Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park is an archipelago of 42 limestone islands, an emerald lagoon amidst the rocks, vistas over the jungle and turquoise sea - exactly the type of scenery that people fly to Thailand for.

The national park is located about 25km west of Koh Samui, and regular trips are also organised here from the islands of Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, as well as from the mainland.

We went here as part of a day tour from Koh Samui for about 2 300 thb - and I think this trip is well worth it. I'd go as far as to say it is one of the main attractions on Koh Samui in general.

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What to expect from Ang Thong (reality, not Instagram)

Ang Thong is not a "secret paradise without people". It's a popular national park - and it looks it. The most interesting spots are literally packed to bursting with people.

On the other hand:

• the scenery is really dramatic
• the views are photogenic even without a drone
• the water has an incredible colour in good weather
• the combination of kayak + snorkeling + viewpoint + beach works - it's just fun!

If you go with a good agency and the weather works out, this is one of the best days on Samui. And for us it certainly was. Despite the crowds of tourists.

How a typical Koh Samui tour works

First of all, it must be said that you cannot go to Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park on your own. There are no public ferries and you must always pay for an organised tour.

Most tours (including ours) have a similar program:

• 1️⃣ Early morning pickup at the hotel (usually included in the trip price)
• 2️⃣ Transfer to the port
• 3️⃣ Cruise on a speedboat for about 1-1.5 hours
• 4️⃣ Snorkeling or kayaking
• 5️⃣ Main viewpoint (steeper ascent)
• 6️⃣ Lunch on one of the islands
• 7️⃣ Climb to the viewpoint above Emerald Lake
• 8️⃣ Snorkeling or kayaking (either one, generally snorkeling earlier, but maybe we had it the other way around)
• 9️⃣ Return to Samui by boat in the afternoon
• 1️⃣0️⃣ Return from the port by minivan to the hotel

The final hike up to the main viewpoint is the most challenging - it's short but steep and can be tough in the heat. But the view at the top is worth it. But the climb is optional and if you don't dare to do it, you can stay down on the beach.

Kayaks are also optional and you can stay on the beach instead.

Expect that the trip is really a full day trip.

Pick up at the hotel is usually around 8:00am and return back to the hotel between 4:00pm and 5:30pm depending on the waves, but also the crowds on each island.

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Places we've visited

A typical itinerary includes:

• Kayaking and swimming on Koh Mae Ko Island (most often Na Thap beach)
  • There is usually enough time for swimming in the sea (about 20-30 minutes)
• Main viewpoint over the archipelago on the largest island Ko Wua Ta Lap
  • very steep climb - highest point about 180 meters above sea level, distance less than 1 km
  • stop usually takes 90 minutes
• Lunch on one of the beaches (included)
  • approx. 30-45 minutes
• Emerald Lake (Talay Nai) - emerald lagoon in the middle of the rocks
  • steep but short climb up the stairs
  • approx. 45-60 minutes
• Snorkelling, mostly at the northernmost end of the archipelago
  • approx. 45 minutes

Kayaks or just a boat?

I recommend to choose a trip with kayaks.

Paddling among the limestone cliffs is a great experience. It's not extremely physically demanding, but it greatly improves the experience over the purely "boat" option.

Even novices can handle the kayaks.

Plus, if you don't want to kayak, you can be on the beach instead. The cost of trips with or without kayaking is usually about the same.

Is it worth it to hike to the highest viewpoint?

Yes. If you want to have the best photos for instagram, then it's a must.

The hike is very steep and even though it's only less than 1km long, it took us 30 minutes. Plus, there are usually such crowds that I'm not afraid to say this place is already suffering from overtourism.

Still, the views are so spectacular that I don't regret the trip up.

If you're not physically fit enough, you can be on a pretty nice but busy beach the whole time.

What tour to choose and where to book?

There is a fundamental difference between:

• speedboat (small fast boat for about 25 people) - prices from 2 000 thb
• premium semi-private tour (large stylish sailing boat for 14-20 people) - prices from 3 500 thb
• completely private tour (private program) - from 35 000 thb

We opted for the smaller speedboat - faster transfers, and the difference between the number of people is not that big in my opinion. With both types of tour there is always a fixed program.

The vast majority of agencies on Samui today sell tours just through GetYourGuide, so:

• you have clear conditions
• online payment
• Review
• easy cancellation
• mostly great communication via the GetYourGuide app (we always got a reply and clear instructions)

Booking through a hotel or one of the many travel agencies in town tends to be more expensive.

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How much does it cost to enter and what is included?

Prices for day tours vary between 2 000 thb and 2 500 thb depending on the specific agency.

National Park entrance fees are usually paid separately at the port during registration.

The price is 300 thb per person and can only be paid in cash!

The trip price you pay online during booking at getyourguide.com is usually:

• transfer from and to the hotel after the trip
• refreshments before departure
• boat transfers and the services of a guide (always English speaking)
• a simple buffet lunch on the beach
• snorkelling equipment (usually just goggles and snorkel - fins are not included)
• water or soft drinks during all boat transfers between the islands (so about 5 times during the trip)

When to go to Ang Thong?

The dry season is ideal (approx Feb-June) when visibility underwater is best. In wind and rain the sea can be rough and the speedboat ride less enjoyable.

If you're planning your trip according to the weather, our article 👉 When to go to Thailand may come in handy.

Is Ang Thong National Marine Park worth it?

It's not a secret paradise without people - but it's one of the most photogenic places around Samui.

In my opinion, a trip to Ang Thong is definitely worth it. This activity, along with the trip to Pig Island, was probably my favourite of my entire stay on Koh Samui.

• ✅ The most beautiful place on Koh Samui
• ✅ Fun for the whole day
• ✅ Various stops (walking, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking)
• ✅ Relatively low prices
• ✅ Reliable agencies
• ❌ Relatively little time for swimming
• ❌ Organised trip with a precise schedule
• ❌ Overtourism

Practical info - what did we take with us?

Approximately 1-2 days before the activity, I recommend writing a confirmation message to the agency through which you bought the trip.

I handled everything through the getyourguide.com app.

From my own experience, I recommend taking the following:

• A backpack or a bigger bag - it will come in handy!
• Sneakers or other sturdy shoes (hiking to the viewpoints in flip-flops is downright dangerous!)
• A towel or a bath towel
• Water (at least 2 liters per person) - you will get free water a few times during the cruise, but it's still handy to have your own
• Plenty of sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Cash (at least 300 thb to pay national park entrance fees + any tips to guides + purchases for snacks and beaches)
• Waterproof bag (doesn't get much water in the boat, but after snorkeling or swimming things just get wet in the boat)
• Passport photo on mobile phone

Most of the islands have a regular cell phone signal, so if you have a Thai eSIM (like through airalo.com) you can post photos to Instagram online.

Where to stay on Koh Samui for trips?

There are various ports of call on Ang Thong, but in the vast majority of cases you'll be sailing from the western end of Bophut Beach in the north of the island, or from small marinas in the west.

However, picking up a minivan works from anywhere, you just have to allow for the fact that if you live in Lamai, for example, it can take more than 60 minutes to get to the dock.

In addition, the minivan also picks up other trip participants at other hotels along the way, so the closer you live to the dock, the shorter the minivan ride will be.

If you want to combine a beautiful beach and easy access to excursions, good bases are:

• Bophut (about 10 minutes drive from the main marina) - find hotels on booking.com
• Mae Nam (15 minutes away) - find hotels on booking.com
• Chaweng (35 minutes drive) - find hotels on booking.com

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Ko Samui.