Ko Samet has, without doubt, the best soft-sand beaches within a few hours of Bangkok. The trouble is, all Bangkokians know it, so at weekends its beaches become as crowded as Silom Road on a Saturday night. Not surprisingly, resorts bump up their rates at weekends too.

How to avoid the crowds

The solution? Visit midweek if you can, and head for the beaches further south on the east coast. The island is only 6km from north to south and little over a kilometre wide, but most people tend to stay on the beaches that are easiest to get to; Hat Sai Kaew (Diamond Beach) and Wong Duan are particularly popular. A personal favourite is the tiny Ao Nuan.

The high cost of paradise

The island is actually part of a marine national park, so everyone is liable to pay B200 on arrival, though there’s little evidence that this fee is used to preserve the environment. Also, being a tourist resort, prices for food, motorbike rental and so on are higher than elsewhere, but having said that, the effect of gazing at the azure waters and listening to the soft hiss of waves rolling in makes it all worthwhile.

Practical Info

Bus Regular buses leave from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal to Ban Phe, opposite the island on the mainland.

Boat Ferries are constantly chugging between the mainland and Ko Samet, taking about half an hour.