Top Lists
Curated lists of the best hotels, restaurants, temples, beaches, and nightlife across Thailand.
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The 10 Best Hotels in Koh Samet, Ranked
It's beachfront almost all the way down, from big multi-pool resorts to plush cottage and villa setups with spas and dive centers attached. Saikaew Beach Resort takes the top spot, though quieter places like Le Vimarn and Baan Ploy Sea are just as good and quieter.
The 10 Best Nightlife Spots in Koh Samet, Ranked
This is a beach bar island through and through, with most of these places sitting a few steps from the sand and opening mid-afternoon before running late. Naga Bar takes the top spot, though Rasta Bar's reggae setup is the one I'd point you at for a slow night. Everything here lands in the same mid-range price band.
The 4 Best Temples in Koh Samet, Ranked
Koh Samet isn't a temple island, and these four are small hilltop wats with big views rather than grand complexes. Wat Thamma Sathit takes the top spot and it's the one most people actually visit, with the longest opening hours. Everything here is free or close to it.
The 5 Best Markets in Koh Samet, Ranked
Here's the thing: nearly all of these sit in Ban Phe on the mainland, clustered around the ferry pier, so you're shopping either side of the boat rather than on the island itself. Ban Phe Fresh Market takes the top spot for me, a proper daily seafood and produce market. Only one entry is actually on Koh Samet, and it's a small local food market.
The 5 Best Spas & Wellness Spots in Koh Samet, Ranked
This is mostly straightforward Thai massage shops rather than fancy resort spas, and half of them stay open until 11pm, which tells you when islanders actually book a rub down. Heaven's Feels takes the top spot, while Tree Roots Retreat is the odd one out, a nature-set retreat and guesthouse over on the mainland side.
The 6 Best Activities & Tours in Koh Samet, Ranked
Koh Samet's best activities are mostly free things you walk to, a seaside mermaid statue and a hilltop viewpoint that catches both sunrise and sunset, plus the snorkeling boats that circle the island from the beaches. Book a boat for the reefs and walk for the rest.
The 9 Best Beaches in Koh Samet, Ranked
This list splits neatly between the busy north and the quiet south, with Sai Kaew pulling the biggest crowds and the speedboat traffic to match, while Ao Wai, Ao Thian and Ao Kiu Na Nok are all small, calm coves down the bottom end. Ao Wai is the one I'd point at first, since it still feels uncrowded.
The 9 Best Restaurants in Koh Samet, Ranked
Almost every place here sits on the sand, and most of them are beach bars and clubs that serve all day rather than proper sit-down restaurants. Breeze takes the top spot with a rating that barely anything on the island touches, though Winkks pulls a far bigger crowd. Prices stay mid-range across the board, with Brown Cabin's chocolate café the odd one out.