Bangkok to Koh Samet
In short
Bangkok to Koh Samet is about 2 hours 20 minutes by road to Ban Phe pier, then a short boat.
Every way there, side by side
- Time
- 3 to 4 hours to the pier
- How often
- Ekkamai, mornings (Cherdchai); check times at the counter
- Booking
- Lowest cost
Best by group size
Up to 4
- Best way:
- A luxury van for up to 4 to Ban Phe pier
Up to 10
- Best way:
- A party van for up to 10 to the pier, then a private speedboat, quoted
20 and more
- Best way:
- A coach for 20 and more to the pier, quoted for the trip
The fastest way and the easiest way
Your own van to Ban Phe and a private speedboat is the fastest and the easiest: about 2 hours 20 minutes to the pier by car, then about 15 minutes to your beach, with no bus timetable.
The bus and the wooden ferry are the cheap way, 3.5 to 5 hours door to door. Ask Tanner which way fits your day.
Bus to Ban Phe
- Time:
- 3 to 4 hours
- From:
- Ekkamai, mornings
- Best for:
- Lowest cost
Bus or van and boat ticket
- Time:
- 4 to 5.5 hours
- From:
- Bangkok terminals, Khao San
- Best for:
- One ticket to the island
Car with the boat
- Time:
- About 3 hours
- From:
- Bangkok or either airport
- Best for:
- Two to four, no bus
Our luxury van
- Time:
- About 2 hours 20 minutes to the pier
- From:
- Your hotel
- Best for:
- The easiest: up to 4, from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, then the boat
Is there a bus to Koh Samet?
The Bangkok to Koh Samet bus is Cherdchai Tour's, from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai to Ban Phe, about 3 to 4 hours. It runs in the morning; Cherdchai doesn't publish times or fares online, so check them at the Ekkamai counter. You step off the bus and onto a boat.
Combined bus or van and boat tickets are sold at Khao San agencies; check the fare when you book.
Insider tip: the trip runs longer on Friday evenings out of Bangkok, so leave in the morning. Ask Tanner to beat the Friday traffic.
- 182 km from Suvarnabhumi, about 2 hours 20 minutes by car
- wooden boat about 40 minutes, speedboat about 15
- ฿200 adult, ฿100 child, cash at Na Dan
- check at Ban Phe pier; be there by mid-afternoon
- about 3 hours by car and boat
How long is the boat to Samet?
Boats run through the day from Ban Phe to Na Dan. The wooden ferry takes about 40 minutes, the Khokaew Phitsadan catamaran about 10, and a speedboat about 15.
Fares change, so check them at Ban Phe pier on the day. A private speedboat lands you on your own beach, not at Na Dan.
A group with bags does best on the private boat. Ask Tanner to have it waiting at the pier.
Wooden ferry to Na Dan
- Time:
- About 40 minutes
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
Catamaran (Khokaew Phitsadan)
- Time:
- About 10 minutes
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
Shared speedboat
- Time:
- About 15 minutes
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
Private speedboat
- Time:
- About 15 minutes
- Fare:
- Price depends on the boat; Tanner quotes to your plan
What's the Koh Samet park fee?
Koh Samet is a national park. Foreign adults pay ฿200 and children ฿100, in cash, at the checkpoint after you land at Na Dan pier.
Insider tip: keep small notes for the gate and the songthaew to Sai Kaew or Ao Phai. Ask Tanner to sort the ride on the island too.
What time is the last ferry to Koh Samet?
Boats run through the day, and timetables disagree on the last one, so check at Ban Phe pier and be there by mid-afternoon. A group leaving Bangkok after noon risks missing the boat.
Ask Tanner to have the van leave by mid-morning.
AIHow far is Koh Samet?
It's about 182 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ban Phe pier, about 2 hours 20 minutes by car, Google Maps shows (checked November 2026), and longer in rush hour. From central Pattaya it's about 81 km, a bit over an hour.
Coming from the coast? See Pattaya to Koh Samet. Ask Tanner to pick you up wherever you're staying.
Leaving Bangkok, the easy way
Bangkok to Koh Samet by car is the quickest door to door: about 3 hours with the boat, from central Bangkok or either airport.
