The best snorkeling in Thailand – TOP 10 places

Before you start browsing the best places to snorkeling in Thailand, I want to remind you that I am not professional plunger. All the information below is a summary. opinion as experienced comrades, and just reviews amateur tourists. I took my personal experience of the traveler, Added there search results information on the Tripadweiser, forum Vinsky and narrowly directed diving Internet sources with forums by snorkeling. If you suddenly notice an error or you get the desire to complete the written, then I will only appreciate your contribution to the common fund of wisdom. And so as not to get up two times – here good post about the weather in thailand.

The content of the article

• 1 About Snorkeling in Thailand
• 2 TOP-10 snorkeling sites in Thailand
  • 2.1 Similan Islands, Phang Nga Province
  • 2.2 Phi Phi Islands, Krabi Province
  • 2.3 Koh Kradan, Trang Province
  • 2.4 Co Rock, Trang Province
  • 2.5 Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, Suratthani Province
  • 2.6 Koh Chang and its satellites: Kham, Rang, Wai and Kood
  • 2.7 Krabi: Riley, Poda, Hong
  • 2.8 Ko Surin, Phang Nga Province
  • 2.9 Island Province Phuket and Ko Racha
  • 2.10 Koh Lipe, Satun Province
• 3 map of places

About Snorkeling in Thailand

I’ll start with the most important thing: Thailand is the place where it’s best. start and not continue your journey in snorkeling. For this in there are plenty of resorts with excellent infrastructure and two main reservoirs that differ in beauty and the wealth of the underwater world.

According to the majority (and in my opinion, including), the most interesting in terms of snorkeling is the Andaman Sea – that is Indian Ocean, washing the western coast of the mainland. Slightly simpler and the poorer is the Gulf of Thailand of the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). For swimmers, who had seen the beauty of the Red Sea before, The Philippines and Japan, snorkeling in Thailand will seem bleak and boring.

Snorkeling in Thailand, near Koh Chang

You will see something like that

Or this

Sometimes there is nothing even deeper

Fish is the most interesting

Top 10 Snorkeling Places in Thailand

Similan Islands, Phang Nga Province

How to get there

Similans are located in the Andaman Sea. Cheaper and easier to come to the Similan Islands having bought an excursion for a period of one up to three days. By the way, I did it in my time. On their own You can get to Similan. Stuffing cones you can get to Tap Lamu Pier, hire a boatman (you need to negotiate with him for day before departure), sail to Similan, pay a fee, rent a bungalow, but what’s next? On sites for snorkeling need somehow to get to the sea, and between snorke something to eat and drink. So Similan is a tour, and for at least two days.

Location Infrastructure

There are nine islands in total, and each has its own number: Hu Yong (1), Pa Yang (2), Pa Yan (3), Miang (4), Ha (5), Paju (6), Hin Pusar (7), Similan (8) and Ba Ngu (9). And two islands without of numbers: Tachay and Bon. Bungalows, tents and two cafes are on. island 8, and another tent stand on the 4th. Alternatively, you can pay a little more and spend the night in specially equipped cabins on the ship. In fact, Similan has no hotels and resorts, available in booking systems, but three types of housing can be book through the reserve site: a tent, a bungalow with a fan, and bungalow with ayrkonom. Hotels near Thap Lamu Pier with excellent Rated: Tuaprod Home and Sawasdee Home Stay Resort & Pool.

Khao Lak hotels →

Snorkeling Features

The islands are open to tourists from late March to mid-April, and since May, they are closed to restore nature. Ashore you can go out only on islands 4 and 8. You can not swim in the sea in swimming shoes. In season – the visibility is gorgeous. Come across sharks, but very rarely, mostly seahorses, turtles, lobsters, pygmy dancing shrimp, stingrays, moray eels, anemone glades and fish soup with a large set of ingredients. Swim at night interesting – if you touch the water with your hands, you can stir plankton to shine. But it is also dangerous – at night a predatory one approaches the shore. fish and swimming may be fraught. Top places for snorkeling know only local and teams on excursion boats, and this is another plus in favor of a group tour.

