Koh Samui: Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan Snorkeling Tour By Speed Boat

A fantastic five-star day trip to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan. Everything was extremely well organised, from the efficient hotel pick-up and drop-off to the comfortable, good-quality speedboat. The staff were lovely throughout, especially our tour guide, Kevin. I was particularly impressed by how seriously the team took the environmental impact of snorkelling. Their guidance about protecting the coral reefs was clear and genuinely woven into the experience—not treated as a token message. The team also took time to photograph us at the viewpoints, which was a thoughtful touch. Lunch on Koh Tao was simple but fresh and enjoyable. Overall, it was a really well-run, memorable day with beautiful scenery, colourful marine life and a responsible approach to tourism. I would highly recommend this trip.

Very crowded boat for long journeys to and from islands. The journeys were pretty unenjoyable with many passengers not happy.

This had all the promise of a truly fab day out. But it ended up feeling like a big let down. The weather was windy. The seas were rough. Many people felt sick. Including me. Koh Tao was 90 minutes on very bumpy seas and when we arrived it felt like an overcrowded tourist spot. The nice part of the ocean was crammed with people. The sand very uncomfortable to walk on. It might have been nicer with better weather. But it felt Disneyland. The lunch stop was fine. Lunch was fine. Back in the boat. The first bay was ok. We swam but the wind and current was very strong. The second bay was not as rough or windy. We swam. The colour of the ocean was gorgeous. The water a perfect temperature. The trip back for over 90 minutes was awful. The skipper was clear very very skilled. But the seas were rough and it was very uncomfortable I’m not sure if we just licked a really bad day or if it is often wing and rough like this. The two bays would have been great on a nice day. But Koh Tao I wouldn’t want to visit again.

Rushed Overcrowded Poor snorkelling First impressions were very disappointing and things did not improve

Everything was very well organised. Nice snorkling spots. The guides were amazing and Kathun took my son on a haik on Koh Nang Yuan and that island was so beautiful. The weather was not great so there was big waves, so we got very wet/sprayed with water on the way out, better om the way back. I especially want to thank the boat staff for helping me on and off the boat, since I don’t have strong legs. I recommend this trip!

This is an excellent snorkelling trip to the islands north of Koh Samui. The speed boat to get to the islands is probably the only part of the trip which wasn't as enjoyable. Its 1.5hrs at 45 knots so you do get bumped around a bit, and the noise is fairly intense, so take ear plugs and travel sickness tablets (although the crew were handing them out prior to the trip)! Saying that, it is worth it for the snorkelling experience! We stopped at a few different locations and saw some lovely live corals, an amazing array of fish, anemones and other sea creatures! You also get the opportunity to climb to the viewpoint on the 1st stop, which involves a lot of steps and plenty of sweating, but it's definitely worth it. There was even a kind man at the top helping you with photos. You stop at one island for a locely Thai lunch which was great. The highlight of the trip was seeing a large turtle at our final stop, and watching it gracefully swim off in to the depths. We were irritated by Sea lice at one of the stops but they are not painful, just more of a nuisance and the crew hose you down as you get back on the boat to get rid of them. The staff were great and very knowledgeable. If you can handle being bumped around for a bit getting there and coming back, I would definately recommend this snorkelling trip.

Amazing snorkeling trip. Guide boat crew and captain did an incredible job looking after large groups of people from all over the world. Strong focus on Nature preservation for future generations.

We had such an amazing time! Definitely recommend this, is was amazing!

A good day out and met expectations. 3 stops for different aspects - sharks (saw one), turtles (saw one) and coral. The fish life was also plentiful at each location so very happy. Everything went to plan and even finished a little bit early thanks to good sea conditions.

Very nice crew, they took our kids for snorkeling and made sure about their safety. Good lunch provided with vegetarian options.

A nice experience all together but seemed a little long in certain locations compared to others. We were at the pig island for a while which was fine but lunch felt long. The only snorkelling felt quick at about 45 minutes. It could use another snorkelling expedition, and for the price we expected more. Staff are nice and short boat trips.

Great team onboard- the skipper was exceptional

Great day in the islands, Koh tao and Koh nang yuan are wonderful. Organization and food were good too

The experience was as described! The boat was quick and very comfortable. The pickup from hotel was smooth and on time, the briefing was precise with a light breakfast and water provided While the boat was speedboat it was full so there is not a lot of space, The snorkeling spots were beautiful and we really enjoyed the day. The lunch was good too. Well worth the price and a must do. Kudos to the team who went out of their way for hospitality

Amazing team on boat 12 on 16th of April, they really took great care of us. Comfortable boat, beautiful snorkeling spots with new gear, cold water all day, good breakfast and lunch.

