Koh Tao is a tropical paradise known for its crystal-clear waters, colorful marine life, and breathtaking coastal scenery. With so many beautiful bays scattered around the island, we decided a private longtail boat adventure would be the perfect way to explore! The highlight of our five-hour journey was hiking to Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint, where we beat the crowds to spectacular panoramic views of three islands connected by stunning white sandbars. Another unforgettable experience was snorkeling alongside blacktip reef sharks at Ao Leuk! We also explored Koh Nang Yuan’s beautiful beaches, snorkeled among colorful fish and coral at peaceful Mango Bay, and cruised past secluded bays and dramatic granite formations along Koh Tao’s coastline. It was one of our favorite adventures in Thailand!
🗓️ Itinerary: Snorkeling, Sharks & Sandbars
We spent the morning of our third day on Koh Tao (April 18, 2026) exploring the island by private boat. We arranged our five-hour trip through View Point Resort after arriving on the island, with pickup directly from the resort’s beach. Our itinerary combined a hike to Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint, snorkeling, and sightseeing before returning to the resort for lunch and relaxation.
- 🛶 8:00 AM – Private longtail boat pickup from View Point Resort (🎟️ BOOK through hotel on arrival)
- 🏝️ 8:30 AM – Mango Bay snorkeling
- 🧗 9:45 AM – Arrive at Koh Nang Yuan before its 10 AM opening (250 THB/person)
- 🥾 10:00 AM – Hike to Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint and explore the beach (~0.7 mi round-trip)
- 🦈 11:15 AM – Ao Leuk snorkeling, where we spotted numerous blacktip reef sharks!
- 🐢 12:00 PM – Cruise past Shark Bay & Shark Island
- 🛶 1:00 PM – Return by boat to View Point Resort
💡 Tips: Smooth Sailing & Snorkeling
- 🛶 Consider a Private Longtail Boat: At 3,000 THB for two people, our five-hour private trip offered flexibility and the convenience of pickup directly from our resort’s beach.
- 🏝️ Visit Koh Nang Yuan Early: Arrive before the 10 AM opening and head straight to the iconic viewpoint to beat the crowds. We were among the first visitors to reach the summit, enjoying spectacular views without the usual queues!
- 🌊 Check the Tides: Koh Nang Yuan’s famous sandbars change with the tides and can become partially or completely submerged at high tide. Visit around low tide for the best views of the exposed sandbars.
- 🚫 Leave Plastic Bottles & Drones Behind: Koh Nang Yuan prohibits single-use plastics, including disposable water bottles, as well as drones. Bags are checked upon arrival, and we had to chug our water and leave the bottles behind before entering! Bring a reusable water bottle instead and leave your drone off the island.
- 💰 Bring Cash: Koh Nang Yuan charged a separate entrance fee of 250 THB per person during our 2026 visit.
- 🦈 Look for Blacktip Reef Sharks: We spotted numerous sharks while snorkeling at Ao Leuk! Keep a respectful distance and avoid touching marine life.
- ☀️ Pack Sun Protection: Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water. You’ll spend several hours exposed to the tropical sun.
- 📸 Bring an Underwater Camera: Between the snorkeling, sharks, and incredible island scenery, there are plenty of opportunities for underwater photos and videos.
- 🛶 Confirm Your Boat & Operator: Despite requesting a traditional wooden longtail, ours was fairly rundown, and the operator smoked frequently. Ask for photos of the actual boat and clarify your preferences before booking.
🚤 Western Coast: Setting Sail from Paradise
Our private snorkeling adventure began with a scenic boat ride north from View Point Resort, giving us a beautiful view of our resort and Villa 4 from the water! Along the way, we cruised past Banana Rock Bar, the hillside villas of Pinnacle Koh Tao Resort, secluded beaches, and dramatic granite headlands. The stunning scenery along Koh Tao’s western coastline made the journey to our first snorkeling stop at Mango Bay an adventure of its own!
🏝️ Mango Bay: A Tropical Snorkeling Escape
Our first snorkeling stop was Mango Bay, a beautiful, secluded bay along Koh Tao’s northern coastline. Surrounded by lush green hills, its clear turquoise waters revealed colorful fish, fascinating coral formations, and massive underwater boulders. While we didn’t encounter any larger marine life, we had the snorkeling area entirely to ourselves! It was incredibly peaceful exploring the underwater scenery without another boat or snorkeler in sight, making it a relaxing start to our adventure.
