The Emerald Cove – A Five Star Hotel on Klong Prao Beach Koh Chang
A few weeks ago my wife and I drove down to Koh Chang, a popular island destination located in the gulf of Thailand’s Trat province.
We were excited because we had booked the 5 star rated Emerald Cove Hotel for 4 nights. We heard a lot of good things about it because the hotel earned a good reputation for being secluded with a beautiful beach.
The Emerald Cove is located on Klong Prao Beach, the west side of Koh Chang. So you’ll have a beautiful sunset view…
And we love our quiet, peaceful, privacy. Normally we stay at La A Natu Bed and Bakery for some beach and seclusion.
This time around we really wanted to swim in some clear blue waters like we enjoyed in Koh Samui’s Impiana Resort on Chaweng Beach. Without having to fly out.
Koh Chang’s Emerald Cove Hotel was the perfect compromise for us.
This photo was taken right on the edge of Emerald Cove Hotel’s beach. The water is so clean and clear.
Koh Chang is an ideal destination for some clear and clean waters because it’s far enough and away from Bangkok. And the Emerald Cove Koh Chang is right on Klong Prao beach which has a long stretch of clean sand to have a nice stroll on.
I always say, the further you get away from Bangkok, the cleaner and clearer beach water you will find.
Entrance of the Emerald Cove Koh Chang Hotel
Emerald Cove Koh Chang Info
The Emerald Cove used to be a part of the Amari group of hotel chains. It was built in 2004. Which is quite old when it comes to hotels. But of course the Emerald went through a series of renovations since then. There are 165 rooms and 3 floors.
For me the hotel is fresh and modern with Thai style designs throughout the property. Only problem is there were intermittent power outages. But that is not the fault of the hotel. The island of Koh Chang has it’s own power plant.
The hotel’s reception is in a large open air room…
I think most people will be pleasantly surprised about how big the rooms are. Even the superior rooms are a minimum of 50 square meters. That’s the thing about older hotels. Many of them were built with more guests space.
You’re not on an island if you’re not surrounded by palm trees…
The hotel ground is spacious with several swimming pools in the center for guests to enjoy. But the property’s highlight is the centrally located 50 meter beachfront swimming pool.
A view from our premium deluxe ocean facing room. This is a 50 meter swimming pool. There is another small swimming pool suitable for children nearby…
There are several restaurants highlighting Thai and Italian cuisine. But during our stay the busiest restaurant was the Cove Terrace where a large buffet breakfast spread is ready for hungry guests every morning.
A view from the guest reception area…
Our Room
We booked a corner room called “Premium Deluxe Ocean Facing Room”. It is 56 square meters in size which was more than enough room for just my wife and I alone.
There is a work desk and a couple of sofas and chairs around to lounge in. Plus a large balcony with outdoor seating to take in the view.
We paid about 5000THB (approx. $150USD) per night with all taxes and a buffet breakfast fixed in the price. Which is not a bad price at all.
All of Emerald Cove’s rooms are at least 50 square meters.
As I mentioned before even the basic superior rooms at Emerald Cove are 50 square meters big yet cost between 1800THB to 3000THB per night with breakfast included.
At this point rooms at the Emerald Cove are priced according to location. The better the beach view or swimming pool view the more the room will cost.
A view from the main swimming pool. Our room was located on the building to the right, second floor…
Our premium ocean facing room had a spectacular view of the swimming pool. Because we had a corner room we had a decent beach view too.
So if you’re looking for big comfortable rooms with affordable prices in Koh Chang you should definitely check out Emerald Cove.
Everything that you’d need for a comfortable stay are provided in room. You’ve got a few bottles of complimentary drinking water provided daily in the refrigerator. A kettle to make hot tea and coffee. A room safe, slippers, robes and even a carry bag for visits to the beach.
Big bathroom complete with a full bath tub and walk in shower…
My only grip is I wish there was a larger television provided in the room.