Very well organised trip with clear, useful instructoons..

Great experience, really good snorkelling opportunities. Travelling on the boat was a little cramped but overall an enjoyable experience

The staff and organization were excellent. The amount of people on the speedboat was very good, not crowded at all. The transport to and from the pier was perfect. The lunch was good and try to save some time to visit the street behind the restaurant. I only wish our stay there could have been more than 1 hour as it was very charming. All of the places we were brought to were not crowded. I rate all of the above an excellent, however the first couple of snorkelling spots were not worth stopping at so give this part only a ‘good’. The coral is dead for the most part. Note that the boat’s captain determined the water was calmer where he brought us so easier and safer to snorkel; must respect this decision. I was told other areas they can bring you have better corals but the waves were too high on our day. So, the sea conditions will determine your experience. The Mango bay was better and the private island was very nice.

Well run safe tour with amazing crew. Plenty of time in each location and tasty buffet food for lunch. We also had the luck of swimming with a giant sea turtle.

Fuel odors in cabin unpleasant Noise and driving manner very unpleasant and uncomfortable Too many people on the boat

We had a wonderful snorkelling trip and all of the staff were incredibly friendly and kind. The experience was beautiful and we really appreciated the opportunity to see the marine life. We hope the tour providers continue prioritising environmental protection, marine life welfare, and thorough rubbish management. One small suggestion would be to include a bit more education for guests about respectful wildlife behaviour. For example, we noticed some tourists didn’t realise they shouldn’t swim directly above sea turtles. A quick briefing on this would help protect these amazing animals.

This was the best snorkeling experience I've had out of several I've done throughout Asia. Three stops for snorkeling, the first two were 40 minutes each and the last one an hour and a half. At the last one which is the picture on this app is actually the best one. They actually pushed that spot as a place to sunbathe and climb the mountain etc. But if you walk across that little spit of sand in the picture and go in along the rocks on the left and swim for 10 minutes you will come to a great area. Buffet lunch was wonderful and all you can eat. Guides worked hard to keep you safe boarding. A quality, on time, professional organization. Got more than I expected.

Good tour as described - though the order of the itinerary and specific snorkel sites will depend on the weather/wind and swell direction to optimise the experience. Can be rough on the way back in the speedboat but our trip was comfortable with calm seas. Good way to see these places from Samui if you dont have time to stay on Koh Tao itself. Very grateful they let me borrow the one pair of fins they had!

Brilliant tour. Absolutely one of the best things to do while in Koh Samui. We were picked up on time from our hotel and the minivan journey to the pier was quite comfortable. As we had breakfast prior to our arrival, the food(just banans,bread/ butter, tea/coffee) was not taken into factor for this review. Toilet avaiable here was sanitary. The speedboat then took us to the 1st snorkelling spot which was really disappointing as the water was murky. We spent 45 mins here and then headed to the next spot,5mins away. Here on out , everything about this trip blew our minds. Koh Tao has water clearer than almost any other island, and snorkelling here was a dream. Spotted leopardfish,needlefish,parrotfish,sea turtles and titan triggerfish. (Tip: carry your own fins if you have as they didn't provide any) 45 minutes here went too fast and then we headed to a lunch spot on Koh Tao. The food this time was on point, with every dish being a definite hit. We were given time to go explore the nearby areas, mostly filled with dive shops and cafes. Finally, we headed to our final spot for the day, Ang Yuan beach marine park. Words wouldn't do justice , this place is simply a sight to behold. 2 options are given with a time of 1.5hrs. Either snorkel or go hike the viewpoint, with the hike taking 50mins in total. We decided to snorkel as it was blazingly hot when we went. The sea here has corals ,sea cucumbers and triggerfish in abundance. Seeing such beatiful and complex marine life when you're not even fully submerged in the water was the coolest aspect of this area. (Tip: If you need life jackets, get it prior to entering the beach area, for 550Baht deposit, refunded on return) The journey back took 1.5hrs , with us reaching the pier at 4.15pm. Would definitely recommend this trip to anyone with a day or two in Koh Samui.

This trip was very pleasant and wonderful to see so many tropical fish! We were a bit worried travelling with kids age 9 and 12 (who are OK swimmers but not the strongest), but it was no problem for them to be snorkling for several hours. In fact, we couldnt't get them out of the water! The crew was very kind and helpful and everything went smooth. Lunch was nice and the soft beverages on board the boat was definitely a plus! Can recommend to all families travelling with kids!

