Koh Tan Snorkelling on a Pig Island Trip

Koh Tan, also written Ko Taen or Koh Tean, is the island next to Pig Island and the snorkel stop on nearly every Pig Island trip. It lies off the south coast of Koh Samui, in Moo 2 of Taling Ngam sub-district, with a long beach and a coastal coral reef on its east side; the Tourism Authority of Thailand names the shallow reefs around nearby Koh Madsum and Ko Mat Daeng as good for snorkelling too. Most trips stop at Koh Tan for 45 minutes to an hour. TripGuru Thailand’s Koh Samui: Island Hopping Adventure in Coral and Pig Island gives it 2 hours with lunch, from $46 on promotion, usually $51 a person (checked November 2026), with the entrance and boat fees included.

The calendar above is TripGuru Thailand’s island-hopping day, with 3,657 reviews (checked November 2026). Private or small groups are available.

The short answer

If snorkelling is the half of the trip you care about, pick by the minutes at Koh Tan, not by the boat: 2 hours on the TripGuru day, an hour on Happy Samui’s speedboat, the catamaran and the sunset trip, 45 minutes on most of the others. If you cannot swim, skip the snorkel and stay on the beach; several trips say outright that non-swimmers should not snorkel. And if your dates fall between December and March, expect the water to be less clear.

Where the reef is

Koh Tan is the larger of the two islands, 5.1 km in a straight line from Thong Krut pier and 3.6 km from Koh Madsum. The Tourism Authority of Thailand places its long beach and coral reef on the east side, facing Koh Madsum, and lists four nature trails on the island. Koh Rap lies further south and is not a stop on the trips carded here.

How long each trip snorkels

Times, gear and fees for each trip (checked November 2026); prices are on the trip cards.

The rules in the water

Several trips forbid touching marine life: Angthong Sea Tour's speedboat and TKToursamui's sunset trip list it among the things not allowed, and the speed catamaran adds touching plants and fishing. Snorkelling gear comes with every trip that snorkels, and all but two include life jackets as well: TripGuru Thailand's day and I Love Pig Samui's combo cover snorkelling gear only. Highsea Tour's teak cruise has anti-fog gear in adult and children’s sizes.

Who should stay on the beach

I Love Pig Samui's combo day says guests who cannot swim should not snorkel, and Angthong Sea Tour's speedboat and SOUTHEAST ASIA CO.,LTD.'s electric longtail are not suitable for non-swimmers at all. On Discover Thailand's private longtail, snorkelling depends on the sea and is not guaranteed; if it is called off for weather, there is no partial refund, and you get extra time on Pig Island instead.

Check dates for 2 hours on Koh Taen

Visibility and the months

TripGuru Thailand's island-hopping day warns that snorkelling visibility is often low from December to March and depends on the weather and the sea each day. That window runs from the wet end of the year into the driest months: the Thai Meteorological Department’s normals for its Ko Samui station put December at 263.1 mm of rain, then February at 64.3 mm and March at 115.8 mm on only 5.9 rainy days. Dry weather alone does not promise clear water. The best months has every month.

Book the snorkel you want

Prices, ratings and review counts from the GetYourGuide listings (checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.