10 best things to do in Koh Samet

Planning to go to Koh Samet, you have already known how to get to Koh Samet, and got all the necessary information, but not sure what to do. Check it out for this post to have a glance at the 10 best things to do in Koh Samet.

1. Visiting beautiful beaches

Koh Samet is famous for plenty of white sandy beaches with crystal clear water. As such, visiting beautiful beaches is definitely one of the best things to do in Koh Samet. You can take a beach tour to find your favorite beach to chill. Most of the beaches are occupied by resorts or hotels. Some of them are entrance allowed, and some of them are private. Below are several lovely beaches you may wanna visit and related information for you to know beforehand.

• Sai Keaw Beach

This is one of the biggest beaches in Koh Samet which is home to most of the bars and restaurants on this island. The beach is well-known for white sand, tranquil atmosphere, crystal clear water, and a lot of rocks making the beach an intriguing mixture. Sai Keaw beach is a bit busy over the weekend; it is easy to approach.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/jLk6dQbHTScRr1ho7

• Ao Phai Beach

This one is a small beach with beautiful white sand and clean water. There is a bar accommodated on this beach. Less busy than Sai Keaw beach, Ao Phai is suitable for those who want to avoid a lot of people.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/pKbnEvs5DkTHfKKH7

• Ao Thub Thim (Ao Pudsa)

At the quite same size as Ao Phai, Ao Thub Thim attracts quite a fewer people on weekdays and at the weekend. It is a perfect place for those who want to relax. There are bars and restaurants on this beach for you to grab a drink or get a small treat.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/zd6USCFgbXzeu9XFA

• Ao Nuan

This is a really peaceful beach in Koh Samet. We don’t see a lot of people on this beach when we arrived. To get to this island, you need to go downhill a bit and cross a resort to access this beach. However, the road is a bit rocky for you to be careful. It is suitable for relaxing as it is hidden in a small jungle.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Wt4vBKRGeDNdQSdB6

• Ao Cho

Ao Cho beach is embraced by Wonderland resort, however, it is accessible to outsiders. Not to mention the crystal clear water and white sand, this beach is a bit narrow when the wave and tide comes. It has a long wooden bridge which is suitable for photo taking and fishing.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/rrnoGzgE1hD7RfHG6

• Ao Wong Duan

Ao Wong Duan is a quiet beach with fewer people. It is a nice place to do sightseeing and snorkeling as the water is super clear.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/z6gnYc5ZTeB2Kbq96

• Ao Thian

Ao Thian beach is one of our favorite places on Koh Samet due to the white sand and beautiful scenery.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/X5pkmM3iR33bXoE16

• Ao Wai and Ao Keaw

Those 2 beaches are located inside 2 private resorts. You may need to use the resort service to enter these beaches. If you don’t stay in these 2 resorts, skipping these beaches is fine as there are plenty of beautiful beaches out there.

• Ao Pakarang

Ao Pakarang is a small beach with a lot of dead coral. It is suitable for relaxing, fishing, and photo taking only.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/qgg3dJu689R9hA5E7

• Ao Phrao

Ao Phrao is located on the west coast of the island. It has a white sand beach and still clear water. Ao Phrao is suitable for kayaking, snorkeling, and surfing. Also, it is one of the good places to enjoy the sunset.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ayAvp9W7juLDzUGV7

• Ao Noi Na

There is nothing much on Ao Noi Na. It is a small beach with really peaceful air and fewer people. Ao Noi Na is a perfect match for those who want to relax.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/kBGbTULPmGYDFTPNA

You can either choose to explore those beaches by bike, by motorbike or on foot. There are many rental shops on the island offering motorbike renting at 300-400 THB/day/vehicle including gasoline.

2. Checking in at the Koh Samed Mermaid

There is a statue of the Mermaid holding a baby on the rock between Ao Hin Khok and Sai Keaw Beach. This is the representative of true love between the mermaid and her child which is based on an epic by a UNESCO-recognized Thai poet – Suntorn Phu. As this statue is a highlight of this island, visiting it is really worth one of the best things to do on Koh Samet.

3. Kayaking or Surfing

Kayaking and surfing are popular ways to discover beautiful beaches in Koh Samet. Also, you can chill and enjoy the stunning sunset when you paddle around this beautiful island. If you want to explore this island at your own pace, kayaking or surfing is one of the best things to do on Koh Samet.

4. Thrilling with water sports

Like many islands in Thailand, one of the popular things to do in Koh is doing water sports. It is easy to find Jet ski, parasailing, or banana boat, especially in Sai Kaew beach and Ao Wong Duan. Do make sure you negotiate the price and get an agreement before starting the game.

5. Exploring six islands

Visiting 6 islands – Thalu, Kudee, Kham, Khangkhao, Platin, and Kruay – is a popular tour in Koh Samet. The tour normally includes 1 meal, water, fruits, and a facility for snorkeling. The operator will let you either stay on an island or cross by the visit the island and snorkeling near the island. They also offer a free photographer to take photos for you during the trip. We take this tour under the Shairbuay provider and we are really happy with the service. You can book this tour when you buy a ticket to Koh Samet, or book it when you are on the island.

A small note is that you may need the same ticket entrance to Koh Samet to enter the nearby island. Please make you bring it with you during the trip. Before the tour starts, the tour guide also reminds you one more time before the pickup as well.

Another quick note on each island you visit during the tour. The wooden chair cost 30 THB/ person.

Despite the good service, the price is only 600 THB/ person ( ~17 USD). However, there is minus point is that they don’t speak much English. There is a briefing before the trip start, but no English option is available. This activity is really worth it as one of the best things to do in Koh Samet.

6. Snorkeling

With beautiful beaches, crystal clear water, and diverse marine life, Koh Samet is perfect for snorkeling. You can do it at any beach, but the best way to enjoy it the most is to go on a tour. With the tour, you are brought to a nearby island and provided with the necessary facilities to do it. It is a miss if you skip this activity in the list of awesome things to do in Koh Samet

7. Squidding or Fishing

Squidding or fishing is one of the things to do in Koh Samet. With the price of 150 THB/person (~5 USD), you will have a chance to do this activity in a local way. You can book the tour when you are at Ban Phe pier or can book it when you are on the island as well.

8. Enjoying the nightlife

Nightlife on Koh Samet is really interesting as well. You can grab a drink at a coastal bar or restaurant, chill, and enjoy the fire performances. They take place mostly on Sai Kaew Beach which is home to many bars and restaurants.

If you want to stay in a bar on the beach, there are options to chill in other bars which are not far from your hotels.

9. Enjoying Sunrise and Sunset at Laem Toei

One of the things that we really love in Koh Samet is that we can enjoy both sunrise and sunset on this beautiful island. The famous place for enjoying the sunrise is on the east side of the island. Meanwhile, the west side is famous for sunset. There is a place called Laem Toei where you can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset in one place.

If you don’t want to go to Laem Toei, the sunset viewpoint is also a great place for sunset.

10. Treating yourself to a massage on the beach

There is nothing better than a massage after a swimming session. This service is available on many beaches such as Ao Thub Thim, Sai Kaew Beach, and Ao Wong Duan. The price starting from 350 THB/ hour is not a big deal for a relaxing massage.