Short answer
Koh Nang Yuan charges day visitors 250 baht per person, 50 baht for Thais, paid on arrival, according to the island's own website. Day visits run from 10:00 to 15:00. The island's rules are no single-use plastic bottles, no fins while snorkelling, no drones, reef-safe sunscreen only, and no touching marine life or stepping on coral. The viewpoint is a short, steep climb of 15 to 20 minutes. On our Koh Samui speedboat tour the fee is paid in cash and is not in the price.
How much is the Koh Nang Yuan entrance fee?
The island's own website gives 250 baht per person, and 50 baht for Thais, paid on arrival. It says every visitor pays the fee to help protect the island and the marine environment, and that the money supports beach cleaning, reef conservation and visitor management. Guests staying at the island's resort have the fee included in their stay. The page carries no date, and we read it on 28 October 2026, so we treat the amount as the one in force in October 2026.
On our Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan day trip from Koh Samui the fee is not in the tour price. We tell guests to bring cash for it: 250 baht per adult and 120 baht per child. The island's page names a single rate of 250 baht per person and does not mention a child rate, so we confirm the amount for your group when you book. The same website says there are no ATMs on the island, so carry the baht with you.
Why do some pages say 100 baht?
Some guides still quote an older figure. Thai Holiday Guide's page on the island, updated in July 2026, says the landing fee is commonly cited around 100 baht and warns that it has risen more than once in recent years and is not always posted in advance. Inside Samui's 2026 guide also says around 100 baht at the time of writing. Both pages say the fee changes and should be treated as approximate.
The island's own website is the one source that sets the fee, so we plan with 250 baht. Thai Holiday Guide explains why the island sets its own rules: it says the land belongs to Thailand's Treasury Department and is operated under lease by the resort, which controls day-visitor access. Carry a little more cash than you expect to need, in case the amount has moved since the page was written.
What are the opening hours for day visitors?
The island's website says Koh Nangyuan is open daily from 10 AM to 3 PM to day visitors, and that only hotel guests may be admitted outside those hours. Thai Holiday Guide gives roughly 09:00 or 10:00 to 17:00 and tells readers to check with their boat operator, so the island's own hours are the safer plan. On our tour you have about 2.5 hours on the island, and the boat leaves at about 3:00 pm.
The window shapes the day. The island's page says day-trip visitors can only come at midday, which is usually crowded and very hot, while guests of the resort have the island to themselves from 3 pm until 10 am the next morning. Our tour notes say the same: every day-trip boat arrives in the same window, so take water in a reusable bottle and a hat.
Can you bring a plastic water bottle?
No. The island's rules list no single-use plastic bottles, and another page of its website says no plastic bottles or cans are allowed on the island. The Thaiger reported on 10 July 2024 that visitors may not bring plastic items, including water bottles, unless they are recyclable, or styrofoam boxes, and that the island provides guests with water in glass bottles. The island's own rule is the stricter one to follow. Thai Holiday Guide says the ban is enforced on arrival, so bring a refillable bottle rather than assuming you can carry one in from Koh Tao.
The reason is the reef. The Thaiger says the coral around Koh Nang Yuan was badly damaged by Typhoon Gay in 1989 and affected again by El Niño in the 1990s, and credits the plastic ban with easing waste problems and helping the reefs recover. That is the paper's account, not an independent study. On our tour, drinking water and soft drinks are included on the boat, and our notes tell guests to bring a reusable water bottle for the island.
Can you wear fins, and what are the other snorkelling rules?
No fins while snorkelling. The island's rules list it next to no drones on the property or over the water, no loud music, no smoking on the beach and no single-use plastic bottles. The environmental guidelines add reef-safe sunscreen only, no touching marine life, no stepping on coral, following marked paths on land and respecting staff instructions. The page warns that you may be asked to leave if you cannot follow the rules.
On our tour the boat provides a mask, snorkel and life jacket. Fins are not on the list, and the island does not allow them anyway. The island calls the Japanese Gardens one of its most popular snorkelling areas, and says Twins Bay offers a different reef view. Our notes say the Japanese Gardens reef is right off the beach. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and leave the drone at your hotel.
How hard is the viewpoint climb?
The island's page says the trail starts at the resort side of the main beach, goes round the west side of the resort and takes about 15 to 20 minutes. It is short but steep in some sections, so wear proper footwear and drink water before and after. From the top you see all three islands joined by white sandbars and turquoise water, which the page calls the most photographed spot in the area. TAT's newsroom described the lookout in 2017 as one of the best views in Thailand.
Our tour notes add that the climb has ropes to hold on to and is hard for small children and elderly guests, so wear shoes or sandals with grip. The island's page also says the viewpoint attracts long lines of tourists, so allow time for a queue within your 2.5 hours. Wikipedia describes Koh Nang Yuan as three tiny islands connected by a sandbar, close to Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.
What does this mean on our day trip from Koh Samui?
Our Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan speedboat day is from $55 per person, and the landing fee is paid in cash on the day on top of that. The rules above apply to every visitor to the island. Our price guide for the day trip explains what the $55 covers, the crossing and the seasons.
If the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it. The tour is not suitable for guests with back problems or heart conditions, or for pregnant women. Our reasons to book and the tour schedule cover the rest of the day. We confirm the date, the pickup time and the total on WhatsApp before you pay.
Practical checklist
- Bring cash in baht for the island fee: 250 baht per adult and 120 per child on our tour.
- Carry a reusable water bottle; single-use plastic bottles are not allowed on the island.
- Do not bring fins or a drone; use reef-safe sunscreen only.
- Wear shoes or sandals with grip for the 15 to 20 minute viewpoint climb.
- Plan around the day-visit window of 10:00 to 15:00.
Questions and answers
How much is the Koh Nang Yuan entrance fee?
The island's own website gives 250 baht per person and 50 baht for Thais, paid on arrival. Some guides still say about 100 baht. On our tour we ask guests to bring 250 baht per adult and 120 per child.
Is the entrance fee included in your tour price?
No. The tour is from $55 per person and the island fee is paid in cash on the day. We confirm the amount for your group when you book.
Can I bring a plastic water bottle to Koh Nang Yuan?
No. Single-use plastic bottles are not allowed, and another page of the island's website also lists cans. Bring a reusable bottle and fill it before you land.
Can I snorkel with fins at Koh Nang Yuan?
No. The island's rules say no fins while snorkelling. Our boat provides a mask, snorkel and life jacket, and the Japanese Gardens reef is right off the beach.
What time can day visitors stay on Koh Nang Yuan?
The island's website says day visitors are admitted daily from 10 AM to 3 PM. On our tour the boat leaves the island at about 3:00 pm.
Can I fly a drone on Koh Nang Yuan?
No. The island's rules ban drones on the property and over the water, so leave the drone at your hotel on Koh Samui and enjoy the view from the viewpoint instead.