Phi Phi Islands, Krabi Province

How to get there

The islands of Pi-Pi are located in the Andaman Sea and equidistant (20-30 km) from the nearest resorts of Thailand: Phuket, Krabi Town and Co. Lanta In any street travel agency you can order a transfer to Phi Phi, and it will cost you real ticket prices, plus 50-100 baht commission for agent troubles. I sound only light independent option not to waste your and your time on listing all transfer details from each location. Lot useful you will find here in this article. If you are driving a pee pee for a short time, do not speak English, and in general in Thailand for the first time – then take a tour for a couple of days. When comparing with an independent trip organized will be cheaper.

Location Infrastructure

Phi Phi Islands are an archipelago of Krabi province. It includes Islands: Phi-Phi Don (inhabited and main), Phi-Pi Lei (exotic for excursions, where Maya Bay from the movie “The Beach” with DiCaprio), Ko Jung (aka Mosquito Island), Ko Mai Pai (aka Bambu Island), Bida Nok and Bida Nai. Of all the above, the infrastructure is only on Pi-Pi Doné. From exchangers to luxury hotels, shops, cafes, travel agencies, diving centers and resorts on the beaches. At Pee Leo there only a small campground and a few bungalows for those who arrives at Maya Bay overnight. From well ranked hotels to Pi-Pi Done I recommend the Holiday Inn near which there is a good one snork from the shore, and – Paradise Resort for the same reason. In general, for high-quality snorkeling need to float on small islands.

Hotels in Phi Phi →

Snorkeling Features

Season with the most favorable conditions for snorkeling: with February to May. Going to Pi-Pi put in the budget rent boat or purchase excursions to places for snorkeling.

At Pi-Pi Don, from the shore you can watch only fish soup the edges of the beach, opposite the above hotels, as well as in the area Monkey Beach, Ranti Bay and the Bay of Lo Mo Di. Mostly around Pi-Pi only dead corals and dull landscapes in clear water, and to see something interesting, you have to swim away, for example, before the Sharks Point opposite Long Beach. But keep in mind – right behind the beach. buoys that stretch along the shore, you will fall into an incredible active and dangerous boat traffic, which is fraught with dead spine.

On Pi-Pi Lei – almost perfect conditions for snorkeling in Thailand, if it were not unreal the number of tourists that in some places makes snorkeling impossible. It is better to go away on the middle of the bay, but there is already more depth, and you will have to dive deeper. Frustrating trash at the bottom, happy high opportunity see sharks. According to snorkers – sharks tusyat day in the right half of Maya Bay, right near the shore, at shallow depths. If a go through the islet through Maya Bay, then after a cleft in the rock with ropes – an excellent site for snorkeling.

Many tourists come to Bamba because of them and because of the waves the water misty and nothing really can be seen. If you are floating on a rented boat, then explain to the boatman that you did not come here to swim, then he will stop at good sites near the shore. Mosquito island pleases with a living reef, good transparency of the sea with fish soup, but very monotonous and from that – boring. On Bida Nok and Bida Nai is good not so much the snorkeling itself, as the beautiful views that open under water. Animals there are few.

Koh Kradan, Trang Province

How to get there

Kradan Island is located in the Andaman Sea south of Ko Lanta and refers to the province of Trang. The nearest resort is the island Lanta, which is 22 km away (about forty minutes by boat). From the mainland to Kradan you can get on the ferry from Hat Yao pier, breaking 12 km by sea. From the pier to Trang Airport – about 50 km. Lazy option to get to the island – buy any excursion, in which includes a visit to Kradan. There are more islands nearby. Ngai and Muk, but of these three, Kradan is the best in all relationship. In high season from Phuket to Langkawi launch The Andaman Ferry, with which you can get to Kradan from any waypoint of this ferry.

