Koh Hey (Coral Island) Phuket: Beaches, Cost & Tips

Featured image: Endrjuch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Koh Hey at a glance

Koh Hey, Ko Hae and Coral Island are one and the same place. Sources put it roughly 5 to 6 km (3 to 4 miles) off Phuket's southern tip, opposite Rawai and Chalong. Speedboats leave from Chalong Pier or the Rawai area and cross in about 15 minutes. Add hotel pickup and pier check-in to get your real door-to-beach time.

• Also known as: Coral Island, Ko Hae, Ko He
• Crossing: about 15 minutes by speedboat
• Main beaches: Banana Beach (west) and Long Beach (east)
• Best for: families with small kids, first-timers, half-day travelers
• Skip if: you want pristine reef, quiet sand, or you get seasick in monsoon swell

Is Koh Hey worth it?

Yes, if you go in with the right expectations. Koh Hey is a busy beach island with restaurants, sun loungers and speedboats coming and going. In return you get calm, clear, shallow water close to Phuket and plenty to do. It is not a remote escape. Snorkeling is pleasant rather than spectacular, and it does not match the Similan or Racha Islands. Our editorial verdict: a good easy half day, a poor choice for a reef-focused trip. Mainland alternatives include quiet Ao Sane cove for a calmer swim.

Banana Beach vs Long Beach

Banana Beach sits on the west side and is the island's best-known landing. Many tour boats stop there, and it has organized loungers, umbrellas, restaurants and water sports. It is busiest from late morning to early afternoon. Our Banana Beach landing guide goes deeper. Long Beach, on the east side, is longer, shallower and shadier. Water near shore can be very thin at low tide, so high tide suits swimming better. Kahung Beach is a minor landing point some tours use. Not every tour lands at Banana Beach, so confirm the landing beach before you book. A dirt path links the main beaches in about 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Watch the clock so you do not miss your boat.

Things to do on Koh Hey

Swimming and snorkeling come first. Expect fish and staghorn coral, with the best clarity from November to April. Busy reef edges near Long Beach have taken damage from visitor numbers. For more varied reef, compare other Phuket snorkeling spots. Kayaking, parasailing and banana boat rides are the usual extras. Sea walking gives a first taste of the seabed without swimming skills, and our sea walking experience page explains how it works. Extras are paid separately and can cost more if you buy them on the beach. Ask about them when you book instead.

• Snorkeling and swimming off both main beaches
• Kayaking, including clear-bottom kayaks on some tours
• Parasailing and banana boat rides
• Sea walking and discovery diving
• Lunch and a lounger on Banana Beach

How to get to Koh Hey from Phuket

Most visitors book a tour that bundles hotel pickup, a round-trip speedboat and a return transfer. Boats depart from Chalong Pier or the Rawai area. A private charter gives you control of timing, and a hotel can often arrange either option. We found no verified public ferry timetable, so do not plan around one. Browse snorkeling tour options to compare trips. For your time budget, add pickup, pier check-in, the 15-minute crossing, island time and the return leg. Half-day tours leave less beach time than the headline duration suggests. Mainland snorkelers can also try snorkeling off Kata or the Nai Harn reef.

How much does a Koh Hey trip cost?

Build the total from four layers: tour ticket, island extras, food and transfers. Prices checked November 2026. One operator, Phuket Dream Company, published a shared Banana Beach snorkeling tour rate for 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026. Adults were listed at ฿2,800 regular and ฿2,400 promotional, and children aged 4 to 12 at ฿2,300 and ฿2,000. That window has now lapsed, so use those figures only as a rough guide. The same operator listed extras that show how fast costs climb: sea kayak ฿400 for 30 minutes, banana boat ฿800 for 15 minutes, and parasailing or sea walking at ฿1,800 each. A private speedboat was listed at ฿20,000. Ask for a current quote that names the landing beach and what lunch includes. Entry to the island is not usually charged separately. Fees for protected areas are set by the Department of National Parks.

Best time to visit Koh Hey and how to beat the crowds

November to April brings calm seas, sunshine and the best water clarity. Trips usually run through the May to October monsoon as well. Some days are cancelled for weather, and the water is less clear. Crowds peak from late morning to early afternoon. An early boat or a later afternoon slot avoids the worst of it. Start times are an operator detail, so ask which departure gives the most beach time. Tide matters too, especially at Long Beach.

Safety, reef etiquette and what to bring

Boat traffic near swimmers is heavy all day. Stay inside the buoyed swim zones and take care when swimming further from shore. Floating jetties move with waves and passing boats, so step slowly. Wear a life jacket for water sports and follow staff instructions. Never stand on or touch coral.

• Mistake: booking without checking the landing beach
• Mistake: arriving at midday and sharing Banana Beach with every tour
• Mistake: buying extras on the beach instead of when booking
• Mistake: skipping reef-safe sunscreen
• Mistake: cutting the 10 to 15 minute walk between beaches too fine
• Pack: reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes, hat, towel, dry bag
• Pack: cash for drinks, toilets and extras

Staying overnight on Koh Hey

A resort and camping have been listed on the island in older guides. Current availability and rates are unconfirmed, so contact the operator directly before planning a night there. Most visitors treat Koh Hey as a day trip and sleep on the mainland.