Koh Samet

Attracted by its proximity to Bangkok and its famously powdery white sand, backpackers, package tourists and Thai families flock to the island of Koh Samet (sometimes speled Ko Samed), 80 km southeast of Pattaya, Only 6 km long, Koh Samet was declared a national park in 1981, but typically the ban on building has been ignored and there are now well over thirty bungalows operations here, with owners paying rent to the Royal Forestry Department. Inevitably, these developments have had a huge impact on the island’s resources: waster from many bungalows is dumped into the sea, you quite often stumble across pile of rotting rubbish, and the grounds of many bungalows are poorly landscaped and disfigured by construction detritus. The dazzling white beaches, however, remain breathtakingly beautiful and are still, for the moment at latest, lapped by pale blue water.

As the island gets increasingly up market, it is becoming almost impossible to find a bungalow for under B500 in high season; the most backpacker-oriented beaches are Ao Hin Kok, Ao Phai and Ao Tub Tim; Ao Hin Kok and Ao Phai are also quite lively in the evenings. Ao Prao, Ao Wong Duan and Hat Sai Kaew are dominated by up market accommodation and attract families and package tourist as well as Bangkok trendies. In accordance with national park rules, camping is permissible on any of the beaches, despite what you might be told.

All beaches get packed weekends and national holidays: you could try phoning ahead to reserve a room, though not every place accepts bookings. Many bungalow managers raise their rates by sixty percent during peak periods and sometimes for weekenders as well: the rates quoted here are typical high-season rates.