Beach Days & Island Life on Koh Samet

After a few busy days exploring Northern Thailand, it was time for some beach time and we travelled to Koh Samet for a chance to slow down for a few days. Getting there, however, was going to take most of the day.

We started with a taxi ride to the airport, which took way longer than expected due to roadworks, which made our Bolt driver having to drive the long way around, which was still the fastest way. Once we finally arrived, we boarded our AirAsia flight (managing to get through without anyone pulling us aside due to us having more than the 7kg carry on allowance). We soon landed at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok. I’d originally booked a flight into Suvarnabhumi Airport, as it would have made the trip easier and faster, however AirAsia had cancelled our original flight and automatically moved us to this one.

After landing, we had to find our driver, which took a little while. Once we were on our way, it took around 50 minutes just to get past Suvarnabhumi Airport. Anyway, we had a quick stop along the way where we got some lunch and a toilet break before eventually reaching the pier, ready for the final leg of the journey.

Unfortunately, we’d arrived too late to catch the slower boat across to Koh Samet. The alternative was a speedboat for 200 baht per person, but there was one catch: they needed at least eight passengers. Rather than sit around waiting for enough people to turn up, we decided to hire the whole boat ourselves. It cost us more than sharing would have, but after a long day of travelling, we were more than happy to pay to just get moving.

Once we reached the island and checked into Samed Villa Resort, we could finally relax. We spent the rest of the evening wandering along the beach, found a spot by the water for dinner, and watched one of the beachside fire shows. After flights, taxis, roadworks and boats, sitting by the ocean was exactly what we needed. We had made it to Koh Samet, and now it was time to just chill for a few days.

Our first proper day was all about taking things slowly, although we did have one important job to take care of: laundry. The hotel offered a laundry service, but apparently our clothes would need to be sent back to the mainland to be washed and returned to the island, meaning a three-day turnaround. We decided to take matters into our own hands and use a laundromat instead. It certainly wasn’t as enjoyable as handing over a bag of dirty clothes and having someone else deal with them, but at least we wouldn’t have to wait half our stay to get them back.

With the washing sorted, we caught one of the local taxi vans to Sai Kaew Beach, the island’s main beach area. We found somewhere to have lunch right by the sand, then spent the afternoon doing what we’d come here for: relaxing near the water and wandering over to another beach for a change of scenery. 

That evening, we returned to our familiar routine of dinner beside the beach, another fire show and then back to our bungalow. After travelling through Laos and northern Thailand, it was nice to have a few days where the biggest decision was which stretch of sand to sit on.

The following morning, I decided it was time to do something I hadn’t done in many years: hire a scooter. One of the best things about Koh Samet is that the island is small enough to explore at your own pace, and having our own wheels meant we didn’t have to rely on the local taxis every time we wanted to visit another beach.

Eloise came along for the first ride, and we headed right down to the southern tip of the island. Here, we explored the southern-end viewpoints, reached by short walking paths from the end of the road. It was a lovely spot to stop, stretch our legs and take in a different side of Koh Samet, away from the busier beaches.

After our little adventure, Eloise and I rode back to the beach where we met up with Suz and Xander for lunch. Then it was Xander’s turn to jump on the scooter with me. We crossed the island to Ao Prao Beach, on the western side, and spent some time strolling along the sand before heading back across to the main area for a cold drink from 7-Eleven. Sometimes, a cold drink from 7-Eleven is all the sightseeing you need.

Once we were back, Xander and Eloise stayed in the room while Suz and I took the opportunity to go for a ride together. We headed south again, this time stopping at Wai Beach. We grabbed a cold drink, went for a swim in the ocean and tried a little snorkelling to see if we could spot anything interesting. Unfortunately, the underwater scenery was very poor, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

After our swim, we rode back to our beach and I returned the scooter. It had been great having the freedom to explore wherever we wanted without having to organise a taxi or wait for someone else to take us around. We’d managed to see several different parts of the island in a day, all at our own pace.

That evening, we enjoyed one more dinner by the beach before heading back to our room. Suz and I decided to rewatch the documentary about the Tham Luang cave rescue, having only just  visited the area in Chiang Rai where the boys’ football team and their coach were trapped in 2018. Having seen the region in person, the story felt even more real than it had before.

Our time on Koh Samet had been a welcome change from the busier sightseeing days earlier in the trip. Between beach dinners, fire shows, swimming and exploring the island by scooter, we’d finally had the chance to slow down and enjoy a few days by the sea. Next stop, Bangkok, for the final part of our Thailand adventure.