Short answer
Our Ang Thong Marine Park tour from Koh Samui is from $50 per person for a shared speedboat day of about 8 to 9 hours: hotel pickup, a boat ride of about an hour each way, kayaking and snorkelling gear, a Thai buffet lunch and the climb to the viewpoint. The national park fee is not included and is paid on the day. The park is closed to visitors from 1 November to 15 December 2026, so the tour runs before and after those dates, from 16 December.
What the $50 covers
The tour is from $50 per person, as a shared speedboat day with up to 35 guests. The price includes the round-trip hotel transfer on Koh Samui, the speedboat and an English-speaking guide, a light breakfast with coffee, tea and water, a Thai buffet lunch, snorkelling and kayaking gear, a life jacket and accident insurance. Pickup is between about 7:30 and 8:30 am and the boat leaves a pier in the north of the island at about 9:00 am.
So lunch and kayaking are both in the price. The itinerary gives you a choice at the Emerald Lake, either a short hike to the lake or kayaking in the mangroves, and free time for snorkelling, kayaking or the beach after lunch on Koh Wua Ta Lap. The boat leaves the park at about 3:00 pm and you are back at your hotel by about 5:00 pm.
What is extra: the national park fee
The national park fee is not in the tour price. It is paid on the day, in cash. The amount is where sources differ. The Department of National Parks' fee schedule of June 2022 puts Mu Ko Ang Thong in the group where foreign adults pay 200 baht and foreign children 100. Thai National Parks, a guide to the parks, gave 300 baht for foreign adults and 150 for children aged 3 to 14 as of May 2026, and Wikivoyage also lists 300 baht for foreigners.
We could not confirm from an official 2026 notice which amount is collected on your date, and fees get revised. The safe plan is to bring the higher figure: 300 baht per adult and 150 per child, so 900 baht for two adults and two children. If the amount turns out to be lower, you keep the change. Other costs on the day are your own, such as drinks beyond the water that is provided.
When the park is closed: 1 November to 15 December 2026
Ang Thong is closed to visitors from 1 November to 15 December 2026. The Department of National Parks' closure schedule for 2026, published in the Royal Gazette on 9 January 2026, lists Mu Ko Ang Thong with that period and names the sites it covers, including the beaches at the visitor centre, the Emerald Lake (Thale Nai) and the Koh Wua Ta Lap campsite, with a note that tourism and overnight stays are closed entirely.
It is a yearly closure, not a one-off. Asian Trails reported on 27 October 2025 that the park would close from 1 November to 15 December 2025, and Thai National Parks says the park is usually closed on those dates depending on the monsoon. Our tour runs before and after these dates and starts again on 16 December. Wikipedia's article on the geography of Thailand says rain on the southern east coast peaks from November to January, which is the period of the break.
How long the boat ride is
The crossing is about an hour each way between Koh Samui and the park, according to our operator. Wikipedia puts the park about 28 kilometres from Samui, and Thai National Parks says about 30 kilometres. With the pickup, the breakfast at the pier and the stops in the park, the whole day is about 8 to 9 hours, so plan nothing for the evening before 5:00 pm.
The boat is a speedboat, which is why the crossing is short. Wikivoyage notes that most tours from Samui use larger boats that carry 40 to 50 people with lunch on board, and that speedboat groups are smaller and reach the archipelago faster. Our operator says big-boat tours are cheaper but slower. If you want the lower price and do not mind a longer day with more people, ask around, but check what the park fee and lunch cost there.
The Emerald Lake as sources describe it
The Emerald Lake is on Koh Mae Ko, the island whose name means mother island. Wikivoyage describes an emerald seawater lake in the middle of the island, ringed by limestone cliffs and linked to the sea by an underground tunnel. Thai National Parks gives the same picture and says a trail of about 20 minutes from a nearby beach leads to a viewpoint over the lake; Wikivoyage calls the climb strenuous and puts it at about 40 minutes.
