| Koh Samet is an island or 'koh' in transliterated | | | | were not able to get internet at any time in the |
| Thai. It is close to Rayong which is about 2 hours | | | | first two days. |
| from Bangkok by private car or taxi. The island is | | | | Again we were told there was no problem. It was |
| roughly the shape of Thailand itself. | | | | our computers. We tried all the passwords and |
| We caught a bus from the Eastern Bus Terminal | | | | otherusernames they gave us and nothing |
| in Bangkok which is close to the Ekkamai BTS | | | | worked. We had to go outside the resort where |
| Skytrain Station on Sukhumvit Road. | | | | the rates were 2 baht per minute; about double |
| We went as a group of four and paid 15 baht | | | | the price in Bangkok. This added considerably to |
| each from mid-Sukhumvit Soi 22 in a taxi. The | | | | the cost of our rooms. |
| bus trip cost 157 baht each. They told us it would | | | | The Silversand Resort found the next day, they |
| take 2 1/2 hours but it was 3 1/2 hours before | | | | said, that they had given the wrong usernames |
| we reached the Ban Phe Pier which is where our | | | | out to guests. The new ones didn't work either. |
| Koh Samet boat was to leave. | | | | They had clearly lied about the wifi system. It |
| The bus stopped quite often to let people on and | | | | was not until our last night of the three nights we |
| off. The trip was unpleasant because although it | | | | stayed that the internet worked. |
| was a reasonable quality of bus, the driver | | | | The staff continued to lie to us and to other |
| decided to play a TV program blaringly loud. The | | | | guests while usually giggling at the same time in |
| program was a Thai sitcom or soap opera and it | | | | that unique Thai way when they have when they |
| was far too loud to be ignored. | | | | have been caught out. |
| The program was performed by adults but it was | | | | When we tried to get our bills reduced because of |
| so infantile that it was unwatchable. Luckily, either | | | | the extra costs we incurred they told us wifi was |
| the TV or the DVD player system broke down | | | | free and therefore they could not refund those |
| about an hour into the journey. But it was not | | | | extra costs because we had not been charged |
| long before it was replaced by Thai music which | | | | for wifi. The fact that we needed wifi and |
| was also played very loudly. The speakers in the | | | | checked before paying for our rooms did not |
| bus were arranged in a waythat this noise could | | | | matter to them. It was typical of this third-rate |
| not be avoided. | | | | resort. |
| Again luckily I had bought some ear plugs. They | | | | They Silversand Resort had an internet cafe and |
| were the wax kind that reduce noise the most | | | | for the first day they even insisted on charging us |
| and they are essential for budget travel in | | | | 2 baht per minute for it. The staff member in the |
| Thailand. I have traveled on Thai buses before. | | | | internet cafe was very rude, at one point shoving |
| I noticed a few things in particular on the journey | | | | me to get to the LAN cable. We all went outside |
| to the Pier. There were a large number of | | | | the Resort for internet. They waived the fee on |
| partially completed industrial, commercial, and | | | | the second day but I did not go back there |
| residential buildings which had been abandoned part | | | | because of the staff member. |
| way through construction. This represents, of | | | | The food which we ate at the Silversand Resort |
| course, a tremendous waste of resources and | | | | was very ordinary, and we took most of our |
| labour and was very surprising. I think many of | | | | meals outside at restaurants. There was a fly |
| them may have been built in the mid-nineties | | | | problem in the Resort around food. As soon as |
| boom period, and then failed through lack of | | | | you got food in front of you the flies came - |
| finance. | | | | many and big and aggressive. To eat at the |
| The building were spaced, in many cases all on | | | | Silversand Resort I had to eat with one hand and |
| their own and not part of a group of buildings or | | | | wave the flies away continuously with the other. I |
| industrial area. This is a very inefficient way to run | | | | did not see the state of their kitchen. |
| business because of the extra costs. | | | | The Silversand Resort also had loud music which |
