The primary gateway to Koh Samet is Nadan Pier (ท่าเรือนาดาน), located on the island's northern coast. This pier serves as the main arrival and departure point for travelers using ferry and speedboat services from the mainland.
🚤 Boat Transport Options
Travelers can choose between ferries and speedboats when journeying to and from Koh Samet:
Ferries: Departing primarily from Ban Phe Pier, ferries offer a leisurely ride to Nadan Pier, taking approximately 35–40 minutes. Tickets are affordable, with round-trip fares around 100 THB per person .
Speedboats: For a quicker transfer, speedboats are available, reducing travel time to about 10–15 minutes. These services operate frequently between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM, with prices ranging from 150 to 300 THB each way .
💰 Fees and Considerations
National Park Entrance Fee: Upon arrival at Nadan Pier, visitors are required to pay a fee to enter Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park. As of the latest information, the fee is 200 THB for adults and 100 THB for children aged 3 to 14. Children under 3 and adults over 60 may be exempt .
Pier Access Fee: Some travelers have reported a 20 THB charge when disembarking at Nadan Pier, though details about this fee's purpose are limited .
🧳 Travel Tips
Booking: While advance booking isn't always necessary, it's advisable during peak seasons to ensure availability.
Luggage: Speedboats have limited space, so traveling with compact luggage is recommended.
Weather: Boat schedules can be affected by sea conditions. It's prudent to check the weather forecast before planning your trip.
In summary, Nadan Pier efficiently facilitates boat transport to and from Koh Samet, offering travelers both economical and swift options to suit their...
Read moreTL;DR: Take a speed boat, not a 'big boat' to avoid tourist scam. This port and its surroundings are somewhat of an extortion racket. When you arrive to the island on a 'big boat' and not a speed boat you have to pay 20 baht just to access the port. That's not the worst bit, though. To get to your hotel you have to take one of the green taxis that wait around the port. They can keep you waiting in the taxi for 30 minutes before they have enough people to fill the taxi and will then take you onwards. The taxi driver will quote you a small (ish) fare, but will omit the fact that you will go past a check point wherein you have to pay 200 baht per person to enter and reach your hotel. Our taxi driver pretended he didn't know what was happening and let the checkpoint 'security' aggressively demand the money from us. This whole scenario can be avoided by taking a speed boat from ban phe straight to...
Read moreTook the fast ferry (catamaran) to Koh Samet. Sea was very choppy so decided to try this instead of speed boat. Cost 150 baht one way. 2 decks upper deck open air lower deck enclosed a bit cooler. Very stable took 15 mins pier to pier. Pros fast on choppy water. No getting wet getting in or out or disembarking into the sea to get to your hotel. Staff took boarded and unboarded luggage. Cons need to buy a pier ticket at 20 baht on kok samet side for regeneration of pier more of an inconvenience than issue as have to que up buy ticket to exit. Then another ฿200 for park entrance to get to the hotels. Shared tuk tuk to hotel ฿50 round trip will cost from ฿640 minimum dependant on location taking shared or private tuk tuk. Money well spent when...
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