On our tour the lake is something you look at, not swim in. Our operator says it is protected and swimming is not allowed, so you see it from the walkway and swim at the beaches instead. If you do not want the hike, the itinerary offers kayaking in the mangroves in its place. Our listing asks for shoes with grip for both the walk to the lake and the climb to the viewpoint.
The viewpoint over 42 islands
The viewpoint on Koh Wua Ta Lap is the other climb of the day, and it is steep. The Department of National Parks describes the nature trail to the Pha Chan Charat viewpoint as 500 metres long. Thai National Parks gives the same 500 metres from the park headquarters, calls it steep with a rope for support, and says it takes 25 to 30 minutes to walk. Our operator puts it at about 15 minutes up wooden steps and rocks with ropes to hold.
That is a wide range, so allow more time if you are not fit. The climb is hard for small children and older guests, who can stay on the beach instead and still have a full day. The reward is a view over the whole archipelago, which the park counts as 42 islands. Our listing says the climb is worth it for fit guests; for everyone else it is the one part of the day you can skip.
Is it worth the price? An honest look
For most visitors who want one proper island day from Samui, yes, but know what you are buying. Thai National Parks says snorkelling here is more suitable than diving, with an average depth of about 10 metres and visibility often limited by sediment from the Tapi River. This is a scenery day with swimming and kayaking, not the clearest water in Thailand. Wikivoyage adds that the visitor centre is crowded from 10:00 to 16:00.
The park also manages jellyfish. In March 2022 it put up nets in swimming and snorkelling areas, and in November 2021 it closed swimming and snorkelling at the sites where it found jellyfish larvae, noting that no box jellyfish had been found. Both reports are from the Department of National Parks. If you have small children, a bad knee or little interest in hiking, the Pig Island day is a gentler choice, and our comparison of the two Samui days sets them side by side.
How booking works and what to bring
Send us the date, your hotel and the number of guests on WhatsApp. We confirm availability, the pickup time and the total before you pay, and how and when to pay is agreed with your booking. Pickup covers the main areas, including Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut, Mae Nam, Bang Rak, Choeng Mon and Nathon, and we confirm the time for your hotel when you book.
Bring cash for the park fee, shoes with grip, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a hat, and have breakfast at your hotel if you can, because the one at the pier is light. If the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it. For the full route and the packing list read the travel guide and the tour schedule.
Practical checklist
- Do not book Ang Thong between 1 November and 15 December 2026; the first day back is 16 December.
- Bring cash for the park fee: plan 300 baht per adult and 150 per child.
- Wear shoes with grip for the Emerald Lake path and the viewpoint climb.
- Eat breakfast at your hotel; the one at the pier is light.
- Send us the date, hotel and number of guests, and we confirm the total before you pay.
Questions and answers
How much is the Ang Thong tour from Koh Samui?
Our shared speedboat tour is from $50 per person. It includes the hotel transfer, speedboat, guide, breakfast, Thai buffet lunch, snorkelling and kayaking gear, life jacket and accident insurance. The national park fee is extra.
How much is the Ang Thong national park fee?
It is paid on the day and is not in our price. The Department's 2022 schedule lists 200 baht for foreign adults; a park guide gave 300 baht as of May 2026. Bring 300 baht per adult and 150 per child to be safe.
Is Ang Thong open in November 2026?
No. The park is closed to visitors from 1 November to 15 December 2026, according to the Department of National Parks' 2026 closure schedule. Our tour runs again from 16 December.
Is kayaking included in the Ang Thong tour?
Yes. Snorkelling and kayaking gear is in the price, and the itinerary has kayaking in the mangroves or free time for kayaking after lunch, depending on the stop. The Thai buffet lunch is included as well.
Can I swim in the Emerald Lake?
No. Our operator says the lake is protected and swimming is not allowed. You see it from the walkway and swim at the beaches. If you skip the hike, you can kayak in the mangroves instead.