National Park Fees in Thailand: 11 Marine Parks Compared

Featured image: @davestone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.

Quick answer: what foreigners pay to enter Thai national parks

Foreign adults pay five times the Thai adult rate in every category. Marine flagships sit in the top tier. Under the 7 June 2022 announcement from the Department of National Parks (DNP), Similan and Surin charge foreign adults ฿500 and foreign children ฿250. Category 1 parks charge foreign adults ฿100. Treat the table below as the last published schedule that we can cite, and compare it with the current DNP notice before you budget.

How Thailand's park fee tiers work

Every park sits in one of four categories, and each category sets a child and an adult rate for Thais and for foreigners. Thai adults paid ฿20 in Category 1 and ฿100 in Category 4. Foreign rates were five times higher in each tier, which is the two-tier pricing that surprises first-time visitors. Entry stayed free for Thais who are over 60, under 3, disabled, or monks. Khao Yai defines a child as under 14 and an adult as 14 to 60. Disabled visitors there show a national ID and a disability card. Sources do not say whether work-permit holders or residents count as foreigners, so ask at the park office. A tier list can also misrepresent a single park. Khao Yai's own page lists foreign adults at ฿200 and, at the Pak Chong and Noen Hom gates from 19 September 2022, ฿400.

National Park Fees in Thailand: 11 Marine Parks Compared

Only Similan and Surin have a published tier in the schedule above. For the other nine parks, no fee is quoted here, so read the current rate on the DNP site. Distances come from the park directory used for planning and show how far each park sits from a base town.

1. Mu Ko Similan National Park

Similan Islands marine park is a Category 4 park, the top fee tier in the 2022 schedule. Foreign adults paid ฿500 and foreign children ฿250. Boats carry visitors from the mainland, with Khao Lak about 65 km away and Phuket about 100 km.

Divers and snorkelers get the most from its hard and soft coral reefs. Skip it if you dislike long boat transfers, and note that many Andaman marine parks close in the monsoon, so confirm season dates with DNP before booking.

2. Mu Ko Surin National Park

Surin Islands share Similan's Category 4 tier, so foreign adults paid ฿500 and children ฿250 in 2022. Khao Lak is about 90 km away, which is roughly 25 km farther than Similan. Clear water and hard and soft coral reefs make it a diving draw.

Skip it if you only have a short window, because the longer crossing eats into the day. Season dates are set by DNP, so check them before you choose a month.

3. Ang Thong National Park

Ang Thong archipelago is a Gulf of Thailand marine park of 42 islands. Ko Samui is about 30 km away, and Don Sak pier on the mainland is about 25 km away. Boat tours, hiking and snorkeling are the main activities.

No fee figure is in our sources, so read the current rate on the DNP site. Skip it if you want road access, since reaching the islands needs a boat.

4. Mu Ko Lanta National Park

Ko Lanta marine park covers several islands with tropical forest, beaches and caves. Krabi is about 90 km away, and Phi Phi is about 30 km from Lanta. It suits travelers who already base themselves on Lanta and want a nature day.

No tier is published in our sources, so look up the DNP fee before you go. Skip it if you need a headline reef destination, since Similan and Surin are the diving names.

5. Tarutao National Park

Tarutao archipelagos cover 1,490 km² across 51 islands on three archipelagos at Thailand's southern tip. Satun is about 60 km away, Trang about 100 km and Krabi about 230 km. The scale rewards a multi-day plan more than a single outing.

The DNP fee is not in our sources, so check the current rate with the park. Skip it if you have one free day, because the distances are large.

6. Sirinat National Park

Sirinat beaches are about 30 km from Phuket Town, among the shortest transfers on this list. Khao Lak is about 80 km away and Phang-nga about 64 km. Visitors come for the beaches and for watching aircraft pass low over a beach to land.

Parts of the park are heavily commercialized. No fee figure is in our sources, so read the current DNP rate. Skip it if you want empty sand.

7. Hat Chao Mai National Park

Hat Chao Mai coast belongs with the Andaman parks in this guide. Our sources give no tier, distance or entrance details for it. Ask the DNP or the park office for the current fee, access route and season dates before planning.