To be fair the organisation of people on to the various boats was good but dont expect anything fancy for the breakfast they offer you. It was toast and jam and a banana. The boat and crew were great and it was fabulous snorkeling. Lunch was a bit dodgy but all said it was a great day out.

Fantastic trip! Our guides were great, boat ride was pretty smooth and the scenery was stunning. Beautiful clear water with lots of tropical fish to see.

Great day out from start to finish. All staff were engaging and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. I would make sure you have breakfast before setting off as there wasn’t too much on offer by the time we got to the harbour. Lunch was delicious and plentiful. Snorkelling sites were busy but they are tourist spots after all.

Sat on Side bench seat hours of 120db motors dead coral nice lunch crowded beach take in no water pricy bar! Lots of people not again

A very good day trip, 3 snorkel locations, all fantastic with colourful fish. After an 80 minute trip you arrive for first snorkel for 45 mins and then you drive 5 minutes to next location for another 45 mins snorkel, then you travel 5 mins to lunch which was nice although the toilets weren’t the best so bring some tissues. Finally the last location you stay for 1 hour and 45 mins and can sunbake, chill or snorkel. So many fish and I recommend snorkelling again as this was probably the best location. It was very busy but we got ourselves a spot in the shade. The crew were friendly and boat ride was relatively smooth.

The tour guide was so helpful and nice. The boat ride was very choppy going there but that’s inevitable with a speedboat. Once we go to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, it was all worth it! The lunch was good too. I’ve been on tours where the lunch was not good so I really enjoyed this lunch!

Everything was as described and the team was super nice and helpful. Thank you very much for the lovely day!

Was a well organised and really fun day. Our booking actually got rescheduled due to high waves and unsafe weather conditions which we really appreciated as the boat trip wouldn’t have been great in awful weather. They picked us up from our hotel and transferred us to the meeting point where they provided a light breakfast and put us into coloured groups. The Koh Tao/Nang Yuan and the Angthong Marine Park tours take off from the same spot so it was very busy but the staff directed the crowd efficiently and all spoke great English. We had about 30 people in our speedboat for the 1.5 hour trip to Koh Tao and most people nodded off. Medication was offered prior to leaving the meeting point so I would recommend taking this as some people were seasick. The boat stopped at two Koh Tao snorkelling spots for 40 minute each before going to Koh Nang Yuan where we had 1 hour and 45 minutes to just chill out. If you’re interested in seeing the viewpoint at Koh Nang Yuan, the hike itself isn’t hard but there is a very long queue for photos at the top so do this as soon as you arrive. The buffet lunch provided was absolutely delicious and they also handed out bottles of water and soft drinks during the day. No towels supplied so you’ll need to bring your own which they made us aware of beforehand. Overall the day went exactly as advertised and we had no complaints.

The tour described does not correspond to the reality. During the day, we skipped at least two locations, including the Mango Bay without providing a clear explanation. It was only when the tourists asked whether we are going there, the boat captain said no, without giving any information. The smell of a fuel closer to the captain in the boat was quite strong, so be careful where you sit.

Dangerous. Miserable. -dozens of people had to be rescued from water or by boat which had no ladder, including me (strong swimmer) - they put a rope across 2 islands for us to hold onto -Had us go across water, no life jacket suggested, no inquiry to ask if we could swim - young child jumped in as her father being swept away in current - crazy thing, this went on for hours (tourists we crossing at direction of tour guides) DANGEROUS - 1st snorkeling spot, at least 500 participants all crammed in a sandy area about size of basketball court -snorkel area size of basketball court, not much to see except a few small fish IF YOU DON’T LIKE CROWDS, don’t go - Boat ride back, driver had no mercy in that there were big waves. We had been told it would be rough, but not told boat would rip back to pier - if you have a questionable back, you may find yourself in a worse situation. That’s it.

The boat trip is quite rough on the way back. You should sit inside the boat when it's rough for safety. Otherwise the trip was good. We saw a big turtle and also lots of fish. The hike on the first island can get busy and you have to wait a long time- I turned around and went snorkelling instead.

Very well organised. Find and friendly crew. Pleased to have seen a turtle when snorkelling as well as many different types of fish.

My husband and I had a great time on our snorkeling tour, exploring coral reefs and visiting gorgeous islands! Our trip from Koh Samui was very bumpy, with most of the group becoming seasick. Tom and his team did an absolutely amazing job monitoring, caring for and cleaning up after everyone. They moved quickly around the very rocky boat providing sick bags, taking away used sick bags and offering eucalyptus oil to people's hands and temples to ease the nausea. Absolutely amazing service on the bumpiest boat ride we have ever had!

