Ang Thong Marine Park

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 foreigner entrance fee is non-negotiable and goes to the park rangers. It's not included in the tour price, so bring cash for it on the day.

There are four ways to do Ang Thong: the joint speedboat (฿1,750 per adult), the big boat with a kayak, the big boat without one, or a private longtail for up to 6 (from ฿15,500 for the boat). The speedboat runs a fixed itinerary: pickup, a 45-minute crossing, the viewpoint climb, the kayak, lunch, a snorkel stop, return. The private longtail is slower (a 90-minute crossing each way), but it is more comfortable than the speedboat in choppy water and it lets you set the pace.

If you're with kids under 6, with grandparents, or you get seasick, take the longtail. If you want the 45-minute crossing and don't mind sharing, take the speedboat. The big boat is the cheaper joint option, with or without the kayak. The speedboat and the longtail both stop at Wua Talab for the climb and lunch, and both take you into the Emerald Lagoon for kayaking.

The kayaks are sit-on-top and two-person, with 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: December through March, when the water is clearest and the 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. In October and November the marine park sometimes closes for ranger maintenance, so always WhatsApp us 48 hours ahead.

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