Boat Rental Koh Samui (Bophut) — 2027 Guide: Ang Thong, Koh Phangan, Sailing and Prices

Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island and lies in the Gulf of Thailand, on the opposite side of the peninsula from Phuket and the Andaman Sea. Bophut on the north coast, with its old Fisherman's Village, wooden houses along the beach and a promenade, is the most practical starting point for boat trips: Samui airport is about ten minutes' drive away, and Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Ang Thong Marine Park lie to the north and west of the island. This guide explains where you can sail from Bophut, how long it takes to reach each destination, what our boats cost and why the season here is different from Phuket.

Where boats leave from

• Bophut (Fisherman's Village): a calm, shallow bay in the north of the island, sheltered from the open sea. Motor yachts and speedboats leave from here, and on Friday evenings the village holds a walking street with a market (Walking Street), so a day at sea easily ends with dinner by the beach. See the Bophut location page.
• Bang Rak (Big Buddha): the neighbouring beach east of Bophut, below the Big Buddha temple. The sailboats and catamaran from our listings are moored here.

Where to sail from Bophut

• Koh Phangan (about 7–10 nautical miles): 20–30 minutes by speedboat, about an hour and a half by sailboat. The most common goal of full-day trips: beaches on the west and north coasts, the sandbar to the islet of Koh Ma near Mae Haad, and Haad Rin in the southeast. Koh Phangan is also the destination of sailing cruises with a night on board.
• Ang Thong Marine Park (about 20 nautical miles west): an archipelago of 42 limestone islands, about an hour by speedboat. On the island of Koh Mae Ko a staircase leads to a viewpoint above the saltwater lagoon Thale Nai (Emerald Lake), and Koh Wua Talab is home to the park headquarters with a steep trail to a viewpoint. The entrance fee is not included in the rental price. Ang Thong is too far for a sailboat in a single day, so it is visited on safaris of three or four days.
• Koh Tao (about 34 nautical miles north): an island known for diving, about an hour and a half by speedboat. Next to it are the three Nang Yuan islets joined by a sandbar, with a separate entrance fee on the island itself.
• Koh Madsum and Koh Tan (southwest of Samui): Koh Madsum is known as Pig Island, because pigs roam freely on the beach, and around Koh Tan and Koh Rap the sea is shallow and good for snorkelling. A calmer, shorter route, good for families.
• Around Samui and sunset: half-day trips and cruises from 16:00 to 18:30 along the north coast, with swimming and a view of Koh Phangan.

Sailing and catamarans

Samui is one of the few places in Thailand where you can sail for several days from island to island. The sailboats Sanora and Geronimo and the catamaran Dreamcatcher offer cruises with overnight stays: two days to Koh Phangan, and a safari of three or four days to Ang Thong, Koh Tao and back via Koh Phangan. Nights are spent at anchor in sheltered bays, and the skipper chooses the route according to the wind.

Prices in our listings

All boats on Koh Samui on Crystalium Booker are rented with a skipper, and prices are in Thai baht (THB) for the whole boat:

• Sea Energy speedboat (39 ft, 2 × 250 hp, up to 15 people): a full day to Koh Phangan or to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum 25,000 THB, to Ang Thong 30,000 THB, to Koh Tao 35,000 THB. Lunch and park entrance fees are not included. See the listing.
• Sailboat Sanora (Freedom 30, up to 5 people): sunset 8,000 THB, half day 11,000 THB, full day 17,000 THB for two people, each additional person 1,000 THB. Two days with an overnight stay around Koh Phangan 38,000 THB for up to four people. See the listing.
• Catamaran Dreamcatcher (Seawind 1000, up to 18 people on a day trip): full day 36,000 THB for up to six people, two days with an overnight stay to Koh Phangan 75,000 THB for up to five people. See the listing.
• Yacht Red Dragon (24 m, teak, up to 74 people): half day (5 hours) 43,000 THB and full day (10.5 hours) 71,500 THB for ten people, with a jacuzzi on the bow, kayaks and a crew of seven. See the listing.

Season: the off-season for Europeans

Samui has a different rain pattern from Phuket. From October to December the northeast monsoon brings the most rain and waves to the east coast of the island, and November is usually the wettest month. At that time trips to Ang Thong and Koh Tao are sometimes postponed because of the sea, while shorter routes along the north coast and to Koh Phangan are more often possible. From January to April it is dry and the sea is at its calmest, and from May to August the weather is mostly good, with short showers.

For guests from Europe this is the off-season: when winter starts at home, the best months for sailing arrive on Samui from January, and the sea is around 28–30 °C all year. In July and August too, when the Andaman Sea off Phuket is rough, Samui is the better choice. If you are reading this guide in November or December, keep a spare day in your plans in case of bad weather.

For the other side of Thailand, see our guide to boat rental in Phuket.

Practical tips

• Cash. Park entrance fees and lunch on board are paid separately in the speedboat listings, so bring some baht.
• Early start. For Ang Thong and Koh Tao, set off in the morning, when the sea is usually calmer and before the afternoon showers.

Boat rental on Koh Samui with Crystalium Booker

See all boats and trips on the Bophut location page, for example the two-day sailing cruise to Koh Phangan. Send an enquiry with your date and number of people, or write to us via the contact page: we check the date with the owner, you pay us the booking, and you pay the rest to the owner on the day of the rental. Do you rent out a boat on Koh Samui or Koh Phangan? List it with us.