Where to stay in Rayong – Ko Samet, Ban Phe and the coast
Ko Samet's bays, Ban Phe, Mae Phim and Rayong town compared. Where to stay on the eastern coast between Pattaya and Chanthaburi.
Rayong is best known as the gateway to Ko Samet, a small island of white-sand bays that has been a weekend favourite of Bangkok residents for decades. The mainland coast also has quiet beaches, fruit orchards and seafood towns, though parts of the province around Map Ta Phut are heavily industrial.
Choosing an area
- Ko Samet, Sai Kaew and Ao Phai are the busiest bays near the main pier, with most of the restaurants and evening bars.
- Ao Wong Duean and Ao Thian (Candlelight Beach) further south are calmer, with smaller resorts and bungalows.
- Ao Prao on the west coast is the only bay facing the sunset, with a few upscale resorts.
- Ban Phe is the mainland pier town for Samet, with seafood markets and simple hotels.
- Mae Phim, Suan Son and Laem Mae Phim, east of Ban Phe, are quiet mainland beaches with resorts popular with Thai families.
Ko Samet is part of a national park, so visitors pay a park entrance fee on arrival.
When to go
The best months are November to April. In the rainy season (around May to October) Ko Samet often gets less rain than other islands, but seas can be rough. Weekends and holidays are crowded with visitors from Bangkok; midweek is calmer and cheaper.
Getting there
Buses and minivans run from Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ban Phe in about three to four hours. Ferries and speedboats leave Ban Phe for Ko Samet throughout the day. U-Tapao Airport, between Pattaya and Rayong, has a limited schedule of flights.
Where to stay
Ko SametA small national-park island three hours from Bangkok. Ko Samet's bays compared, how to get there and when to avoid the crowds.