Location Infrastructure

Kradan is a very expensive island by Thai standards. All here imported and with a brutal surcharge. There are no ATMs, no pharmacies, there are no grocery stores, which means you need to carry more cash There are several cafes and restaurants, kayak rental, a couple dozens of resorts and everything. More than three to five days nothing to do here very boring. The island is quiet, secluded, entertainment and parties here not provided. From hotels, people recommend The Reef Resort (opposite it has its own reef) The Sevenseas Resort and Kradan Beach Resort (reef literally 50m).

Hotels in Ko Kradan →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit is from December to April.

The main value of Kradan is snorkeling from the shore. Already 50 meters from the beach begins coral reef, slightly affected by tsunami of 2004, but in general – under water is so beautiful that underwater weddings are held here. Most of the island belongs to Chao Mai National Park, therefore going beyond the permitted boundaries may end up paying a fee (200 baht) to the first ranger. But this happens rarely and should not prevent you from getting to isolated beaches in the western part of the island, although up to some easier to swim in a kayak. There are moray eels, lionfish, sea anemones, clown fish, but the shark did not seem to come across to anyone.

Koh Rock, Trang Province

How to get there

The Rock Islands (Koh Rok Noi and Koh Rok Yai) are located in Andaman the sea, about an hour from Koh Lanta. You can get as independently on the ferries, and as part of the tour. Ferries go from the major resorts of Phuket and Krabi, as well as from the closest to Ko Rok Islands: Koh Ngai, Koh Mook and Koh Kradan. Come to Ko Rock on rented equipment will not work – such ferries do not go here, the islands are uninhabited and are part of a national park (duty for the entrance – 200 baht). If you are thinking of taking a tour, it is very I recommend not to sell too much, and not to be limited to one day, especially if you go not from Ko Lanta, but from somewhere far away.

Location Infrastructure

On Ko Rok Noe there is nothing but beaches, and on Ko Rok Yai it is worth Mu Koh Lanta National Park office and tent town (400-500 baht per tent) with showers and toilets. For those who stayed here for one or two nights work small restaurant. Everything looks like infrastructure Reserve at Similan: in a simple way, without any frills and not Designed for long-term residence. Closest to the Rock Islands hotels are located in nearby Kradane, Ngaye and Muku – look which by clicking on the green button below.

Hotels near Ko Rock →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit is January and February. Snorkeling on Rock Islands is considered one of the most fascinating in Thailand comparable in level to the beauties of the Red Sea. Apparently because it is still the outskirts of tourism and visitors did not manage to trample everything and to mess up. Although experienced people already see the unpleasant difference between Co. Rock a decade ago and now. Snork straight from the shore, no need float to distant sites, you will find coral reef 50-100 m from coast. Overnight is good because after 16 hours of all tourists taken away. Acropores, anemones and gorgonians grow right along the coast. Of living creatures: various grouper, parrot fish, moray eels, scorpions, lion fish, morish idols, triggerfish – the mass of everything beautiful and interesting. Krupnyak swims here rarely, but still people sometimes see turtles and sharks.

Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, Suratthani Province

How to get there

Both islands are 500 meters apart and, according to most, their surroundings are the best place for snorkeling in Thailand, in the Gulf of Thailand. If you are coming from Bangkok, then You can get to Tao from the mainland by ferry from Chumphon (70 km). If from Phuket and Krabi, then you are at the pier in Donsak (88 km). Or from the islands of Samui (55 km) and Koh Phangan (46 km). On Koh Tao there is full road network and here come the transport ferries, so that you can get there and ride on a rented vehicle. To the island Nang Yuan usually get from Tao by boat or to part of the tour.

