Bangkok to Koh Samet Road to Ban Phe, then the boat.
The short answer: go by road to Ban Phe, the pier town in Rayong province, and take a boat across: about 40 minutes on the wooden ferry, or 10 to 15 minutes by catamaran or speedboat. A bus from Ekkamai takes about three and a half to four and a half hours to Ban Phe; a car with the boat booked is about three hours door to door. Foreigners pay a 200 baht national park fee when they land.
Below: the options compared with fares checked on 7 November 2026, the boats from Ban Phe, the park fee, and getting from Na Dan pier to the beaches.
Bangkok to Koh Samet at a glance
Bus fares are counter prices; combined tickets and cars are 12Go prices, which include a booking fee.
| Option | How long | Leaves from | Price (one way) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus to Ban Phe + boat | About 3.5–4.5 hours to Ban Phe | Ekkamai (Eastern Bus Terminal) | About 190 baht, plus the boat | The lowest price |
| Bus or van with the boat on one ticket | About 4–5 hours | Bangkok terminals and hotels | About 350–670 baht | Not having to buy the boat separately |
| Private car + boat | About 3 hours | Your hotel or either airport | About 3,000–3,400 baht per car | Families and groups |
Compare live times and prices: Bangkok to Koh Samet on 12Go
Which one should you pick?
Take the bus from Ekkamai if you are on a budget. It ends at the pier in Ban Phe, so you walk straight to the boat counters.
Buy a combined ticket if you would rather not deal with the boat yourself, or are leaving from a hotel or the airport.
Book a car with the boat included with a family or a group: it is the quickest way, about three hours from central Bangkok or the airports.
Boats from Ban Phe to Koh Samet
All of them land at Na Dan pier, the island's main pier. Fares from Visit Thailand Today (October 2026) and Pattaya Pointer (2026); there is no official fare table, so expect small differences.
| Boat | Time | Fare (one way) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden ferry | About 40 min | About 50–70 baht | Roughly every hour in the daytime |
| Catamaran (Khokaew Phitsadan) | About 10–15 min | About 150 baht | Early morning to late afternoon |
| Shared speedboat | About 15 min | About 200–500 baht | More to the southern beaches |
The last boats leave in the late afternoon, and sources disagree on the exact time, so do not plan to arrive at Ban Phe in the evening.
The bus to Ban Phe
Cherdchai Tour buses leave the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai, next to BTS Ekkamai, in the morning, and end at Nuan Thip pier in Ban Phe, where the ferry counters are. On the timetable we checked there were buses at 07:00, 09:00 and 11:00, and buses back from Ban Phe at 12:00 and 14:00.
Ban Phe is about 186 km from Ekkamai and about 177 km from Suvarnabhumi.
The national park fee
Koh Samet is part of Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park. Foreign adults pay 200 baht and children 100 baht, in cash, at the checkpoint after the pier on the island.
Buy it only from the park officials on Koh Samet. Travelfish warns that some agents have tried to sell fake "park tickets" on the mainland.
From Na Dan pier to the beaches
Shared songthaews wait at Na Dan and go to Sai Kaew and Ao Phai, the nearest beaches, for about 20 to 60 baht per person. To the quieter beaches further south, expect to hire the whole truck.
Speedboats can also take you straight to some of the southern beaches from Ban Phe, so you do not need a songthaew at the other end.
Booking Bangkok to Koh Samet on 12Go
12Go sells buses and vans to Ban Phe with the boat on the same ticket, and private cars with a speedboat or the ferry, from central Bangkok and both airports.
The national park fee is never included: pay it in cash on the island.
Bangkok to Koh Samet FAQ
How long does it take to get from Bangkok to Koh Samet?
About three hours by car with a speedboat, or four to five hours by bus and ferry.
Where do boats to Koh Samet leave from?
From Ban Phe in Rayong province. Most land at Na Dan pier on the island.
How much is the ferry to Koh Samet?
About 50 to 70 baht on the wooden ferry, about 150 baht on the catamaran, and about 200 to 500 baht on a shared speedboat.
Is there a fee to enter Koh Samet?
Yes. Foreign adults pay a 200 baht national park fee in cash when they land; children pay 100 baht.
Can I go from Pattaya to Koh Samet?
Yes, by road to Ban Phe, about an hour away, then the boat. There is no ferry from Pattaya.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. Bus times from Cherdchai Tour's timetable as published by Visit Thailand Today (October 2026); boat times and fares from Visit Thailand Today, Pattaya Pointer, Travelfish, Ferryscanner and 12Go; park fee from Visit Thailand Today, Pattaya Pointer and Travelfish; combined tickets and car prices from 12Go. Times and fares change, so check before you travel.