat or a speed boat. The big boat is cheaper, costing about 120 baht for a round trip, but takes 40 minutes. The speed boat, on the other hand, costs 200 baht for a one-way trip or 300 baht for a round trip, but only takes 15 minutes. I chose the speedy speed boat without hesitation.
I didn’t click on the ticket counter, but the ticket booth is on the right side in the back of the picture. It says Speed Boat and has prices. Just look there and buy your ticket.
The ticket I received included the departure and return times. I was a bit confused as I arrived around 12:40 pm, but the departure time was listed as 1:45 pm. I thought I might have to wait for an hour, so I was a little flustered. Fortunately, I could depart after waiting for a while.
When you go from the pier to the sea, the right side is where you can take the speed boat, and the left side is where you board the big boat. One reason I was confused was that I was the only person at the speed boat station.
Everyone else who took the bus seemed to have bought tickets for the big boat. So I asked one of the speed boat passengers when the boat would depart. They said it would depart in about 20 minutes, so I was relieved.
After waiting for about 10 minutes, many passengers began to come to board the speed boat, and several boats arrived from Koh Samet.
So, the boat was filled with passengers and luggage, and we could move to Koh Samet in the middle of the boat. We arrived at Koh Samet quickly, in just 15 minutes, by riding the speed boat.
Ko Samet Island / Entrance Tax
When you arrive at Koh Samet, you must first pay an entrance fee. There is a difference in price between Thai and foreign entrance fees. Foreign adults must pay 200 baht and children must pay 100 baht.
There is a police officer at the entrance. If you tell them how many people you have, they will give you a paper indicating the number of people.
Take this inside and pay the entrance fee. Be sure to keep the ticket you received because you may be checked at any time. I have never been checked separately.
Taking a taxi to the resort
As soon as you come out of the Koh Samet pier, you will see a taxi that looks like a truck waiting right in front of you. You can get on here and go to the resort.
Koh Samet Island is small and the Sai Kaew Beach Resort where I stayed was close enough to walk, about 10-15 minutes. However, the price was cheap and I had a suitcase, so I took a taxi comfortably.
The price is 20 baht per person if there are several passengers and 100 baht for a family to move alone. When I went from the pier to the resort, the taxi was full because many passengers got off the boat.
On the other hand, when I returned from the hotel to the pier, I was the only one, so they asked me to wait for more people or pay 100 baht. So I just walked to the pier with my suitcase.
Read More
I would like to introduce SaiKaew Beach Resort, where I stayed on Ko Samet Island. This resort is located on the main beach of Koh Samet, Sai Kaew Beach, and offers spacious and comfortable rooms, a beautiful private beach, and a delicious breakfast buffet.
