Attracted by its proximity to Bangkok and its podery white sand, backpackers, package tourists and Thai students flock to the island of Ko Samet, 80km southest of Pattaya, whose former name, Ko Kaew Phitsadan, means “the island with sand of crushed crystal”. Only 6km long, Ko Samet was declared a national park in 1981, but typically the ban on building has been ignored and there are now over thirty bungalow operations here. Inevitably, this has had a huge impact on the island’s resources: the sea is no longer pristine, and you occasionally stumble across unsightly piles of rubbish. Though the authorities did try closing the island to overnight visitors in 1990, they have since come to a (controversial) agreement with the island’s bungalow operators who now pay rent to the Royal Forestry Department.

Samet’s beaches tend to be characterized by the type of accommodation you find there, though as the island gets increasingly upmaket, it is becoming more difficult to find a bungalow for under 300B a double in high season on any of the beaches. Ao Phrao, Ao Wong Duan and Hat Sai Kaew have the most up-market places to stay, but all the other beaches still have at least a few budget-orientated bungalow, with the most accessible beaches – Ao Hin Kok, Ao Phai and Ao Tub Tim – being the most popular in this category. More up-market bungalows are usually made of concrete and have good, tiled bathrooms; the most expensive have air-con, but prices also depend on whether or not you have an uninterrupted view of the sea. Samet has no fresh water, so water is trucked in from the mainland and should be used sparingly; most sets of bungalows offer at least a few huts with attached bathroom. Electricity in a few places is rationed for evening consumption only, but even these outfits have video shows after dark to help keep the beer flowing.

All beaches get packed on weekend and national holidays, so at these times you’d be sensible to take the first available room and if necessary change early the following day. You could also try phoning ahead to reserve a room, though not all bungalows accept bookings and it can be hard getting through in the first place as most places on Ko Samet still rely on satellite phones. At Songkhran (the Thai New Year, in April) it’s said to be impossible to find a bungalow even on the most remote beaches, so it’s probably worth altering your itinerary accordingly. Many bungalow managers raise their rates by sixty percent during peak periods and sometimes for weekenders as will: the rates quoted here are typical high-season rates. If all affordable accommodation is booked up, you can always camp – in accordance with national park rules, camping is permissible on any of the beaches, despite what you might be told.

Until a few years ago, Samet was considered to be malarial, but has now been pronounced safe. You’ll still encounter plenty of mosquitoes at dusk though, so take lots of repellent; nets or screens are supplied by all bungalow operations and repellent is available from stalls and shops on the island.