🏝️ Koh Nang Yuan: Three Islands, Two Sandbars
Just off Koh Tao’s northwest coast, Koh Nang Yuan is a breathtaking collection of three small islands connected by narrow white sandbars surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters. Famous for its iconic viewpoint and picturesque beach, it was one of the stops we were most excited about on our boat adventure!
🔄 360 Photo: Click and drag to look around
🧗 Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint: Racing the Crowds to Paradise
Beating the crowds to Koh Nang Yuan’s iconic viewpoint was a major reason we booked a private snorkeling trip. We arrived around 9:45 AM and practically raced uphill when the island opened at 10 AM, becoming some of the first visitors to reach the summit! Having those breathtaking panoramic views almost entirely to ourselves for a few minutes made the early start worthwhile and was one of the highlights of our Koh Tao adventure.
🔄 360 Photo: Click and drag to look around
📈 Hiking Stats: Climbing to Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint
Time: 21:03 moving, 41:39 elapsed including viewpoint, beach, and photo stops
Distance: ~0.7 mile round trip to the viewpoint (0.93 mile total with beach exploration)
Elevation Gain: 169 ft ascent, 127 ft descent
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, with a short, steep climb to the viewpoint
Terrain: Sandy beaches, wooden boardwalks, stairs, and steep, rocky sections near the summit
Directions: From the Koh Nang Yuan entrance (250 THB/person), follow the boardwalk to the beach, then turn left and cross the southern sandbar. Keep left along the coastal boardwalk until you reach the viewpoint trail, where stairs and steep, rocky sections lead to the summit (~0.7 mile round trip). After descending, we explored Nangyuan Island Beach and the northern sandbar, adding approximately 0.23 mile to our hike.
Additional Resources: Garmin data, We Seek Travel Tips
🏝️ Nangyuan Island Beach: From Sandbar to Sandbar
After hiking to the viewpoint, we explored the stunning Nangyuan Island Beach, walking from the southern sandbar toward the northern sandbar while admiring the crystal-clear turquoise waters on both sides. The narrow sandbars change with the tides and can become partially submerged, making this already spectacular island landscape even more unique!
🔄 360 Photo: Click and drag to look around
🦈 Ao Leuk: Snorkeling with Blacktip Reef Sharks
Ao Leuk was one of the most exciting snorkeling stops of our entire Koh Tao adventure! This beautiful bay on the island’s southeastern coast is known for its clear waters and marine life, including blacktip reef sharks. Unlike our earlier snorkeling experience at Shark Bay, where we didn’t spot any sharks, we encountered several at Ao Leuk! We initially spotted one, then another, and were lucky enough to swim alongside them for a while. Watching these incredible creatures glide through the water was an unforgettable highlight of our private trip!
🚤 Eastern Coast: Hidden Bays, Shark Island & Buddha Rock
Beyond our snorkeling stops, our private boat trip gave us incredible views of Koh Tao’s rugged coastline! We cruised past lush green hillsides, dramatic granite formations, and beautiful bays along the island’s eastern and southern shores, including the areas around Laem Thian and Tanote Bay. Highlights included passing the distinctive rocky Shark Island and the towering granite formations near Cape Taa Toh, home to Buddha Rock. It was a beautiful way to see parts of Koh Tao we hadn’t explored on land!
🔄 360 Photo: Click and drag to look around
📞 Boat Info: Private Koh Tao Boat Trip
Exploring Koh Tao by private boat was one of the highlights of our visit, especially reaching Koh Nang Yuan before the crowds and snorkeling with blacktip reef sharks! While the destinations were incredible, our boat and operator were disappointing. Despite requesting a traditional wooden longtail, we received a fairly rundown boat, and our operator smoked frequently. We’d definitely recommend a private trip for the flexibility, but suggest requesting photos of the actual boat and confirming operator preferences before booking.
- 🛶 Booking: Arranged through View Point Resort after arriving on Koh Tao.
- 💰 Cost: 3,000 THB total for a private boat accommodating 2–4 people.
- ⏰ Duration: Five hours, approximately 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
- 🚤 Transportation: Convenient pickup and drop-off directly from View Point Resort’s beach.
- 🤿 Included: Snorkeling gear (excluding fins), life jackets, drinking water, ice, and shade. Food, soft drinks, and island admission were not included.
- 🏝️ Koh Nang Yuan: Entrance cost 250 THB per person, with opening hours of 10 AM – 5 PM during our visit.
No Comments