Ang Thong Marine Park
Ang Thong is known for Talay Nai and the Wua Ta Lap viewpoint, not a public ferry. Book a big boat or a speedboat from Nathon or Bophut. Carry 300 THB cash.
Mu Ko Ang Thong is a 42-island limestone park in the Lower Gulf, west of Samui. There is no public ferry. You go on a licensed tour. Foreign adults pay 300 THB cash at the park, children 150 THB. The fee is often not in the boat price. There is no ATM on Wua Ta Lap.
The whole park closes 1 November to 15 December. It can also cancel on a swell day in January. The two names that matter are Talay Nai (Thale Nai), the inner saltwater lake on Koh Mae Ko, and Wua Ta Lap, the headquarters island with the steep viewpoint. Swimming in the lake is not allowed. The walk to the lake platform is about 20 minutes.
Big boat or speedboat
Big boats leave later, ride softer, and suit families. Speedboats leave earlier, hit more snorkel stops, and punish a swell. Most Samui desks pick up from Chaweng, Lamai, and Bophut, then use Nathon or a north-coast pier. Remote pickups (Lipa Noi, Nathon hotels, Thong Krut) can add about 400 THB. Phangan tours exist; Bottle Beach is usually not a pickup.
January to September matches the Gulf swim. May to August is the week the Andaman parks are shut, so this is the island-hop you can still book. Do not stack Ang Thong on the same day you boat to Tao.
| Boat | Who it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Big boat from Nathon or Bophut | Families and first-timers | Fewer stops. A longer day on the water. |
| Speedboat | Snorkelers who tolerate chop | Wet bags. More cancellations. |
| Private longtail | Photographers with a budget | Weather risk sits entirely on you. |
Keep going
Book
Common questions
- Is Ang Thong open in November?
- No. The park is closed 1 November to 15 December. Book a south-coast island day instead.
- Big boat or speedboat?
- Big boat if anyone in the group gets seasick. Speedboat if the lake and two snorkel stops are the whole point.
- Can you stay overnight?
- Park bungalows and camping exist on Wua Ta Lap when the park is open. Most visitors still do a day trip and sleep on Samui.