# Ang Thong National Marine Park, Koh Samui

> Ang Thong is a marine national park of 42 limestone islands about 28 km west of Koh Samui. You visit only on a full-day tour: a climb to the Ko Wua Talap viewpoint, the emerald saltwater lake of Thale Nai on Ko Mae Ko, kayaking and snorkelling. The park fee is ≈ 300 baht. Go by big boat or speedboat from Samui's piers.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/ang-thong-marine-park

- City: [Koh Samui](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui), Thailand
- YesGo score: 16/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 4 h
- Entry: park fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra
- Opening hours: All-day tours, usually 8:00 to 17:00–18:00
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Park fee: Foreigners ≈ 300 baht, children ≈ 150
- Access: Tours only — big boat or speedboat
- Viewpoint: Ko Wua Talap — about 500 steep steps
- Lake: Thale Nai on Ko Mae Ko — saltwater, ringed by cliffs
- From Samui: ≈ 28 km; about an hour by speedboat, longer by boat
- Area: ≈ 102 km², 42 islands
- Coordinates: 9.62278, 99.67500
- Facts checked: 08.11.2026

## Key facts

- **42 islands** — make up Ang Thong marine park (source: en.wikipedia)
- **1980** — the year the national park was founded (source: en.wikipedia)
- **≈ 102 km²** — park area, about half of it land (source: en.wikipedia)
- **'Golden bowl'** — the meaning of the name Ang Thong (source: en.wikipedia)
- **396 m** — the highest point, on Ko Phaluai (source: en.wikipedia)
- **Ramsar** — since 2002 a wetland of international importance (source: en.wikipedia)
- **≈ 28 km** — from Koh Samui to the park (source: en.wikipedia)
- **≈ 300 baht** — park fee for foreign adults (source: travel guides)

## What is Ang Thong National Marine Park?

**Ang Thong** ('golden bowl') is a marine national park in the **Gulf of Thailand**, about **28 km west of Koh Samui**. Founded in **1980**, it takes in **42 islands** — sheer jungle-clad limestone cliffs, caves and white-sand coves. The park covers about **102 km²**, roughly half of it land.

Almost all the islands are uninhabited. The park headquarters and a beach with bungalows are on **Ko Wua Talap**, where the viewpoint trail starts. On **Ko Mae Ko** lies the hidden saltwater lake of **Thale Nai**, ringed by cliffs and joined to the sea only by underwater tunnels. Since 2002 the park has been a wetland of international importance.

> **Tours only, and only in good weather** You can reach Ang Thong only with a licensed tour. The park fee is about 300 baht per foreign adult and 150 per child; sometimes it's in the tour price, sometimes collected separately in cash. Trips are cancelled in bad weather — check with your operator the day before. The viewpoint trail is steep, so wear proper shoes.

## How the trip works

Tours leave Samui's piers in the morning — usually Nathon or Bophut — and return by evening. A typical programme: landing on **Ko Wua Talap**, the climb to the viewpoint — according to guides, about 500 steep steps — then beach and lunch; next **Ko Mae Ko**, with stairs up to a lookout over Thale Nai lake, kayaking along the cliffs and snorkelling.

A **big boat** is cheaper and steadier in waves but slower. A **speedboat** gets there in about an hour and fits in more stops. You can't swim in Thale Nai — it's viewed from above.

## What to see and do

- **The Ko Wua Talap viewpoint** — a view over the whole archipelago.
- **Thale Nai lake** on Ko Mae Ko — emerald water among cliffs.
- **Kayaking** along limestone cliffs and caves.
- **Snorkelling** over coral reefs.
- **The beach on Ko Wua Talap** — lunch and a swim.
- **Forty-two islands** from the deck.

## How to get to Ang Thong Marine Park

1. **Big-boat tour** — from Nathon or Bophut pier, all day, with hotel pick-up.
2. **Speedboat tour** — about an hour each way, more stops.
3. **Private yacht or speedboat** — your own route, at a higher price.
4. Park fee — check whether it's included.
5. You can't visit independently without a tour.

