Ang Thong National Marine Park Speedboat from Koh Samui
Description
High-quality speedboat tour with unbeatable price! Free sea kayaking! More snorkeling points than big boat Save hours of travel time comparing with big boat Direct access to beaches without changing to smaller boats Lunch on the island
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ang Thong National Marine Park is a fascinating archipelago of 42 or so islands in the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand. It is northwest of Koh Samui Relax on beautiful beach and enjoy water activities like swimming, snorkeling or Kayaking in crystal clear sea water (all inclusive!). Visit Thalay Nai or the Emerald Lake, a saltwater lake surrounded by limestone cliffs. Enjoy water activities like snorkeling, sea kayaking, get in touch with well-preserved nature of the national marine park. Challenge yourself by climbing the Wua Talap hill to see the islands from the top.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick you up from any hotel in Koh Samui. We might need to ask those who stay on a high hill to wait at a nearby lower area as it might not be comfortable for other guests in the shared vehicle.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The tour will proceed despite the bad weather as long as it is still safe to do the activities.
- Pregnancy women, and Children under 1 year old are not allowed to join the trip.
- There are 6 viewpoints on Wua Talap Mountain. You must have a reasonable physical strength to walk up to the top viewpoint (500-meter height). Along the way, if you feel it's too tough to go to the top viewpoint you can choose to visit only the first 2-3 viewpoints.
- You must bring a pair of comfortable shoes for walking up the viewpoints. Sport shoes are recommended.
Reviews(135)
For $66 this was an incredible day trip and 110% worth the price. Mikey the tour guide was so funny and very knowledgeable. The best part of the day was hiking up to the view and seeing the beautiful park (it’s really hard but so very worth it!). A highlight of my trip for sure
Very good experience. 3 stops. Lots of fish in the snorkelling area but very busy with lots of people and boats. The hike and the second stop is super tiring but a great view at the top. The crew were lovely and made the trip.
The trip was absolutely worth it! Not only were the guides and boat trip amazing but the beauty of the beaches and snorkeling are unbeatable.
The tour guide and speedboat were excellent. The snorkelling was very average and far too short a time as the main experience is the marine park climb and the same for emerald lagoon. If you want snorkeling to be your main event definitely dont do this trip. Snorkeling was dissapointing as the coral reef is badly bleached and even the tour guide advised this was not the best spot to snorkel. There were very few fish around, Only do this trip if you want to climb Ang Thong National Marine Park to experience the various viewpoints.
Thank you for your review. You are absolutely right. As described on our product page, this tour is primarily focused on enjoying the magnificent scenery of the national park from the boat and islands, spotting wildlife, and visiting the beautiful inner lake. Snorkeling is included, but it is not the main highlight of this experience. For travelers who are looking for a trip with more extensive snorkeling, we recommend our Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan tour, which offers some of the best snorkeling spots in the area.
The best part of this tour are the hikes, however, be prepared for a very steep precarious climb to get to the lookout in both instances. The first climb is not for those without appropriate fitness and footwear. It is hot and tricky underfoot - you must take water with you for this 20-30min climb up the mountain. Coming down requires patience and much care going back down the steep narrow stairs. A swim at the bottom is a must to cool off and recover. The second hike to the lagoon is much shorter but incredibly precarious and steeper again. At times the steps become ladder rungs, so hang on tightly to avoid falling up to 5m, especially when coming down!! The snorkelling was really poor - really cloudy water with dead coral. All around are boats with loads of tourists drinking and smoking and dive-bombing into the water around those trying to snorkel in the designated area. Lunch was good although they ran out of salads and drinks for those at the end of the queue. Also be prepared for an unpleasant speedboat ride of approximately an hour each way - too noisy to talk with added indecipherable blaring music playing to add to the cacophony. You will also get wet, particularly at the back of the boat from waves and if it rains. Beware if you get seasick too! Make sure you bring a towel, walking shoes, sunscreen, flippers if you require for swimming. Water and soft drinks are provided. Safety standards are also low so make sure you are a confident swimmer - life jackets are provided. Limited information is provided during the tour about the national park so best to do your own research before you go.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We would like to note that the physical requirements and recommended footwear are outlined on the product page prior to booking. Nevertheless, we appreciate your comments, as they may help future guests make a more informed decision when choosing a tour. As the name suggests, a speedboat offers a faster transfer but can be bumpier in certain sea conditions and may involve more engine noise. For guests who prefer a smoother and more relaxing journey, we generally recommend a big boat tour. While the travel time is longer, big boats typically provide a more stable ride, as well as better protection from rain and sunlight. We would also like to mention that Ang Thong National Marine Park is best known for its spectacular island scenery, emerald lagoons, and panoramic viewpoints rather than snorkeling. Guests whose main interest is snorkeling may find a trip to Koh Tao more suitable, as it offers some of the region's most renowned snorkeling sites and marine life. Thank you again for your valuable feedback and for helping future travelers better understand the different experiences available.
This was a great day. The beauty of Ang Thong is unbelievable and we got to see all of the main attractions. The snorkeling was fantastic and the home cooked lunch was delicious Thai food. The crew was fun, though they were consuming Kratom which is very risky especially considering their job of driving a boat with 30 people on it. The boat was also much too crowded. You get packed in like sardines. Also, if you get seasick please avoid this tour. 2 members of our tour vomited during the long journey (45 min - 1 hour) each way. I really enjoyed this day, but if you don’t enjoy being packed and herded along then this trip is probably not for you. Also, please instruct the crew to not consume Kratom. I get this is Thailand, but this is objectively very dangerous and a huge liability.
