Thailand: Snorkelling Boat Trip - Koh Nang Yuan & Koh Tao
Thailand is a hot spot for snorkelling, with many places around the various Islands offering tours.
I have no swimming experience except the lessons I took in primary school, lessons I often skipped. I still love the ocean though, it's one of my favourite spots to gaze out in to. Despite my lack of swimming skills, snorkelling is something I enjoy (I fell in love with it in Jamaica).
Koh Nang Yuan is one of the coolest and more popular spots to snorkel in Koh Tao, it was inevitable I would partake in the fun.
I booked my trip through Seashell Resort Koh Tao (the hotel I was staying at), this made the process simple. I told them the day I wanted to go, paid the fee; collected my proof of payment/ticket and Voila, all booked!
A minivan came to collect me early in the morning between 8am-8:30am. After making a few more stops at other hotels, I was dropped off at Mae Haad Pier to start my adventure.
There were about 12 of us altogether, a group of college graduates on vacation from Canada, myself & another solo traveller. We boarded a large speed boat, large enough to carry all 12 of us, plus the crew/hosts with plenty of space to lay and sunbath or just stretch out.
Cruising across the ocean was enough to make me happy, our first stop was White Rock, a popular diving and snorkelling spot.
Life jacket secured, I was ready to go! Snorkelling equipment is provided but, for hygiene, I’d suggest you carry your own.
Bombs away! I jumped in and was in my element. While the others swam out far, I stayed where I felt safe and didn’t venture too far away from the boat; this didn't spoil my experience, I got to see lots of beautiful fish.
Note: I went out further than is captured in the video, however, this was the best footage I got. I will be invest in a Go Pro soon, phone cameras underwater are not the greatest!
Our next stop was Koh Nang Yuan, a private Island off the coast of Koh Tao. There is an entrance fee of 100 Thai Baht (2.44GBP/3.10USD), this was an extra cost for me and wasn’t included in the price I paid for the day trip.
Upon payment of the entrance fee, we were asked to hand over any plastic bottles we may have been carrying, no plastic is allowed on the island.
Tip: Bring a non-plastic refillable bottle with you so you can top up on water at the various drinking water fountains. Food and drinks are expensive on the Island.
Koh Nang Yuan is beautiful, with a lovely white beach and blue waters, you can snorkel, go diving, climb to View Point and see a great view of the Island; dine in the restaurant or lay out on the beach and catch the sun rays.
Tip: If your budget allows, take a private boat and go early if you want to experience it with peace and quiet, or if you want photos without a ton of people in the background! The Island gets very busy as it's a popular tourist attraction.
Photo by ppnmm/iStock / Getty Images
After spending a few hours on Koh Nang Yuan Island, we boarded the boat again and began our journey back to Koh Tao, making one last stop at Three Rocks. After being served with light refreshments, we were allowed one last chance to jump into the ocean and snorkel.
This trip lasted about 7hours and cost approximately 1500 Thai Baht (36GBP/46USD).
Have you been to Koh Nang Yuan Island or done a boat tour around Koh Tao? Let me know your experience.