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3 Nights 4 Days in Koh Samet: Accommodation, Restaurants, and Travel Tips
A Thailand Trip with a 4-Year-Old
MAY 2024
The Koh Samet trip felt like a true holiday, much more relaxed than Pattaya. It was a perfect 3-night, 4-day getaway!
For our stay in Koh Samet, I wanted to be in the Ao Pai area, so we chose between Samed Villa and Samed Pavilion. After exploring the island, I discovered more areas I’d love to stay in, giving me even more reasons to visit Koh Samet again in the future.
Koh Samet Trip Accommodation: Samed Pavilion Resort
I spent a lot of time thinking about where to stay for our trip to Koh Samet. The hotel prices were generally higher compared to other places. Since we were only staying for 3 nights and 4 days, I figured we’d spend most of our time exploring the island, so I didn’t want to spend too much on accommodation. However, I still wanted a clean place with good bathroom facilities.
I had previously stayed at Samed Villa Resort, but since they offer free stays for children up to 3 years old, the price went up with 4-year-old Liam, so I decided to skip it. Instead, we chose Samed Pavilion Resort, right next door.
One of the main reasons I chose Samed Pavilion Resort was because it’s a small resort but it has a nice little pool, and even a separate kids’ pool, which was perfect for Liam. We paid about $80 AUD per night on Agoda, and considering that hotel prices can fluctuate, I was happy with the price. The resort is conveniently located near popular restaurants, massage shops, sunbeds, and even a small supermarket, so we had everything we needed without any hassle.
The room was clean (though I don’t have photos), and while it wasn’t very big, we spent most of our time outside, so it wasn’t a problem. The bathroom was spacious and clean, which I really appreciated. The shower pressure was good, and the water drained well. For the price, I was really satisfied with the accommodation.
On weekends, the resort was much busier than on weekdays, with both tourists and locals filling the place. There were plenty of kids around Liam’s age, so he had a blast playing in the resort’s small pool for hours.
3 Nights, 4 Days on Koh Samet: Samed Villa Resort Restaurant
During our entire trip to Koh Samet, we had most of our meals at the restaurant inside Samed Villa Resort. The menu was really diverse, so we never got bored of eating there, and since it’s operated by the resort, I felt confident about the cleanliness and quality of the food.
Koh Samet Trip Day 1
For our stay on Koh Samet, we chose Samed Pavilion, located in Ao Phai. Right next to the pavilion is Samed Villa Resort, and if you walk along the garden path, you’ll reach Tubtim Beach.
In the morning, we spent our time at Tubtim Beach. The beah offers parasols and bean bag chairs, so we relaxed with some juice and enjoyed playing in the sand, having a truly laid-back time.
This photo of Eddie and me was taken by Liam
For lunch, we ate at Samed Villa Resort, then spent some time swimming and playing at the hotel pool. There were many kids around Riam’s age, so he had a blast playing in the small pool with children from different countries for hours.
Renting a Motorcycle in Koh Samet
During our trip to Koh Samet, we decided to rent a motorcycle to explore the island. Taking a songthaew (shared taxi) would have been difficult, and since I knew Eddie’s motorcycle driving skills well, I wasn’t too worried. Luckily, he also had a valid driver’s license permit, so we could legally rent and ride a bike without any issues.
There was a private motorcycle rental right in front of our resort. The bikes were a bit outdated, but since other options were too far, we didn’t have much choice. Since the three of us needed to ride together, we chose a more powerful motorcycle. It cost 500 baht for a 24-hour rental, which was quite expensive, but the fuel was free. Since Koh Samet is a small island, we knew we wouldn’t need much gas, so the rental price was a bit high, but the free fuel made it worthwhile.
Happy Liam Riding the Motorcycle
Riding a Motorcycle in Koh Samet
Toy Shop
We had dinner at Samed Villa Resort again, then rode the motorcycle to the main street to visit the 7-Eleven. In the evening, we went to watch a fire show. I thought Liam would love it, and he really did! He also enjoyed riding the motorcycle a lot, haha.
I’ve seen many fire shows during our travels in Thailand, but none were as impressive as the one at Ploy Talay on Sai Kaew Beach in Koh Samet. It was absolutely amazing!
Koh Samet Day 2
After breakfast, we visited Ao Prao Beach. It’s on the opposite side of our hotel, and the water there was a completely different color. It was so clear, with visible coral reefs, and we could even see tropical fish swimming and crabs walking along the shallow water. The beach was spacious, so it would’ve been even more fun if we had a ball to play with!
The weather was perfect, making the sea look even more beautiful. There were so many crabs on the sand, and curious little Liam was fascinated by them. He dug into every hole to find crabs and was so happy. But the heat was intense, and we couldn’t stay out too long before getting exhausted. We promised ourselves we’d come back here next time.
The water was incredibly clear, and you could see coral reefs and fish swimming around. It was like a tropical paradise, with such vibrant marine life.
For lunch, we went to Winkks Beach Club. Since we were traveling with Liam, we made sure to find a clean and family-friendly place, and this spot was just perfect. It’s the kind of place we wouldn’t normally visit if it was just the two of us, but it turned out to be a great choice!
Definitely a spot with a great view! The food, though, didn’t quite live up to expectations for the price. It’s a perfect place to grab a cold beer or juice on a hot day. Still, we had a nice time relaxing in the shade, enjoying the sea breeze while eating and taking a break.
Last Day of the Ko Samet Trip
On the last day of our Ko Samet trip, we checked out early in the morning and took the first ferry at 10 AM to leave the island. I had arranged our return ferry reservation by phone through the reception staff. After a few bumps along the way, we made it back to Ban Phe by ferry.
When we arrived at Ban Phe Pier, we were greeted by the same motorcycle rickshaw that had taken us to the pier earlier. It seems like the ferry reservation system is automated, and everything is perfectly coordinated. It was such a relief to find our ride waiting for us, especially since I had been wondering how we would get back to the parking lot.
We hopped into the rickshaw, which took us all the way back to the parking lot where we had left our car. It was such a convenient system!
From Ban Phe to Pattaya
After that, we started the drive back to Pattaya. On the way, we stopped by an Amazon Coffee shop to grab a coffee. I managed to order through the drive-thru (luckily), but as always, the coffee was made however the barista felt like, with sugar added without asking. But hey, we were grateful and just enjoyed it.
And with that, our Ko Samet trip came to an end, marking the halfway point of our Thailand adventure.