Food at the Emerald Cove Koh Chang
The breakfast was perfectly fine and we ate at the Terrace Cove every morning. There were all the usual suspects. Eggs cooked to order, home fries, sausage and bacon with a good selection of breads.
There’s a large selection of fruit and salad options too for healthy eaters.
Then there’s a section of Thai breakfast options like noodles and ข้าวต้มหมูสับ Khao Tom Moo Sap which is a Thai styled rice porridge with ground pork
There was a planned buffet dinner by the beach but because of rain was cancelled…
On a Thursday there was an awesome dinner buffet that was supposed to take place by the beach where all the guests can enjoy the beautiful view and cool weather. But too bad the outdoor dining was cancelled as rain was in the forecast.
But the dinner buffet was very good and worth the 600THB price tag.
Breakfast was served daily at the hotel’s Terrace Cove restaurant…
While on our first night at the Emerald Cove we had dinner there because we were a little tired after the long 6 hour drive from Bangkok.
We ordered some pastas, a classic margherita pizza and crab cakes as pictured below. The pizza was good and the crust was thin which isn’t’ really what I like but the mozzarella cheese to tomato sauce ration was good.
Our first night dinner was at Emerald Cove’s Terrace Cove restaurant…
The pasta I ordered was a Beef Bolognese. For me the sauce was too watery. My wife ordered a chili and oil pasta which she said didn’t have much taste. This was the only let down on our meal.
The real winner was the crab cakes with sriracha mayo sauce. I could eat that all day long with a nice cold glass of Singha.
Be sure to look out for meal specials at Terrace Cove, one of Emerald Cove’s in house restaurants…
You can walk outside the hotel property to search out other restaurants. There is a decent Thai seafood restaurant not far from the hotel which I will write about on another post. But outside you can find a few small restaurants with western and Thai foods too.
There’s even a 7 Eleven about a 100 meters from the hotel entrance so you can easily pick up snacks to take back to your hotel room.
Overall Experience…
My wife and I really enjoyed our stay at the Emerald Cove Hotel. No surprise at all. Koh Chang is not a big island and other 5 star hotels on the island have got to be on their top game to win customers.
It’s a great hotel property with good service and even though we brought our car with us we didn’t need to drive around because everything we needed was in walking distance.
Their on site spa and massage was fully booked and the prices looked very reasonable…
We tried to make an appointment for an Emerald Spa Package but it was fully booked for that day. They had a couples’ spa for 3900THB which includes a 15 minute foot spa, 45 minute body scrub and a 60 minute relaxing massage which I assume is a body massage. That’s an excellent deal in my book.
Since we couldn’t get in we opted for another massage and spa shop which was just a 3 minute walk from the hotel’s driveway called Hatta Thai Spa and Wellness. Try out their foot scrub, I highly recommend it if you’ve got a load of dead skin like I did on my feet.
Just a few steps down from the hotel and you’re right on the beach. The water was low enough you can actually walk out 100 meters…
The Emerald Cove Hotel Koh Chang is well worth the money. It’s priced just right and very affordable for a 5 star rated hotel.
How We Got There
We drove in our car from central Bangkok all the way down through Chonburi,then Rayong and ended up at Ferry Koh Chang. The total time took about 6 hours on a weekday. Be sure to use google maps for GPS because it will come in very hand although the directions to get there is fairly simple.
The ferry boat takes about 30 minutes to cross from the mainland to Koh Chang…
You can drive your car right on to the boat and the fare for the car 120THB and the fare per person is 80THB.
Ferry boats leave depart every 30 to 45 minutes from 06:30 to 17:00. But there really is no set schedule. When the boats fill up, it leaves.
280THB to get a car across plus 2 persons one way is not a bad price at all…
If you’re not self driving you can easily catch minibus services all around Bangkok. Even Suvarnabhumi International Airport have minibus services that will take you down to Koh Chang. I believe the cost is 600THB one way.