| Another thing I noticed were vast tracts of land - | | | | continued every day until 3 am. It did not end |
| if you added the individual pieces together - with | | | | there because there were two construction |
| long grass on them which were carrying no stock | | | | projects going which started up in the morning |
| at all. The grass was just growing and no one | | | | including the use of concrete grinders. These |
| was making any money from it. Another waste | | | | noises did not wake me up fortunately but made |
| of resources, and valuable land. Thailand has some | | | | it less than pleasant to sit outside the room. |
| of the most fertile land in the world and as I | | | | The beach was ok, and it was fenced off |
| come from New Zealand, it always seems like a | | | | showing the sandy bottom areas. But I can not |
| great shame to me; this agricultural waste. | | | | recommend this Resort as a good place to stay. |
| Finally, there were many quite beautiful temples | | | | We were very disappointed and we would never |
| on the trip which occupied choice positions - at | | | | dream of going back there. |
| least looking from the bus travelling down the | | | | Further down the beach we went to a fire |
| motorway. In some cases the temples were on | | | | dancing show put on by another resort which was |
| the only raised piece of land in the immediate | | | | quite spectacular, except for the accelerant |
| area, and this fact showed their importance to | | | | fumes. Also, a ball of fire landed in the audience |
| Thai people. | | | | from a misjudged throw - no one was hurt |
| We got to the Rayong late and quite hungry. | | | | thankfully. It was a show worth going to but sit |
| After purchasing tickets for Koh Samet - 100 | | | | well back from the big cans of accelerant. |
| baht each return - we had lunch at the Iier which | | | | At the entrance to the Silversand Resort, there is |
| was ok. The Som Tam was excellent but the bill | | | | motorcycle hire at 400 baht per day for an |
| of 400 baht seemed a little high. | | | | automatic or 300 baht for a manual transmission. |
| The boat trip was in an old blue twin decked | | | | We hired a couple of bikes but we quickly |
| motor boat. It was enjoyable for me being back | | | | discovered when riding them that they were |
| in salt air again after a long absence from it. Once | | | | much cheaper closer to the pier; around 250 baht |
| we reached Koh Samet we had to find some | | | | per day. |
| accommodation. After talking to a few people we | | | | We drove all over the island on motorcycles and |
| found that the best beaches which were close | | | | it was so beautiful. There are many resorts on |
| were called Ao Phrao and Ao Phai. | | | | the island and many different prices. The only |
| There are some good maps at the entrance to | | | | let-down was the amount of rubbish which |
| the Koh Samet Pier and also an information office | | | | seemed to be scattered around the dwellings of |
| with a person who spoke quite good English. Ao | | | | the locals. Other a magic motorcycle ride! |
| Phrao was twice as far as Ao Phai and also more | | | | Rooms were also much cheaper away from the |
| expensive. | | | | resorts. We had not found them on the internet |
| Before we had gone very far, the taxi/ute | | | | when we searched online from Bangkok. Prices |
| vehicle stopped and an official of some kind | | | | are as low as 500 to 700 baht. It is best to find |
| appeared wanting 200 baht from all foreigners | | | | accommodation in Koh Samet on arrival, especially |
| and 40 baht from the Thais. Frankly, I was | | | | if it is low season. |
| disgusted. I have seen this double pricing before | | | | If you have not been there before, as we had |
| at the Sarika Waterfall in Nakhon Nayok. | | | | not, then the temptation to take the first |
| We had no choice but to pay. It was apparently | | | | reasonable thing you find is high. It is best to |
| some kind of National Park fee, as part or all of | | | | travel to Koh Samet Island early in the morning |
| Koh Samet is a National Park. It was interesting | | | | from Rayong so that you can spend a couple of |
| that they did not charge us this at the beginning | | | | hours looking around for the best accommodation |
| of the journey as we might have just got on the | | | | deals. It is always the panic that sets in - for me |