Thank you for your detailed review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the stunning beauty of Ang Thong National Marine Park, the snorkeling, the homemade Thai lunch, and the friendly service provided by the crew. We also appreciate you sharing your concerns. Regarding kratom, we would like to clarify that kratom is legal in Thailand and is sometimes used by labor-intensive workers to help relieve muscle fatigue and maintain energy throughout the day, similar to how some people consume energy drinks. However, we would like to assure you that neither the boat captain nor the tour guide consumed kratom. Safety is our highest priority, and the individuals responsible for navigating the vessel and leading the tour remain fully focused on their duties at all times. Regarding the boat occupancy, the vessel used for this tour is licensed to accommodate at least 45 passengers, and the number of guests on your trip was well within the approved capacity. That said, we understand that comfort is subjective, and we appreciate your feedback regarding personal space on board. We also agree that this tour may not be suitable for travelers who are prone to seasickness. We always recommend that guests take appropriate precautions if they are sensitive to motion at sea. Thank you again for your valuable feedback. We are pleased that you had an enjoyable day overall, and your comments will help future travelers better understand the nature of this adventure.
The staff were amazing. But the islands were full of people and boats, be aware of this (this is low season). There was 28 people on our boat which was WAY too many and felt uncomfortable
We are sorry to hear that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. However, the number of visitors on the island is beyond our control. Regarding the boat, its maximum capacity is around 40–50 passengers (depends on each specific boat but the smallest one is 40 pax), so with 28 guests on board, it was operating well below full capacity and should still have provided a reasonably comfortable experience.
Ang Thong National park is a must see destination, this clutter of islands is only located 1hr away from Ko Samui via speed boat, these spectacular lush rock formations / islands are so stunningly beautiful to see in reality. The optional hike to the top was gruelling, you should definitely bring runners and a cold bottle of water, but well worth it for the breathtaking views. The tour company was so lovely, they took photos and videos for us and made sure everyone was having a great time. All up we went to 4 islands - we snorkelled at the first one, by sea only, the snorkelling was well worth it!! The second was where I decided to hike, followed by a delicious lunch and feeding birds and ending with seeing the stunningly beautiful lake. ❤️❤️ I absolutely loved everything about this tour and highly recommend it!!
Thank you for your review. Your suggestion regarding preparation for the viewpoint hike will certainly be helpful for future travelers. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience. Your kind words will be shared with our staff, and they will be very happy to know that their efforts and service were appreciated.
I cannot speak more highly of this crew, hope I have the right tour but need to call out all the crew for both the 28th and 29th April, particularly Pohnee (? spelling) and Mac. On 28th we did the tour and notably a young guy was suffering heat stroke and Mac cared for him very attentively on return trip. Once we returned to our hotel my daughter realised her opal and gold pendant had been accidentally left on last island. I tried to get our hotel to contact ranger but was late in the day. In a moment of madness I decided to book the tour for just myself again 29th....our last day. I cannot believe the kindness of all the guys on the boat. Thank you to our hotel (Explorar) they all knew of my dilemma.....and they changed the itinerary so the last island was the first stop after snorkelling and reducing any risk of any other tourists finding and taking pendant (sentimental value). Could not believe it when we went to spot where it was lost, initially could not see it, then all of a sudden I spotted a tiny streak of gold in the sand. All the crew from boat were so excited when I slowly lifted chain from sand and there it was! If I could give 20 stars I would. Amazing experience all round, both tours fantastic !
Thank you for your review. It truly is an amazing experience for everyone. We will forward your kind words to the team. We look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
A good trip. The climb and time at the "lookout" beach felt rushed. Although there was more than enough time to make the steep hike. :) This was the reason we booked and well worth it. Stunning and 100% like the pictures. We stopped on a small island for a pre-arranged lunch, which was nice. we brought something to snack on which did help before lunch. Pros and things that could be improved... Pro: the pictures and experience of the national park were amazing. Even the cheeky pics on the bow, including "Monkey Rock" Improvements: Our guides English was really difficult to understand. The snorkelling spot was fairly lifeless. The speedboat outboard motors are really loud at the back. (Be prepared if you sit there) You can buy "extra"drinks and souvenirs at lunch. Tipping was expected for the boat crew at the end, we weren't aware of this and it was thrust upon us at the last minute. The guide got visibly upset when no one put anything in, probably because we all had trouble understanding him. Luckily I had some spare cash to tip. Overall it was a really good experience, a long day in the sun, I'm glad I did it. 4/5 for the experience.
Thank you for your detailed review. We are very happy to know that you enjoyed the experience and that the stunning scenery of the national park lived up to your expectations. We’re also glad you liked the lookout beach, Monkey Rock photos, and the overall trip experience. We are sorry if the tour guide’s English was difficult to understand. Please note that all licensed tour guides in Thailand are required to pass a government test, including English proficiency. However, sometimes their local accent may still be difficult for some guests to understand. We appreciate your understanding and will share your feedback with the team for improvement. Regarding tipping, it is completely optional. If guests feel that the guide or boat crew provided excellent service or went the extra mile, tips are always appreciated. However, supportive words and positive feedback are equally valuable. Tipping is welcome but never necessary, and it should not affect any staff member’s feelings if guests choose not to tip. Thank you again for your honest feedback and for joining the trip with us. We hope to welcome you again on another adventure in Thailand.
