Table of Contents
Ang Thong Marine Park tour from Koh Samui: when the park is open, most day-trip boats land on the main visitor islands where the last Department of National Parks (DNP) fee schedule we can cite lists a special foreign rate of 300 THB per adult and 150 THB per child (catalog updated 2 June 2023). The same file lists a general park rate of 200 / 100 THB for foreigners. Thai visitors are listed at the Group 2 rates of 40 / 20 THB. Right now the park is closed: the DNP annual closure announcement for B.E. 2569 (2026) closes Mu Ko Ang Thong to tourism and overnight stays from 1 November to 15 December 2026. Typical open-season day trips use a speedboat or a larger boat / catamaran; itineraries often include the Wua Ta Lap viewpoint and the Mae Ko (Thale Nai) inland lagoon lookout.
Last checked: 5 November 2026. Park fees are quoted from the DNP national-park entrance-fee catalog dated 2 June 2023 (we could not re-download the live PDF from catalog.dnp.go.th on this date; see Sources). The 2026 closure window is taken from the DNP annual closure announcement as compiled against the Royal Gazette list. Tour boat formats and what is “usually included” come from tourism summaries and are labelled as secondary. Prices are in Thai baht (THB). Nothing on this page comes from a personal visit.
Park fee at a glance
| Where / who | Foreign adult | Foreign child | Thai adult | Thai child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mu Ko Ang Thong – special / named islands (the stops most Samui day trips use) | 300 THB | 150 THB | see note | see note |
| Mu Ko Ang Thong – general park rate on the same DNP catalog | 200 THB | 100 THB | 40 THB | 20 THB |
This page quotes the Ang Thong line from the fee hub rather than rebuilding the full four-group table. Confirm the child age cut-off at the gate (secondary summaries of the DNP dual-pricing rules often use ages 3–14).
Cash and inclusions: many Samui operators collect the park fee in cash on the day; others fold it into the ticket. That is operator practice, not a DNP rule. Ask before you compare tour prices. Do not treat a tour company’s package price as the official park fee.
Closed season 2026 (Gulf monsoon window)
| Source | What it says for Mu Ko Ang Thong |
|---|---|
| DNP annual closure announcement B.E. 2569 (2026), as listed in Royal Gazette–based calendars (e.g. NatureKub compilation of the Gazette schedule published 9 January 2026) | Closed to tourism and overnight stays 1 November – 15 December 2026 (entire park). Same window appears for November and December months in that calendar. |
| Asian Trails industry notice, 25 September 2026 | Closed for tourism 1 November to 15 December 2026 (about 45 days), for ecosystem recovery. |
| Secondary note (AsiaRoamer, Oct 2026): park booking-system page | Reportedly still shows a shorter closed season of 1–30 November every year. That conflicts with the 2026 annual list — show both; do not average. |
The northeast monsoon makes the open-water crossing from Koh Samui rough in November and early December. Even after the scheduled reopening (listed as after 15 December 2026 on the annual announcement), operators may cancel on high-wave days. If you are travelling in that window, keep a free day and read the refund terms before you pay.
What a day trip from Koh Samui usually covers
Mu Ko Ang Thong is a marine national park of about 42 islands covering roughly 102 km² in the Gulf of Thailand, off Surat Thani province, west of Koh Samui. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) summaries place the archipelago about 20 km from Samui and describe one-day boat trips arranged with local agents from Samui or Koh Phangan. Almost all foreign visitors join a licensed boat; independent private landings still need to follow park rules and fees.
When the park is open, a typical full-day itinerary (secondary tour descriptions, not a DNP timetable) looks like this:
- Morning hotel pickup on Koh Samui and transfer to the pier.
- Crossing to the islands; a snorkel or swim stop if the sea allows.
- Landing on Ko Wua Ta Lap (park headquarters area) for the viewpoint climb.
- Stop for the Mae Ko inland lagoon (Thale Nai) viewpoint.