Watching a sunset during Emerald Cove’s Happy Hour…
One big tip is to be sure you use the toilet before you get on the boat. Believe me you will thank me for this advice. It’s not a fancy ferry boat but it’ll get you to the beautiful island that is Koh Chang.
After my wife spent 5 days at her university campus in order to fulfill her course requirements she met a friend who works at the Amari Vogue Krabi Hotel. She told us it’s a really nice 4 star hotel located on Tub Kaek beach.
At the time we were planning on heading to Kanchanburi instead for a little getaway. But after seeing pictures and reading reviews of the Amari Vogue Krabi I was intrigued. And Tub Kaek beach is well known for beautiful Krabi sunsets.
Amari Vogue Krabi – If you love privacy and seclusion this place will not disappoint…
Our minds were made up in a flash. I booked my flights though Air Asia. Then booked one of Amari Vogue Krabi’s deluxe room at Agoda.com for this review. Our round trip plane tickets cost $250USD. Our 3 nights stay at the Amari Vogue including taxes and breakfast set me back $421USD.
I might’ve overpaid for the plane tickets because I bought them with only a week left before departure. However, the Amari Vogue Krabi was a deal. Due to low season I paid $140 per night (including some member point discounts via Agoda).
A view of the hotel property while waiting to get checked in…
Small Hotel, Big Beach, Super Friendly Hotel Staff and a Big Surprise
When we arrived at hotel’s open air reception area we felt a nice ocean breeze. The air was so clean. We could hardly see any guests out and about. This property has only 57 rooms so it’s a small hotel and just right if you don’t want to be shoulder to shoulder with huge tour group guests. But there are plenty of friendly hotel staff all around to take care of your needs.
We were checked in by a lovely lady who led us to our room which was down a series of steps. About midway down the length of the hotel property we finally reached our room.
It’s not a far walk and I was psyched to see if we would get a deluxe room with a view of the beach. She then led us through the hotel’s spa and up a flight of stairs to room #3201.
We got upgraded to a Spa Suite!
When she opened the door to our room my wife and I were impressed. It was all wood furniture all done up in traditional Thai style. A huge four poster bed with mosquito nets.
And the mattress and pillows were so comfortable. The balcony had a view of the ocean. However there were a row of tall coconut trees in front. But we were not complaining.
Then she opened another set of doors that revealed a room with two massage beds connected to the bathroom. Complete with a jacuzzi bathtub and a shower/steam room. Doing a quick check up online these spa suites are 70 to 80 square meters.
Now I know I definitely booked a deluxe room that didn’t have all the bells and whistles and are only 50 square meters. So, we got upgraded! But the lady who showed us our rooms never mentioned it. But we were grateful and I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to remember her name.
You’re probably thinking just because we got a sweet room upgrade this is going to be an automatic favorable review. Well I’ve have had room upgrades yet still have had bad experiences. Just take a look at my stay in Pa Prai Villa Plantation review. You can always rely on me for honest hotel reviews.
There are also many small swimming pools and even a private one near the beach. Now I wasn’t planning on using the pool. But I did plan on using the fitness room. And it was a small room and it felt like they just stuck late 90’s equipment inside an office space. I know the Amari Vogue Krabi is a smaller property and they can’t just build a big gym. So it’s not a big deal. But I think they can do better.
Besides, my and wife got a pretty good workout hiking up a national park just 200 meters from the entrance of the Amari Vogue Krabi. Unfortunately we only made it up about three quarters of the way. We weren’t prepared because there were lots of rocks and we were wearing flip flops.
Since it rained in the morning the rocks and soil were slick. We had to make the decision to go back or risk spraining an ankle and that would be bad.
The trail was 3.7 kilometers long and supposedly there is a great view up on top. We went around 9am after breakfast and the weather was cool with the tall trees providing adequate shade. But I can imagine it being too hot if we went for the hike in the afternoon. So it’s best to do the hike early in the morning.