Location Infrastructure

Koh Tao (although Koh Tau is right to say) is the usual small island with developed infrastructure. There is a large selection of hotels and resorts, most of the beaches are in normal access, although still wild corners remain. Shops, ATMs, travel services and household services, everything is present here. The most interesting hotels in the plan “went out and went snorkeling in the sea” are the bay of Tanod Bay (Montalay Beach Resort) and Mango Bay Boutique Resort. To Nang Yuyan (although it’s right to say Nanyuan) are three monoliths, connected by sand bars. The only building on the island – Hotel Nangyuan Island Dive Resort and wooden bridges around Islands for trekking.

Koh Tao hotels →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit: mid February – mid April. For snorke from the shore, Koh Tao has only two more or less decent ones. the places that I wrote about above. Good snorkeling starts at away from Tao, for example, there are sharks in Shark Bay (but corals everything died there). And a good snork near the island of Nang Yuan, but there There is a chip – you can not use flippers. And it’s better not to walk barefoot, and in special shoes for at the bottom it is easy to step on a cucumber. Steep Snork – all in the sea, and the places they know or local boatmen, with whom easy to arrange, or local diving agencies that carry and snorkel lovers too. The optimal algorithm with a shortage time: to settle near the pier Mae Haad, buy immediately excursion to Nang Yuan for the whole day and for the next one to come to an agreement with boatmen about good places.

Koh Chang and its satellites: Kham, Rang, Vai and Kood

How to get there

It’s not a problem to get to Koh Chang itself, I already have detailed An article about how to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang. If you live in any other resort in Thailand, then in the first travel agency on the street you will sell a comprehensive transfer to the island. But all islands, interesting in terms of snorkeling, are located at a distance from Koh Chang, and you can get here either by hiring a boat or a boat, or as part of the tour, which usually carry on the most popular places. The distances between the islands do not exceed 5-10 km between yourself, so for a day trip you can visit them all.

Location Infrastructure

South of Koh Chang there are many satellite islands, but not all of them interesting as sites for snorkeling. According to reviews of people in RuNet and personal experience I would say that the best snorkeling in this part Thailand you will find on the islands: Koh Kham, Koh Rang, Koh Wai and Koh Kood. And if with tourist developed Koh Chang everything is clear in terms of infrastructure, then on small islands there are nuances.

Ko Kood also has hospitals, banks and a tourist segment of services, but it is less habitable and some may here seem boring. Koh Mak is a large island and is a good choice. hotels. Koh Kham is considered a private island, take for the entrance additional fee of 200 baht per person, and there is a stall with snacks, fresh water shower and public toilet. Koh Rang is part of the national park Mu Koh Chang and there is only a pier with Rangers headquarters. On Ko Vai there are bungalows, which give light from 18 to 01 hours Koh Wai – a tiny island with four bungal resorts and one pier.

Koh Chang hotels →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit: the end of November – the end of February.

Koh Chang: snorkeling offshore is available in the areas of Klong beaches Prao and Kai Bay. On the Klong Prao, the underwater world is poorer, and in one and a half kilometers from the beach there is an island of Suwan, which can be reached by kayak and snork. Kai Bay has kayak rental and a reef bay. The underwater world here – just warm up in front of distant islands.

Ko Kham is much more interesting than the whole big Ko Mak Po the neighborhood. On Ko Maka there is no snork from the shore, on Ko Kham it is better snorke in the afternoon when the crowd is taken away tourists, which scares all living things under water. Can be see and marine life, and corals (for the most part dead), and there are a lot of sea urchins here.

Ko Kood is considered more attractive than Rang and Wai, and better with a kayak to go into the water near the hotel Koh Kood Island Resort (northeast of the island). The water here is very clear, shallow and usually no excitement. There are holothurians, coral fish soup (although mostly small change) and live corals. If snork around Ko where, then you can meet stingrays, colorful shells, barracudas.

Koh Rang is called a coral classic. For snorkelers and divers in these places there is an additional bridle: 200 and 400 baht respectively. Rays, corals, fish soup, and fish are different special insolence. Despite the bribe, the darkness of tourists comes here, so get ready to jostle.

