Joint power catamaran · all day · Mon/Wed/Fri
Dolphins + 3 Islands
Pink dolphins off Khanom + Koh Tan + Pig Island. Mon/Wed/Fri only.
| ฿2,300adult | ฿1,850child 4–10 |
There are pink dolphins in the Gulf of Thailand. They live off the Khanom coast on the mainland, about an hour's boat from Koh Samui, and the resident pod numbers around forty. The Dolphins + 3 Islands tour goes there directly from Samui. It runs three days a week, on the power catamaran that runs Tan + Pig the other days.
The dolphin watching is the headline, but the day delivers more than that. Khanom itself is a quiet stretch of mainland coast: limestone cliffs, mangroves, fishing villages. Almost no Samui-based traveller sees it, because the only other way there from Samui involves a ferry to Don Sak and a 45-minute drive. This boat takes you there directly.
The pink dolphins are technically Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. They live their whole lives in shallow estuary water, eat the fish that come into the brackish zones at high tide, and turn pink as they age. The pod has been monitored for over a decade, and the operator we use works with the local conservation programme. They don't chase the dolphins, don't swim with them, and don't feed them.
After Khanom, the boat crosses back to Koh Tan for snorkelling. This is the real swim of the day: calmer water, cleaner reef, an hour or so to get in the water and play. The slider and paddle board come out here.
The final stop is the obligatory Pig Island photo session. By this point in the day it's quick: 30 minutes, a few photos, a swim, and home. You're back at Bang Kao around 4pm and at your hotel by 5.
Three days a week only: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. The Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday version of this boat runs the Tan + Pig half-day instead. Book 48 hours ahead.
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- Duration
- Full day, ~7 hours
- Departs
- Hotel pickup 08:30; the boat leaves Bang Kao pier at 09:30
- Returns
- Bang Kao pier ~16:00, at your hotel by 17:00
- Capacity
- Joint power catamaran, up to 30 guests
- Captain / operator
- Joint operator with Legitour-vetted crew
Included
- Round-trip transfer from your hotel to Bang Kao pier
- Light breakfast on board
- Light meal at lunch, on the boat or at a Khanom beach spot
- Drinking water, soft drinks
- Snorkel set, life jacket
- Slider, paddle board, kayak
- National park fee
- Guide and crew (English / Thai)
- Insurance
Not included
- Madsum (Pig Island) landing fee
- Premium drinks
A typical day
- Hotel pickup.
- Depart Bang Kao on the power catamaran.
- Khanom, on the mainland: pink dolphin watching.
- Sightseeing along the Khanom coast, snorkel stop.
- Light lunch on the boat or at a Khanom beach spot.
- Cross to Koh Tan for snorkel + paddle board.
- Quick stop at Koh Madsum (Pig Island) for photos.
- Return to Bang Kao, hotel transfer.
Questions guests ask
How likely are we to see the dolphins?
Very likely. The Khanom coast (mainland Thailand, an hour's boat from Samui) has a resident pod of pink dolphins that feeds in the shallow estuary water year-round, and the crews know the feeding times. They are wild animals, so no one can promise a sighting on a given day.
How close do you get to the dolphins?
Close enough to photograph clearly with a phone: typically 20–50m. The boat doesn't chase them or swim with them (it's protected behaviour), but they often surface near the boat naturally.
How does this compare to the regular Pig Island half-day?
It's a full day instead of a half-day, it includes Khanom and the dolphins (which the half-day doesn't), and it runs only Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It also costs more: ฿2,300 per adult, against the lower fare of the Tan + Pig speedboat.
Koh Tan + Pig Island catamaran
Koh Tan + Pig Island
Pig Island sunset