Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park, National park in Rayong Province, Thailand
Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet is a national park in Rayong Province, Thailand, covering a coastal headland and nine small islands in the Gulf of Thailand. The land and sea zones together protect sandy beaches, mangrove patches, and coral reefs.
The Royal Forest Department established the park in 1981, bringing the Khao Laem Ya headland and the Ko Samet islands under the same protected status. Before that, the area was mostly used by local fishing communities with little outside attention.
Ko Samet is a favourite weekend destination for young Thais from Bangkok, which gives the island a relaxed but social feel on weekends and holidays. Along the beaches you will find small food stalls and vendors selling grilled seafood right on the sand.
Boats leave from mainland piers throughout the day and connect to different beaches depending on where you want to go on the islands. Visiting during the dry season, roughly November to April, gives you the best sea conditions and clearest water for snorkelling.
Ko Samet appears in a famous Thai poem written in the early 19th century by the poet Sunthorn Phu, who reportedly spent time on the island while composing it. This literary connection gives the place a meaning in Thai culture that goes well beyond its beaches.
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