Koh Nang Yuan consists of three small granite islands off the northwest tip of Koh Tao, connected by a white sandbar. The climb to the viewpoint offers an unforgettable photo opportunity. The island is about a 15-minute longtail boat ride from Sairee Beach and is privately owned by the only resort, which charges day visitors 250 baht to land and allows them on the island between 10:00 and 15:00. Plastic bottles, fins, and drones are left behind.
The sandbank, the viewpoint, and the offshore reef are worth the effort, but by late morning the day boats from Koh Tao, Phangan, and Samui arrive, and a long queue forms at the hiking trail. I would recommend taking a water taxi from Sairee at 10:00 AM, hiking first, then snorkeling, and leaving before the afternoon crowds arrive. Alternatively, you could book the resort for one night and have the place almost entirely to yourself.
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Key facts
The entrance fee is 250
Children pay 120 baht, Thai nationals 50 baht. Payment is in cash at the pier. Hotel guests pay nothing, and admission is included in most day trips.
Day visitors 10:00 to 15:00
These are the resort's house rules. After 3:00 PM, the island belongs to overnight guests. Therefore, please arrange a pick-up time to ensure you are back at the pier on time.
No plastic bottles, fins, or drones
Bags will be checked for plastic bottles and cans at the pier. Please bring a metal or glass bottle and a diving mask (without fins), and leave your drone on Koh Tao.
Approximately 250–300 baht by water taxi
This applies per person for the round trip from Sairee, which takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes each way. Please agree on the price and pick-up time before boarding.
Bring cash.
There are no ATMs on the island. Cash covers the fees, the boat, sun loungers, drinks, and lunch at the resort, which is more expensive than on Koh Tao.
Leave at 10:00 AM.
The island is busiest from late morning to early afternoon, when day trips to the beach take place. The first hour is the quietest.
Getting to Koh Nang Yuan from Koh Tao
Most visitors take a longtail boat from Sairee Beach. Drivers wait on the beach, and on busy days, also at the Lotus Bar. The crossing takes 10 to 15 minutes. Expect to pay around 250 to 300 baht per person for a round trip. Agree on the price and pick-up time before departure and note the driver's phone number in case you need to change your route. Longtail boats also depart from Mae Haad Pier, but the journey takes a little longer.
Lomprayah operates a ferry from Mae Haad, which takes about 15 minutes. During the off-season, it runs on demand rather than according to a schedule, so it's advisable to book the ferry the day before. Some people cross by kayak. From the hotels at the northern end of Sairee, it's about a 15-minute paddle in calm waters. However, check the wind beforehand, as the crossing from further south along the coast can take 45 minutes to an hour each way. Do not swim across. The channel has strong currents and heavy shipping traffic.
Every way to reach Koh Nang Yuan
Prices for water taxis and tours are based on visitor data from 2026 and may vary depending on the season and negotiating skills. Lomprayah's schedules are from the 2026 timetable. For tours that include the docking fee, this is noted in the tour descriptions; independent travelers pay this fee at the pier.
Entrance fee and rules
Koh Nang Yuan is state-owned land leased to a resort. This resort operates the island and charges day visitors 250 baht, children 120 baht, and Thai nationals 50 baht. The fee is payable in cash at the pier. Overnight guests do not pay an entrance fee. Day visitors are allowed on the island from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Older blog posts and some boat schedules mention later opening times, but I recommend planning your day around 3:00 PM and considering anything after that a bonus.
The rules are strict, and staff check luggage upon arrival. Plastic bottles and cans are prohibited. Therefore, fill a metal or glass bottle on Koh Tao and leave the plastic bottle on the boat. Fins are also not allowed, as the reef is shallow and easily damaged. Drones may not be flown over the island or the surrounding waters. Sun loungers and parasols cost day visitors around 200 baht on the beach. Food and drinks are only available at the resort's restaurant and beach café – at prices higher than on Koh Tao. Therefore, I recommend eating before your visit.
The ascent to the viewpoint
The viewpoint is the main reason for most visitors. The path begins at the wooden boardwalk near the pier and leads for about 10 to 20 minutes over steps and rocks through the forest. Ropes are in place at the steeper sections before a short scramble over boulders at the summit. From there, you have a direct view of the sandbar nestled between the three small islands, with Koh Tao in the background. The climb is more steep and hot than difficult.
The summit is small and only accommodates a few people at a time. Therefore, expect to wait 10 to 20 minutes for a photo during peak times. This suggests that you should hike up immediately after landing at 10:00 AM, before the snorkeling tours finish, or towards evening if you are staying overnight. Wear sturdy shoes, not flip-flops, and bring water and insect repellent for the wait at the top.
Snorkeling in Japanese gardens
The Japanese Gardens are the shallow, protected reef between the small islands. Just a few strokes from the beach, they are suitable for beginners. Here you can expect to see hard and soft corals, parrotfish, butterflyfish, and angelfish, as well as the occasional blacktip reef shark or hawksbill turtle. The reefs were severely damaged by Typhoon Gay in 1989 and by El Niño in the 1990s. The ban on plastics has significantly contributed to their recovery. Swim within the buoyed areas, as boats approach close by, and never walk on the coral.
Twin Peaks, Green Rock, and Red Rock are the dive sites around the island. The resort's Duck N Dive center rents equipment and offers dives from the beach and boats. Snorkelers can bring their own mask from Koh Tao or rent one on the island. Fins can be left at home. If the Japanese Gardens are crowded with tour groups, it's usually quieter on the opposite side of the small islands.
