If we had to pick the single most unforgettable spot from our 10-day trip to Koh Samui, it would absolutely be Ang Thong Marine Park! Established in 1980 and made up of 42 islands, its Thai name "Ang Thong" translates to "Golden Basin." Looking out over the endless ocean, islands of all sizes rise from the water one after another, like scattered jewels across the sea! The panoramic view is simply breathtaking and left us in absolute awe!

Typically, a day tour to Ang Thong Marine Park covers two main stops. The first is the Emerald Lagoon (Ta Le Nai Lagoon) on Mae Ko Island. The second is on Koh Wua Ta Lap, where you'll hike a 500-meter trail to the summit for a sweeping, panoramic view of the entire archipelago. In this post, we’ll share a quick rundown of what to expect on an Ang Thong Marine Park day tour to help you plan your own trip!

📌 Ang Thong Marine Park Day Tour Info: Day Tour｜Day Tour with Kayaking｜With Kayaking & Snorkeling

Ang Thong Marine Park is located about 30 kilometers west of Koh Samui, which takes roughly an hour by boat. For comparison, "Pig Island" (Koh Mudsum) to the south of Koh Samui—known for its beautiful white sandy beaches—is much closer, only taking about a 15-minute boat ride.

📌 Pig Island Day Tour Options: KKDay｜Klook

📌 Read more: [Koh Samui Island Hopping] Pig Island: Adorable Black Pigs & Pristine White Beaches

To start the day, a driver will pick you up right from your hotel at the scheduled time and take you to the pier in a shared minivan.

Our day tour package didn't include the Ang Thong National Park entrance fee, so we had to pay this at the pier (cash only). It’s 300 THB for adults and 150 THB for children.

After that, we were guided onto our boat! Since the boat ride is a bit long, we highly recommend grabbing a seat in the middle where you won't be exposed to the blazing sun. Originally, we sat at the back of the boat thinking it would be better for taking photos, but we regretted it less than ten minutes into the ride! 😅 We quickly gave up and scurried to the middle to share a table with others 😆.

The boat provided a simple breakfast of bananas, croissants, and coffee. Honestly though, if your hotel offers breakfast, we definitely recommend filling up there before heading out!

Along the way, you'll pass by numerous islands, most of which feature sheer, rugged cliffs and lush emerald forests. Out of the 42 islands in the Ang Thong archipelago, only two—Ko Wua Ta Lap and Ko Phaluai—are inhabited. The other 40 are completely deserted islands!

Our first stop was Mae Ko Island. The main attraction here is the Emerald Lagoon (Ta Le Nai Lagoon) visible from the top of the island. Before docking, those who booked the kayaking add-on geared up and hit the water, while the rest of us took the big boat straight to the island.

📌 Ang Thong Marine Park Day Tour Info: Day Tour｜Day Tour with Kayaking｜With Kayaking & Snorkeling

To reach the Emerald Lagoon, you have to tackle a trail. The route is 150 meters each way and takes about 30 minutes round-trip (not counting the time you’ll spend taking photos!).

In terms of total distance, it's actually quite short. However, "climbing" is probably a much more accurate word than "walking" here! 😆 The stairs are incredibly steep, and you have to grip the handrails tightly and tread carefully the entire way up. But as long as you take it slow and steady, it's not too difficult since it's only 150 meters. We strongly recommend wearing comfortable, non-slip shoes to avoid losing your footing.

The view of the Emerald Lagoon once we reached the top!

📌 Ang Thong Marine Park Day Tour Info: Day Tour｜Day Tour with Kayaking｜With Kayaking & Snorkeling

We happened to catch some bad weather on the day of our tour. Right after we reached the summit, a massive downpour soaked everyone to the bone! But even with the gloomy weather, the lagoon was still stunning.

Looking down during our descent… the steepness is honestly a bit intimidating!

Swimming is strictly prohibited in this lake, which is why the underwater ecosystem remains so beautifully preserved.

