Visiting Samet Nangshe Viewpoint in Thailand: A Travel Guide

Samet Nangshe Viewpoint on Koh Samet Noi in Thailand is one of the most breathtaking places I've ever seen during my travels. It's also quite convenient to get there by car from the tourist hotspot of Phuket Island.

This viewpoint offers a stunning panorama of Phang Nga Bay, a Thai national park featuring dozens of small islands. The sunrise at Samet Nangshe is particularly spectacular, as the sun rises directly over the bay!

You can visit Samet Nangshe Viewpoint as a day trip from Phuket and return the same day, or stay at Samet Nangshe Boutique Hotel for a night or two. The hotel boasts a swimming pool and rooms with equally stunning views.

This travel guide will cover how to get to Samet Nangshe Viewpoint (whether in a tour group or not), where to stay, and everything else you need to know before you go!

What to Expect at Samet Nangshe Viewpoint

There are two different spots in Phang Nga Province where you can admire the magnificent view of the bay: you can visit Samet Nangshe Viewpoint or see almost the same scenery from Samet Nangshe Boutique Hotel, which has multiple vantage points at different heights on the hill.

Most of the photos in this blog post were taken at the boutique hotel, but the scenery is essentially the same wherever you are. The view is truly spectacular, with many small islands in the bay, including a karst island towering above the rest. It looks like a dreamlike landscape.

Drones are allowed at the viewpoint, so you can capture some stunning photos of the bay from above. The hotel also permits drone usage, but they ask us to use them in the parking lot so we don't disturb anyone. This is fair and expected.

When you first arrive at Samet Nangshe and park your vehicle, you'll need to hike a bit.

The viewpoint is located on a steep hilltop at 800 meters above sea level. They have four-wheel-drive trucks to take you up the hill, or if you're physically fit and want to save some money, you can hike up on your own, which takes about 15-20 minutes.

You can't drive your own vehicle to the top, so these are your two options. Personally, I recommend taking the shuttle, especially if you're coming to watch the sunrise in the dark.

At the top, there's a café and some travel swings and nests for Instagram-worthy photos, which are fun for kids and families.

There are some rudimentary huts available for rent at 700 Thai baht (about $20) per night, or you can even pitch a tent for 200 Thai baht. I believe prices will rise as this place becomes more popular!

If you're heading to Samet Nangshe Boutique Hotel, there's a similar way to get to the viewpoint: a shuttle can take you there, or you can hike on your own.

The hotel has multiple vantage points, but in our experience, the best spot is Bay View Cafe, which is the highest point of the hotel.

After the sunrise, you can buy food or drinks at the café while enjoying the view. The scenery is so enchanting that we felt like we could stay there for a week, just relaxing and taking photos.

Somewhere beyond the bay is Thailand's famous James Bond Island, although it's not too clear from the viewpoint. A day trip from Koh Samet Noi is easy to arrange, and if you're staying at the boutique hotel, they can arrange it for you.

Entrance Fees

The entrance fee for Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is 30 Thai baht (about $1) per person, plus a round-trip shuttle fee of 90 Thai baht.

The hotel doesn't charge an entrance fee, but there's a 50 Thai baht shuttle fee. You can visit and dine at the restaurant and café even if you're not staying in a hotel room.

Best Time to Visit Samet Nangshe Viewpoint: Sunrise!

The best time to visit Samet Nangshe Viewpoint and take photos is during sunrise. The scenery is too beautiful!

Depending on the date and month, sunrise in Phang Nga Province can be between 6:00 AM and 6:45 AM. You can check it on a weather app. Remember to arrive there at least 30-45 minutes before sunrise so you can catch the first colors.

The sun rises directly over the islands of Phang Nga Bay, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. This might be the most beautiful sunrise spot I've ever seen in the world.

Besides sunrise, another great time to take photos at the viewpoint is in the late afternoon or evening, when the rocks are well-lit and the sun is behind you.

The least ideal time for photos is from late morning to noon, when the bay is backlit and the sun behind the islands is usually too glaring.

Surprisingly, there weren't many tourists at the viewpoint when we arrived, and most people left after sunrise.

I believe its popularity will change over time, as it's such a magnificent place, but thankfully, the hilltop is quite large, so it should be able to accommodate many tourists without being too crowded.

How to Get to Samet Nangshe from Phuket

Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is located in Phang Nga Province, about 45 kilometers northeast of Phuket International Airport (HKT).

You can get there from Phuket by car or motorcycle, taxi, or by joining a tour group. Unfortunately, there's no bus option yet.

• By Car/Motorcycle
If you're driving from Phuket, follow Highway 4031, cross the Sarasin Bridge, turn onto Highway 1004, and continue driving until you see clear signs pointing to Samet Nangshe Viewpoint.

You can use this Google Maps location to navigate directly to the viewpoint with plenty of parking, or use this map location to navigate to Samet Nangshe Boutique Hotel.

Driving from Phuket Airport takes about 1 hour, from Patong Beach or Phuket Old Town about 1.5 hours, and from Karon or Kata Beach in the south of Phuket, it takes a full 2 hours.

• By Taxi/Private Driver
If you don't have much driving experience in Thailand, it's safer and more convenient to hire a taxi or private driver to take you to the viewpoint. You can ask your hotel in Phuket to arrange a driver for you.

We stayed at Samet Nangshe Boutique, so we booked a driver with them. He picked us up in a spacious and comfortable air-conditioned van, and they also arranged another driver to take us back to Phuket when we left the hotel. We paid both times with a credit card, which was very convenient!

The transportation fee from Phuket Old Town is 1,800 Thai baht (50),whichisreasonablefortwopeopletravelingoutsideofPhuket.Fromtheairport,it′s1,200Thaibaht(33).

If you're not staying overnight at Samet Nangshe, you can negotiate with the driver to wait for you to take photos and then take you back to Phuket.

• By Tour
Another quick and easy way to get to Samet Nangshe is to join a tour group. GetYourGuide offers a day trip from Phuket to Samet Nangshe Viewpoint, which also includes a visit to Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park.

We've always had good experiences with this company, and if you're interested in visiting Khao Sok National Park, it might be a good deal, as it's also well worth seeing.