Koh Samet Ferry Guide: Ban Phe Piers

Koh Samet is the closest proper island escape to Bangkok — white sand about three hours away, no long-haul boat needed. Because it’s an island, getting there is always two legs: road to Ban Phe pier, then a boat across. Here’s exactly how it works.

Step 1: Bangkok to Ban Phe pier

Ban Phe is the mainland town in Rayong province where all Koh Samet boats leave from. From Bangkok or its airports it’s about 220 km and 3 hours by road.

Your options for the road leg:

• Private transfer — hotel or airport pickup, non-stop to the pier, one fixed per-car fare. Easiest with luggage or a group. See Bangkok to Koh Samet.
• Bus / minivan from Ekkamai — cheapest, but timetabled, and you have to reach the Ekkamai terminal first.

If you’re arriving on a flight, we can collect you straight from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang and take you directly to the pier, so you can be on the beach the same day you land.

Step 2: Ban Phe pier to Koh Samet

From Ban Phe there are two ways across the short stretch of water:

Boat	Crossing time	Rough cost	Runs
Passenger ferry	~40 min	~100–200 THB pp return	Through the day, last mid/late afternoon
Speedboat	~15 min	Higher (charter/per-seat)	On demand, later into the evening

The scheduled ferry is cheap and steady — perfect for a relaxed daytime arrival. A speedboat costs more but is faster and, crucially, runs later, which is handy if your flight lands in the afternoon and you don’t want to miss the last ferry.

Which Ban Phe pier?

There are a few piers clustered along the Ban Phe seafront — Nuanthip, Saphan Nuanthip and Tarua Phe are the main ones. Different ferry operators use different piers, but they’re all within a short distance of each other. If you’re on a package or your hotel has a preferred boat, use that pier; otherwise Nuanthip is the busiest and easiest to find. We drop you right at the pier entrance so you can walk straight to the ticket window.

The national park fee

Koh Samet is part of a national park, so there’s an entry fee collected on the island (higher for foreign visitors than for Thais, children discounted). Keep some cash handy for this — it’s separate from your boat ticket.

Getting to your beach on the island

Boats arrive at the main pier (Na Dan) on the north of the island. From there, green songthaew trucks shuttle visitors to the various beaches — Sai Kaew, Ao Phai, Ao Wong Deuan and further south. Fares are cheap and fill up as more passengers share.

Sample timing from a Bangkok landing

• 13:00 — Land at Suvarnabhumi, meet driver at Gate 3
• 13:30–16:30 — Drive to Ban Phe pier (fixed fare, non-stop)
• 16:45 — Speedboat across (or catch the last ferry)
• 17:15 — On Koh Samet, songthaew to your beach

That’s airport-to-island in an afternoon, with only one thing to organise: the car to the pier. Book it here and we’ll handle the road while you enjoy the view.