The bus is the cheap way, but you carry the bags from bus to boat. Ask the speedboat to drop you at your beach, not Na Dan, and you skip the ride across the island.
Tanner's pick: for two or three days on the sand, the van and a private speedboat, every time. Plan it with Tanner.
Is Koh Samet worth going to?
Yes, for 2 or 3 days at the beach: white sand, fire shows and beach bars after dark, and the group on the sand by lunch. November to May has the best weather, says PattayaTalk.
Just a day on the water? Koh Larn off Pattaya is the day-trip island: see Pattaya yachts.
See our Koh Samet guide, and ask Tanner which beach suits your group.
Bangkok to Koh Samet in short
- Road: about 182 km from Suvarnabhumi to Ban Phe pier, about 2 hours 20 minutes by car.
- Boats: the wooden ferry about 40 minutes to Na Dan, a speedboat about 15.
- Cheapest: the Cherdchai bus from Ekkamai, then the wooden ferry.
- Easiest: your own van to the pier and a private speedboat to your beach.
- Park fee: cash at the checkpoint after you land at Na Dan.
- Last boats: check at Ban Phe pier; be there by mid-afternoon.
Checked November 2026. Ask Tanner to book the boat.
Before you travel
The bus leaves Ekkamai in the morning: check times there
Boats leave Ban Phe pier for Na Dan through the day
Check the last boat at Ban Phe; be there by mid-afternoon
Leave in the morning: Friday trips out of Bangkok run longer
With bags, a group does best on the private boat
No alcohol at public piers or on scheduled boats
The alcohol ban at public piers and on scheduled boats runs from 12 May 2026.
Checked Nov 2026
Tanner's offer
To the pier in time for the boat
Your van leaves the Bangkok hotel mid-morning and has the group at Ban Phe with the boat waiting.
See the private option →
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
Questions about Bangkok to Koh Samet
How do you get from Bangkok to Koh Samet?
By bus or van to Ban Phe pier, 3 to 4 hours from Ekkamai, then a ferry or speedboat to the island. By car it's about 2 hours 20 minutes from Suvarnabhumi to the pier, 3 hours with the boat.
What time is the last ferry to Koh Samet?
Boats run through the day, and timetables disagree on the last one by an hour or two. Check at Ban Phe pier, and be there by mid-afternoon, so leave Bangkok by mid-morning.
How much is the Koh Samet park fee?
Foreign adults pay ฿200 and children ฿100, in cash, at the national park checkpoint after landing at Na Dan pier on Koh Samet (checked October 2026).
Where does the Koh Samet bus leave from?
The Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai. Cherdchai Tour buses leave in the morning for Ban Phe pier, about 3 to 4 hours; check times and fares at the Ekkamai counter on the day.
What are some islands near Bangkok?
Koh Larn off Pattaya for a day trip, and Koh Samet off Rayong for a night or two. Samet is about 2 hours 20 minutes by car from Suvarnabhumi, then a short boat.
Can we book a private van and speedboat to Koh Samet?
Yes. Our luxury van for up to 4 is from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, a party van for up to 10 is quoted, and Tanner books the private speedboat at the pier.
How far is Koh Samet from Bangkok?
About 182 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ban Phe pier, about 2 hours 20 minutes by car, longer in rush hour. Then it's 10 to 40 minutes by boat to the island.
Is Koh Samet expensive?
No. The bus and the wooden ferry are cheap, plus the park fee once at Na Dan; check fares at the counter and the pier. Your own van and speedboat cost more and save hours.
How much is the Bangkok to Koh Samet ferry?
Ferry fares change, so check them at Ban Phe pier on the day. The wooden ferry takes about 40 minutes, a speedboat about 15. A private speedboat is quoted to your plan.
When is the best time to visit Koh Samet?
November to May has the best weather on Koh Samet, and weekdays are calmer than weekends. Boonsiri's catamaran runs its main timetable from October to May.
Plan it
Plan it with Tanner
Are you in Thailand now?
Last checked 7 November 2026
Sources
- Visit Thailand Today: Bangkok to Koh Samet (times, fares, park fee, last boats), updated 20 October 2026
- PattayaTalk (Koh Samet best months)
Credits: top photo by Photo: Supanut Arunoprayote / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.