Ang Thong Marine Park from Koh Samui: four boats — which one is for you?

Ang Thong Marine Park (also written Angthong) is the day trip people come to Koh Samui for: 42 limestone islands west of the island, a national park since 1980, with the Emerald Lagoon inside Koh Mae Ko and the viewpoint on Koh Wua Talap. Four boats go there from Samui, all with hotel pickup: the speedboat, daily, ฿2,600; the VIP speedboat with at most 16 guests, ฿5,000; the two-masted sailing ship Naga, ฿4,900; and the red junk Red Baron, ฿3,900. The park is closed from November to mid-December — none of the four runs then.

The four tours at a glance

• ·Speedboat to Angthong Marine Park: ฿2,600, children (3–9) ฿2,000 · daily · pickup 7:00–8:00, back 16:30 · national park fee ฿300 (children ฿150) paid on site · see the tour
• ·VIP speedboat: ฿5,000, children (4–10) ฿4,500 · Mon · Wed · Sat · pickup 7:00–8:00, back 16:30 · minimum 8, maximum 16 guests · park fee included · see the tour
• ·Sailing ship Naga: ฿4,900, children (5–11) ฿2,900 · Tue · Fri · Sun · pickup 7:30, back about 18:45 · park fee included · see the tour
• ·Red Baron, the traditional junk: ฿3,900, children (2–10) ฿1,950 · Wed · Sat · pickup 7:30, back after sunset · park fee paid on site · see the tour

All four include the hotel transfer, lunch, water and soft drinks; the guides speak English, and on the standard speedboat and the Naga also German. Prices per person, as of November 2026.

Speedboat: the most park for the money

The standard tour is the only one that runs every day. Pickup is between 7:00 and 8:00, depending on the hotel; the speedboat leaves Bangrak pier at 8:30 and reaches the park in about an hour. The day in order: from 9:30 an hour's snorkelling at Koh Wao in the north of the archipelago, a cruise past several of the 42 islands, the climb to the Emerald Lagoon — a saltwater lake completely enclosed by an island — a Thai buffet at 12:10 in the fishing village on Koh Paluay, then beach time and kayaking from 14:00. At 16:30 you are back at Bangrak pier. Included are the return hotel transfer, an English- and German-speaking guide, lunch, water and soft drinks, snorkelling gear and the kayak. Not included: the national park fee of ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child, paid on site, and tips. For hotels in south Samui, Nathon, Taling Ngam, Lipa Noi and Hua Thanon a transfer surcharge applies.

VIP speedboat: the same day with at most 16 guests

The same places and the same times — snorkelling at Koh Wao, the islands, the Emerald Lagoon, the buffet on Koh Paluay, beach and kayak, back at 16:30 — but on a better speedboat with no more than 16 guests: more room, more attention, less waiting. It runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and needs at least 8 participants; the park fee is included here and the guide speaks English. ฿5,000 against ฿2,600 plus the ฿300 park fee: what you pay for is the absence of a crowd, on board and at the stops.

Naga: under sail, with lunch on board

The Naga is a hand-built wooden two-master from Turkey with a generous deck. Instead of one hour, the crossing to the park takes two and a half to three hours; here the journey is part of the programme. Pickup at 7:30, departure from Petcherat pier at 8:30, the Emerald Lagoon "Talay Nai" at Koh Mae Ko around 11:00, a buffet on board at 12:30, beach and swimming at Koh Wua Talap from 13:30, then the sail home into the sunset; you are back at the pier at about 18:45. Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays; park fee, snacks and fresh fruit are included, and the guide speaks English and German. It is a long, unhurried day with few stops, and the programme lists swimming rather than snorkelling or kayaking — not for guests who want to see as many places as possible.

Red Baron: the junk, the highest viewpoint and the sunset

The Red Baron is the red junk, a traditional sailing ship — leisurely rather than by speedboat. Pickup at 7:30, the cruise into the national park, snorkelling, the green lagoon, lunch, then the climb to the highest viewpoint, by the park office on Koh Wua Talap, a swim — and the sunset on the way back. Wednesdays and Saturdays, with no minimum number; ฿3,900, and children aged 2 to 10 pay half, ฿1,950. Hotel transfer, lunch, water and soft drinks are included; the national park fee is paid on site. The guide speaks English; German and Russian on request.

Which boat for whom

• ·You want the most stops at the lowest price, on any day of the week: the standard speedboat.
• ·You dislike crowded boats: the VIP speedboat, at most 16 guests.
• ·You want to sail rather than tick off stops: the Naga.
• ·You want sails, the viewpoint and the sunset for less: the Red Baron.
• ·You are travelling with small children: on the Red Baron children aged 2 to 10 pay half; on the standard speedboat the child price covers ages 3 to 9. The speedboat days end at 16:30, the sailing days after sunset.
• ·You get seasick: no boat spares you the open crossing. The speedboat has it done in about an hour but hits the waves harder; the sailing ships move more gently but are under way two and a half to three hours each way. Choose a calm month.
• ·You mainly want to snorkel: Ang Thong is about the islands, the lagoon and the view more than coral. The reefs are at Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan — same price, ฿2,600, daily.

When is the best time — and when is the park closed?

Koh Samui lies in the Gulf of Thailand and follows the northeast monsoon: its wettest stretch is October to December, with November the wettest month. Ang Thong Marine Park is closed from November to mid-December, and the tours do not run. The calmest sea and the most reliable days fall between February and September. In late December and January the rain eases, but the weather is not yet reliable: the operator decides in the morning on the day's weather and safety conditions. If a trip is cancelled we tell you as early as possible and find a new date. For dates in December, ask us for the first day the boats go out again. The whole logic is in Best time to visit.

Good to know

Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat, shoes with grip for the climbs to the lagoon and the viewpoint, a waterproof pouch for your phone and cash for the park fee and tips. The exact pickup time depends on your hotel and comes with the confirmation. Ang Thong inspired Alex Garland's novel "The Beach"; the film with Leonardo DiCaprio was shot at Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh, on the Andaman side. More trips in our overview of tours from Koh Samui; the rules in Thailand from A to Z.