We originally were planning to scuba dive. But after Nepal, our body was so beaten up we didn't think it was worth it since it takes 4 days to get certified.

So, snorkelling seemed like a better fit for us. There are tons of tourist agencies offering scuba diving. They're all more or less the same. It's a full day trip for 750 baht which includes transportation, snorkelling gear, lunch, fresh fruits and drinks (water, coffee tea). The tour takes you around the island to Shark Bay, Aow Leuk, Hin Wong Bay and Mango Bay. They also take you to Nangyuan Island, but you'll need to pay a 100 baht entrance fee.

That seems like a pretty good deal right?

Our Experiences

Let me preface this by saying that you get what you pay for. It's alright, since it's only 750 baht + 100 baht entrance fee.

You only get about 30 minutes at each stop, which isn't too much time to actually see much, since you'll need to swim to the area and back. Since we were running behind, we missed out on Aoe Leuk and went straight to Hin Wong Bay.

Shark Bay

This is supposedly the best spot to see sharks. Not the big scary ones, but the smaller ones. Unfortunately, we didn't see any nor many other fish. The water was choppier than expected, so it was hard to swim out and back in time.

Hin Wong Bay and Mango Bay

These ones were a bit better. If you swim out closer to the rocks, you'll see more coral in that area. Granted, most of the coral is dead, so you won't see much. But there are still some fish searching around for food.

When you swim back to the boat, you'll noticed a lot more fish. I realized that the guides will feed the fish so you'll see them. We ended up having lunch at Hin Wong Bay. It's just a container of rice, a fried egg and basil beef which isn't bad.

Nangyuan Island

Nangyuan Island is popular small island off the coast of Koh Tao. It's makes an excellent day trip with its stunning views. Since it was part of our snorkelling tour, we didn't bother with trying to visit it.

If you paid the 100 baht entrance fee, the tour will drop you off here for about 2 hours. Since we skipped one of the bays, we ended up spending 2.5 hours here, which is more than enough time.

The beach here is quite unique, since you have water on both sides. It's a good place to lounge on the beach and catch some sun. However, I found the sand a little too coarse because of the coral, so I wouldn't recommend visiting if you were just swimming.

I enjoyed snorkelling here to the most. We found a spot by the rocks closer on the opposite side of the dock that has a lot of fish. Since the water is shallow, you can actually see a lot more that goes on.

Things to keep in mind

Make sure you get a good set of snorkelling gear. Mine was leaking, so I had to switch it up after the first stop.

After battling the cold temperatures in Nepal, we decided to head to Koh Tao for the last leg of our trip. The small island is known for it's diving and snorkelling!

This transit guide also gets you to Nang Yuan, Koh Sammui or Koh Phangan.

How to get there

From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), we ended up staying a night in Khao San Road, since we knew buses would leave from there.

When we went to a travel agency to book the ticket, we learned that they had two prices: 720 or 1100 baht. The 720 baht option leaves at 6:00 pm and you don't get there until the next day. The 1100 baht option leaves at 6:00 am and you get there for 3:00 pm that day. Realizing we wanted the convenience of getting there faster, we opted for the more expensive option.

We learned that it's expensive because only one company leaves in the morning: Lomprayah. You need to head to their offices on Soi Rambutti at 5:30 a.m. to check in. You'll get three stickers here: one for your luggage and two for yourself (number and destination).

At 6:00 a.m., you'll board the double decker bus and make your way to the pier. It's a non-stop journey, so make sure you pack snacks for the ride. You'll also get some water and a cookie half-way through the ride.

At around 1:30 p.m, you'll reach the dock to board the boat. Keep in mind, this is a large speedboat that gets very bumpy. Motion sickness pills are highly recommended.

There are four stops for the boat: Nang Yuan, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Sammui.

How to get back to Bangkok?

It's essentially the same way back. You'll need to book a ticket in advance. We booked ours at our guesthouse where we got a deal on the taxi back to the dock.

Just note that getting home is a lot more hassle than getting there. Once you reach the dock on the main land, you'll have to wait for your bus. The bus will take you back to Soi Rambutti. There will be one stop along the way for a food break. Unlike the way there, there will be no snacks provided this time.

Snorkelling in Koh Tao