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5 hr
Easy-going half-day escape to swim with beach pigs and snorkel tropical reefs on a relaxed speedboat adventure
Reserve
4 hr 30 min
Discover pristine coral reefs and meet wild pigs on secluded beaches during this half-day speedboat journey
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4 hr
Charter your own longtail boat to meet playful pigs and snorkel coral reefs near Koh Samui
ReservePrices from verified partners. Availability updates in real time at checkout. Free cancellation policies apply where shown.
The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on this tour remember — all visible on a single visit.
The island is known for its friendly resident pigs that roam the sand freely. Visitors often capture photos with these animals during their koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel visit.
Located just off the shore, this reef is home to diverse marine life. It is a perfect spot for those using a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel.
A quiet stretch of sand on the island's edge for peaceful swimming. This area is less crowded than the main pig area.
A short trail leads to a vantage point overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. It offers a perspective of the surrounding islands.
They complement each other; most visitors who do both call the private longtail boat the more intimate experience while the speedboat is more efficient for those prioritizing transit speed.
| Feature | Top pick Private Longtail | Group Speedboat |
|---|---|---|
Privacy Level |
Private charter | Shared vessel |
Transit Speed |
Slow and scenic | High speed |
Flexibility |
Customizable itinerary | Fixed schedule |
Group Size |
Private group only | Large groups up to 30 |
Comfort |
Traditional wooden seating | Padded marine seats |
Total Trip Duration |
Variable 3-5 hours | Fixed 4-6 hours |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Opt for the koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tour if you value solitude, or choose the speedboat if you prefer a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tickets package that covers more distance in less time.
Choose your ticket, select your date, and reserve in under two minutes. Secure checkout handled by our verified partner.
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Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for your visit straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Taling Ngam, Koh Samui
Primary departure point for most boat charters
Most private tours include hotel pick-up service to the pier. Confirm your pick-up time with your operator at least 24 hours in advance.
Casual beachwear is appropriate for your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel trip. Ensure you have modest cover-ups if visiting nearby local community areas.
Keep belongings minimal as space on a traditional longtail vessel is limited. Dry bags are recommended to protect electronics during the sea transit.
Photography is permitted throughout Koh Madsum, though please maintain a respectful distance from the island's famous pigs. Using a GoPro or underwater camera is ideal for those booking a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel.
The island has natural sandy paths that can be difficult to navigate for those with mobility aids. Private operators often assist guests during the beach transfer process.
Mobile reception can be intermittent on the water and island. Keep devices in waterproof cases during the boat journey.
Families find the calm shallow waters of Koh Madsum suitable for young swimmers. Always supervise children closely near the animals and during boat boarding.
Small kiosks on the island sell refreshments, but options are limited. Bringing reusable water bottles is advised for your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel excursion.
Pets are generally not permitted on island transport or the beach to maintain the local ecosystem. Check with your private boat operator regarding specific policies.
The 50 THB conservation and island entrance fee per person helps maintain the local habitat. Always follow guide instructions regarding animal interaction.
Taling Ngam, Koh Samui
Primary departure point for most boat charters
Get directionsBest time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
How crowds, weather, and events shift across the year.
High temperatures average 32°C with clear waters. August is ideal for sea-based activities and clear visibility for snorkeling.
Small details that turn a good visit into a great one.
Reserve your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tours in advance to secure preferred boat captains. Morning slots ensure calmer seas and fewer crowds at the beach.
Non-bookable sights within a short walk — free to visit, easy to pair.
Famous for its calm reef and shallow snorkeling areas located south of Koh Samui. It offers a quieter alternative for those seeking solitude.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Cancellations made 24 hours prior to the scheduled koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tour receive a full refund. Note that the 50 THB conservation and island entrance fee per person is non-refundable.
Hand-picked options within walking distance — pick a district for vibe, or a specific hotel for convenience.
A premier resort located on the cliffs overlooking the Taling Ngam coastline.
