Ang Thong National Marine Park is one of Thailand’s most pristine natural environments, home to no less than 42 island gems. There are no towns or resorts to be found here - just limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and small pockets of white sand beach. The scenery feels rugged and untouched, but it’s still accessible on a day trip from Koh Samui (which sits 30 km’s away).

Getting to the marine park is part of the adventure: you travel via slow boat or speedboat across the open sea and slowly the jagged limestone peaks come into view. The highlight of the day, for many, is cruising through the sheltered bays that boast emerald green waters. However, there’s still plenty of activities to partake in as well such as hiking, kayaking and snorkeling. It’s a fun, full-on day, not without its fair share of challenges.

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Sign — *Ang Thong National Marine Park*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Kat Lagoon — *Ang Thong National Marine Park*

Ang Thong National Marine Park Tour from Koh Samui — *Ang Thong National Marine Park*

Our Experience at Ang Thong Marine Park

We arrived at Nathon Pier in Koh Samui ready for our day trip to Ang Thong but things got off to a shaky start. We just assumed, stupidly, that we had booked a speedboat tour - so you can imagine the shock on our faces when we were directed onto a rickety two-story ship. Then the sea got rough, and we mean really rough, with massive waves spraying us.

The boat rocked from side to side, making it a very unpleasant journey. It was hard not to feel a little queasy and for some severe sea sickness set in. One poor chap was vomiting profusely. We saw him dig into the buffet breakfast which clearly wasn’t a wise move. It got to the point where everyone onboard couldn’t help but laugh - he was spewing consistently for an hour. We went in January and again just presumed the seas would be calm at this time of year (not always the case in the Gulf of Thailand).

We finally arrived at Ang Thong Marine Park, after surviving the boat ride, and were glad to see calm waters. The first activity of the day was kayaking around the coastline of Koh Mae Ko, before walking up to the impressive Emerald Lake located at the same island. Then we got to enjoy a bit of swimming, lunch, and later in the afternoon an incredible hike up to Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint - the most famous vista of the marine park.

The climb to the top was tough, and everyone sweated buckets, but the view was worth it. From here we could see out towards several limestone islands boasting thick jungle. Even the small things became part of the chaos of this trip, like trying to balance ourselves on the floating platforms to get to the beach. Some travelers literally had to get on all fours and walk like a crab which made for some hilarious moments within the group.

At the end of the day, we headed back on our rusty “pirate ship” and rocked our way back to Koh Samui. The seas were still pretty rough but we found that sitting on the top deck, in the fresh air, made the trip a little bit more bearable. All in all, our day trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park wasn’t perfect but it was adventurous and full of surprises along the way.

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Boat — *Big boat tour*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Beach — *Floating platforms*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Longtail Boat — *Longtail to the beach*

What to Do at Ang Thong Marine Park

Visiting Emerald Lake on Koh Mae Ko

Emerald Lake, otherwise known as Te Le Nai (Talay Nai), is one of Ang Thong’s most iconic sights: a majestic green lagoon surrounded by steep limestone cliffs. It’s reached by first walking on a wobbly floating pier to a small beach and then you climb a short staircase to the main viewpoint. You can’t actually swim at the lagoon itself, it’s more of a nice view, but we did have time for a quick dip at the beach below and for Kat to order a coconut from the wooden restaurant set up directly on the sand.

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Walk to the Lagoon — *Walk up to Emerald Lake*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Lagoon — *Emerald Lake*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Coconut — *Koh Mae Ko*

Hiking Up to Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint

The hike up to Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint (marked as Pha Chan Charat Viewpoint on Google Maps) isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It’s a steep scramble up 500 meters, with stepping stones and ropes, and resting platforms every 100 meters. The heat makes it incredibly difficult and sweaty - Kat for one had to stop multiple times to catch her breath.

When you reach the top, you get a sweeping panoramic view of the archipelago - a moment you’ll want to savour. On our tour, many travelers were posing with their arms raised in the air - as if they had just conquered Mt. Everest or something. The park headquarters are also situated on Koh Wua Talap, so a buffet lunch is usually served before or after the hike.

