Waterfalls & Nature
Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park
regional context
Mu Ko Ang Thong is a protected archipelago of 42 limestone islands covering about 102 km², declared a national marine park in 1980. Foreign adult entry is 300 THB.
- Checked 25 Sept
The story
Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park is an archipelago of 42 mostly uninhabited limestone islands about 30-35 km northwest of Koh Samui, covering roughly 102 km² of land and sea. It was declared a national park on 12 November 1980 - Thailand's second marine national park - and the name means 'Golden Bowl'. The novel 'The Beach' by Alex Garland is widely said to have been inspired by these islands.
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Highlights include the Emerald Lake (Talay Nai) on Koh Mae Ko and the steep viewpoint climb (~500-650 steps per different sources) on Koh Wua Talap, where the park ranger station and basic camping are located - there are no hotels or restaurants. National park fees: foreigners 300 THB adult / 150 THB child; Thais 40-50 THB adult / 20-25 THB child (small source disagreement on Thai rates). The park protects coral reefs, mangroves and wildlife including dusky langurs, macaques and migratory birds.
Sources report a seasonal closure roughly November to mid-December due to monsoon. Access is only by boat: licensed day tours from Koh Samui/Koh Phangan or charter boats (commercial operators; this database does not recommend specific ones).
Good to know
- Closed every year from about 1 November to 15 December; open daily the rest of the year.
- December-April for calm seas
Checked 25 Sept 2026 · 7 sources
Sources and last check
- Last checked
- 25 Sept 2026
- What was checked
- Details checked 25 Sept 2026
- Next check due
- September 2027