Koh Tan + Pig Island catamaran

Same destination as the speedboat half-day, very different boat. The power catamaran is a twin-hull cruiser with a roof, an open foredeck, and a slider deck off the back you can use to launch into the water. It runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from Bang Kao pier. The Dolphins + 3 Islands tour takes the other days.

The advantage over the speedboat: the catamaran is dry, shaded, and stable. You're not wiping spray off your face; you're not bouncing off your seat at 25 knots. For travellers with small kids, with grandparents, or anyone who's said no to a speedboat tour in the past, this is the version of the same trip you'll actually enjoy.

The slider deck is the hidden hit of the boat. It's a flat platform off the back, low to the waterline, with steps and a slide. Kids spend the entire day going up and down. Adults use it as the easy entry-point for snorkelling.

Stop one is Koh Tan, the bigger island. The boat anchors in the channel between Tan and Madsum, and the snorkel cove on the Tan side is shallow, calm, and full of small reef fish. The paddle board and kayak are deployed here too; you can paddle out to the small reef between the two islands.

Stop two is Koh Madsum (Pig Island) for the photo session, about 30 minutes. Then it's back to Bang Kao for a light meal, and the tour wraps up by 1:30pm. That leaves the rest of the day for the beach, dinner planning, or a nap.

It books up faster than the speedboat in high season because there are fewer trips per week. WhatsApp 48 hours ahead from December to March.

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