Boat tours near Koh Samui: Ko Rap, Koh Madsum, and Ang Thong Marine Park (Thailand)
Before Covid, there was no shortage of boat trips to explore the small islands and the marine park near Koh Samui. But with tourist numbers plummeting, finding a tour has become mission impossible. We had to contact a friend of a friend of a friend… to find a trip around Koh Samui organized by a Frenchman who’s been living here for 20 years.
Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Journal
Note: The two tours featured in this post were taken in June. But it’s only now that I’ve found the time to write about it 😀
Trip 1: Ko Rap, Koh Madsum
The boat leaves in the early afternoon from Bo Phut. At that time, we’re still at the Shasa hotel, at the very south of the island. Not knowing that Grab also operates on Koh Samui, we still manage to find a taxi driver, thanks to the tour organizer, who does the round trip for 600 baht. Not bad!
Today, we’re making 3 stops: the first for snorkeling, the second at Ko Rap, and the third at Koh Madsum. Our first stop is at the very south of the island, so to get there by speedboat from Bo Phut, we have to cruise along the island, giving us time to admire many resorts, including the 5-star Six Senses hotel. I’d love to try it someday, but even the Covid rates remain high, so we’ll see. There are beautiful hotels all over the place—it’s impressive!
Our first snorkeling spot is a bit disappointing. In June, we hadn’t been to Koh Phangan yet, so since it’s our very first snorkeling spot, we’re not too picky and find the little blue fish already amusing. The visibility is horrible, and on top of that, there’s not enough light. Now, in hindsight, it’s not worth it.
Snorkeling gear is provided, and cold drinks are free-flowing. The vibe is super chill, with mostly French people around.
Our second stop is a small island called Ko Rap. To get there, we have to get off in groups of three into a small motorized boat. However, the captain isn’t very skilled, there are a few waves today, and we quickly end up with 30cm of water in the boat and the risk of singing “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic 😀 At first, we laugh, but when the boat is half-sinking, we suddenly stop laughing. Our boat neighbors worry about their Canon camera, while we wonder how we’re going to get out of this mess amidst all those sharp corals. Since the water isn’t very deep, someone comes to our aid and pulls the boat along with the captain. What an adventure!
Between groups, they have to bail out water with a little 1-liter bucket 😀
On the island, absolutely nothing happens, except for 3 deer that are just too cute, always eating. I imagine they were brought here for tourists, because it’s clearly not their usual habitat.
We have a great time here. The water is too shallow and the sand too muddy for swimming, but we’ve got our feet in the sand, good music, a coconut… and the sunset. We’re relaxed.
Time to eat. We get back on the small boat. This time, the captain of the big boat navigates through the waves, and there’s no risk with him. Phew. We arrive on Koh Madsum island in total darkness, to discover a delicious meal waiting for us… and giant black shadows moving nearby… pigs!!!
They were trying to mimic that certain island in the Bahamas, except here, they’re not dwarf pigs, but real pigs, including a sow with a bunch of piglets nursing like crazy.
I don’t know what to think 😀 It’s the first time I’ve been this close to them. I know they’re very intelligent and clean creatures… but um… they’re not as cute as a cat or dog 😀
We hit it off with the rest of the group, getting along great with two French couples, whom we’ll have the chance to meet again several times later.
The tour cost us 2,500 baht per person. We were happy because at that time, it was the only tour we’d found for snorkeling. But in hindsight, we find it extremely expensive for what it is. But the important thing is we had a great time, made friends, and for a moment, it felt like the world before, just for a trip.
Trip 2: Ang Thong Marine Park
As soon as the Ang Thong Marine Park reopened (it had been closed for a while due to Covid), we jumped on the first available tour to get there (organized by the same Frenchman). This time, most tourists are English-speaking, so the vibe is a bit less jovial than the first, but people are still super nice.
This time, we go around the north of Koh Samui, which I don’t know well, and I get to admire the 5-star W hotel and its white sand beach. With villas that look huge and luxurious. There are tons of beautiful hotels and villas in the area—it’s so tempting!
The speedboat stops nearby to pick up a few clients, and then we set off for 30-40 minutes non-stop to the marine park.
Our first stop is for snorkeling. Again, snorkeling gear is provided. I opt for a kids’ mask because it fits my small face better. JB, on the other hand, goes for the Decathlon mask that allows breathing through the nose. Without being exceptional, the snorkeling is more satisfying than the other trip, and we see a school of small fish. The fish aren’t all colorful, but there’s a lot of variety, which we really like. The water is very deep (I’d say 6-7 meters), so it’s better to snorkel near the rocks, where we have a better chance of seeing them.
Sorry, I don’t have any underwater photos because we didn’t have a waterproof camera at the time. Here’s a photo of the school of fish seen from the boat.
We then pass by a rock that looks like a monkey, can you see the face, and the hands? It looks like it’s praying.
We then arrive at the lagoon. Actually, we don’t see it right away. You have to climb maybe a hundred (?!) concrete steps to reach the viewpoint.
Ang Thong National Park is made up of about a hundred islands, so there’s room for everyone. There are about ten islands where you can go snorkeling, and plenty more with paradise-like beaches. Outside of Covid, you can have some peace and quiet if the boats know how to avoid each other intelligently.
The climb is tough, but the descent is even tougher. I don’t know when I developed a fear of heights, but I really don’t like this kind of staircase and find it easier to go down backwards. We go up one staircase and come down another, in order to get down to the lagoon level. We can’t swim there, but the water is very clean and clear.
We have lunch in a fishing village. The fish is very fresh, it’s delicious. I chat with my table neighbors and find out that one of them went to the same university as me: University of Technology Sydney. He gave me some interesting info about my university that I didn’t know.
We then pass by a rock that looks like Koh Tapu, known as James Bond Island since its appearance in “The Man with the Golden Gun”.
Our last stop is on this small island, lost in the middle of nowhere. Apparently, there are monkeys around, but we won’t see them today. We’ll only see butterflies.
We feel like we’re in paradise: with just our boat, a warm and calm sea, clear water, a dreamlike view… For one day, we get back to the world as it was before, but without tourists 😀
This excursion cost us 3000 bahts/person (which we find very expensive once again). There are other possible itineraries, with kayaking for example (which we didn’t do), and/or visiting another viewpoint. I invite you to do some research to choose the best option.
Part 2: Practical Tips
More info on organized tours & excursions in Koh Samui on the website Civitatis or Viator (a Tripadvisor company)
Budget
- Excursion #1: 2500 bahts/person, departure in the afternoon + dinner, return around 10pm
- Excursion #2: 3000 bahts/person, park entry included. Morning departure + lunch
