Pig Island, officially Koh Madsum, is a small island a few kilometres south of Koh Samui. If you've ever seen a photo of a pig standing knee-deep in turquoise water, it was probably from here.

Honestly? You wouldn't come here without pigs. Which is why it's good to know what to expect.

It's a short, visually powerful trip. Not an adventure, not authentic wilderness - but a fun and photogenic stop during your stay on Koh Samui.

Planning a trip to Koh Samui?

• 🏨 Where to stay on Koh Samui
• 🌴 More activities and excursions on Koh Samui

What is Pig Island and why go there?

The official name of the island is Koh Madsum. "Pig Island" is a tourist nickname that was coined after pigs - now the main attraction - were brought here.

The pigs are not authentically wild, the most widely held theory is that they were brought here by a local resident who bought a malnourished family of pigs on the mainland and gave them a new life on Koh Mat Sum.

The island is small, the beach nice, the water shallow and calm. But let's face it - 90% of people go for a photo with a pig.

What is the real experience?

If you arrive early in the morning, it's a surprisingly quiet place. The boat drops you off on the beach, the sand is fine, the water is clear.

Then the first pigs appear.

They're not aggressive. They run among the tourists who feed them grain (you can buy it on the spot) or scratch their backs. Often they just lie in the shade or wade by the shore. Tourists circle them with their phones. It's a bit of a bizarre scene - a tropical paradise and a pet pig next to you on the beach.

💡 My experience:

The biggest mistake is arriving around noon. That's when the organized tours arrive and the romantic tropical beach becomes a photo factory. If you want quiet and better light, go first thing in the morning when it's quieter and the piggies are more active.

In the afternoon, the pigs tend to lounge on the beach.

How to get to Pig Island from Koh Samui

The starting point is the south of Koh Samui, most commonly the Thong Krut area in the south of the island.

The exact location of Thong Krut - view on map.

The price of the trips never includes the entrance fee to the island! This can only be paid in cash when on the island, see details below.

Pig Island Excursions - GetYourGuide.com

Private longtail boat

The best option if you want to be flexible - no time pressure, no group, no schedule.

• approx 3 500 thb - 4 500 thb per boat
• trip length usually 2-3 hours
• flexible return
• ideal for 2-4 people
• transfer from the hotel included if you book the boat online

The cruise takes about 20 minutes.

You can try to negotiate a better price on the spot or if you want to be hassle-free, book and pay for the boat in advance via GetYourGuide. Absolutely all tourist services on Koh Samui work on this platform.

• 👉 View all private cruise offers

Organized trip

The cheapest option, where you usually go on a modern boat with about 15-20 other people.

• 800 thb - 1 500 thb per person
• trip length usually 3-5 hours
• often combined with the neighbouring island of Koh Tan
• transfers from the hotel are usually included
• lunch on Pig Island is also usually included

The cruise takes about 20 minutes or 70 minutes including a stop for snorkeling.

• 👉 View all organized tour offers

Water scooter trip

We took this trip to Pig Island. It's super fun when the water is calm, quite an adrenaline rush when there are waves.

• 🚤 O ur jet ski experience on Koh Samui

The jet skis don't leave directly from Thong Krut, but places further south on the coast.

• Around 7 000 thb per scooter, so max 2 people
• trip length usually 2-3 hours
• transfer from the hotel is usually included in the price
• Lunch on Pig Island is not included
• 👉 View all jet ski trip offers

Public ferry

There are currently no regular ferries with fixed schedules to Pig Island.

How long to be here?

Unless you pay for a private boat transfer, you usually have no control over how long you stay.

On organised tours, you usually have 50-90 minutes of time on the island.

If you pay for your own transfer, you can combine your visit to the island with a swim in the sea. Personally though, I think there are plenty of better beaches on Koh Samui, so I would recommend staying here for 2-3 hours at most.

• 🏖️ Best beaches on Koh Samui

When is the best time to visit?

Pig Island is open 24 hours every day, depending on the type of trip you pay for.

Time of day

• 8:00-10:00 am (best light, less people, pigs are active)
• After 3:00 pm (most tour boats gone, least crowded and nice light in the early evening, but the piggies tend to lie in the sand)

Period

The best conditions tend to be January-April. October and November can be rainy.

• 👉 I cover more about the weather in the chapter When to go to Koh Samui

Is Pig Island worth it?

It's an Instagram-worthy place that already suffers from overtourism at certain times of the year. But it's not a trap. You just need realistic expectations.

✅ Yes, if

• it's your first time on Koh Samui
• you want the iconic photo with the pigs on the beach
• you're looking for a short and easy trip

❌ Not if

• you're expecting a wild, tourist-free tropical paradise
• you don't like more commercial places
• you're looking for a deeper authentic experience

Would I personally go there again? Probably not, but I enjoyed my first visit and if it's your first time on Koh Samui I would definitely go.

Practical info - facilities and entrance fees

There is an entrance fee to Pig Island 50 thb per person. It is always payable locally to the local guide and you can only pay cash.

Admission to Pig Island is never included in the price of an organised trip, so bring plenty of money. There are really no ATMs on the island.

• There are several restaurants and beach bistros
• prices for coffee around 130 thb, for food from 200 thb, cash only
• the public toilets are free, but not very nice

Where to stay for Pig Island?

The most logical base is the south of the island (Lamai, Taling Ngam, Thong Krut). From here, you can usually get to the Thong Krut pier within 20 minutes.

These are the top rated hotels right in Thong Krut, where most boats depart from - both are no more than 10 minutes from the pier:

• South Beach Inn
• The Beach Samui ****

If you stay like we did in the north of the island, expect a journey of around 60-75 minutes to the marina.

• 🏨 Our review - Hotel Homm Chura Chaweng
• 🏨 Our review - hotel W Koh Samui

The 10 best hotels on Koh Samui

FAQ - practical questions

Is there an entrance fee to Pig Island?
Yes, 50 thb per person (cash only)

Are the pigs safe?
Yes, the local pigs are domesticated and used to tourists.

Is it suitable with children?
Yes, the water is shallow and calm and the pigs are not aggressive towards children.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Ko Samui.