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Koh Chang V Koh Samet


HansBlinkers

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Samet is a quicker trip from Bangkok than Ko Chang is. Koh Chang may be less developed/less touristy, but Samet has a more natural feel to it - less cars and no real pavement. I've frequented both places and much prefer Koh Samet.

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Samet is a quicker trip from Bangkok than Ko Chang is. Koh Chang may be less developed/less touristy, but Samet has a more natural feel to it - less cars and no real pavement. I've frequented both places and much prefer Koh Samet.

Witch has the better nightlife?

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Well I've never stayed at the backpackers beach at Koh Chang, but the beaches I stayed at had zero night life. A beach restaurant that wrapped up at about 10 was it. Maybe someone else can tell you a better party beach there.

As for Koh Samet, that's the reason I go...for the nightlife! :) (And the beaches are prettier than Koh Chang, IMHO.) Lots of great bars along the beach, dance clubs, kareoke bars, anything you could want really.

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Pattaya is close to Bangkok and cheap too, but swim in the hotel swimming pool - not at the beach. :)

Why is the beach filthy?

The water is pretty iffy, but it looks OK. Hotel prices are cheap, food is reasonable and I prefer a swimming pool anyway. :D

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Samet is a quicker trip from Bangkok than Ko Chang is. Koh Chang may be less developed/less touristy, but Samet has a more natural feel to it - less cars and no real pavement. I've frequented both places and much prefer Koh Samet.

I agree completely.

:)

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Well I've never stayed at the backpackers beach at Koh Chang, but the beaches I stayed at had zero night life. A beach restaurant that wrapped up at about 10 was it. Maybe someone else can tell you a better party beach there.

As for Koh Samet, that's the reason I go...for the nightlife! :) (And the beaches are prettier than Koh Chang, IMHO.) Lots of great bars along the beach, dance clubs, kareoke bars, anything you could want really.

Yes, definitely!

Samet is quite near and easy access from Bangkok, it's smaller and there's no need for much transportation when there (you can walk your way to the party and crawl your way back to your bungallow if you can remember where it is), beaches are great, nightlife is fun, and people in general are more relaxed. Drinks, food and accommodations are more expensive than in Pattaya or probably Koh Chang (I haven't been there for a while), but you get what you pay for.

When I want to get away from Bangkok and have fun at night, Samet is the place! :-)

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Hi

I prefer Koh Samet above Koh Chang. Samet is quite near and easy access from Bangkok.

The beaches are great and also the reataurants a verry good

Enjoy your time overthere!

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Go to Pattaya and stay in one of the cheaper hotels, and then take day trips over to Koh Larn. The beaches at Pattaya and Jomptien (a bit better) are narrow and often busy. And, the water isn't that clear. Koh Larn has Lovely clean beaches and not bad snorkling. It's only 20 baht ferry ride and another 20 baht for the bike transportation over the hill. Or, you can rent a bike for the day and explore all the beaches on the island. You can be back on the afternoon ferry and spend all the time you want with the night life. There is some accommodation at Koh Larn, but I prefer just making day trips.

Koh Samet is a national park and costs an added 200 baht. It is at least another hour and a half from Pattaya, and Koh Chang a lot further than that.

This is typical of a Pattaya or Jomptien beach...

Jomptien_beach_boats.sized.jpg

This is what beaches at Koh Larn look like...

Koh_Larn_trip_7.jpg

Boon_at_main_beach.sized.jpg

The beach at Koh Samet is similar, but there is no night life to speak of. You have to bring your own.

Boon_at_Koh_Samet_beach.sized.jpg

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Koh Samet is a national park and costs an added 200 baht. It is at least another hour and a half from Pattaya, and Koh Chang a lot further than that.

Yes, you often have to pay the national park fee at Samet if you take the ferry (although occasionally they forget to charge you). If you decide to pay a bit more and take a speedboat, it drops you off at whichever beach you're staying at, and you do not pay the national park fee. If you're good at negotiating, sometimes you can find a speedboat operator that will give you a price that makes it worth it. Then you avoid the national park fee, and the cost of taking a songtaew down the dirt "road" from the pier to your beach. And, the speedboat is a lot more fun. :)

The beach at Koh Samet is similar, but there is no night life to speak of. You have to bring your own.

What? Are you talking about the same Koh Samet? :D I think the thing with any island is that there are lots of different beaches, each with its own personality. You have to make sure to stay at a beach that offers what you're looking for. I have heard that Samet has a couple quiet beaches, but all the ones I've been to are rockin. Lots of Thais and expats head down for the weekend to party it up. It seems like there's not a whole lot of foreign tourists. They're far outweighed by people living in Thailand. It has a great island feel, but it's not the Pattaya type of nightlife if that's what you're looking for. I will warn you, though, that if you go during the week, Samet is likely to be much quieter. I've been there mid-week at this time of year, and some of the bars were practically empty. You could still find nightlife, though, because everyone tended to congregate at the same bards. But it's definitely more relaxing and low-key than on the weekends.

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I went to Tub Tim beach on Samet with my wife & daughter about 6 weeks ago after visiting Kae Bae on Ko Chang a couple of years ago. IMO Samet is prettier but quieter. If I had to choose between the two, it'd be Kae bae on K.C again - nice beach, a couple of decent restaurants and easier to get about. My (Thai) wife agrees.

BTW, there seemed to be an unusual amount of gay Thai people and ladyboys on Samet at the weekend. No probs for me, just an observation.

Cheers,

Pikey.

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Wow, I've stayed at Tub Tim beach and Kae Bae beach before too! Small world. I had the opposite experience. I found KB to be practically dead. I didn't think the beach was all that great because it's just one long stretch and at least the time I was there, the water wasn't very clear. I think that Tub Tim and the next couple beaches down at Koh Samet are all way prettier. Yes, it's easier to get around at Koh Chang because of the main road and all the vehicles, but there's something more charming about the lack of transportation at Samet (a few songtaews and some motorcycles on a dirt road, but you usually walk). And you're right...Tub Tim beach in Samet (which is a tiny beach) doesn't have much nightlife itself. My friends like to stay there because it's quiet and you can get a good night's sleep after a night of partying. You have to walk about 5-10 minutes down the beach and that's where you hit all the bars. The bungalows and resorts down by all the bars are actually too loud in my opinion.

I really think that you can have a great time at either island. It's hit or miss, and largely depends on luck, the weather, how many people happen to be there at the time, which beach you choose, etc. I've been to Samet maybe 7-8 times and Koh Chang 3 times. At both places, I've seen it quiet and low-key with very few people, and I've seen it busier with lots going on. It seems to come down to personal preference. Like I said before, my vote is definitely Samet, but either is nice. :)

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If travel convenience from Chiang Mai AND nightlife are considerations then keep in mind that Air Asia flies to Phuket DIRECT these days. So that's cheapo flights, straight to Phuket, which is currently reasonably affordable. Then fly back to BKK, and out..

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