Speaking of breakfast I think the Amari Vogue Krabi has just the right amount of choices. Since they’re not a huge hotel they don’t have a huge spread. Though what they have is certainly enough. Breakfast starts from 6:30am and ends at 10:30am.
They have some Thai and Japanese choices. Even Chinese dim sum. And of course there’s the American breakfast option of eggs cooked to order and bacon. They even had pork sausages which is the first I’ve seen in a hotel, though they don’t have it every morning.
A good hearty breakfast in my book…
But you can see the Amari Vogue is keeping up to date on todays health issues. This is the first resort I’ve ever seen carrying gluten free breads and cereals. They even have fruit smoothies and an herbal ginger drink for detox. And they make their own fruit jam. It’s those little details that impress me a lot.
Tub Kaek Beach – The Perfect Spot to Watch the Sunset in Krabi
Having a beautiful beach is just one part of the equation to a resort’s success. And Tub Kaek is the beach front that makes the Amari Vogue so much more impressive. It’s a long beach and the Amari is the last resort on the north end of Tub Kaek beach so it’s a lot more secluded.
There are beach front hotels in the vicinity. But luckily no noisy bars and clubs. So if you want peace and quiet you’ll get it here.
A view of Amari Vogue Krabi from Tub Kaek beach…
Though from what we were told the waters of Tub Kaek are much more beautiful during high season. During our stay it was low season. The waters were a little bit rough with the tide going in and out so the waters were not as clear as it could be during our stay.
But if you want to swim in clear water, Hong Island (a review coming soon) is not far away. You just have to hire a long tail boat to take you out there.
Tub Kaek Beach – Not a lot of people so you feel you have the whole beach to yourself…
That said, my wife and I still enjoyed our walks and dips in the waters. It’s best to swim in the mornings when the tide is higher.
But the beach is perfect for a romantic walk when the tide is low and you can see thousands of baby crabs scuttling towards the waters or digging themselves a hiding spot under the sand.
Now the drawback to staying at a hotel that is private and secluded is you’re going to be far away from the usual tourist destinations. Though many, including me, would consider that a pleasant drawback.
Amari Vogue mini bus has enough room for around 10 to 12 passengers…
However, if you’re the type that likes short jaunts into town the nearest one is called Ao Nang. Bars, restaurants, cafes, Thai massage shops, tour companies and ATM machines can all be found along Ao Nang.
Many massage shops in Ao Nang charging roughly the same rates. Foot massages cost about 200THB for 1 hour…
And Ao Nang Beach is not so bad considering all the commercial businesses nearby. The town is sort of U shaped, not so big and very easy to navigate and walk around.
Ao Nang Town – You can get there via Amari Vogue’s shuttle service. But it’ll cost each passenger 100THB one way.
Ao Nang town is about 20 minutes away by car. But if you didn’t rent a car or a motorbike the Amari Vogue has a shuttle mini bus service 3 times a day going to Ao Nang and back.
Though, they charge 100THB per passenger per way. Now to me, that’s a bit pricey. Personally I think it should be free or maybe half the price because it’s not that far of a drive.
Ao Nang Beach in Krabi
Getting to Amari Vogue Krabi Hotel from Krabi International Airport
Just like in Phuket if you take a taxi from the airport to your hotel you’re going to pay higher than normal taxi prices throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. There are no metered taxis in Krabi. You pay a flat rate and the prices increases depending on the distance.
You can find a few taxi operators inside Krabi International Airport…
Now the Amari Vogue Krabi is one of the furthest resorts from Krabi International Airport. We hired a taxi from the airport and the cost was 800THB and the journey took 40 minutes.
About halfway on to the resort our driver stopped outside of a tour agency. He does this out of the blue and if you ask he’ll tell you he’s going to the toilet.
Once your driver is in the office a guy comes out and tries to sell you some tours. This is business as usual and quite comical. Just say no and they leave. It’s the same in Phuket.
