You do not need a dive course to see Koh Tao's reefs: the island's sheltered bays and its tiny neighbor Koh Nang Yuan are within reach of anyone with a mask, a snorkel and a life vest. Koh Nang Yuan is a private resort island that charges day visitors 250 baht, lets them in from 10:00 to 15:00 and bans fins and single-use plastic bottles (November 2026).
Most visitors to Koh Tao come to learn scuba, and the snorkelers get less attention. That is a shame, because much of the coral around the island starts in water shallow enough to float over. Researchers have recorded more than 130 species of hard coral and over 220 species of reef fish around Koh Tao, and a set of marine zoning rules became local law on the island in 2012.
This page is for people who want to stay at the surface. It covers the bays that snorkel boats commonly visit, the rules on Koh Nang Yuan, how to get there by boat and which months tend to be calmer. Our Koh Tao island guide covers the beaches, the areas to stay in and getting around on land.
Koh Nang Yuan for day visitors (operator's rules, November 2026)
- Who runs it
- Koh Nangyuan Resort; a private island, not a national park
- Day-visitor hours
- Daily 10:00–15:00; outside those hours only hotel guests
- Entrance fee
- 250 baht per person (50 baht for Thai citizens), paid on arrival
- Banned
- Single-use plastic bottles and cans, fins while snorkeling, drones, smoking on the beach, loud music
- Sunscreen
- Reef-safe only (the resort's own rule)
- Boat from Koh Tao
- Taxi boat from Mae Haad pier or Sairee Beach, about 10–20 minutes
The Koh Tao bays snorkel boats commonly visit
The names you will hear from boat crews and on round-island trip boards are Shark Bay, Aow Leuk, Tanote Bay, Hin Wong and Mango Bay. They are small coves rather than long beaches, with rocks and coral close to the shore, which is what makes them good for snorkeling and less good for a swim on the sand. Our older Koh Tao article mentions reef sharks and turtles at Shark Bay and Mango Bay; treat any sighting as luck, not a promise.
We could not find an official description of each bay, so we do not rank them here. What decides a good day is less the name of the bay than the wind. A cove that is glassy in the morning can have waves and murky water by the afternoon if the wind turns onto it. Ask the boat crew or your guesthouse which side of the island is sheltered that day, and go there.
Some bays are reached by steep roads that are hard work on a scooter, which is one reason many people go by boat. If you do ride, our guide to riding a scooter safely in Thailand is worth reading first, and Koh Tao's hills are not the place to learn.
Koh Nang Yuan: a private island next to Koh Tao
Koh Nang Yuan, best known for the sandbar that links its islets, is a short boat ride from Koh Tao. It is run by one company, Koh Nangyuan Resort, and it is not part of any national park. The 250-baht fee is the resort's own charge, not a park fee, and the resort says the money goes to beach cleaning, reef conservation and managing visitors. Resort guests do not pay it separately.
The resort names two snorkel spots: the Japanese Gardens, the most popular, and Twins Bay (also called Twins Reef). It also says blacktip reef sharks can sometimes be seen near the beaches around 07:00 and 17:30. Those times fall outside the 10:00–15:00 day-visitor window, so a shark sighting is realistic mainly for people staying overnight. Snorkel gear and life jackets are for rent at the resort reception for its guests; day visitors should bring their own or rent on Koh Tao before the boat.
Leave the fins and the plastic water bottle on Koh Tao. Koh Nang Yuan's rules ban fins while snorkeling and single-use plastic bottles and cans on the island, and the resort says visitors who ignore the rules may be asked to leave. Bring a refillable bottle and plan to snorkel with a mask, a snorkel and a vest only.
The other rules on the operator's list are simple: put rubbish in the bins, do not touch marine life or step on coral, keep to the marked paths and follow staff instructions. Drones are banned over the property and over the water. Divers who want to use fins on a dive from the island should ask the dive center there, because the published rule is written for snorkelers.
The viewpoint walk and the midday queue
The classic photo of the islets and the sandbar is taken from a viewpoint above the resort. According to the operator, the trail starts at the resort end of the main beach, runs round the west side of the resort and takes about 15–20 minutes. It is short but steep in places, so wear shoes, not flip-flops, and carry water.
The resort also warns that the viewpoint can have long lines. Day visitors arrive at the same time and can only go up in the middle of the day, when the sun is hottest. Our advice: snorkel first while the water is calm, then decide on the climb when you see the queue. Our guide to coping with heat and sun explains the warning signs of heat exhaustion on a climb like this.
