An Amazing Panoramic View of Phang Nga
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is one of the most spectacular viewpoints near Phuket. It overlooks Phang Nga Bay and its famous limestone karsts from a hilltop in Phang Nga province. The view is especially dramatic at sunrise, when mist often hangs over the bay and the light turns golden. The viewpoint is about 76 km from Patong Beach, roughly a 2-hour drive. You’ll cross the Sarasin Bridge and continue 25 km into the Phang Nga mainland. The drive itself is beautiful, passing through palm plantations and quiet villages. Once you arrive, a pickup truck takes you up the steep hill for 90 Baht. You can also walk, but it’s a tough 20-minute climb. I’ve done it both ways. The pickup is worth every baht.
At the top, there’s a small restaurant, drinks, and plenty of spots to sit and take photos. It gets crowded, especially on weekends and during sunrise. Photographers come from all over Thailand to capture the Milky Way and the first light of day. If you want to stay overnight, basic tents and bungalows are available.
Quick Summary
Phang Nga Province
5 am – 10 pm daily
30 Baht (walk) / 90 Baht (pickup truck)
Sunrise (arrive by 5:30 am)
130 Baht per night
500–700 Baht per night
From 8,000 Baht per night
76 km (2 hours)
44 km
Samet Nangshe Video
Getting up to Samet Nangshe Viewpoint
The pickup truck runs regularly from the base and costs 90 Baht for a return trip. Use it. The walk is steep and exposed, and arriving sweaty and out of breath is not the way to start a sunrise visit. There is still an entry fee of 30 Baht even if you walk. If you plan to stay overnight, basic tents are available for 130 Baht or a small bungalow for 700 Baht per night.
Once you reach the top, don’t expect solitude. There’s always a mix of serious photographers with tripods, families, and couples hunting for the best shot. On weekends it can get genuinely busy. Come on a weekday if you can, or arrive early enough to claim a good spot before the crowd builds.
Some photographers stay all night to capture the Milky Way and the sunrise around 5:30 am. If you are planning to go at night, bring a headtorch and a light jacket because it’s colder than you expect up there. And mosquito repellent. You will thank me later for that.
On the way up, there are two viewpoints. If the climb feels like too much, the first stop is already impressive enough to make the trip worthwhile.
What to Do Once There?
There’s a small restaurant at the top selling food, drinks, cold coconuts, and ice cream. It’s basic but it does the job. On my first visit I sat there for over an hour, just staring at the bay. The view doesn’t get old. Each time the light shifts, it looks different. In the early morning, mist fills the gaps between the karsts and the whole bay looks like something from a painting. By mid-morning the haze clears and you can see all the way out to open water.
If you plan to walk up rather than take the truck, bring water from the car park at the bottom. It can get hot on the exposed sections of the climb and there’s nowhere to buy anything until you reach the top.
Where to Stay in Samet Nangshe?
Staying overnight at Samet Nangshe is the best way to experience this viewpoint. The sunrise here is famous, with mist rolling over Phang Nga Bay and soft golden light hitting the limestone karsts. At night, the area has almost no light pollution, making it one of the best spots in southern Thailand for Milky Way photography.
Accommodation ranges from basic tents at 130 Baht to luxury resorts starting at 8,000 Baht per night. At the viewpoint itself, you can rent a simple tent with mats, pillows and blankets, or a small bungalow with a fan and mosquito net. Bathrooms are shared Thai-style bucket showers. These basic options suit photographers who want to wake up already at the top.
For more comfort, two hotels nearby offer panoramic views: Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel and Beyond Skywalk Nangshi. Both are within minutes of the viewpoint and cater to couples and families looking for a special experience.
Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel
Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel Phang Nga is a three-star hotel with amazing views of the now iconic Phang Nga limestones. This charming boutique resort provides cosy accommodations just a short 10-minute drive away from Ao Phang-nga National Park. The hotel has 14 rooms and amenities such as a minibar fridge and coffee and tea-making facilities. The units are thoughtfully designed to ensure a comfortable stay for guests who enjoy picturesque views.
Check the rates:
Beyond Skywalk Nangshi
Beyond Skywalk Nangshi opened in 2023 as part of a 500-million-baht investment by Kata Group. The resort is just 580 metres from Samet Nangshe Viewpoint and features Thailand’s highest glass-floored skywalk, spanning 180 metres at 80 metres above sea level. The property has 57 rooms, including sea view tents, forest tents, sea view pavilions and pool villas. Facilities include an infinity pool, gym, two restaurants, a bar and café. Non-guests can visit the skywalk for 500 Baht, which includes food and drink credits.
Check the rates:
How It Started
Samet Nangshe was known locally long before it became a photography destination. For years it was mainly serious hikers and a handful of landscape photographers who made the trip. I first came here before the pickup truck service existed, when the only way up was on foot. It was a harder climb then, and the top was much quieter.
What changed was social media. Around 2016 and 2017, sunrise photos from here started circulating widely online, and the crowds followed. By the time the boutique hotels and the skywalk were being planned, it had become one of the most recognised viewpoints in southern Thailand. I’ve watched it transform from a place you had to know about into a full-scale destination on every Phuket itinerary. The infrastructure has improved without ruining what makes it worth the drive: that view.
My Take
Samet Nangshe is worth the early start and the two-hour drive. The sunrise here is genuinely one of the best I’ve seen in this part of Thailand. The combination of the karst landscape, the mist, and the quality of the light at that hour is difficult to describe and even harder to photograph well. The attempt is part of the experience.
The honest version: go on a weekday, arrive by 5:30 am, take the pickup truck, bring a jacket and mosquito repellent, and set low expectations for the food. Do all of that and it’s an excellent morning. Come on a weekend in high season without planning and it will still be beautiful, just busier than you’d like.
I’ve done it as a day trip from Phuket and as an overnight stay. The overnight is better if the sunrise is your main reason for going. Waking up already at the top, with the bay completely still below you before anyone else arrives, is a different experience entirely.
More Photos of Samet Nangshe
Samet Nangshe Info
Distance from Patong: 76 km Distance from Phuket airport: 44 km
Samet Nangshe Map
Get the directions on your phone: https://goo.gl/maps/yZcdvedf44afZpN88
Samet Nangshe Satellite View
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