For your return trip from Amari Vogue back to Krabi International just speak with the same driver and they’ll charge the same 800THB rate. Which is what we did. Because the Amari charges 1200THB for the same ride.
I honestly don’t know if there is a cheaper way to get to Amari Vogue Krabi. Not unless you rent your own car and stay there longer. I suppose you can catch a mini bus or a songthaew down to Ao Nang and from there get a taxi. But I have a feeling you won’t be saving that much money.
But I’m a New Yorker. And I’m used to paying $45USD from lower Manhattan down to JFK airport. So to me, 800THB which is around $25USD (based on current exchange rate) for the same distance is a price I can handle.
If you’re staying at the Amari Vogue Krabi, be sure to ask what time the sun sets. You don’t want to miss it. It’s beautiful…
The Amari Vogue Krabi is a wonderful hotel and just perfect if you want a romantic getaway with a wonderful and natural surrounding. But a beautiful resort in a wonderful natural surrounding means nothing if you’ve got bad hotel staff.
One of this hotel’s strong points is the friendly and well trained staff. Every Amari staff that we encountered could speak a fair amount of English. Not too many four star hotels can make this claim. This and just many other reasons are why my wife and I would not hesitate to go back to Amari Vogue when we visit Krabi again.
Read current reviews and find discounts for Amari Vogue Krabi click here.
Recently my wife and I went over for a little getaway over at Koh Samet. The first island I went to since I first got back State side. And I must say after freezing my butt for a few months in NYC, thawing my ass out on nice soft sand of Koh Samet was mighty nice. Here’s a quick guide on getting to Koh Samet for a refresher.
This time we chose to stay at the 3.5 star rated Vongdeuan Resort. It is situated on the southern crescent tip of Vongduean beach. They claim to be the second biggest resort on Samet and maybe they are. For me, it was the low season and the price was just about right for what I was willing to pay for a place to stay close to the beach.
Ao Vongdeuan (Ao means beach in Thai) is quite a nice stretch of beach…
I booked 3 nights which cost me around $93USD per night. But I booked a beach house villa which wasn’t exactly on the beach but near enough. Though it is one of three cottage type rooms just yards away from it. Otherwise if you book the other room types it’s a bit further inland but the rates are cheaper. My wife and I are beach bums so getting a place closest to the beach for us was a top priority.
Also remember upon check you have to leave a 1000THB deposit. Remember to get a receipt. Once you check out you must present that receipt to get your deposit back so remember to keep that piece of paper in a safe place.
One of the Thai style houses at Vongdeuan Resort…
And I think one of the best features of Vongdeuan Resort is that all the rooms are small little houses. They have modern cottages and Thai style houses with nice terrace space to sit outside. And that’s great because every guests has their own space to stretch out and relax.
Our villa was about 40 square meters including bathroom…
As I mentioned I booked a beach house villa. There are only 2 of these types of villas so if you want to stay in one you probably have to book in advance. I made my reservation about a month beforehand without knowing there were so few so I got lucky I suppose. But then again it was the low season.
A quick tip: If you’re lucky enough to book a beach villa when you check in ask for B1, you’ll get a better view of the beach from your terrace or window. I stayed in B2 which was behind B1 which was close but had lesser view of the beach. Might as well get the villa with a better view – after all it’s the same price.
Forgot to take photos of the bathroom which was spacious and clean too…
And the room was clean though the mattress was just a tad bit hard for my taste. But that didn’t matter because after a full day of sightseeing and eating I could sleep on a bed of rocks like a baby.
Ao Vongdeuan is one of the nicest beaches on Koh Samet. The sand is very soft and the water is clean and clear like most of the beaches on the island. You’re not going to find a problem getting something to eat nearly every resort has a restaurant serving Thai and Western food.
