New content added regularly! Check back often for the latest Thailand travel guides and tips!

Area decision guide

Where to stay in Rayong

Where you base in Rayong depends on what you're here for. Ban Phe is the practical choice for Koh Samet day-trippers — piers, cheap food, and budget guesthouses. Mae Ramphueng and Laem Mae Phim give you 12 km of quiet beach with far fewer tourists and lower mainland prices. Koh Samet island itself offers the full island-resort experience at a premium. Rayong City is the local's choice — cheapest accommodation and the most authentic Thai provincial life. Here's the honest breakdown.

Best overall areaBan PheBeach holidaysMae Ramphueng Beach & Laem Mae PhimIsland atmosphereKoh Samet IslandBudget travelersRayong City
Compare hotels in RayongCompare areasSee best hotels
4 areas comparedHotel-area fit, transport, price, and trade-offsNo sponsored placements

Best areas in Rayong, compared

Use this table to choose the right base before comparing hotels.

Check current hotel prices
AreaBest forPriceMain strengthWatch out forDetails
Ban PheKoh Samet access, budget travelers & fresh seafoodBudgetWalking distance to Nuanthip and Sribanphe ferry piers — first boat to Koh Samet from 7 AMHourly ferries to Koh Samet from 7 AM-6 PM (50-150 THB)Area guide
Mae Ramphueng Beach & Laem Mae PhimBeach holidays, families & value accommodationBudget to Luxury12 km of beach — almost always less crowded than any comparable Thai beachSongthaew from Ban Phe along Route 3183 (20-40 THB)Area guide
Koh Samet IslandIsland atmosphere, white sand beaches & snorkelingMid-Range to LuxuryHat Sai Kaew — brilliant white quartz sand and the island's main beach sceneFerry from Ban Phe: slow (50-70 THB, 40 min) or catamaran (150 THB, 15 min)Area guide
Rayong CityBudget travelers, local culture & provincial Thai authenticityBudgetHoliday Inn & Suites — best international-standard hotel in Rayong at reasonable prices30 km to Ban Phe pier (30-40 min by car or motorbike)Area guide

Fast decision guide

If you want koh samet access, budget travelers & fresh seafood

choose Ban Phe

If you want beach holidays, families & value accommodation

choose Mae Ramphueng Beach & Laem Mae Phim

If you want island atmosphere, white sand beaches & snorkeling

choose Koh Samet Island

If you want budget travelers, local culture & provincial thai authenticity

choose Rayong City

Recommended areas to check first

#1

Ban Phe

The coastal town that serves as the gateway to Koh Samet — a working pier town with five ferry departure points, a busy fish market, and the best concentration of seafood restaurants in Rayong province. Accommodation is basic: small guesthouses and family-run hotels clustered within walking distance of the piers. Not a resort destination but extremely practical. The morning seafood market (5-9 AM) is one of the best on the Eastern Seaboard. Ban Phe has genuine character — fishing boats, drying squid on racks in the sun, and Bangkok weekenders packing onto ferries — that distinguishes it from anonymous resort areas.

Read area guideCompare hotels

#2

Mae Ramphueng Beach & Laem Mae Phim

The 12 km mainland beach strip stretching west from Ban Phe to the Laem Mae Phim headland — the best area for a genuine beach holiday in Rayong without the crowds or premium prices of Koh Samet. Mae Ramphueng beach is so long that it never feels crowded even on Thai holiday weekends. The water is calm and shallow — ideal for families. A string of beachside restaurants and resorts line Route 3183 along the coast. Laem Mae Phim at the southern end has the Rayong Marriott Resort and a cluster of upmarket properties as well as the pier for speedboats to Koh Munnork island.

Read area guideCompare hotels

#3

Koh Samet Island

A national park island 45 minutes by ferry from Ban Phe with brilliant white-sand beaches and the island-resort atmosphere that draws most foreign visitors to Rayong province. Hat Sai Kaew (White Sand Beach) on the north is the most developed with the most restaurants, bars, fire shows, and accommodation. Moving south, beaches become progressively quieter: Ao Phai is best for snorkeling, Ao Cho and Ao Nuan are secluded, and Ao Prao on the west coast offers the exclusive Le Vimarn resort and the island's only sunset views. Prices on the island are 30-60% higher than equivalent mainland accommodation — you're paying for the island atmosphere. Everything from food to bottled water is more expensive because it all comes by boat.

Read area guideCompare hotels

#4

Rayong City

The provincial capital 30 km inland from Ban Phe — completely off the foreign tourist radar but the most authentic place to base yourself if you want to understand eastern Thai life. The Holiday Inn is the best hotel in the city; plenty of cheaper Thai-run hotels are available near the bus terminal. Rayong Aquarium, Sunthorn Phu Museum, fresh morning markets, and outstanding local restaurants are the draws. You'll need a rental car or motorbike to reach the coast (30 min drive), but you'll save 30-50% on accommodation versus the beach areas. The city's food scene is excellent and completely untouristy — pad kra pao, khao man gai, and local seafood at prices that barely register.

Read area guideCompare hotels

Booking tips for Rayong

  • 1.For a Koh Samet-focused trip, base in Ban Phe to save money — stay on the mainland, take day trips, and avoid paying the Koh Samet island accommodation premium
  • 2.Families with young children should choose Mae Ramphueng Beach on the mainland — calm, shallow water, long beach, far fewer crowds than Koh Samet, and 40-50% cheaper accommodation
  • 3.Koh Samet is worth at least one overnight — the island transforms after day-trippers leave and the evening fire shows and quiet mornings are the highlights
  • 4.Ao Prao (west coast, Koh Samet) is for couples seeking seclusion and sunset views — Le Vimarn is the only resort there and it's excellent
  • 5.Avoid basing in Rayong City unless you have your own transport — without a car or motorbike, reaching the coast (30 km) is difficult and time-consuming
  • 6.Book Koh Samet accommodation well ahead for New Year's, Songkran (April), and Thai public holidays — the island completely sells out

Continue this Rayong stay cluster

New content added regularly! Check back often for the latest Thailand travel guides and tips!