| boat and gone back to Rayong. No, it was | | | | anyway - late afternoon and early evening if I |
| charged after we had gone too far to walk back | | | | don't have a place to stay. |
| easily carrying our packs! | | | | Near the Silversand Resort is the Ao Phai Travel |
| We agreed on a fare of 40 baht each in a ute | | | | Agency. In Bangkok you get about 32.2 baht per |
| taxi to Ao Phrao but got off at Ao Phai. We were | | | | US$ at the moment. Here we were charged |
| charged 30 baht each. | | | | additional fees of 3% to change US$ 100. |
| They do not spend any of this money on the | | | | Of course you have no option if you have come |
| roads because the roads were dreadful. | | | | without plenty of baht. It is best to change |
| Unbelievably bad in fact. Bits of concrete edges | | | | money in Bangkok or another mainland centre |
| exposed, pot-holes everywhere and generally an | | | | before travelling to Koh Samet. |
| absolute mess which is strange because the island | | | | Overall, prices were a lot higher than the mainland. |
| has one of the lowest annual rainfalls in Thailand. | | | | Food, accommodation, clothing, and bars were all |
| There were bits of reinforcing wire sticking out of | | | | considerably more expensive. The beaches were |
| decayed grey slabs of concrete in some places. It | | | | nice especially Ao Noina which we swam in first |
| was the case all over the island except in a couple | | | | and also where we watched locals digging with |
| of small sections of road. | | | | spoons for shellfish on the beach. |
| It is very important if hiring a motorcycle in Koh | | | | This was my first time in the water in Thailand |
| Samet to check that it has off-road tyres | | | | and I was very surprised at the warmth of the |
| because you most certainly need them. Road | | | | water. It was very enjoyable, as are most Koh |
| tyres on a motorcycle would make riding them | | | | Samet beaches. |
| impossible, such is the state of the roading | | | | Most of the Thais on the Island are friendly and |
| system. | | | | offer a ready smile to visitors. |
| We looked at two places to stay; the Silversand | | | | Koh Samet can be affordable but the budget |
| Resort and a European-run resort which was | | | | traveller should consider the following 10 Tips to |
| some distance from the beach. The tout had told | | | | get the best value from their stay: |
| us it was 50 metres from the beach, but it was | | | | 1. Get accommodation on arrival. It can be as low |
| more like 400 metres. This second place was | | | | as 300 baht per night. |
| quite cheap at 800 baht a day including wifi and | | | | 2. Hire motorcycles outside and away from the |
| World Cup Football. | | | | resorts if you are staying in the resorts. |
| We decided to stay at the Silversand Resort. | | | | 3. Do not buy clothes, sunglasses or shoes on |
| They told us that every room had wifi internet. | | | | Koh Samet. |
| The normal price was 2,500 baht for a room with | | | | 4. Change the money you will need into baht |
| a sea view. We looked at one of these, and the | | | | before you travel to the island. |
| only sea view was a sliver of water through the | | | | 5. Check that the wifi internet operates before |
| gap between the two villas in front of the room | | | | you pay for your room. If not, negotiate a lower |
| we were looking at - no sea view at all. | | | | price. |
| We should have taken this as a sign of what was | | | | 6. Take your own coffee and tea - our resort |
| to come! | | | | had none in the rooms - and no jug either. |
| We got a standard room without a sea view at | | | | 7. Take a photo of a motorcycle you hire before |
| 1,200 baht per night which was discounted from | | | | you leave on it as proof of pre-existing damage. |
| the regular price of 1,500 baht (according to the | | | | 8. If you do not like loud music try and see if |
| brochure). The air conditioning worked, but the | | | | there is any before you rent your room. |
| safe deposit box and the wifi internet did not. | | | | 9. Just relax and do not expect Western service |
| At the office they said there was no problem | | | | standards or the truth necessarily. |
| with the internet. Other people were using it. We | | | | 10. Avoid the Silversand Resort - not a good place |
| approached other people and they could not get | | | | to stay! |
| internet either. The couple in the room next to us | | | | |