Koh Samed, a well-developed tourist island in the Gulf of Thailand, is popular with both Thai and foreign holidaymakers. It is easy to reach from Bangkok and close to the mainland, with many resorts in different price ranges, restaurants serving delicious seafood right on the beach, entertainment, and more… What more could a short-term holidaymaker ask for?
Even during the “green” season—the rainy season from June to September—the island is a great destination for both partygoers and families. There is something for everyone. Easy access from Bangkok and beautiful beaches are the main reasons, but the island’s well-developed tourist infrastructure is also likely to be an important factor for many holidaymakers.
I’ll deliberately leave out the fact that the island is actually a national park and has a serious waste problem. The hotels’ laundry is taken to the mainland by fishing boat to be washed. The clean laundry, along with the water for showering, is then brought back to the island on the same boat.
Saturdays and Sundays are often extremely busy. Long weekends created by public holidays are particularly popular among Bangkok residents for trips to Koh Samed. During the week, however, you can still find plenty of quiet spots.
As a general rule, the farther south you go, the quieter it gets. In the north, the hotels tend to be more densely packed. From Tubtim onward, the beaches become quieter and less crowded as you head south.
The best time to visit is between December and April. But the island can also be really beautiful before or after this period. A British friend of mine from Chiang Rai always spends his vacation on the island in June.
However, prices are high. There are some very basic bungalows by the sea for around 1,000 THB, but most resorts charge from 2,500 baht upwards, with virtually no upper limit. Prices at the beachside restaurants are also high. A simple Khao Pad (fried rice), for example, can cost as much as 129 THB.
Koh Samed with Children
We were there with our young children, which limited our activities somewhat. In 2025, I would have explored the island from top to bottom, especially since it had been 35 years since my last visit. But we felt so comfortable at Wong Duean Beach that we ventured very little beyond the area.
During our visit this year, I explored much more of the island. What I discovered during that trip led to this update.
Koh Samed is very family-friendly. The ferry or speedboat ride is short, and the resorts are well equipped for families, often offering family rooms as well.
TIP: Take the White Shark speedboat catamaran when traveling with young children. The journey is considerably smoother and more comfortable.
Most of the beaches on the east coast are shallow and wide, with beautiful fine sand that is perfect for playing and building sandcastles—ideal for children. Our beach, Wong Duean, also had very shallow water for the first few meters, along with a few small waves. Our twins had a great time.
Enjoying Seafood with the Family
I find it difficult to truly enjoy a good meal at a restaurant with young children. Our kids have always been very lively. One moment they want to sit on our laps, the next they want to be in their high chairs, and then they want to get down again. They often want to eat by themselves, which I actually think is great, but it usually doesn’t end very neatly. And then they want to get up and explore the world again.
How wonderful and relaxing it is to sit on the beach in such a child friendly country and enjoy fresh seafood. The children can play in the sand, any rice that falls on the ground disappears in no time, and the staff help keep the little ones entertained and sometimes even keep an eye on them when they decide to run off again.
Wong Duean Beach
The beautiful crescent shaped beach is very shallow, making it especially suitable for children and less confident swimmers. Neither at low tide nor at high tide do you have to worry about the seabed dropping off steeply. The floating pier is located right next to the national park office, roughly in the middle of the beach.
Ao Wong Dueang is our beach. We have now stayed there for the second time, and it is simply a great fit for us and our children. Why? Because of the range of restaurants and cafés combined with the manageable number of visitors. There are sun loungers and umbrellas, but they do not cover the entire beach continuously.
At CasaBlanca Café, you can enjoy good coffee and delicious ice cream, as well as games for children. The food at Nice and Easy Restaurant was not quite as good, but once again, we found friendly staff everywhere.
TIP: At V Café and Restaurant on the rocks at the northern end of the beach, food and drinks are no more expensive than on the beach. The view and atmosphere are even better.
Other Beaches
At Ao Cho, the upscale Great View and Rasta bars share the small bay. Walking out along the old pier can be a bit daunting for those who are less confident on their feet.
At Ao Thian, there is an affordable resort as well as the rather old fashioned Sirin Villa Samed. I have not seen this much white painted colonial style wood in a long time. However, I do wonder whether this style is still practical and up to date.
