Ko Samet

At its closest point to the mainland, the island is 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) south of mainland Rayong Province; however the actual travelling distance from the main commercial tourist pier in the town of Phe to the island's closest tourist beach is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi).

Popular with foreign tourists and as a weekend getaway for residents of nearby Bangkok, most of the island (excluding the Na Dan area) is in the Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park.

In 1981, the Royal Forest Department declared the archipelago of Samet, along with nine other small islands, the headland of Khao Laem Ya, and the 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) Mae Ramphueng Beach to be a national park, and thus Ko Samet is under the protection of the National Parks Division of the Thai government.

In that year, on 1 October, the Forestry Department of Thailand declared Ko Samet and environs to be a national park.

[2] Located 220 km from the capital in the Gulf of Thailand, Ko Samet is approximately 13.1 square kilometres (5.1 sq mi) in size, and shaped somewhat like the letter "t".

During the 19th century the poet Sunthorn Phu (1786–1855), set part of his epic work, Phra Aphai Mani (sometimes transliterated as Pra Apaimanee), on the shores of the island.

Statues of the title character, Prince Aphai Mani and the siren/mermaid which guided him to Ko Samet can be found on Hat Sai Kaeo Beach.