Sometimes you just feel like a pork chop…
My wife and I sampled a bit of both. And according to her the Thai food is not so great. And we have tried several Thai dishes at several other resorts on Vongdeuan beach except Vongdeuan Resort. But to me the Western style food which I had a lot of was not so bad but the prices are not cheap.
Fresh fried fish with tamarind sauce. This was one of the best Thai dish we had on the beach…
I had some pizza and burgers over at Tom’s Pizza which wasn’t too bad. But again, it’s not cheap as is most food served on the beach is expensive. That pork chop dish pictured about cost me 450THB about $13.50USD based on current exchange rate.
You can find cheaper food but you have to get out of the resort area which requires renting a scooter which cost 500THB a day at a vendor near Vongdeuan Resort or you get out to the road and flag down a passing songthaew (truck taxi).
Breakfast served at an outdoor setting from 7am until 10:30am…
Breakfast is included in the rate so I guess if you’re on sort of a budget you can save some money there. But you’ll be eating the same stuff over and over as they don’t change their buffet breakfast choices at all. Not that I’m complaining. I pretty much eat the same stuff every morning in Bangkok anyways.
The Good and the Bad
I like Vongdeuan Resort because I really enjoyed my stay. Now I’m not really too picky about anywhere I stay as long as it’s clean. And it is. However one night there was a power outage twice. That might be out of the resort’s responsibility so no big problem. But of all the times I’ve been to Samet this was the first I’ve ever experienced.
A nice lady at the reception desk. Wish more of the resort staff were like her…
However, to me the resort staff, not all of course, though a few my wife and I have come across could perhaps just be a little more polite. We’re not asking anyway to kiss our asses or bend over backwards. But at least look alive and cheer up when speaking to guests. This didn’t just occur once but a couple of times in separate days.
Be sure to hold onto your ticket. They’ll collect your ticket on the ferry boat…
This skiff will take you to a ferry boat off shore…
Vongdeuan Resort offers guests free pick up from Ban Phe pier and drop off on the waters of Vongduean beach. So don’t wear your best pant and shoes, you’ll get wet up to possibly your knees. Off course they’ll get as near to the beach as possible and they’ll carry your bags too.
A big ferry boat with plenty of seats back to Ban Phe pier…
They’ll also take you back to the Ban Phe pier the same way too after check out. Which is always why it’s good to find a hotel that provides free ferry boat transport and there are quite a few in Koh Samet that do. But there is a schedule so keep that in mind.
Vongdeuan Resort Ferry Pick Up and Drop Off Schedule (as of May 2015)
From Ban Phe Pier: 10:00am and 1:30PM
From Vongdeuan Resort to Ban Phe Pier: 8:30am and 11:30am
Note that even though the ferry boat is scheduled to leave Vongduean Resort at 8:30am and 11:30am because they load guests’ luggage first there could be 30 minute or longer delay.
I like Vongdeuan Resort. I don’t have any major complaints about it at all and according to most reviews they are popular. As for the resort staff it’s not a big deal at all either. Who’s knows maybe they’re just tired. Though there are plenty of other resorts to check out on Koh Samet that I am interested in checking out when I go back.
Read reviews and find discounts for Vongdeuan Resort in Koh Samet.
Travel Information on Getting to and Exploring Koh Samet
Just this past week my wife and I went over to Koh Samet for a little get away from the hectic noise and heat of Bangkok. Depending on who you ask, some will say Koh Samet is a gem of an island. Some will say it’s not because it’s not far away enough from Bangkok so you still get a bit of the pollution often associated with big cities.
In the beginning I was in the latter camp and believed that you’d have to get as far away as possible from Bangkok if you want to swim in a sea of Listerin clear blue waters.
A slow ferry boat ride to Koh Samet takes about 35 minutes…
If you want to compare all the wonderful islands Thailand has to offer – it’s hard to beat those you’d find in the Andaman Sea surrounding Phuket. Or even deeper south on the Gulf of Thailand – Koh Samui’s pristine crystal clear waters is a prime example of some serious beach getaways.
