All destinations in one table
| Destination | What you will see | How long | Season | Who should skip it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ang Thong | 42 limestone islands, the Emerald Lake, a viewpoint on Ko Wua Talap, snorkelling, kayaking | 7-10.5 hours with transfers | park open 16 December-30 October, calmer February-August | pregnant women and babies under one, anyone prone to seasickness |
| Koh Tao and Nang Yuan | Nang Yuan’s sandbar, snorkelling off Koh Tao, diving | about 9 hours with transfers | year round, drier February-April, wetter October-December | pregnant women, anyone prone to seasickness |
| Big Buddha | a golden statue 12 m high on Ko Faan near Bophut | 30-60 minutes on site | year round, daily 7:00-18:30 per the directory | anyone who will not cover shoulders and knees |
| Na Muang waterfalls | the first fall 5 minutes from the car park, the second via a steep trail of 35 minutes | 1-4 hours | year round, most water October-January | anyone going to the upper fall in sandals or with small children |
Times come from the Koh Samui Tours and Thai Holiday Guide itineraries and the 2026 Lomprayah timetable, and seasons from the DNP and TMD normals. Details, step-by-step programmes and photos are on each destination’s page. Checked 18.10.2026.
Full-day sea trips
Samui sits in the Gulf of Thailand, and there are two big boat routes. Both depend on the swell, so keep a spare day.
- Ang Thong. A marine national park of 42 islands about 30-43 km from Samui as the crow flies. The big boat from Nathon takes about 90 minutes and the speedboat from Bangrak about 60. The fee is THB 300 per foreign adult on the islands tours visit
- Koh Tao and Nang Yuan. A diving island and a private islet with a sandbar, 63-67 km north of Bangrak Pier. The Lomprayah catamaran takes 1 h 30 min to Koh Tao and 1 h 45 min to Nang Yuan, there is no DNP fee, and entry to Nang Yuan is THB 250
On the island itself
Places on land depend less on the sea, and they make a good spare day.
- Big Buddha. A golden statue 12 m high on Ko Faan, 2.8 km from Samui airport and 8.2 km from Chaweng. Daily 7:00-18:30 per the directory, shoulders and knees covered
- Na Muang waterfalls. Two falls in the south of Samui, 9.3 km from Lamai. You can swim in the pool at the first, while at the second the trail and rocks are slippery
Neighbouring islands
Phangan is an easy hop from Samui: Lomprayah catamarans take about 30 minutes from Pralarn Pier on the 2026 timetable. For what to see there, read the Phangan excursions guide.
National park fees and entry
| Where | What is charged | Foreign adult | Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ang Thong, Ko Wua Talap and Ko Mae Ko | DNP fee | THB 300 | THB 150 |
| Ang Thong, rest of the park | DNP fee | THB 200 | THB 100 |
| Nang Yuan | entry to a private island, the resort | THB 250 | THB 100 at Koh Samui Tours |
| Koh Tao | no DNP fee | none | none |
| Big Buddha and the waterfalls | no official entry fee, we quote no figures | no data | no data |
Source for Ang Thong: the DNP table of entrance fees for individuals, revision of 02.06.2023, checked 18.10.2026. Nang Yuan: the resort’s own figures from Koh Nangyuan Resort. If a fee is not in the tour price, it is collected in cash at the pier or on the spot.
Which trips for which months
Samui is on the eastern side of the south, and its rain comes with the winter northeast monsoon, while Phuket’s comes in summer (TMD). So on Samui October-December are the wettest and February is the driest. By TMD normals (Ko Samui station, 1991-2020) February has 64 mm of rain, October 295, November 445 and December 263. Phuket has 178 mm in November and 82 mm in December.
| Months | What to pick | What to bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| February-April | any destination | the driest months, 64, 116 and 83 mm |
| May-September | islands and land | 102-134 mm a month; Thai Holiday Guide counts September among months with a risk of cancellation |
| October | land, Ang Thong until 30 October | 295 mm and 19 rainy days, the park is open until 30 October |
| November | places on land | 445 mm, Ang Thong is outside the season on the DNP page (31 October-15 December) |
| December-January | Ang Thong from 16 December, Koh Tao | 263 and 127 mm, the sea calms towards February |
More on seasons in the Koh Samui guide.
