Ang Thong Marine Park
42 limestone islands, the Emerald Lagoon, kayaks before lunch — speedboat, big-boat or private.
Forty-two limestone karsts rise out of the Gulf of Thailand 30 km west of Koh Samui, each draped in jungle, ringed by water the color of mint. The most famous of them is Mae Ko, which contains an inland saltwater lagoon — Talay Nai, the Emerald Lagoon — accessible only by climbing 200m up through a slit in the rock and down the other side. The lagoon is The Beach territory; the 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio film referenced this spot, though they actually shot in Phi Phi.
Ang Thong is a marine national park, which means access is regulated and the boats are vetted. The ฿200 foreigner entrance fee is non-negotiable and goes to the park rangers — Legitour wraps it into the price so you don't fumble for cash at the gate.
There are two ways to do Ang Thong: group speedboat (the ฿1,500/pax option) or private longtail (the ฿19,500 charter). The group boats run a fixed itinerary — pickup, 45-minute crossing, viewpoint climb, snorkel, lunch, kayak, return. The private longtail is slower (90-minute crossing each way, but the longtail is more comfortable than the speedboat in choppy water) and lets you set the pace.
If you're with kids under 6, with grandparents, or you get seasick — take the longtail. If you want to be home by 5pm and don't mind sharing — take the speedboat. Both stop at Wua Talab for the climb and lunch; both take you into the Emerald Lagoon for kayaking.
The kayaks are sit-on-top, two-person, life-jackets included. The lagoon is connected to the open sea by an underwater channel, which means the water level changes with the tide; a guide will tell you the timing. It's not deep — at low tide, you can stand in most of it.
Best time to go: November through March, water clearest, seas calmest. June through September is monsoon-edge; trips run but visibility drops and the Emerald Lagoon kayaking can be cancelled if the channel is too narrow. October-November the marine park sometimes closes for ranger maintenance — always WhatsApp us 48 hours ahead.
- Price
- ฿1,500 / adult · ฿1,000 / kid (4–10) · big-boat from ฿1,050 · private 6-pax from ฿15,500
- Duration
- Full day, ~10 hours
- Departs
- Bophut or Maenam pier, ~07:30
- Returns
- Same pier, ~17:30
- Capacity
- Up to 30 (group) or up to 6 (private)
- Captain / operator
- Captain Niran (group) / Captain Nat (private dawn slot)
What's included, what's not
Included
- Round-trip hotel pickup
- Speedboat or longtail (group/private)
- Marine park entrance fee (฿200/foreigner — already in price)
- Sea kayak rental (1.5 hours at the lagoon)
- Thai buffet lunch on the largest island, Wua Talab
- Snorkel gear, life jackets
- English-speaking guide on group trips
Not included
- Drone fees if you bring your own (฿100 at the park gate)
- Bar drinks at lunch (water + soft drinks free)
Sample itinerary
Pay on the day · cash or transfer · no card or deposit required
Book Ang Thong Marine Park on WhatsAppQuestions guests ask
What's the difference between the group and private price?
Group is ฿1,500/pax, ~25 strangers on a 30-seat speedboat, fixed itinerary. Private is ฿19,500 for the whole longtail (up to 6), you pick the order of stops, you can skip a stop you don't care about and stay longer at one you do.
How much time do you actually get at the Emerald Lagoon?
About 1.5 hours, including the kayak. Peak high-season days the lagoon gets 200+ visitors at once — book the dawn slot (private only) if you want it nearly empty.
Is the climb to the viewpoint hard?
It's 30 minutes up, steep, with chain ropes on the rough sections. Not for guests with mobility issues. Wear closed-toe shoes — the limestone is sharp.
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