Getting to Koh Samet from Bangkok
Koh Samet is located in Rayong province – due southeast of Bangkok. Taking a mini van or also called mini bus is the easiest option. Mini bus companies will take you to Ban Phe Pier in Rayong. From there you can purchase ferry boat tickets to Koh Samet for around 100THB round trip.
However, if you’re staying at a mid range resort in Koh Samet you should check if they have a complimentary ferry service from the pier to the hotel and back. It’ll save you some money and time. I stayed at the Vongdeuan Resort on Ao Vongdeun (Ao in Thai means beach).
There are public bus services at Ekkamai Bus Station which is your cheapest mode of transport choice. But a lot of people say the mini bus service is better because it’s a lot quicker and convenient.
This is the Ban Phe pier ticketing office for boats to Koh Samet…
Here’s where you can catch the mini bus to Ban Phe Municipality Pier within Bangkok:
Victory Monument – From 6am to 6pm, fare is 200THB, takes about 3 hours (could be quicker) to reach Ban Phe pier.
Khao San Road – Only 2 departures – 10:00am and 1:30pm, fare is 250THB, about a 3 and half hour ride.
My wife and I drove down to the pier. It’s a 3 hour leisure drive through Rayong not including the bathroom breaks and quick visits to nearby attractions along the highway.
Free parking space at the pier but tough to find a free spot…
If you’ve chosen to rent a car instead, there is free parking spots at Ban Phe pier. Or you can find a place that will let you park for a fee. Since there were no available parking spaces at the time we found a place to park for 100THB a day at another pier.
This is Ko Samet’s primary ferry boat pier…
All ferry boats arrive at Nadan pier located on the north side of the island. The ferry ride takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Since Samet is a national park in Thailand you have to pay a one time entrance fee:
Entrance Fee For Foreigners Visiting Koh Samet (as of May 2015):
Adult – 200THB
Ages 3 to 14 – 100THB
Ages under 3 and 60 and over free entrance
Since we were staying at Vongdeun Resort we used their complimentary ferry service and they also have an office at Ban Phe Municipality pier. So the resort’s personal ferry took us straight to our hotel with no hassles. It’s really worthwhile to book a resort on Koh Samet that provides complentary roundtrip ferry service. It’s important to find out also what the ferry boats’ time schedules are too.
Also any resort on the island may have offices at a different pier so you should also note where their ferry departs.
Vongdeun Resort has an office directly opposite from Ban Phe pier ticket office…
Getting Around Koh Samet
However, once you’re off the ferry boat your options for getting to where ever you are staying is rent a motorbike if you know how to ride or use the truck (songthaew) taxi service which are really green painted pick up trucks with 2 rows of seats.
These taxis don’t use meters and the rates are fixed and cost depends on distance. From the pier to Vongdeuan Resort it would cost 250THB if you want to hire one outright. Otherwise it’s about 30THB per person to Ao Vongdeun but you have to wait until the pick up truck is filled with customers. The most taxis charge is 70THB to Ao Pakarang which is the furthest beach area in Samet.
The southern most tip of Koh Samet…
Which ever area you are staying at, the best way to really get around is by motorbike. The island is 7km across and 4km wide. There are only three main roads and the roads are not full of cars, thankfully. We rented a motorbike for 500THB for a full day with free gas. All rental shops stock automatic motorbikes.
A nice bowl of seafood tom yum for lunch…
Fresh fried fish with tamarind sauce…
Renting a motorbike is also a good idea so you can get around and check out other places to eat food. There are some cafes and Thai hawker stands throughout the island. If you’re married to a Thai lady like I am you’ll know Thais are quite picky about food. And they’ll go far and wide in search of a good meal and make it quite clear that they don’t like the food by not touching it again after one single first bite.