The pigs of Koh Madsum were not a tourist scheme. They were livestock, left on a sandbar islet off the southern coast of Koh Samui by a mainland farmer who found the shoreline easier to fence than any inland paddock. Koh Madsum sits roughly three kilometres off Thong Krut pier, in the waters of Taling Ngam, Koh Samui District, Surat Thani. It is small — a sandspit with a palm fringe, walkable end to end in minutes. For most of the twentieth century it registered on charts only as a navigational marker for fishermen working the Gulf of Thailand. Coconut groves covered the interior. The reef flats to the north and west, shared with neighbouring Koh Tan, drew spearfishers rather than swimmers. The boats came first. The ruea hang yao — the long-tail, a narrow wooden hull with a car engine mounted on a pivoting shaft — was improvised in Thai coastal villages after the Second World War, when surplus truck motors were cheaper than marine engines. The propeller sits at the end of a bare drive shaft, which is why the craft can run onto sand where a keeled boat cannot. That single design quirk is the reason a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel itinerary exists at all: the beach has no jetty, and arrival is a matter of nosing the bow into shallow water. What the island matters for today is narrower than its reputation suggests. The pigs — a mixed herd of adults and piglets, some black, some pink — are the draw, and a 50 THB conservation and island entrance fee, per person, funds their upkeep and the beach maintenance. Beyond them, the appeal is reef. The shallow coral gardens between Koh Madsum and Koh Tan hold staghorn and brain coral, parrotfish, sergeant majors and the occasional blacktip reef shark in deeper channels. Visibility runs clearest in the calm months. Koh Tan itself, larger and inhabited, retains a small sea-gypsy settlement and a nineteenth-century Chinese shrine. The two islands are usually read together, which is why Koh Madsum longtail charters rarely stop at one alone. Boats work daylight hours, 08:00–17:00. Speedboat operators arrived in the last decade and now share the anchorage, but the wooden hulls remain the older presence — and a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tour still moves at the pace the design intended, which is to say, unhurried.
"The propeller sits at the end of a bare drive shaft, which is why the craft can run onto sand where a keeled boat cannot."
A step-by-step walkthrough of the visit — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You meet your boatman at Thong Krut, where the wooden hulls sit bow-first on the mud at low tide. The engine turns over with a sound closer to a pickup truck than a boat, because it is one. You settle onto a plank bench, and the shaft drops into the water behind you. The crossing takes twenty to thirty minutes. You watch the coastline of Taling Ngam fall away and Koh Tan rise to starboard. Your captain cuts the throttle in the shallows, and the bow noses onto sand — no pier, no ladder, just a step down into knee-deep water. You pay the 50 THB conservation and island entrance fee, per person, at the beach and walk up. The pigs find you before you find them. They come down the sand at a trot, wade in to chest depth, and stand there. You feed them what your boat provides, you photograph them, you keep your hands flat. Then you go back out. Your captain repositions over the reef flats between the two islands, hands you mask and fins, and you drop in over staghorn coral in four or five metres of water. You count parrotfish. You surface, you drift, you climb the ladder back aboard. A koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel charter returns you to Thong Krut salt-crusted, with the engine noise still in your ears — and koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tickets are the simplest way to hold the boat for your group alone.
Koh Madsum is open daily from 08:00–17:00.
Yes, there is a 50 THB conservation and island entrance fee per person required upon arrival.
The best arrival window is 08:30–10:30 to avoid mid-day heat and large afternoon tour crowds.
It is highly recommended to book your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel in advance as private boats are limited.
Yes, children are welcome on a koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tour under adult supervision.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and a waterproof bag for your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel experience.
Most operators include snorkel gear in their koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel package, but verify this with your provider.
The transit to Koh Madsum typically takes about 20 minutes from the Taling Ngam area.
Cancellations usually require 24 hours notice for a refund on tour costs, excluding the 50 THB entrance fee.
Many operators combine your koh samui private longtail boat to pig island with snorkel tour with a stop at nearby Koh Tan.