The sandbank
The sandbar connects the three islets and forms beaches on both sides of Koh Nang Yuan – one overlooking Koh Tao and the other facing the sea. The shape of the beach changes depending on the tides: at low tide it is wide and accessible, while at high tide it is only a narrow strip, lapped by the water on both sides. Therefore, check the tide times if you want to experience the classic, wide stretch of beach. Since there is little natural shade on the beach, sun loungers and parasols are available for rent.
Observation on a snorkeling day from Koh Tao
Those who prefer not to negotiate with a boatman can begin their snorkeling tour around Koh Tao at Koh Nang Yuan. The Sangthong tour spends the first two hours there exploring the viewpoint and the reef. Afterwards, the tour continues with snorkeling in Mango Bay, Hin Wong, Aow Leuk, and Shark Bay. Lunch on board and the landing fee are included. Since you arrive in a large group, there may be a wait at the viewpoint. However, you'll see five of the island's most beautiful reefs in one day.
The best-rated hotels in Koh Tao
Here is my ranking of the 10 best hotels in Koh Tao. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com, where you have already entered your travel dates.
A day trip from Koh Phangan or Koh Samui
From Koh Phangan, you can reach Koh Tao in about an hour by speedboat. There, you can snorkel in two bays and then have about three hours on Koh Nang Yuan, including lunch and landing fees. Alternatively, if you prefer to explore independently, you can take the Lomprayah catamaran from Thong Sala at 8:30 a.m. and arrive at the island at 9:45 a.m. for 600 baht. It's a nice day trip, and if snorkeling is your main focus, I would recommend it over Ang Thong.
From Koh Samui, the boat trip is longer, and the speedboat tours take about nine hours door-to-door, including about an hour and a half on Nang Yuan. This is doable if you only have one day, but the island is at its best when you have more time. If possible, take the ferry to Koh Tao and spend a night or two there.
Overnight stay on Koh Nang Yuan
Only one resort holds the lease rights and therefore offers the only overnight accommodation on the island. After 3 p.m., the day visitors depart, and the hotel guests have the sandbank, the reef, and the viewpoint almost entirely to themselves until 10 a.m. the following morning.
When should you go?
Koh Tao follows the Gulf of Mexico calendar, not the Andaman Sea calendar. Therefore, its dry season is the opposite of Phuket's. February through April are the driest months. On four days in February, the Ko Samui weather station records only about 64 mm of rain, and the sea is calm and clear. December through April is peak season with the clearest water and the most visitors. The summer months are drier than expected and quieter on the beach.
The rainy season lasts from October to December, with November, which sees around 445 mm of rainfall over 16 days, being best avoided. The sea becomes rough, boat trips to the island may be canceled, and snorkeling is nearly impossible. Regardless of the month, the time of day is more important than the season. Depart by 10:00 AM or stay overnight and check the tide times if you plan to use the wide sandbar.
What you should bring
Cash for the fee, boat rental, sun loungers, and lunch. A metal or glass water bottle that you can refill on Koh Tao. A diving mask and snorkel (no fins). Reef-friendly sunscreen, a hat, and something to cover your shoulders, as there is little shade on the sandbar. Shoes with good tread for the viewpoint, insect repellent for the queue at the top, and a waterproof bag for your phone and cash on the boat.
Is Koh Nang Yuan worth visiting?
Yes, with the right timing. It's touristy, more expensive than anything else on Koh Tao, and at midday a crowded sandbar with long queues for photos. But the view really is as beautiful as in the pictures, the reef is just a few strokes from the beach, and in the first hour or after the day boats have left, it's one of the most beautiful spots in the Gulf. Allow about three hours, arrive around 10:00 AM, and if you can afford a luxurious night on Koh Tao, I would spend it here.
Plan the rest of Koh Tao.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the Koh Nang Yuan travel guide.
250 baht for adults, 120 baht for children, and 50 baht for Thai nationals, payable in cash at the pier. Guests of the Koh Nangyuan Resort pay nothing, and most day trips include the entrance fee.
According to the resort that operates the island, day visitors can arrive between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. After that, the island is reserved for overnight guests until 10:00 AM the following morning.
Taking a longtail water taxi from Sairee beach takes about 10 to 15 minutes and costs approximately 250–300 baht per person for a round trip. Alternatively, you can take the Lomprayah ferry from the pier in Mae Haad (about 15 minutes). Arrange the price and pick-up time before your departure.
No. The sandbar connects the three islands to each other, not to Koh Tao, and the channel to Koh Tao has strong currents and constant boat traffic. Take a longtail boat or, in calm weather, kayak across.
To protect the reef, which was severely damaged by a typhoon in 1989 and by El Niño in the 1990s and has since recovered, bag checks are conducted at the pier. Please bring a metal or glass water bottle. Fins and drones are also prohibited.
The ascent via steps and rocks takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Ropes are in place at the steeper sections, and a short climb is required at the summit. During peak times, there may be a 10 to 20 minute wait for the photo opportunity. Therefore, it's best to start climbing immediately after landing.
Yes, at the Koh Nangyuan Resort, the only accommodation option. Guests save the fee, take the resort's free boat from Mae Haad, and have the island almost to themselves after 3 pm.
Yes, with a speedboat day trip, about 9 hours from Samui or 7.5 to 9 hours from Phangan, with the landing fee usually included. Lomprayah's morning boats from Thong Sala and Pralarn also arrive at the island at 9:45 am.
About three hours is enough for the viewpoint, snorkeling, and some time on the sandbank. Those who prefer peace and quiet can spend the night there.
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