One of the nicest beach on Samet…
There are shops renting scooters for 400THB for 1 day plus free gas. However the place that we rented from was a few minutes walk from us on the beach near our resort and charged 500THB. Just a fair warning though that the roads are hilly. You’ll find rolling hills along the way which makes a harrowing ride. But the good news is there are virtually no cars at all since Koh Samet is quite strict on vehicle control.
Golf carts are also available for rent and cost 2000THB for 1 day. It’s only a two seater and kind of pricey if you really think about it. But certainly a safer alternative when you don’t know how to ride a scooter.
Praw Bay is the quietest beach with only one resort…
Though Vongdeun beach where the resort we were staying at is not too shabby either. Though with a motorbike you have the freedom to go around and check out other beaches easily. There are 18 beaches on this island. You won’t need to check all of them out as some are better than others.
My favorite 3 beaches on Koh Samet:
Praw Bay
Ao Hin Khok
Ao Vongdeuan
Ao Hin Khok – A very nice long beach…
Though main roads are in fairly good condition (though with lots of speed bumps) the roads leading to the beaches are not paved so do be extra careful.
Ao Vongdeun – This is the beach outside of the resort we were staying at…
There are other smaller islands surrounding Koh Samet you can check out. For those, you have to book a tour. Usually you can find island tour packages right at your hotel lobby. Or if you’re staying at an area north of Samet there are shops that can book a tour for you. Take a walk along most beaches and you’ll find a booking agency too. You can pretty much book a tour anywhere.
You’ll find many island tour agents all over Samet…
Depending on the tour you choose a lunch is included in the afternoon. And if they’ll take you to a snorkeling spot a snorkel kit and life jackets are provided. But I highly recommend buying your own snorkel kit for hygiene reasons. But there are other items you should have too:
Your Essential Island Hopping Kit Bag:
Waterproof Dry Bag – Since you’ll be bringing a bag it might as well be waterproof.
Beach Shoes – Wear these to protect your feet from sharp rocks and broken sea shells.
Snorkel Kit – Should buy your own. The ones provided on tours are well used and I doubt they are sanitized after use.
Don’t forget to bring band aids too. Sometimes it’s hard to judge how deep coral or rocks are and I’ve seen a lot of people shred their knees and shins. Me included. And be sure to buy your sun tan lotion before you get on the island or else you’ll end up paying 2 to 3 times the normal price on Samet.
Might be a good idea to bring some toilet tissue too. Every island have toilets but no paper.
Nongboom Tours speed boat…
Two Tour Companies I’ve Used Before in Koh Samet:
Nongboom Tours
Shairbuay Tours
These two companies I have used on a consistent basis whenever in Samet. Of these two, I think Nongboom is the better one. Sometimes Shairbuay will skip certain locations on the itinerary and won’t even tell customers. They could’ve done it because of weather, time constraints or whatever circumstances but it would be nice if they could simply say something.
Now I don’t know if Nongboom has done the same since every speedboat has a different crew. But so far, Nongboom has taken the tour group we were on to every advertised snorkeling or beach locations.
Shairbuay Tours speed boat…
Although this recent visit was in late May, weather wise it’s not ideal and considered the slow season. While my wife and I was there the waters were choppy and quite rough. So it’s not really suitable for snorkeling. And the water wasn’t as crystal clear as it could be due to the rough surf.
And although there were still plenty of fish that come up when you’re tossing food to them they don’t really come out until the waters are calmer. I asked the locals what are the best times for snorkeling and was told starting from November on to January. Though I’ve been to Koh Samet before in mid February and the water visibility was excellent too.
Some indigenous life at Koh Kudee…
Koh Kudee – Lots of chicken and rabbits too…
The more I visit Koh Samet the more I am beginning to enjoy the island. For my wife and I we like Samet because its a good beach getaway choice. Especially when we have certain time constraints and have to get back to Bangkok.
But if you don’t want to spend a whole lot of money and a whole lot of travel time and still want to enjoy beautiful island life with a Mai Tai in hand and soft fine sand under your feet – Koh Samet is not a bad option.