Koh Wai is a good snorkel right from the shore. Colorful kalistye shores and a snorkeling site already 10 meters from the shore. Enter better near the hotel Koh Wai Pakarang Resort

Krabi: Riley, Poda, Hong

How to get there

How to get to Krabi, I have already described in detail earlier. In general in terms of this: Krabi has its own airport and it speeds up the journey from any part of thailand. From Bangkok the plane flies no more than an hour, from Phuket can also be reached by road. The only thing that unavailable in the province of Krabi – is a railway that runs along the other side of the mainland. It should be noted that Krabi province is both a mainland and a scattering of islands, where you can get only by sea, which means you have to rent boats / boats or buying a sightseeing tour.

Location Infrastructure

The resort part of Krabi, where there are some bad sites for snorkeling, has a well-developed tourist infrastructure and a full range of services for both leisure and longstey. Choose Ao Nang, closer to the Center Beach. Hotel Tsentar itself – expensive, so it’s easier to settle in Ao Nang, in his left parts. About the best hotels can be found here – Ao Best Hotels Nanga

The Riley Peninsula is separated from the outside world by cliffs and is not there plenty of space to organize good infrastructure. there is large selection of housing, several attractions, shops, pharmacies and bars and restaurants. Prices are higher than in the resort of Krabi, but a couple of days you can live here. On the island of Poda (6 km south of Ao Nanga) there is only one resort – Poda Island Resort, and here reserve rules apply (paid entry). Hong Island (6 km west of Klong Muang), he’s Ko Lao Bile refers to the national the park. Snorke is not very comfortable because of the shallow water, but in fact The island has a cafe and a toilet.

Krabi hotels →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit is January and February.

Fact: in Krabi, on the mainland of the resort, a good snorke not. You can make training swims on the left edge of Center Beach, closer to Riley, but ideally hiring a longtail and sawing it in the side of the reef cans, and the boatmen themselves know the places. There and animals, and sharks and coral reefs there. Along the shore no snorkeling – empty, muddy, full of garbage. On the peninsula Riley is relatively good snorkeling on Phra Nang Beach. In the morning you can’t swim along the cliffs beach, as well as get to Ko Rang Nok at 900 m opposite Pra Nanga And the best snorkeling in Krabi can be found on the islands. provinces.

Koh Hong is a very beautiful reef. There are fewer people here than on the island Poda, and to save time on the road – hire a boat, longer swim with a mask. And one more plus boats in front of boats – you You get to the site faster than the main crowd of tourists. At low tide you can see a lot of fish and corals. Island Poda: very good season visibility, and if you snort in the morning, there are not yet scared large parrots, barracudas and large snappers. Opposite the beach from water sticks out a rock, along the left wall of which you will find an interesting the stall where sea snakes, large lionfish and fish meet soup.

Ko Surin, Phang Nga Province

How to get there

Surin Islands is an archipelago of five islands of different sizes, which are located 60 km (approximately one and a half hours by boat) from mainland, and as if should belong to the Similan group of the islands. However, in appearance, Surin is not at all like Similan, although in terms of the underwater world there are similarities. To get in This next national park is only possible by sea, for example through travel agencies closest to him Krabi, Phuket or Khao Lak. Independent trips are associated with a number of uninteresting troubles, which is better to provide travel agencies.

Location Infrastructure

Infrastructure on Surin, as on any reserved island – by the minimum. Rangers office building, several air conditioned houses with weak Wi-Fi and without hot water, a tent camp with tents for rent, the simplest household amenities. People here comes a lot, but not like the neighboring Similans. In general, here boring but very beautiful. Drive longer than a couple of days from overnight it makes no sense to capture the time of day without the influx of tourists snork and wander around the island. Catering is organized by the organizer. travel, meals three times a day, there are no shops here.

