What is the BEST ANG THONG MARINE PARK TOUR?

The Ang Thong National Marine Park is a beautiful archipelago consisting of 42 islands scattered in the Gulf of Thailand. Just off the coast of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui in the Surat Thani province is this slightly unknown but beautiful Thai National Park. You can visit the Ang Thong Marine Park with several different day tours from both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. These day tours to Ang Thong include snorkeling and kayaking is optional.

The hike to the most epic viewpoint of the Ang Thong National Marine Park is also a must-do but involves some effort to get there. With impressive towering limestone islands, lush rain forest, crystal clear emerald waters and some of the most beautiful viewpoints in Thailand, the Ang Thong Marine Park tour is an adventure-packed trip that you can’t miss! Here you’ll find all the information you need with tips on what to prepare and what to expect. 

What is the best Ang Thong National Marine Park tour?

From both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are several tour operators offering day tours to the Ang Thong Marine Park. It depends on what you prefer which is the best Angthong Marine Park tour for you. You can choose for a completely organized tour on a bigger but slower boat. But if you’re with a bigger group, about 7 – 10 people, you can also arrange a private speed boat trip to the Angthong Marine Park from either Samui and Phangan. Make clear before booking with your agent which activities are included and which are not. Below are some of my recommendations specified with what’s included or not. 

• Semi-private Sunset Cruise Tour to Angthong Marine park. Avoid the crowds on this relaxing sailing cruise aboard a luxurious yacht to the limestone islands of Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine Park. Enjoy snorkeling at the best spot in the park, climb to the Emerald Lake and admire a beautiful sunset.
• 3 day 2 night luxurious sailing cruise around Ang Thong Marine park. Sailing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, eating, watching the sunset and much more during this 3 days 2-night sailing yacht tour around AngThong Marine Park.
• Angthong Marine Park day trip from Koh Phangan. Explore Ang Thong National Marine Park in a speed boat from Koh Phangan and swim, snorkel and kayak to explore the beautiful National Park.
• Angthong National Marine Park Day Trip from Samui by speedboat. Be picked up by air-conditioned minivan from your accommodation on Koh Samui and take a speedboat ride to Ang Thong Marine Park while enjoying the dramatic views of the limestone cliffs. During the day you will snorkel, swim, kayak and if you have energy left, hike to the top of the island for breathtaking panoramic views of Angthong Marine Park. A Thai buffet lunch is included as well as breakfast, entrance fees for the national park, round trip by minivan and much more.

What to expect during the Ang Thong National Marine Park tour

Sailing to the Ang Thong National Marine Park

From the pier where the boat is docked you will depart to Angthong National Marine Park. It takes about 2 hours one way from Koh Phangan to get to the park. So you’ll have plenty of time to take in the beautiful views of the Gulf of Thailand. Meanwhile there’s breakfast if you’re hungry.

Snorkeling at Koh Wao

The first stop is at Koh Wao where you can go snorkeling. Some of the boats feature a glide and jumping platform allowing you to jump into the water. 

Snorkel gear like masks and fins are provided, and we saw they cleaned it well with soap before giving them out. Besides some coral, small tropical fishes and sea urchins there wasn’t much else exciting to see during snorkeling. The jumps from the boat into the sea were maybe even more fun than the snorkeling activity itself.

After snorkeling we got lunch offered which was a combination of rice, vegetables and fried chicken. Meanwhile we sailed towards the next stop which was the island where the kayaks were docked.

Kayaking along hidden caves to Koh Mae Ko 

The second stop and activity is kayaking to Koh Mae Ko. We kayaked along the coastline of several islands with towering limestone cliffs, explored a small cave area and arrived after about 30 minutes kayaking the beautiful Koh Mae Ko. 

On this island is a decent toilet and a fridge where you can buy cool drinks. 

Hiking to the Emerald Lake viewpoint on Koh Mae Ko

After kayaking it was time for the third activity of the day. Hiking to the beautiful Emerald Lake! This hidden emerald lagoon is tucked away on the island and is a wonderful natural phenomenon. Despite that the stairs are steep, it’s only a 10 – 15 minute hike up to the viewpoint. You can walk down to a lower viewpoint of the lake as well if you’re into it. We loved the higher perspective of the viewpoint and the serene and quiet surroundings before the big, loud group arrived again…

Sail to the main island Ko Wua Ta Lap

After exploring the Emerald Lake and a quick swim at one of the beautiful beaches of Koh Mae Ko, it was time to depart to the last stop of the day! It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to sail from this little island to the main island of the Ang Thong Marine National Park. At this point you’re in the middle of the park with amazing views of the little lush limestone islands wherever you look. So while you’re sailing to the last stop of the day, sit back, relax and take in this extraordinary view of the Ang Thong Marine National Park.

Hike to the viewpoint on Ko Wua Ta Lap

The last activity of the day is also the most strenuous activity of the day. On the main island of the Angthong Park you will hike towards the summit. This amazing viewpoint looks out over the 42 little islands that are scattered in the sea and make up the Ang Thong Marine Park. The hike itself is not the longest, you can do it in 30 minutes or even faster depending on your speed. But it’s all man-made stairs of rocks and concrete. So you’re constantly walking uphill which is exhausting, especially with the heat and humidity. But even if you have to crawl the last meters… keep going because it’s super worth it!

Along the way you might even have the luck to spot the unique dusky leaf monkey. Maybe even with a little orange baby monkey!

What to prepare for a day trip to Ang Thong Marine Park

Make sure to depart well-prepared for a day trip to the Angthong National Marine Park. Despite the fact that a lot is arranged for you during the tour, you still need to bring some items you’ll need during a day on the water. So here a short checklist for you to be well prepared. 

• Bring sunscreen (eco-friendly because otherwise you damage the corals and poison the fish)
• Put on water shoes, or at least shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. And also bring shoes or sandals that you’re comfortable hiking in. I made a huge mistake thinking I could do this short hike on flip-flops. Because I knew it was only on concrete stairs, I thought I could take the risk. But oh boy what was I wrong. Hiking in the tropics with flip-flops is just the worst. You’ll slide out of your slippers all the time because of sweat and the humidity which is not ideal. 
• Put on a swimsuit
• Bring your GoPro or a camera to capture the day 
• Enough cash for the 300 Baht per person National Park entrance fee and other little expenses
• Eventually a waterproof bag for kayaking. But don’t worry if you don’t have one because you can leave your valuables on the boat while you go kayaking. 

More Koh Phangan travel guides

We hope you enjoyed this guide about the Ang Thong Marine Park tour. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

For more Koh Phangan travel inspiration, head over to these blog posts:

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Is your plan to travel to Koh Samui? Then read this blog for all the best things to do in Koh Samui 

For Koh Tao travel tips, check out our Koh Tao best things to do