Famous Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint — *Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Hiking up to Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint — *Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint*

Relaxing on the Beaches of Koh Wua Talap

When you arrive at Koh Wua Talap, and after having lunch, your tour guide will give you free time to either do the hike or (if you prefer) just relax at the beach. This island has a lovely beach area where you can swim, sunbathe and recover from the activities of the morning. There are bathrooms nearby, and a few basic facilities, making it an easy place to chill out.

Koh Wua Talap Viewpoint - Ang Thong Tour — *Beaches of Koh Wua Talap*

Exploring Bua Bok Cave on Koh Wua Talap

Your tour guide might even let you explore Bua Bok Cave on Koh Wua Talap, filled with stalactite and stalagmite formations, some of which resemble lotus flowers. This is a short hike on paper (300 meters) but it’s no less challenging than the viewpoint trail. You’ll have to navigate limestone rocks and boulders, and pull yourself up with ropes. So bring good shoes.

Snorkeling and Kayaking at Ang Thong

Most tours include a spot of snorkeling at various islands across the archipelago, but don’t expect the most vibrant underwater scenery in all of Thailand. That being said, snorkeling next to limestone cliffs is still pretty special. Kayaking is another optional activity in Ang Thong National Marine Park and it gives you a totally different perspective of the rugged coastlines - a much more immersive experience than simply staying on the boat.

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Kayaking — *Kayaking*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Kayaks — *Kayaking*

How to Get to Ang Thong Marine Park

Tours from Koh Samui

Every tour to Ang Thong Marine Park is different and the type of boat you choose can literally make or break your experience. The big slow boats, like the one we embarked on, are the most budget-friendly choice where you share the day with up to 70 people. These are usually two-story vessels which tend to move slowly in the water - increasing your total travel time. If you get calm seas and fine weather, these aren’t actually a bad option.

The speedboat tours, of course, get you there faster and are generally stable - chopping through small waves with ease. Another advantage is the smaller group sizes but just know that the price starts to increase with speedboats. You can also take a semi-private yacht tour or a VIP tour, which gives you more comfort onboard and much more freedom to enjoy the day how you please. Check out a few of the different tours below:

Tours from Koh Phangan or Koh Tao

Koh Phangan is closer to Ang Thong Marine Park than Koh Samui, which shaves a little bit off the travel time. Tours depart daily and you can choose between big boats and speedboats. A few specialty operators do depart from Koh Tao but it’s a longer, less popular route. It’s more common to do a liveaboard experience from Koh Tao which naturally includes Ang Thong.

FAQs for Ang Thong Marine Park

Is Ang Thong Marine Park worth visiting?

Ang Thong Marine Park is 100% worth visiting in our opinion. The islands and viewpoints are spectacular, but what does let it down is the lack of good snorkeling spots and the rough seas that create havoc on the boats. That’s why we recommend booking a speedboat tour - otherwise it’s a slow and rolling journey there, and chances are high that you'll get sea sick.

How long is the boat ride from Koh Samui?

Speedboats only take around 45 to 60 minutes, and even on a bumpy ride the time goes so much faster. Compare that to the big boats which can take up to 2 hours each way. If the weather is nice, the slower boats can be quite enjoyable though: they are advertised as “scenic cruises” after all. Some of the scenery can be fantastic too, especially returning at sunset.

When does the national park close every year?

Ang Thong closes every year between the 1st of November and the 15th of December - a short, 45 day period to keep travelers away from the rough seas and to give the ecosystem time to recover. Keep in mind that the Gulf of Thailand sits in a different weather system to other Thai islands, such as Koh Chang and Phuket. The monsoon arrives later in this corner of the western Gulf and can even have good weather in June, July and August.

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Group Tour — *Larger groups on the Big Boat Tour*

Ang Thong National Marine Park - Koh Samui — *Ang Thong National Marine Park*

Ang Thong Marine Park: What to Expect on a Day Trip