You can spot a valley full of sea urchins! XD

After leaving Mae Ko Island, we had lunch right on the boat. Honestly, the food was surprisingly good! By the time we finished eating, we had arrived at Koh Wua Ta Lap.



The main goal on Koh Wua Ta Lap is to hike the Pha Jun-Jaras nature trail. The trail is 500 meters long in total. While it isn't quite as steep as the stairs at the Emerald Lagoon, the rocky path isn't very easy to navigate. Once again, wearing good shoes and bringing plenty of water is a must!

Along the way, there are five viewpoints where you can stop and catch your breath, leading up to the final, highest viewpoint at the top.

We were absolutely blown away by the scenery as soon as we reached the first viewpoint!

The stone steps along the way are actually a bit tricky to walk on. The edges of the rocks felt quite sharp, but thankfully there are handrails for the entire route.

The rest stops in between are wonderful, and the views from each are gorgeous.

The most grueling part of this hike is undoubtedly the final 150 meters. It's the steepest section of the entire trail!



After giving it absolutely everything we had to reach the peak, we were greeted by this spectacular view—and suddenly, all that exhausting effort felt completely worth it!

On our way back down, other tourists kept asking us, "Are we almost there?" 🤣 All we can say is that the scenery somehow feels even more unforgettable when you've had to sweat for it!

We brought our son along on this tour without realizing how challenging the hikes would be. 😅 Let this be a friendly warning: we do NOT recommend this specific day tour for young children who aren't capable of hiking on their own. Both trails have a level of difficulty—one is incredibly steep, and the other really tests your stamina. If your child is too small, you'll have to carry them, which will not only drain you completely but is also quite dangerous if you happen to slip! Kevin spent almost the entire hike gripping the handrails with both hands, carefully carrying our son step-by-step to the summit.

If we had known about the trail conditions beforehand, we probably wouldn't have brought a toddler on this specific trip! If you have kids but still want to enjoy this kind of majestic island scenery, Cherry highly recommends staying at the Conrad Koh Samui. While the archipelago view might not be quite as dramatic as being right inside Ang Thong Marine Park, it offers a very similar, breathtaking vibe. You can just kick back in your room and admire the stunning islands rising from the sea. We highly recommend it!

📌 Conrad Koh Samui Check Rates

Conrad Koh Samui Ocean View

We have to say, the landscapes of Ang Thong Marine Park are truly magnificent and deeply memorable. The sight of overlapping mountains emerging from the vast, open ocean is a unique and stunning vista that Cherry had never seen before! We highly recommend it to any nature lovers visiting Koh Samui—if you get the chance, you absolutely must add this to your itinerary!

📌 Ang Thong Marine Park Day Tour Info: Day Tour｜Day Tour with Kayaking｜With Kayaking & Snorkeling

Besides island hopping, Koh Samui itself has plenty of fantastic places worth visiting! If you're interested, be sure to check out our guide 👉🏻 [Koh Samui Travel Guide] Top 10 Must-Visit Attractions in Koh Samui | Map Included

Koh Samui Travel Info

★ Transport: Airport Transfer｜Private Car Tour

★ Internet: Thailand SIM Card

★ Island Hopping: Ang Thong Marine Park｜Pig Island｜Koh Tao

★ Activities: Koh Samui Day Tour｜ATV Adventure

★ Elephant Feeding: Northern Koh Samui｜Southern Koh Samui

Koh Samui Travel Articles

[Koh Samui Travel Guide] Top 10 Must-Visit Attractions in Koh Samui | Map Included

[Koh Samui Travel Guide] 6 Half-Day Tour Attractions Around the Island ~ Are They Worth It? Koh Samui

[Koh Samui Island Hopping] Pig Island: Adorable Black Pigs & Pristine White Beaches | A Relaxing Day on a Deserted Island

Other Travel Guides

★ Europe: Finland｜UK

★ Middle East: Dubai｜ Abu Dhabi｜Doha

★ North America: Las Vegas｜San Francisco

★ Southeast Asia: Bali｜Phu Quoc｜Koh Samui

★ Islands: Tahiti｜Maldives｜Fiji