Koh Mak Snorkeling: Best Spots, Boat Trips and Costs

Featured image: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: where to snorkel from Koh Mak

Koh Mak's own shore snorkeling is modest. The stronger reef sits on boat trips to the Koh Rang marine park area, which most dive boats on the island run in the cool, dry months. Prices and hours below were checked in November 2026 and reflect the 2026/27 season listings from island operators.

• Off the beach: Koh Pii, the Cococape pier area and AoPong beach are the spots most often named.
• Shared boat to Koh Rang: about ฿1,000 per person plus the park fee, roughly 09:30 to 15:30.
• Local islets: Koh Kham by small boat for ฿350, or Koh Pii on a half-day trip for ฿900 to ฿1,000.
• Private charter: from ฿5,500 for two people on local islets, from ฿11,500 for Koh Rang.

Koh Mak snorkeling options compared

Four formats cover almost every trip. Pick by how much time you have, how many people are in your group and how confident everyone is in the water.

Snorkeling off Koh Mak itself

Resort pages report no offshore current and water between 28 and 30°C around the island. Three spots come up repeatedly. Koh Pii can be reached by kayak, the Cococape pier area has a short drop-off from the jetty, and AoPong beach has reef within wading distance. Conditions vary with tide and wind, so expect shallow coral and modest visibility rather than a dramatic reef. Kayaks rent for ฿150 an hour, ฿300 for a half day and ฿500 for the day. From Ao Suan Yai, the paddle across to Koh Kham is gentle. Ao Suan Yai and Ao Kao are the two beaches usually suggested for beginners and families.

Boat trips to Koh Rang and the marine park

Island dive boats run snorkeling days to Koh Rang for ฿1,000 per person. Foreign visitors pay a marine park fee of ฿200 on top, Thai residents ฿40. Children under 12 pay ฿590 plus ฿100 for the fee, and under-3s ride free. Days run from about 09:30 to 15:00 or 15:30. Most itineraries stop at 2 or 3 tiny islands and go ashore on a southern beach. Resort transfers, gear and lunch are normally included. Thai Ocean Academy, based near Ao Nid Pier, and Koh Mak Divers at Ao Kao both run boats. For a smaller group, Wayoon runs joined trips twice daily from 09:00 to 14:00 with a maximum of 8 people. The ฿1,299 price includes the park fee. Ask whether your boat visits Hin Luk Bat Dive Site, Koh Chang: Routes, Depth, Season, a snorkeling site in the Koh Rang group. If you want more mainland options afterward, see snorkeling around Koh Chang. Neighboring Koh Wai is another reef-focused alternative.

Local islet trips: Koh Kham, Koh Rayang Nok and Koh Pii

Short trips to the local islets cost less and take half a day. The Koh Mak Information Point behind Koh Mak Resort Pier at Ao Suan Yai runs a small boat to Koh Kham at 10:30, 13:30 and 15:00. The ฿350 fare includes the entrance fee and a drink at the kiosk. Prompakdee, just down the beach, runs the same route. Koh Pii half days from Cococape cost ฿900 to ฿1,000 per person. Private speedboats cover Koh Kham, Koh Rayang Nok and Koh Pii together. Rates are ฿5,500 for 2 people, ฿6,500 for 4 and ฿9,500 for a maximum of 10. Gear, water and a light meal are included. Island entrance fees are extra at ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children at both Koh Kham and Koh Rayang Nok. No scheduled boat now serves Koh Rayang Nok because its resort has closed. A sunset cruise from Wayoon heads there from 15:00 to 19:00. Koh Kradat has been closed since May 2026 because of health issues among its deer population. Do not plan around it until operators say it has reopened.

Best time to go and sea conditions

November to April is the reported best window, with calmer seas and better visibility. May to October brings monsoon swell, rougher crossings and reduced visibility, and boats can cancel on rough days. Plan Koh Rang days for the dry months and keep a spare day in your schedule. Our Koh Chang season guide covers the same sea patterns in more detail.

Costs and how to book

Budget for the trip price, the park fee, and any islet entrance fee. A foreign adult on the shared Koh Rang boat pays ฿1,200 in total. A child under 12 pays ฿690. Payment is usually a deposit by Wise or Revolut with no fee, or a PayPal invoice that adds 6% processing. The balance is paid in baht cash directly to the boat. Rates are guides and can rise in peak season.

• Trip price: ฿1,000 per adult on the shared Koh Rang boat, ฿590 per child under 12.
• Marine park fee: ฿200 adult foreign, ฿40 Thai, ฿100 child; free under 3.
• Islet entrance: ฿200 adult and ฿100 child at Koh Kham and Koh Rayang Nok.
• Ask: group size, park fee included or not, lunch, gear and the cancellation rule if the sea is rough.

Gear, safety and reef etiquette

Boat trips include masks, snorkels and fins. Shore snorkelers can rent gear from island dive shops and resorts or bring their own. Wear a life vest if you are not a confident swimmer. Keep clear of boat traffic near the piers and always stay with your group.

• Mistake: booking without checking whether the park fee is included.
• Mistake: ignoring the sea state when picking your day.
• Mistake: assuming an islet is open, especially Koh Kradat.
• Do not touch or stand on coral, and use reef-safe sunscreen.

Getting to Koh Mak and getting around

Most visitors reach Koh Mak from Laem Ngop pier on the Trat mainland, the same gateway used for the Koh Chang cluster. Speedboat and ferry timetables change by season, so confirm the current schedule with your operator. Local piers matter once you arrive. Ao Suan Yai has the resort pier and information point, Ao Kao hosts Koh Mak Divers and Ao Nid hosts Thai Ocean Academy. Pick a trip that leaves from the side of the island where your hotel sits.

Combine with diving, Koh Chang or Koh Kood

Divers and snorkelers in one group can share the Koh Rang boat. Koh Mak dive shops also offer wreck dives to HTMS Chang, covered in our Koh Chang wreck dive guide. For wider options, start with diving around Koh Chang. A PADI course overview shows what certification levels involve. If you are choosing between neighboring islands, compare with snorkeling on Koh Kood.