Getting there: taxi boat, ferry or round-island trip
The usual way to Koh Nang Yuan is a long-tail taxi boat from Mae Haad pier or Sairee Beach. The resort says the ride takes about 10–20 minutes and quotes a round trip as "usually" 300–600 baht per person (November 2026). That price is set by the boat drivers, not by the resort, so agree it before you get in. Our guide to hiring long-tail boats explains how to fix the pick-up time and what the boat must carry.
Lomprayah's catamarans link Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan with Chumphon, Surat Thani, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, and the resort says some of these ferries stop directly at the island. If you are arriving from the mainland, our page on getting to Koh Tao by ferry covers the routes and the operators' timetable pages.
The third option is a round-island snorkel trip, which normally visits several of the bays above and often Koh Nang Yuan too. Before you book, ask whether the 250-baht island fee is included, how long the boat stops at each place and whether life jackets are handed out. A private long-tail costs more but lets you choose the bays and leave when you want.
Calm months and murky water
Koh Tao has no weather station of its own in the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) averages, so the nearest guide is Koh Samui. There, October to December brings half the year's rain, with November the wettest month at 444.6 mm on average (1991–2020). February is the driest month, and June to August are relatively dry, unlike the Andaman coast. Rough water in the wet months stirs up sand and cuts visibility, so the drier months are generally the better time to snorkel, though no month is guaranteed.
The Gulf islands have one more seasonal issue. A research center of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has often observed box jellyfish off Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao from July to October. Our page on box jellyfish in Thai waters explains the risk and the first aid. For the wider picture of both coasts, see the best time for the Thai islands.
Coral, sunscreen and staying safe
Koh Tao is not inside a marine national park, so the national ban on four sunscreen chemicals does not legally apply on its beaches. Koh Nang Yuan's "reef-safe only" rule is the resort's own. If your trip continues to a park such as Ang Thong, the ban applies there, and our explainer on the marine-park sunscreen ban shows which ingredients to look for.
We could not confirm any coral-bleaching closure of Koh Tao's bays by the DMCR for 2025–26. If you see a buoy line, a sign or a closed area, respect it, whatever the reason. Standing on coral breaks it and cuts your feet; our guide to coral cuts and sea urchin spines covers what to do if it happens.
The biggest snorkeling risk is drowning, not marine life. Wear a vest, stay close to the boat or the shore and watch for boat traffic, dive boats included. Our snorkeling safety guide goes through currents, panic and full-face masks. In an emergency, call 1669 for an ambulance.
If you find yourself wanting to go deeper on one breath, a freediving course on Koh Tao is the next step. If you want to breathe underwater instead, our guide to learning to scuba dive on Koh Tao explains the Open Water course.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Koh Nang Yuan entrance fee?
The resort that runs the island charges day visitors 250 baht per person and 50 baht for Thai citizens, paid on arrival (November 2026). Older blogs give 100 baht, which is out of date. Hotel guests on the island do not pay it separately.
Can you use fins on Koh Nang Yuan?
Not while snorkeling. The operator's rules say "no fins while snorkeling", along with no single-use plastic bottles or cans and no drones. Divers on organized dives should ask the island's dive center, because the published rule does not mention diving.
What time can day visitors go to Koh Nang Yuan?
Day visitors are admitted daily from 10:00 to 15:00, according to the resort. Outside those hours only hotel guests may be on the island, so plan your boat back to Koh Tao before 15:00.
Do I need reef-safe sunscreen on Koh Tao?
Koh Tao is not in a marine national park, so the national sunscreen ban does not apply there by law. Koh Nang Yuan has its own rule allowing only reef-safe sunscreen, and the ban does apply if you visit a park such as Ang Thong.
When is the best time to snorkel on Koh Tao?
The drier months usually give calmer water. In TMD averages for nearby Koh Samui, February is the driest month and November the wettest. Box jellyfish have been seen off Koh Tao from July to October.
Sources
- Koh Nangyuan Resort – Visit Koh Nangyuan: hours, fee and island rules (operator's page; checked November 2026)
- Koh Nangyuan Resort – How to get here (checked November 2026)
- Lomprayah – Routes to Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan (checked November 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Climatological data 1991–2020 (Ko Samui station) (checked November 2026)
- The Nation – Box jellyfish warning for Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (checked November 2026)
- Department of National Parks – Sunscreen rule in marine national parks (16 October 2025; checked November 2026)