How to Get to Koh Samet on Your Own: All Ways

Overview of ways to get to Koh Samet

Koh Samet is located in Rayong province, 7 km from the mainland. You can only get there by water — by ferry or private boat. There is no airport on the island, so the only way is land transport + ferry.

All routes from the mainland to the island go through the village of Ban Phe, where the main piers are located. From there to the island — 10–40 minutes depending on the type of vessel. The nearest large city and resort is Rayong, which is easily accessible from Bangkok (180 km) and Pattaya (60 km). These cities serve as starting points for most travelers.

By plane

If you want to get to the island right after arriving in Thailand, bypassing Bangkok or Pattaya, or are coming from far-flung cities (Chiang Mai, Phuket), then you need these nearest airports:

• Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) — Bangkok's main international gateway, and this is where you will most likely arrive from abroad. It is located 180 km from Ban Phe. More about Suvarnabhumi Airport.
• Don Mueang Airport (DMK) — Bangkok's second airport, a base for low-cost airlines. It is about 210 km from Ban Phe. All info about Don Mueang.
• U-Tapao Airport (UTP) — the so-called "Pattaya airport", located only 50 km from Ban Phe, but it receives a limited number of flights (mostly charters and a few domestic routes).

Although U-Tapao Airport is closer, it is much more convenient and cheaper to fly to Suvarnabhumi — it has the most flights from Russia and other countries.

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There are no direct buses or transfers from the airports to Ban Phe. You will have to go by taxi or by public transport with a transfer in Bangkok or Pattaya. Keep in mind that if you arrive after 12 noon, even by taxi you may not make the last ferry (usually until 6:00 PM).

Travel time and taxi cost:

• From Suvarnabhumi: about 180 km, 2.5–3 hours, from 2000 baht (61.34 USD).
• From Don Mueang: more than 200 km, 3–3.5 hours, from 2500 baht (76.67 USD).

Plus, you need to allow at least an hour after arrival for going through control, collecting baggage, exchanging currency, buying a SIM card and finding a taxi. Therefore, after noon, it is better to plan an overnight stay in Bangkok or Pattaya, and head to Samet in the morning.

Where to stay overnight: it is most convenient to stay overnight in Bangkok — from both airports it is easy to get to the city center by taxi or airport metro (45 baht to the Pratunam area). In Bangkok, in the Pratunam area, there are the best Superrich exchange offices with a favorable rate (read: where to exchange currency profitably in Bangkok). An alternative is to go to Pattaya (bus from the airport from 170 baht) and stay there overnight, but the next day you will still have to get to Ban Phe with transfers.

The choice of overnight stay depends on your budget and desire to use public transport. If you are willing to spend on a taxi, you can go directly to Ban Phe and catch a private boat (even after 6:00 PM, hiring a boat is possible, but it's expensive — from 500 baht). However, we advise most travelers not to rush, stay overnight in Bangkok and calmly take a bus or transfer in the morning.

How to get there from Bangkok

The most convenient and popular way to get to Koh Samet from the capital is by bus to Ban Phe pier, then by ferry. Here are the main options:

• Bus from Ekkamai Eastern Bus Station

  From Ekkamai Bus Station, buses to Ban Phe depart daily from 5:00 AM to 8:30 PM about every hour. Travel time is 3–4 hours, ticket cost is 173 baht (5.31 USD). Tickets can be bought directly at the station, no need to book in advance. The bus arrives at the piers, from where boats immediately depart to the island.

• Direct transfer from Suvarnabhumi Airport

  From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), bus No. 9906 to Ban Phe departs several times a day (approximately at 5:40 AM, 8:40 AM, 9:10 AM, 9:40 AM, 10:40 AM, 1:40 PM, 4:00 PM, and 6:40 PM). The schedule may change, check on the spot. You can also book a transfer online through services like 12Go.asia.

• Combined bus + ferry ticket

  Carriers offer a single "Bangkok — Koh Samet" ticket, which includes a bus from Ekkamai or Mo Chit and a ferry to the island. The cost of such a ticket is from 375 baht (11.5 USD). This is convenient if you don't want to look for a ferry ticket office in Ban Phe on your own. You can buy it on 12go.asia or at street travel agencies (easiest to find in the Khao San Road area).

How to get there from Pattaya

Getting from Pattaya to Koh Samet on your own is quite difficult and will take almost a whole day, as regular bus service is poorly developed, and passing buses from/to Bangkok through Pattaya do not run. Nevertheless, there are several ways.

• Independent route

  Consists of three stages:

  • Minibus from Pattaya to Rayong — from 400 baht (12.27 USD). Buses depart from Pattaya's Northern Bus Terminal or you can catch a passing minivan on Sukhumvit Highway.
  • In Rayong, transfer to a songthaew (blue) to Ban Phe pier — about 50 baht (1.53 USD), travel time 30–40 minutes.
  • At the pier, take a ferry to Koh Samet: slow boat — 100 baht (3.07 USD), 40 minutes; speedboat — from 200 baht (6.13 USD), 10–20 minutes.

  The total travel time can be 5–6 hours, including waiting for transport.

• Ready-made transfer

  It is much more convenient to buy a ready-made transfer "door to pier on Koh Samet" at local travel agencies in Pattaya or online. The transfer includes a minivan to Ban Phe pier and a ferry to the island. Cost — from 600 baht (18.4 USD). The stated travel time is 4 hours, but in fact it can be up to 6 hours. Online booking is available, for example, on 12Go.asia from 450 baht.

• Taxi

  If you are traveling in a group or with family, it is profitable to order a taxi directly to the pier. In Pattaya, you can negotiate with drivers on the street or use the Grab app. Price — about 1000 baht (30.67 USD) for a standard car, from 2500 baht (76.67 USD) for a minivan.

Ferries to Koh Samet: schedule, piers and prices

You can only get from the mainland to Koh Samet by water — by ferry or speedboat. The main departure piers are in the village of Ban Phe, Rayong province. The two main piers are Nuanthip Pier and Ban Phe Pier (also known as Phe Pier). They are located a few minutes' walk from each other, so transfers and schedules usually just say "Ban Phe".

Both piers can be found on the map: Ban Phe piers on the map.

Types of vessels and travel time

• Slow ferry: Departs from Nuanthip Pier, takes 40 minutes, arrives at Nadan Pier on the northern tip of the island.
• Speedboat: Departs from several piers (Nuanthip, Ban Phe, Municipal), travel time 10–20 minutes. Can drop passengers off right on the eastern coast beaches (upon request and for an extra fee).

Schedule and cost

Ferries operate daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. After this time, you can hire a private boat (from 500 baht). Below is the current schedule and prices (updated 2026).

Slow ferries from Nuanthip Pier depart at approximately 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM. Speedboats run more often — every 30–60 minutes during daylight hours.

All ferries arrive at Nadan Pier on the island (Nadan on the map). Some speedboats continue to popular beaches such as Ao Wong Deuan, Ao Prao and others — check when buying your ticket.

Transport on Koh Samet

There is no public transport on the island. You can get around by songthaew (shared taxi), rented transport, or on foot.

There is only one main road along the beaches on the eastern coast, and songthaews (shared taxis) run along it. The fare is from 20 to 60 baht (0.61 – 1.84 USD) depending on the distance, unless you hire the vehicle as a taxi.

A great option to get around the island is a rented motorcycle or bicycle, but prices here are inflated compared to mainland Thailand: renting a motorcycle per day starts from 300 baht (9.2 USD).