Ban Phe pier to Koh Samet, Koh Talu, Koh Kudee, Koh Kham and the Koh Man turtle sanctuary - what each island offers, ferry vs speedboat costs, national park fees and how to plan the trip.
Ban Phe pier is Rayong's launchpad for island hopping - a short ferry or speedboat ride puts you on Koh Samet's white-sand beaches within 40 minutes, while a multi-island day tour reaches the far quieter, day-trip-only islands of Koh Talu, Koh Kudee and Koh Kham further offshore. The Koh Man trio adds something few other Gulf-coast provinces have: a working royal sea-turtle sanctuary. Here is every island, every way to get there, what it costs in Thai baht, and how to plan the trip.
Rayong's headline island and one of Thailand's closest island escapes to Bangkok, part of Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park. Slow ferries and speedboats from Ban Phe both land near Na Dan pier on the island's north coast, close to the powder-white sand of Sai Kaew and Hat Sai Kaew beaches. Big enough for an overnight stay (bungalows, beach bars, seafood shacks) or a straightforward day trip.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand calls Koh Talu the most stunning island in Rayong province. The west coast is rocky and exposed; the east coast has two khaki-sand beaches backed by a long reef good for snorkelling. There are no roads, no resorts and no permanent population beyond an occasional national-park ranger, so this is a day-trip-only destination reached by chartered or multi-island tour boat, not the public ferry.
The largest island in a small cluster set roughly halfway between Koh Samet and Koh Talu. Koh Kudee is the only island on this stretch of coast with overnight infrastructure - a park-run Thai restaurant, a campground and five cabins - making it an option for travellers who want an island night away from Koh Samet's crowds without going as far as Koh Talu.
The 'Koh Man' trio is home to a sea-turtle conservation project that began in 1979 when Her Majesty Queen Sirikit granted her personal property on Koh Man Nai to what is now the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, releasing the first 100 turtles and hatchlings that August. The centre (now expanded to cover dugongs, dolphins, giant clams and coral) has since bred and released tens of thousands of hatchlings. Casual landing isn't the norm here - visits are typically arranged as an add-on through the conservation centre or a specialist tour rather than a standard beach stop.
A smaller island commonly bundled into catamaran or speedboat day tours alongside Koh Kudee and Koh Talu, used mainly as a snorkelling and swim stop rather than a standalone destination. Not served by any public ferry - only by chartered or organised multi-island trips.
The classic budget option from Ban Phe to Koh Samet: 50-70 THB per person one-way, a roughly 40-minute crossing, landing at Na Dan Pier on the island's north coast. Boats run about hourly from roughly 08:00 to 18:00 - no advance booking, pay at the pier.
Speedboats from Ban Phe to Koh Samet cost roughly 150-300 THB per person one-way and take about 10 minutes. Operators including White Shark and Black Pearl run from Tarua Phe pier, with Samed Speedboats based at Ao Prao pier on the island's west side; services run close to 24 hours with a night-time surcharge of roughly 200-500 THB.
Hiring a private speedboat for the Ban Phe-Koh Samet run during daylight hours costs around 2,000 THB, letting you set your own timing and choose which of Ban Phe's piers and Koh Samet's beaches to use rather than following a scheduled ferry route.
Koh Talu, Koh Kudee and Koh Kham have no public ferry - the only way to reach them is a chartered or organised speedboat/catamaran day tour, typically departing from Ban Phe pier or Koh Samet and stopping at two or three islands for swimming and snorkelling before returning the same day.
Because Koh Man Nai, Koh Man Klang and Koh Man Nok host an active conservation programme, visiting is best arranged through the sea-turtle conservation centre or a tour operator familiar with current access rules, rather than chartering a boat independently.
About 50-70 THB per person for the roughly 40-minute crossing from Ban Phe to Na Dan Pier - the cheapest way onto the island, paid in cash at the pier kiosk.
About 150-300 THB per person for the roughly 10-minute crossing; expect a 200-500 THB night surcharge outside daytime hours.
Roughly 2,000 THB to hire a private speedboat for the Ban Phe-Koh Samet crossing during the day - useful for groups or anyone wanting to skip the queue at the pier.
Foreign visitors pay 200 THB for adults and 100 THB for children (Thai nationals pay 40 THB and 20 THB respectively), plus a separate 30 THB vehicle fee where applicable - collected on entry and not always bundled into an advertised tour price, so budget for it separately.
Catamaran and speedboat day tours to the further islands are priced per operator and per season rather than at a single fixed rate - compare two or three tour desks or online listings, and check whether the national park fee and snorkelling gear are included before booking.
November to April brings the calmest Gulf of Thailand seas and the most reliable crossings, especially to the more exposed outer islands like Koh Talu. The southwest monsoon (roughly May-October) brings rougher water and a higher chance of a smaller-boat crossing being postponed or rerouted - build in flexibility if visiting the further islands in this window.
Ban Phe has at least five piers strung along the coast road - Municipal Pier, Nuan Thip Pier, Phe (Tarua Phe) Pier, Chok Krisada Pier and Samed Pier among them - and different ferry/speedboat operators use different piers, landing at either Na Dan Pier or Ao Prao Pier on Koh Samet depending on the route. Confirm your pier and destination landing point when booking, since hotel transfer times differ by pier.
Book through your hotel's tour desk, the ticket counters at Ban Phe pier on the day, or online travel platforms that let you compare operators and boat type in advance. Walk-up pier bookings work well for the standard Koh Samet ferry/speedboat crossing; multi-island tours to Koh Talu and Koh Kudee are easier to arrange a day ahead.
Cash in small baht notes for pier fares and the national park entrance fee, reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard or cover-up, a dry bag for phones and cameras, and motion-sickness tablets - smaller boats can be a rougher ride on the longer legs out to Koh Talu or Koh Kudee.
Don't stand on or touch coral around Koh Talu's reef, and follow the conservation centre's rules exactly if visiting the Koh Man turtle sanctuary - these are working conservation islands, not casual beach stops, and access rules can change season to season.
Take a slow ferry (50-70 THB, about 40 minutes) or a speedboat (150-300 THB, about 10 minutes) from Ban Phe pier, landing at Na Dan Pier or Ao Prao Pier on Koh Samet depending on the operator. Both run without advance booking - pay at the pier.
Yes, but only via a chartered or organised multi-island speedboat or catamaran tour - there is no public ferry to either island. Tours typically depart from Ban Phe pier or Koh Samet and combine both islands with a stop at Koh Kham for snorkelling.
Visits are possible but are best arranged through the conservation centre or a tour operator familiar with current access rules, since Koh Man Nai, Koh Man Klang and Koh Man Nok are active conservation islands rather than open public beaches.
Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park charges foreign adults 200 THB and foreign children 100 THB (Thai nationals pay 40 THB and 20 THB), plus a separate 30 THB vehicle fee where applicable - paid in cash on entry and often not included in an advertised tour price.
Ban Phe has at least five piers along the coast road, and different operators serve different Koh Samet landing points (Na Dan Pier vs Ao Prao Pier). Confirm the pier and destination with your ferry, speedboat or tour operator when booking, since it affects your hotel transfer time.
November to April has the calmest seas and the most reliable crossings, particularly to more exposed islands like Koh Talu. The May-October monsoon brings rougher water and a higher chance of smaller-boat crossings being delayed or rerouted.
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Browse Rayong areas and homes close to the ferry pier and the coast.
Hero photo by Decha Popkartok on Pexels. General information only; confirm current schedules, prices, park fees and seasonal closures with pier operators or tour desks before travelling. Prices in Thai baht (THB) and are indicative.