- Lunch on a beach or the boat; kayaking or a second snorkel stop on some packages.
- Return to Samui in the late afternoon.
Speedboat vs larger boat
| Format (labelled secondary) | What operators usually mean |
|---|---|
| Speedboat day trip | Faster crossing, tighter stops, often busier; more spray in a choppy Gulf. |
| Larger boat / catamaran | Slower, usually more deck space; check whether lunch, snorkel gear and kayaks are included. |
| Kayak-focused trip | More paddling time between limestone pillars; still pays the park fee when landing. |
| Private charter | Flexible timing; priced per boat by the operator, not by DNP. |
Compare inclusions before you book: hotel transfer, whether the park fee is inside the ticket or cash-extra, lunch, mask and fins, kayak time, and how long you get on Wua Ta Lap and at the lagoon steps.
Mae Ko lake viewpoint and Wua Ta Lap viewpoint
- Ko Mae Ko / Thale Nai (Emerald Lake): an inland saltwater lagoon in a limestone sinkhole. Day trips usually climb to a lookout over the green water rather than swimming in the lake. Trail length and step counts differ across secondary guides; we found no live official English board with a single measured time on 5 November 2026 — ask your guide how long the stop lasts.
- Ko Wua Ta Lap viewpoint (Pha Jun Jaras area): a steep trail from the headquarters beach up to a panorama over the island cluster. Secondary guides often describe a short but demanding climb with ropes or fixed aids; wear shoes with grip. Exact metres and minutes are not restated here as a single official figure.
Park fee in Indian rupees (guide only)
| Fee (foreign, THB) | About ₹ |
|---|---|
| Special / named islands, adult 300 THB | about ₹840 |
| Special / named islands, child 150 THB | about ₹420 |
| General park rate, adult 200 THB | about ₹560 |
| General park rate, child 100 THB | about ₹280 |
How this fits with other Koh Samui days
When Ang Thong is closed, or the Gulf is too rough, visitors often stay on Samui for land days. Nearby guides on this site: Fisherman’s Village Koh Samui and Khun Si waterfall. For the wider Thai park tariff bands, use the Thailand national park entrance fee hub (quote the Ang Thong line above rather than copying the full table).
FAQ
How much is the Ang Thong Marine Park entrance fee?
DNP catalog (2 June 2023): foreigners 300 / 150 THB at special / named islands and 200 / 100 THB general; Thai Group 2 base 40 / 20 THB. Confirm at the pier (live catalog PDF not re-downloaded on 5 November 2026).
Is Ang Thong open in November 2026?
Closed to tourism 1 November to 15 December 2026 on the DNP 2026 annual list. Some park booking pages still show 1–30 November — show both and ask your operator before you pay.
Does the tour price include the park fee?
Sometimes. That is set by the seller, not one DNP rule for every Samui boat — ask before booking.
Speedboat or big boat?
Speedboats are faster with shorter stops; larger boats are usually slower and roomier. Choose for sea comfort and inclusions.
Mae Ko lake and Wua Ta Lap viewpoint on a day trip?
Most open-season Samui day trips advertise both; access still depends on sea conditions and that day’s schedule.
Sources (checked 5 November 2026)
- DNP entrance-fee catalog PDF entrancefee020666.pdf (header 2 June 2023) — Ang Thong base and special-island rates; live download failed here on 5 Nov 2026; cross-checked against our fee hub.
- DNP annual closure announcement B.E. 2569 (2026) / Royal Gazette–dated calendars: Mu Ko Ang Thong closed 1 Nov–15 Dec 2026.
- Asian Trails, “Samui marine park announces temporary closure”, 25 September 2026.
- TAT attraction summaries (~20 km from Samui; day trips) — English TAT page Cloudflare-blocked here on 5 Nov; used via secondary citations that quote TAT.
- Wikimedia Commons file pages for the photos above (CC BY 4.0 / Public Domain).
