This post will show you the tropical island Ko Samet in the Gulf of Thailand. Once on the island, we explored to all parts of it so here they are, the best Ko Samet beaches.
Ko Samet is not far away from Bangkok, you only need to travel three hours south. This makes its beaches easy to reach from the Thai capital and a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle.
Enjoying tropical fruit on Ao Wai, one of the white Ko Samet beaches
About Ko Samet and its Beaches
Even as Ko Samet is a jungle island you can find pretty white-sand beaches on its all four sides.
As the beach in Ko Samet’s main village where most ferries arrive is often packed with people there are emptier beaches further away. The main village is a popular weekend getaway for the Thais, but here. too, you can find more space for yourself on weekdays:
The main beach of Ko Samet, Thailand
But why not see more of the island and find more beaches? Ko Samet is a small island where the distances are short. So begin with walking south from the main village.
The Best Ko Samet Beaches on the Map
The map shows the island of Ko Samet, Thailand, and our favorite beaches are marked on it.
If you don’t see them, zoom in the map. The main beach is Hat Sai Kaew and our favorites are south of it, all of them within walking distance, or almost.
The best Ko Samet beaches on the map
Zoom out the map to see where in Thailand the island is located. It’s on the north shore of the Gulf of Thailand and not very far away from Bangkok.
This photo tour includes most Ko Samet beaches but not all. There are some more beaches in the north of the island, and also in the west.
How to Get to Ko Samet Beaches
You can choose between walking along a rainforest path that links all these beaches, or taking a very bumpy inland road.
If you try to explore all these beaches on foot it’s a pretty long walk. So I would recommend taking a taxi or Ko Samet public transport (these green cars) to the southernmost beach and then start walking back.
Ko Samet public transport vehicles
Another alternative is to rent a motorbike – if you don’t mind driving on narrow bumpy roads.
Exlporing Ko Samet on a motorbike
Or, even better if you can to take it easy and go to different beaches on different days.
The Best Ko Samet Beaches in Photos
Here are the beaches from south to north. The first beach in the south is Ao Wai.
Ao Wai Beach, Ko Samet
The white-sand Ao Wai beach, Ko Samet
Taking it easy on Ao Wai
Lonely beach chairs waiting for us
The next beach to the north is Ao Lung Dam:
Ao Lung Dam Beach
Sitting in the shade on Ao Lung Dam
Ao Lung Dam in photos
Bars on the boat pier of Ao Lung Dam, Ko Samet
THe next beach Ao Wond Duean is a sleepy, quiet one:
Ao Wong Duean Beach
In the calm waters of Ao Wong Duean
More photos of Ao Wong Duean
Then there is a small sandy cove, Ao Nuan:
Ao Nuan Beach
Ao Nuan, one of the best beaches of Ko Samet,
Lazy days in Thailand
The shady Ao Nuan beach, Ko Samet
Now we still have to walk a bit, to get to the last two beaches:
Walking along Ko Samet coastal path
Ao Phai is already our hotel beach:
Ao Phai Beach
The crystal clear waters of Ao Pahi
Thailand’s Ao Phai in photos
Ribbons in Ko Samet trees
Then, last but not least, Ko Samet’s main beach:
Hat Sai Kaeo, Ko Samet Village Beach
Hat Sai Kaeo, Ko Samet village beach
The busy Ko Samet’s main beach in photos
So, I hope watching my photo tour will help you find your dream beach on this beautiful island. These were my dream beaches – which beach do you think is the best?
More about Ko Samet
- Check out my other Ko Samet article Bangkok to Ko Samet Island, Bangkok Stopover Trip.
- For more travel information and ferry times check out the Koh Samet website.