One of the most beautiful beaches on Koh Samed is Ao Wai. The large Samet Ville Resort is the only resort in the bay.
At the very southern end of the island, there is a viewpoint and a path across the rocks. It makes for a lovely destination for a scooter trip around the island.
Exploring the Island by Scooter and Songthaew
A small road runs across the island. With a rented scooter, you can explore the island and find your favorite beach. It is actually a beautiful way to see the island, including the viewpoints, but it is not without its risks. The many “bumpers,” or speed bumps, can be potential spots for a fall. They are meant to slow down vehicles, but this is often ignored. It may be a stereotype, but I mainly saw young men riding at excessive speeds and putting themselves in risky situations.
Scooter rental costs 100 THB per hour or 400 THB per day. Of course, insurance is not included.
You don’t like getting around by scooter? Then use the green shared taxis (songthaews). They regularly travel up and down the island road from around 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You usually have to wait no more than 20 minutes for the next one. At 50 THB, the fare is relatively cheap compared with the island’s overall price level.
If you want to hire a songthaew for a private trip, the price is negotiable. However, you should expect to pay at least 300 THB for a one way journey. The trip from north to south takes around half an hour, although it can take longer when there is more traffic or frequent stops.
Getting to Koh Samed
From Bangkok, you can take a bus or minivan from Ekkamai to the pier. It is best to book in advance through 12Go. Alternatively, you can travel comfortably by shuttle directly from the city center or the airport to the pier.
We traveled there on a Thai Airways flight from Chiang Rai to Bangkok (my 5 best tips for Suvarnabhumi Airport). I have Silver status with Thai Airways, which mainly means an additional 10 kg of checked baggage allowance.
From there, we took a comfortable private car transfer booked through GetYourGuide to Baan Phe Pier. The two hour journey in a limousine with a driver, who drove safely and smoothly, cost just over 2,000 THB. For the four of us, it was ideal. Prices from central Bangkok are only slightly higher.
The speedboat ride to the island is short and costs only 150 THB. Be careful! Do not let anyone sell you a ticket for a private speedboat. It costs more than 3,000 THB, but you will still be traveling with many other passengers.
There are also several piers. Use Ban Phe Pier. They will arrange the correct boat to your beach there. Once you arrive, the friendly hotel staff will help you with your luggage and show you the way.
The twenty minute trip to Koh Samed on the speedboat catamaran was great fun. From then on, we heard the word “speedboat” dozens of times, every time a speedboat appeared on the beach or our children spotted one.
Drone Use in the National Park
You can obtain permission from the national park (Khao Laem Ya Samet Marine National Park) to legally fly your drone at the Head Office on Sai Kaew Beach (Google Maps).
As with other national parks in Thailand, you must show your CAAT and NBTC registrations and use the UAS Portal app to report your flights, as I also explain in the article “Permission to Fly in National Parks: How to Do It”.
It is a hassle, but still better than the restricted zones, where flights must be registered at least three days in advance.
Use our drone registration service to save yourself a lot of work:
Drone Registration Service in Thailand
Just a quick explanation:
Thailand is divided into different zones for drone pilots. Around 20% of the country is considered an open zone, where flights must still be reported through the UAS Portal app but are approved immediately.
In the restricted zones, shown in blue, flights are only approved immediately on weekends. Flights during the week must be registered three to seven working days in advance to receive approval. These zones cover around 80% of the country and are mainly used by the Royal Thai Air Force as training areas.
The third zone consists of areas around airports, military facilities, and similar locations. Private drones are generally not permitted in these areas.
More Tips and Accommodation
We stayed at Malibu Resort, which has a small pool and a playground. The breakfast buffet offered a good variety, although the food was not particularly impressive. The family room, however, was spacious enough, with one large bed and two smaller beds.
One of the most beautiful resorts on Wong Duean Beach is probably Vimarn Samed Resort. Although the resort does not have a beach directly in front of the bungalows, it is only a few meters from the sand.
You might also be interested in:
MyDroneThailand – Drone registration service
5 Top Tips for SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT Bangkok
My tips for you: trips in Chiang Rai province
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