It suits readers comparing Andaman options beyond Similan and Surin. Skip it if you need a fixed price before you commit.

8. Mu Ko Chang National Park

Ko Chang's marine park is known for waterfalls, long trails, viewpoints, white sandy beaches and coral reefs. Chanthaburi is about 90 km away, Pattaya about 250 km and Bangkok about 300 km. It works for travelers who want forest walks and beach time in one stay.

The fee is not in our sources, so look it up on the DNP site. Skip it if you want a compact park, since the trails are long.

9. Phi Phi National Park

Phi Phi Islands are among the most visited parks in Thailand and are known for their beaches. Krabi is about 35 km away, Phuket about 40 km and Ko Lanta about 30 km. Tours run from several bases, so ask each operator what the price includes.

The current entry fee is not in our sources, so read the DNP rate. Skip it if you want solitude.

10. Mu Ko Chumphon National Park

Ko Chumphon islands are grouped here with the Gulf parks. Our sources give no fee, distance or season data. Check the DNP site for the current rate, then ask the park office about boats.

It suits readers who want a Gulf alternative to Ang Thong. Skip it if you want a published tier to plan around.

11. Laem Son National Park

Laem Son coast is the mainland coastal entry on this list. Our sources give no fee tier, distance or hours for it. A mainland park avoids the boat charges that island parks add.

Confirm the entry rate and any vehicle fee with DNP before you drive. Skip it if you specifically want an island day.

Vehicle and extra charges

Driving in adds a separate charge on top of the person fee. The 2022 DNP schedule listed these vehicle rates:

Vehicle restrictions at Khao Yai

Individual parks add their own limits. Khao Yai bans vehicles with more than six wheels, double-deckers, vehicles taller than 3.50 m and towed RVs. Small tour buses may enter only through the Noen Hom gate. Ask any park you drive to about similar rules before you set out.

Marine park costs: fee vs boat vs tour

Island trips usually stack three costs. These are the entry fee, the boat or transfer, and any tour operator markup. Use this formula: fee x travelers + vehicle fee + boat or transfer. Two foreign adults at Similan's top-tier park would pay ฿1,000 in entry fees on the 2022 rate, before any boat. Boat prices are not supplied here, so get a quote. Ask each operator whether the entry fee is included or collected separately at the park office. The same question applies at Surin's dive sites, where the crossing from Khao Lak is about 90 km. It applies at Ang Thong's island tours too, which leave from near Ko Samui or Don Sak pier. Check it for Phi Phi day trips as well. Finally, ask at Tarutao's far-south islands, where Satun is about 60 km away.

How to pay and what to bring

Khao Yai's own page shows the two channels most parks use. You can pay with the DNP e-ticket app QueQ, or pay officials at the entrance. At Khao Yai that means the Chao Por Khao Yai Shrine Visitor Center on the Pak Chong side or the Noen Hom Visitor Center. One ticket covers entry and exit on a single day only. Bring cash and a passport or other photo ID, since staff may ask you to prove your nationality. Our sources do not say whether island park offices take cards, so carry baht. Closure notices change by season, so read the park's own announcements; the DNP website is the starting point.

Is it worth it? Which parks to pick

Match the park to your budget, time and activity. For diving, the ฿500 foreign adult fee at Similan and Surin buys the strongest reef reputation on this list. For a short beach or sightseeing day, Sirinat is about 30 km from Phuket Town. Phi Phi is about 40 km from Phuket, and the fee is unconfirmed. For a multi-day trip, Tarutao's 51 islands justify the longer journey. On a tight budget, lower-tier parks cost less: Category 3 charged foreign adults ฿300 and Category 1 charged ฿100. A mainland park such as Laem Son avoids boat costs, though you should confirm its rate.

Mistakes to avoid

Four slips cause most surprises at the ticket window.

• Quoting an old fee. The tier list dates from 7 June 2022, so verify current rates with DNP.
• Assuming a boat tour price includes the entry fee. Ask the operator.
• Forgetting the vehicle fee, such as ฿30 for a four-wheel vehicle on the 2022 list.
• Arriving at a closed gate or the wrong entrance, as Khao Yai's Pak Chong and Noen Hom gates differ.