Hotels near Surin →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit is from November to April. Sure to flippers are needed – there are currents. The sea around Surin is shallow and generally There are no colorful, bright corals, although coral abundance around the island is not questioned. Sharks, octopuses, large fish, turtles, parrots, moray eels – look at that for two days you will definitely have something to do. Especially for snorkeling on Surin it does not make sense to go, although it is clearly more interesting here than in coastal waters of the mainland of Thailand. And: on the island there monkeys, so don’t throw things on the beach and always close houses and tents.

Island-Province Phuket and Ko Racha

How to get there

How to get to Phuket, I think, there is no need to describe. Direct flights from the Russian Federation to you for help and lots of descriptions in RuNet, for example this post – How to get from Bangkok to Phuket. Regarding satellite islands, where to go for snorkeling, I have a list small: Ko Racha Yai and Ko Racha Noi. Racha Islands are located at 20 km south of Phuket and you can get there only by sea with a tour or independently from the beaches of Chalong and Rawai.

Location Infrastructure

Phuket’s infrastructure is the infrastructure of a big city, everything is there. If you look at the beaches where snorkeling is possible from the shore, it is: Kata, Naiharn and Ao Sein. And let me not rewrite something that is already set out in detail by reference. On Racha has a small village in the center of Racha Yai and several hotels of different levels of comfort, such as The Racha or Ban Raya Resort&Spa. The roads on the island are mostly dirt, there is restaurants and cafes, services and services for tourists, but no ATMs – need to take more cash.

Phuket hotels →

Snorkeling Features

The best time to visit Phuket is January, February and March.

Kata Beach: corals are not enough, trash is caught, but living creatures are under water at a depth of three meters is available. The best time of the day is morning. There are lionfish, parrots, scorpions, shrimp, cuttlefish, small squid, sea snakes. Nyharn beach is more interesting on the right edge, where there are large-scale coral thickets and living creatures: lionfish, barracudas, parrots, snappers and even rays. On Ao Sein clear water and there is something to see from the living creatures. People recommends not to swim close to rocks and rocks because of the balanus – acute and dangerous. Big fish and sharks are rare, and if you snort in the morning and you won’t behave actively.

Koh Racha: the best places for snorkeling are in the bays of La Bay, Ban Raya and Siam Bay. What is characteristic of snorkeling on Koh Racha from Phuket – it is available here everywhere, in any part of the island. The coral reef is impressive, and there are different opinions about living creatures. However, if you behave calmly and not to do too much movements, then snorkeling you get more than successful. Be careful at the drops of depths near capes – sometimes they happen strong currents.

Koh Lipe, Satun Province

How to get there

Ko Lipa belongs to the reserve Tarutao and is located on the southern the sea border of Thailand and Malaysia, and more specifically, then 30 km from Langkawi Islands (Malaysia). You can get to Koh Lipe from the village Pakbara in Satun, from Koh Lanta (Krabi), from Hat Yao Pier (Trang) or from Phuket (pier Seedling). Distances are decent, so quickly not will always choose speedbots, even if they are more expensive. From Phuket To Koh Lipe is almost 180 km, and from Ko Lanta – 111 km by sea.

Location Infrastructure

Once tropical paradise has now become a business island, with developed infrastructure and even its immigrant office. I.e for tourists there is everything and everything is located compactly on island size of 700×1600 meters. Huge selection of hotels at all main beaches, but I would recommend these two on Sunrise Beach: Mali Resort Sunrise beach and Wapi Resort, for Sunrise is excellent suitable for snorkeling from the shore.

Koh Lipe hotels →

Snorkeling Features

Snorkeling on Koh Lipe fits perfectly in the definition “out of bungalow and started snorketing, “the main thing is to get into the calm season without rains – from November to April. Great coral reef, some wildlife along the coast, however I would recommend to refer to travel agencies that carry the day trip to the neighboring islands – and there are about ten of them. And there already opens the splendor Andaman Sea in the pictures.

Location Map

P.S. It will be necessary to write about this mask, a very handy thing, much more than ordinary.

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