Travel Thailand: Koh Samed...Where Dreams Come True
October 12, 2019
Having an idyllic beach holiday doesn't get easier than visiting Koh Samed. Just a few hours drive and a short boat ride separate you from the hustle of Bangkok and a beach paradise. Sara shares her travel tips and explains why she keeps returning again and again.Words and photos by Sara Jadiya Chow As the ocean breeze gently brushed past my face one lazy afternoon, I put my novel down slowly and closed my eyes. Listening to the waves, breathing in the saltiness in the air, I drifted off to the blank space between awake and asleep...People often ask me what there is to do on Samed Island? Don’t we get bored of going there so often? My reply is always the same: “I go there to do nothing.” Literally.The island of beautiful sand
Just three hours drive from Bangkok, Samed is a small island just off the coast of Rayong province. In Chinese, Samed is translated to Sha-Mei = Beautiful Sand, and it really lives up to its name. The island of Beautiful Sand. Famous for its many beaches all around, this island is classified as a National Park of Thailand. There are very commercialized beaches such as Sai Kaew with all the hustle and there are also very quiet and serene ones like Vongduen and Ao Noina.One big thing about Thailand that my family love, is that there are so many natural resources in this country, it’s such a blessing. You can drive for just 2-3 hours to some scenic spot right out of a postcard and escape from the harsh reality of work and life in the city.Access
It’s easily accessible and very affordable by public bus from Ekamai bus station. My husband and I took our first trip to Samed on a bus too. However, it would be recommended to drive if you are bringing your children. You take the motorway right out of Bangkok and go directly past Chonburi to Rayong. Upon reaching Ban Phe Pier on the coast of Rayong, there are regular ferries to take visitors across to the island. This trip takes about 45 minutes and is usually very smooth as the ferries are quite big in size. However, there are other options too! You can choose to take the speed boat (often provided by the resort/hotel to pick up guests) or at your own cost. This will cut the travel time down to 15 minutes from the pier to the island.Rising popularity
Samed used to be a very local destination, where not many foreigners knew about this little paradise before the age of the internet. I remember the very first time I visited when I was a teenager, there were two huge spiders and a humongous local lizard by the name of “Tookkae” in our hotel room. Scary! Needless to say, back then this island was not very developed and it very well served my dad’s intention of letting his children “get close to nature”.Nevertheless, nowadays it has developed into a very popular destination with pretty much everything any beach-loving visitors would be looking for. It doesn’t matter if you are a couple, a family, a group of friends or a corporate team -- this island has activities to meet all your needs.Where to stay, what to do
For first time visitors, staying at Sai Kaew beach would be recommended as you can have easy access to everything you will need. There are plenty of beachside restaurants serving fresh seafood, lots of accommodations at different price points, shops, convenience stores, medical clinics, and massage centers. There are even travel agencies providing island tours and water sports activities like jet skis, banana boat, paragliding, canoeing, etc. The sea around this island makes it a good spot for snorkeling too. Come night time, pick a beachside restaurant on Sai Kaew beach to catch the “Fire Show” where experienced beach acrobats juggle and twirl fire batons with amazing skills to the beats of the latest clubbing hits. This show never ceases to impress my friends and me! Now Koh Samed has become me and hubby’s favorite go-to place whenever we can steal a weekend away, when friends visit from abroad or when we are bored of Bangkok. There was one year where we went eight times! And it was on this island that my hubby proposed to me, and we had our wedding on the beach of Ao Noina. This island will always hold a special place in our hearts. Special Tips
Be prepared to encounter some creatures from the forest as it is an island. One time a frog was hugging our shower faucet and it just would not go away. We see a lot of bats and can often hear animals running across our bungalow roof at night! - Be mentally prepared for everything to be more expensive on the island as everything for retail sale is transported from the city.
- Bring long pants for children and adults as the sandflies can become ferocious in the evening.
- Bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent as these might be slightly more expensive than the city.
- If you are bringing a baby, bring a carrier, and wear the baby for the ferry/speed boat/songtaew rides.
- Bring all personal medications as pharmacy might be hard to reach, depending on where you are staying and what time you need it.
About the Author
Sara is a Cantonese (Hong Kong) - Thai mixed Mommy who has lived in Bangkok for 28 years. She speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai and English fluently and has been BAMBI’s Chinese coordinator since May 2018.The views expressed in the articles in this magazine are not necessarily those of BAMBI committee members and we assume no responsibility for them or their effects.BAMBI News welcomes volunteer contributors to our magazine. Please contact editor@bambiweb.org.