## Big boat or speedboat

|  | Big boat | Speedboat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Journey | Longer | About an hour |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
| In waves | Steadier | Bumpy |
| Stops | Fewer | More |

## How long do you need?

Ang Thong takes **a full day**: tours leave around 7:00–8:00 and return by 17:00–18:00. The journey, two viewpoints, kayaking and the beach leave little free time, so don't plan anything else that day.

Bring water, sunscreen, a hat and shoes for climbing — the Ko Wua Talap trail is long and steep. On the way back you may catch the sunset from the deck.

## Is Ang Thong worth visiting?

Yes: it's the best sea trip from Samui — dozens of islands, the view from the top and a lake among the cliffs.

The YesGo take: it's a long day, and the Ko Wua Talap climb is tough in the heat. If you get seasick, the big boat is steadier; check whether the park fee is in the price.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Tour with transfer booked
- [ ] Cash for the park fee
- [ ] Shoes for steep climbs
- [ ] Water, sunscreen and a hat
- [ ] Seasickness tablets

## Koh Samui nature: compare and choose

Beaches, waterfalls and islands on Koh Samui rated by YesGo.

- [Chaweng Beach](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/chaweng-beach) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free
- [Na Muang Waterfalls](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/na-muang-waterfalls) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Na Muang 1 free; Na Muang 2 ≈ 30–50 baht
- [Ang Thong National Marine Park](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/ang-thong-marine-park) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · park fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra

## Samui in two days: sea and shore

Day one: a tour of Ang Thong Marine Park; day two: Chaweng Beach and an evening in Fisherman's Village. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Ang Thong National Marine Park](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/ang-thong-marine-park) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · park fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra
2. [Chaweng Beach](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/chaweng-beach) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free
3. [Fisherman's Village, Bophut](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/bophut-fishermans-village) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · free

## Good to know

Ang Thong Marine Park off Samui is not Ang Thong province in central Thailand. The name is sometimes written as one word — Angthong.

## Tips

- Prone to seasickness? Take the big boat.
- Wear shoes for the Ko Wua Talap climb.
- Pay the park fee in cash if it's not included.
- No swimming in Thale Nai lake.
- In the evening: [Fisherman's Village](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/bophut-fishermans-village).

## Questions

### How do I get to Ang Thong Marine Park?

Only on a tour — by big boat or speedboat from Samui's piers.

### How much is entry?

The park fee is about 300 baht per foreign adult and 150 per child.

### How many islands are in the park?

42.

### Can you swim in the emerald lake?

No, Thale Nai is viewed from above.

### Is the viewpoint climb hard?

Yes, about 500 steep steps — wear proper shoes.

### How long does the trip take?

A full day, roughly 8:00 to 17:00–18:00.

### Speedboat or big boat?

Speedboats are faster; big boats are cheaper and steadier.

### When is the best time to go?

On a clear day; tours are cancelled in storms.

## How we checked

The park has no publicly available official website. The number of islands, area, year, name, elevation and Ramsar status are from Wikipedia; it also says 'east of Ko Samui', but the coordinates put the park to the west, so we say west. Fee: most often 300 baht for foreigners (150 for children), 200 in one source under the 2022 rate — we give 300 and mark it unconfirmed. The figure of about 500 steps comes from one guide. A November–December seasonal closure wasn't confirmed by sources, so we say tours are cancelled in bad weather. Speedboat journey time is from tour operators.

## Sources

- English Wikipedia: Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park — islands, area, year, name, elevation, Ramsar, distance
- Travel guides and tour operators (It's Better in Thailand, Thaiest, Click2Go Thailand and others) — fee, viewpoint, lake, boats (unofficial)
- Wikidata Q1255783 — coordinates
- YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport

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