How to choose a trip
- The boat. The big boat is gentler on swell, and the speedboat is faster but harder. Pregnant women should not go: Koh Samui Tours does not accept them on either route
- The pier. If you stay in the northeast (Chaweng, Bophut), Bangrak is closer. The west (Lipa Noi) is easier from Nathon, and the north (Maenam) from Pralarn
- What is included. Check the transfer, lunch, gear and the fee: Thai Holiday Guide collects the Ang Thong fee in cash at the pier, and Koh Samui Tours lists it on a separate line
- Departure time. Both operators pick you up at the hotel at 7:00-8:00 and drop you off at 17:00-18:00
- Cancellation terms. Both operators refund if you cancel no later than 24 hours before the tour
- Closures on the day. The status of the parks is published on the DNP portal
How to avoid scammers when buying a tour on the street is covered separately: scams. Beaches, seasons and districts of Samui are in the Koh Samui guide.
FAQ
Which day trips can you take from Samui?
Full-day trips go to Ang Thong National Park (7-10.5 hours with transfers) and to Koh Tao with Nang Yuan (about 9 hours with transfers). Shorter outings on the island are the Big Buddha, 30-60 minutes by our estimate, and the Na Muang waterfalls, 1-4 hours. Lomprayah catamarans also run from Pralarn Pier to Phangan in about 30 minutes on the 2026 timetable.
When is Ang Thong closed, and what should you do in November?
The park's page on the DNP portal gives a tourist season of 16 December to 30 October every year, so 31 October to 15 December is outside it. We found no separate 2026 order, so ask the operator. In November, Samui's wettest month (445 mm by TMD), pick places on land: the Big Buddha and the Na Muang waterfalls, which carry more water after rain.
Do you pay a national park fee on Koh Tao and Nang Yuan?
No DNP fee: neither Koh Tao nor Nang Yuan is in the DNP fee table (revision of 02.06.2023). You pay only to enter Nang Yuan, THB 250 per person and THB 50 for Thais, according to the resort on the island. Ang Thong does charge a park fee: THB 300 (child THB 150) on Ko Wua Talap and Ko Mae Ko.
Where do the boats to Ang Thong and Koh Tao leave from?
Ang Thong: the Koh Samui Tours big boat from Nathon Pier in the west, its speedboat from Bangrak Pier in the northeast, and Thai Holiday Guide's small group from Plai Laem Pier in the north. Koh Tao and Nang Yuan: the Lomprayah catamaran from Pralarn Pier in Maenam, speedboats from Bangrak and a catamaran from Nathon. Tours include a hotel transfer to the right pier.
What can you do on Samui in the rain when the sea is shut?
Stay on land: the Big Buddha is listed as open daily 7:00-18:30 (no official timetable), and the Na Muang waterfalls carry more water after rain, but at the second fall the trail and rocks are slippery and a tourist died there in July 2019. Rain with a calm sea does not cancel boat tours, swell does.
How do you choose a tour and avoid being scammed?
Check what the price includes: Thai Holiday Guide collects the Ang Thong park fee separately in cash at the pier, Koh Samui Tours lists it on a separate line, and its kayak costs extra. Ask about the departure time, the pier, group size and cancellation terms: both operators refund if you cancel 24 hours ahead. General rules on buying a tour from the street are in our [guide to scams](/en/living/safety/scams/).
Sources
- DNP. Entrance fees for individuals (table of 02.06.2023, CSV)
- DNP. Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park (open season, bungalows, access from Samui)
- DNP. National park opening and closing status (no restrictions listed for Ang Thong on 18.10.2026)
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), Ko Samui and Chumphon stations
- TMD. Climate and risks by region of Thailand (the southern east coast and the monsoon)
- Lomprayah. Timetable 2026 (Samui, Phangan, Koh Tao, Nang Yuan)
- Koh Nangyuan Resort. How to get to Koh Nangyuan (entry, hours, rules)
- Koh Samui Tours. Angthong Marine Park Full-Day Big Boat Tour: itinerary
- Koh Samui Tours. Day trip snorkeling Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: itinerary
- Thai Holiday Guide. Full Day Ang Thong Islands Luxury Small Group Tour (Happy Samui)
- Thai Holiday Guide. Na Muang Waterfall (height, trails, safety, July 2026)
- OpenStreetMap. Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai), node 1367541218: hours 07:00-18:30
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