Koh Samui: Ang Thong Marine Park closed from 1 November to 15 December

Contents of this article5 sections

1. From Sunday, no boats go in
2. Why this happens every year
3. If you still want to go
4. What you can do instead
5. If you book for December

From Sunday, no boats go in

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, with its roughly 42 islands off Koh Samui, closes for 45 days on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The whole park is closed. No day tours and no private boats go in, kayak and snorkelling tours are cancelled, and the camp and the bungalows on Ko Wua Ta Lap are closed too. The Emerald Lake, Thale Nai, on Ko Mae Ko is therefore off limits as well.

The closure ends on 15 December. Reopening is planned for 16 December, but the park will only decide that once the sea and the weather allow it. In a rough year it can shift by a few days.

Why this happens every year

This is not a disruption but a fixed date. Between November and December the northeast monsoon pushes waves and rain squalls across the Gulf of Thailand, which become difficult for small excursion boats. In addition, the reefs and beaches get a break from anchors and crowds of visitors during the pause.

Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are not affected. Ferries, the airport and the beaches operate as normal.

If you still want to go

Tours are still possible up to and including Saturday, 31 October. Plan a spare day for this, because trips get cancelled at short notice when the waves are high. The entrance fee for foreign adults is 300 baht, for children 150 baht, and it is usually charged on top of the tour price.

What you can do instead

The operators on Samui have fixed replacement programmes for these weeks:

• Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: Day trip from about 2,200 baht, with a sandbar, a viewpoint and good snorkelling. You can read more about the island in the destination guide Koh Tao.
• Pig Island and Koh Tan: Speedboat from Samui’s south coast, from about 1,890 baht, with calm water for snorkelling.
• Koh Phangan: Half an hour by ferry, plus Koh Phangan with its beaches and the quieter east side.
• Koh Samui itself: Waterfalls, the Big Buddha and night markets need no boat. Everything about them is in the destination guide Koh Samui.

If you book for December

Want to visit Ang Thong again in the second half of December? Then book with a provider that offers free cancellation. If the park opens later because of the weather, you are not stuck with the ticket. Also check, for every tour offered to you for November, whether the provider states the date. Some agencies still list the trip.

Sources: Ang Thong Marine Park, Samui Tour and Travel and Thai Trip Planner (October 2026).