When planning activities and trips to Koh Samui, we already knew in advance that we wanted to visit Pig Island - a small island with free-roaming pigs.

We found it a bit boring to take an organized tour to the island, but a jet ski tour caught our eye on GetYourGuide.com. We have to try this!

If you're looking for "Koh Samui jet ski tour", "jet ski to Pig Island" or wondering if jet skiing in Thailand is safe and worth it, here's my real experience - without embellishing.

We went two on one jet ski as part of an organized trip. The transfer from the hotel (we stayed in W Koh Samui) was included, the organisation professional. But the ride itself? That was considerably wilder than we expected.

How did I book the jet ski and how much did it cost us?

We could only find 2 agencies on Pig Island offering jet ski tours. Both with similar conditions.

There are always two tours going out during the day:

• morning at 10:00.
• afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

In each tour there are a maximum of 6 scooters, so a maximum of 12 people - one scooter is for 2 people.

We were on Koh Samui in one of the peak seasons in early January, so I preferred to book the trip well in advance about 1,5 months.

All the similar agencies on Koh Samui operate on GetYourGuide, which is also where I booked the jet ski tour through.

The total price was 6 850 thb per scooter, so 3 425 thb per person.

For the record, organised tours by regular boat for 20-30 people cost from 800 thb per person.

Book a jet ski in advance - GetYourGuide.com

How our jet ski tour to Pig Island was supposed to go

The program is simple:

• Pick up at the hotel at about 8:30 a.m.
• transfer to the dock included
• registration and short briefing
• sailing towards Koh Madsum
• approx. 10 minutes break on the beach and distribution of snorkelling equipment
• approx. 30 minutes snorkelling
• approx. 60 minutes break on Pig Island
• return

On paper the perfect combination of adrenaline and tropical cool.

💡 Useful: you don't need a licence or permit to drive a jet ski. All you need is a short briefing (about 10 minutes) before the trip, which is included in the price.

It's a special instruction, which is included in the lesson, and the instruction is given at the end of the tour.

I communicate with the activity operator a few days before the trip via the GetYourGuide app - everything is clear, understandable and hassle-free.

The minivan with driver arrives in front of our hotel reception exactly on time.

The car is comfortable and air-conditioned, but the journey is long, as we stop at 4 other hotels and drive for almost an hour and a half in total.

But this is a bit of a planning error on my part - I chose a hotel at the very other end of the island from the dock.

💡 My recommendation. On the way there or back, you can explore the island on your own.

• 🏨 Hotel W Koh Samui - review of our stay

Briefing: setting sail!

The dock is small and rather improvised. There is a toilet and free water.

We get a pretty detailed briefing on how to operate the scooter, where to put our stuff so it doesn't get wet, etc.

You can also buy goggles or waterproof bags.

All communication is in English and is easy enough to understand.

We sail a total of 6 scooters + 1 lead scooter with guides.

Immediately after leaving the harbour we line up in arrow formation as instructed by the guide.

Where to hide things?

The scooter is equipped with two lockable compartments - one large one under the handlebars where you can easily fit your backpack, bag or clothes.

And in this large compartment there's another small waterproof compartment for your mobile phone.

Both luggage compartments are watertight and we really didn't get any of our stuff wet - even in rough seas.

The sea decides everything: fun and horror

We set sail in quite nice weather.

There are waves, but not too big, and even though it's my first time driving a scooter, I'm getting used to the controls pretty quickly.

It's cool! I'm already enjoying it and planning to definitely rent a jet ski again in the future.

We cruise about 15 minutes to our first stop at a small and pretty dirty beach.

Here we get our snorkel goggles on and continue on.

The weather is getting worse and the waves are getting bigger fast. From this point on, riding a scooter is more horror than fun.

The jet ski itself is very stable, but because of the waves I can't practically see the road, the ride is slow, terribly uncomfortable and physically very tiring.

The cruise to the snorkeling spot is nearly endless, though in reality it only takes about 30 minutes.

In the end, we don't even snorkel - just because of the big waves - and continue straight to Pig Island.

Check jet ski availability

A relaxing break with the pigs

The main destination of the trip and, in my opinion, one of the most interesting destinations around Koh Samui is already in sight!

Koh Madsum, or Pig Island, is full of free-roaming pigs.

We have about 1 hour where we can do whatever we want.

• 👉 Pig Island - detailed information and more photos
• 💡 Tip: bring cash. Admission 50 thb per person is not included in the price of the trip!

You can also buy food or drinks on the island (not included in the trip price).

Cruise of Horror back

Before leaving Pig Island, we have about 10 minutes of free time to ride the jet ski near the beach.

Super fun, the water is beautifully calm here!

But then it comes.

I'm not afraid to call the roughly 25-minute ride back to Koh Samui a "cruise of terror".

The sea is getting choppier and choppier, I can see almost nothing, I try to stick close to the guide's scooter.

The guides are completely resigned to keeping some sort of formation and to be honest I don't even know if we are all sailing together.

About halfway through the trip I register that someone has fallen into the sea from another scooter, so we stop, but luckily he gets back up pretty quickly.

With difficulty we swim to shore and with the help of other workers we make it to land.

Now that was an adrenaline rush! But frankly too much for us...

The minivan takes us back to the hotel after about 15 minutes of waiting. During the journey we were rather silent and absorbed the not-so-pleasant ending - but in the end we both take it as an experience we simply won't forget.

• 👉 More about the seasons and weather on Koh Samui

My jet ski trip review

A calm seaside experience would be great.

In rough seas? More of a physical challenge than a joy. And on the way back from Pig Island, almost to the point of fear.

• Communication before the trip: 10/10
• Organisation: 8/10
• Guides during the ride: 5/10 (they didn't care much about us)

Would I go again? Yes. But only if the sea was really calm.

Jet ski on Koh Samui can be a highlight of a holiday. Or also the wildest part of the whole trip.

• 👉 More activities on Koh Samui
• 👉 O ur tips for hotels - the best locations

For whom does going skiing on Pig Island make sense?

✅ I would recommend if:

• you want an adrenaline rush, not a leisurely cruise
• you don't have back problems
• you can swim
• you expect the sea to be rough

❌ I would not recommend if:

• you expect a calm trip like a boat trip
• you are afraid of the open sea