Pros: 1. The tour was on time and the guide was warm, welcoming, and funny. 2. The islands were stunning. Cons: 1. The promise of a “breakfast included” in the price is totally misleading. We were offered instant coffee and white bread with jam in a dismal boat launch area. 2. Two of the three motors on our boat were not working, so it took several attempts by the crew to get them going, which was stressful, smelly and uncomfortable for the guests. 3. More information about what to bring is required in the tour description (eg bring own towels, wear bathing suits for first stop since you are in the water on and off the boat and up to your waist at first island, running shoes not necessary for hike, etc). 4 Snorkeling was just OK - water was murky so didn’t see much. 5.The four stops seemed rushed - most of your time on this 9-hour excursion wull be spent in a car or bumping through the waves on the speed boat (be prepared for over 5 hours of noisy, bumpy time on the boat when you can’t move or talk to anyone).

Everything about this from start to finish was amazing. Especially the crew/team on the boat- 5 star service from pick up to drop off. Amazing

The weather was great, no bother on boat even when seating outside. Great and very well organised experience. Staff very very nice and attentive - a must do.

My trip to Koh Tao was an unforgettable experience. The island’s natural beauty is incredible — turquoise water, coral reefs, and that laid-back tropical vibe that instantly makes you relax. The speedboat ride from Koh Samui was well-organized and comfortable. It took around 1 hour, and the crew did a great job ensuring everyone’s safety and comfort. The snorkelling around Koh Tao was fantastic — clear water, colourful coral, and plenty of marine life. But the real highlight was Koh Nang Yuan — absolutely stunning! The sandbar connecting the three small islands is picture-perfect, and the viewpoint at the top offers a breathtaking panoramic view. It’s definitely the winner of the trip. Overall, this was a wonderful day out — a perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, and incredible scenery. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area!

This was an incredible day tour! Ken was informative and entertaining. The snorkeling locations were good and the visit to Ananguan was really enjoyable. The boat trip was fun, we had good weather but we still took anti-nausea because we heard the swells could get big and that was true even on a nice day. Lunch was good too. The hotel pickup and dropoff was amazing that was so helpful!

Good communication from the start. After getting picked up from the resort we arrived at the launch site. A very basic breakfast was provided of toast, butter, banana and tea/coffee. The speedboat ride was about 80 minutes to the first snorkelling point. You jump off the back of the boat. They provide snorkelling masks ( not the fins). After about 40 minutes you get back on board to another bay for more snorkelling about 10 minutes away. Both these spots are in Ko Tao. After another 40 minutes or so you get taken for lunch on the island which again was pretty basic but filling. You get about half hour to walk around. Ko Nang Yuan is the next stop ( for which you have to pay about 250/150 THB ( adult/child) in cash. There is an opportunity to do a hike to the highest point. The sweltering heat made it a tad challenging but it shouldn’t take you more than about 30 minutes return. More opportunity to snorkel and see some fishes and corals. The waters are crystal clear. On Ko Nang Yuan there are restaurants and cafes. Then the return trip back was about 80 minutes back to Samui. Plenty of cold water, soft drinks, caring staff ( there were 4 for our boat which had about 26 visitors) made it an enjoyable day.

This was actually very good. 3 x stops to see different coral reefs. Our main guide Ken was simply amazing. So knowledgeable and spoke very language to make the experience perfect. Highly recommend

Great places for snorkelling! Beautiful nature, nice boat crew. A lot of colorful fish and corals. I wasn’t lucky enough to see a sea turtle, but the trip was very good nevertheless.

Nice boat trip to some wonderfull islands and beaches to go snorkeling. Real nice boat crew and lovely weather did help aswell

Well organised pick up and drop off. You spend around 90 mins on the speedboat to get to the first snorkelling location, make sure you have sun protection and are prepared for a bumpy ride if you sit up front! Three snorkeling locations led by an expert and entertaining guide. The last stop - koh nang yuan - is the most beautiful. Our guide took and shared videos of the turtles, fish and coral we saw. Buffet lunch, vegetarian options weren’t clearly identified for those who requested veg meals.

It was a long day for our son but the islands we visited were stunning and the snorkelling was quite fun. We saw loads of fish and a turtle. The staff were really lovely, helpful and clearly communicated any rules or information we needed to know. The lunch was quite yummy.