Our son’s school took an early Christmas break, affording us a less-crowded trip to a nearby Island, Ko Samet.
How to get there
- Rent a van to Rayong Pier
- Ride a speed boat (15 mins) or a ferry (40 mins) to Ko Samet Pier
- Ride a songthaew to the resort
We booked a room at Sangthian Beach Resort for our four-days and three-nights stay that comes with a complimentary breakfast buffet for the three of us.
Our Experience
The Accommodation
Our room was on the second floor of a seemingly new building, giving us a good view of most of the resort. We can’t complain about the amenities and were delighted to discover that the TV is complete with Netflix–something we haven’t seen in some acclaimed hotels.
The Beach
Sangthian Beach Resort sits on a patch of fine white sand and calm waters suitable for families with little kids. Since the weather was pleasant in the early weeks of December, we played on the sand, swam on the sea, and hung out by the shore for hours on end.
The Activities
Upon checking in, we were given these bright green ballers that allowed us kayak privilege during our whole stay. The shore stations the boats along with paddles and life vests guests can help themselves to all day.
A band serenades the guests while having dinner in the evening, with a fire dance intermission in between.
The Food
We enjoy the affordable, tasty, and filling dishes we can buy anywhere in Thailand (at least, the ones we’ve covered), and we only expected the same quality from the resort.
Although we have braced ourselves for the high “tourist price” we were accustomed to back in our country, Sangthian’s meals, albeit pricier than the 40 baht standard solo dishes, had big servings and were delicious.
The three of us were perfectly satisfied with an order of their pineapple rice: fried rice with a generous mix of creamy cashews, pineapple chunks, and raisins, served in half a hollowed pineapple and blanketed with pork floss. Our raisin-loving little boy picked the raisins first, then rice second.
The breakfast buffet was good, except they served the same dishes every day. Nevertheless, I didn’t skip the tasty egg-fried rice.
Going Around the Island
The best way to go around Ko Samet is to rent a motorbike. They say you can cover most, if not all, of the island in a day. But none of us knew how to drive a motorbike, so the only mode of transportation for us to visit the center to buy other items was the songthaew.
It’s our favorite vacation yet for its relaxing and calm vibe throughout.
Sangthian Beach Resort
88 Moo 4 Koh Samet, Sangthian Beach, Pae, Ao Sangthian, Koh Samet, Thailand, 21160
Mark x Abi 