If you’re visiting Koh Tao, Thailand, you need to also add Nang Yuan Island to your list! Because you’re wondering all about how to visit Koh Nang Yuan, I’m going to share our experience and what we learned from going there ourselves!
We spent some time on Koh Tao, and it quickly became our favorite Thai island. You can read all about it in the post I wrote about visiting Koh Tao.
So let’s get into how to get to Nang Yuan Island, what you can do once you arrive, and the things you need to know to have a really fun visit!
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What is Nang Yuan Island
Nang Yuan Island is actually three islands connected together by sandbars. The tides push and pull the sand to create these connections between the three islets. It’s quite amazing, actually!
The proper name for the island is Koh Nang Yuan, because the word ‘koh’ in Thai means island. But, it is commonly referred to as Nang Yuan Island as well!
The island is popular for diving and snorkeling, and many tour boats come in during the days to allow passengers to snorkel around the island.
I was surprised to find out that the island is privately owned by a resort, however you are able to enter by paying a small maintenance fee. So even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can visit the island.
You can get to each small island by walking on the sandbars or swimming!
Read Also: The Best 10 Day Thailand Itinerary To Plan Your Trip
Entrance Fees
Because the island is privately owned by a resort but tourists not staying at the hotel are still allowed to visit, there is a maintenance fee required to be paid when you arrive.
As of 2021, the entrance fee was 100 baht per person.
How To Get To The Island
You have a few options to choose from to get to Nang Yuan Island. However, the only way to get there is by boat, so you’ll need to hire a taxi or a tour.
Hire A Taxi Boat
A water taxi, of course! We saw a sign on Sairee beach that said ‘water taxi to Nang Yuan’, so we asked there. They took us from Sairee Beach to the island for about 500 baht in total. Plus, we organized a return time as well for them to come pick us up at the end of the day.
Our taxi driver even gave us his phone number so we could change the pick up time if we wanted!
Do A Tour To Nang Yuan
You can also visit Nang Yuan by booking with a tour operator. You can either book a boat ride this way, or do a full-on snorkeling/diving tour. Visiting through a tour will surely simplify the experience, so here are a few I recommend:
Recommended Tours to Nang Yuan Island:
Full Day Snorkeling Adventure Around Koh Tao (4.9☆)
Snorkeling Trip 5 Island Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan (4.9☆)
Koh Tao: SunSet Magic Snorkeling Day Trip Tao & Nangyuan w/ Meals (4.6☆)
Ask A Local
This is definitely going to be the most cost effective option for getting to Nang Yuan, however it may not be everyone’s style and that’s ok.
You could ask at your hotel, at a restaurant, or if you see someone with a boat on the beach. Likely, it will cost you around 200 baht per person.
What To Bring With You To Nang Yuan Island
- dry bag
- sunscreen
- snacks or meals
- snorkel gear
- cash for entrance fee
It’s important to note that plastic water bottles are not allowed at Nang Yuan Island. Bring a refillable one instead, like this reusable collapsible water bottle.
The sand can be very rough and not very fun to walk on here, so I recommend some water sandals like these Teva sandals I bring everywhere. They are way cuter than regular water shoes and can be worn all day!
Drones are also not allowed, so leave them in your bag or at your hotel. However we did fly our drone from Sairee Beach over to Nang Yuan in order to get a few quick shots.
What to Do On Koh Nang Yuan
Once you get to the island, you’ll be dropped off at a pier. You will walk by the person collecting the entrance fee and you’ll pay there.
Then, you’ll see a restaurant and a small shop on the largest, and middle, of the 3 islets. I’m telling you, these islands are not very large, so you will know where to go!
You can swim anywhere, however you do have to pay a fee for a beach chair or umbrella if you would like one. Be very aware of the boats around the island for your safety as you’re swimming and snorkeling.
The day we visited was not very busy at all, however from what I’ve seen elsewhere online, that seems to be the exception. So just be ready to be enjoying Nang Yuan with other tourists!
There is one restaurant on the island connected to the resort. It is more expensive than the typical Thai restaurant, but they do have decent food if you didn’t bring anything with you!
Snorkel
You can snorkel all around the island, and we’re told it’s common to see reef sharks (though we didn’t see one the day we were there).
We rented our snorkeling gear from the same place that we rented our scooter from on Koh Tao. I found that this is a very cost effective option for snorkeling gear, as it only cost us an additional $1.50 per day for the gear.
Snorkeling at Nang Yuan is BEAUTIFUL. Underwater pictures just never do it justice! We swam around looking at the coral and the fish for 2 hours! There was even a little purple fish that was very curious about us and followed us for 30 minutes. Wild.
You should definitely snorkel while you’re here!
Hike To The Viewpoint
It’s a short 15 minute walk up a bunch of stairs to the viewpoint, however it is a bit strenuous and the end of the trail involves crawling up a few boulders. So, only do the hike if you feel that it’s your speed. Otherwise, keep on sunbathing!
To get to the trailhead, walk across the sandbar or swim to the islet on the left (if you’re looking back towards Koh Tao). Walk along the raised platform pier to the left where you’ll eventually see a sign that says ‘viewpoint’.
There isn’t a ton of room up at the top, so you may have to take turns to get pictures. But, it’s gorgeous and a great spot to spend a little while admiring the views.
Where To Stay When You Visit
If you’re visiting Nang Yuan Island, you’ll either be staying at the resort on the island, or staying on Koh Tao.
If you decide to stay on Nang Yuan Island, you only have one option, which is the Nangyuan Island Dive Resort.
Where To Stay On Koh Tao
If you’re staying on Koh Tao, be sure to read about everything to do on Koh Tao!
Luxury: Jamahkiri Dive Resort & Spa
Mid-Range: Cape Shark Villas – This is where we stayed and highly recommend!
Budget: Savage Hostel
Read Also: What To Do In Koh Tao: The Ultimate Guide To Thailand’s Best Little Island
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