Despite an overtourism contributing to the overall decline of the country's coral reef, Thailand remains a good snorkeling destination. Its lush tropical coastlines, reefs and islands offers a diversity of snorkeling spots, in both Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. More than 900 species of reef fish are found around the nearly 500 islands scattered along the country's coasts.
Thailand is the perfect destination for enjoying a wide array of underwater life and an easy-going vacation above the water.
The shallow water allows snorkelers to encounter anemonefish, angelfish, sea turtles, and blacktip sharks. Here are the preferred destinations for unforgettable snorkeling sessions in Thailand.
The Gulf of Thailand borders the eastern coast of the country. A dozen large granite islands, among the most visited in Thailand, are scattered along its coasts.
Known as the “Turtle Island”, Koh Tao stands as the most renowned destination in Thailand, captivating both snorkelers and scuba divers alike.
Don’t expect to see pristine, untouched corals on Koh Tao: the high numbers of visitors and episodes of coral bleaching have damaged the reefs. Some areas, however, are abundant with sea turtles, blacktip sharks, and multicolored reef fish.
Koh Tao features a dozen snorkeling spots, which can be visited during boat trips (a must-do activity on the island) or from the beach, although reaching the shore sometimes requires long walks through the jungle.
Though many of the bays found in Koh Tao are perfect for snorkeling, one of the most revered of them all is Tanote Bay. Other popular locations on the island are Hin Wong Bay, Mango Bay, and Aow Leuk.
In the southern part of the island, Shark Bay is the place to go if you want to swim with blacktip sharks and green turtles, even though they are also common at other locations like Tanote Bay or Sai Daeng.
The small island of Koh Nang Yuan, 650 yards/600 meters off the northwest coast of Koh Tao, is more worthwhile for its idyllic setting than for its seabed, which is very damaged.
The neighboring islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui are located about 30 miles/50 kilometers south of Koh Tao. These two islands are famous for their vibrant nightlife, but some parts of them are very quiet and much less populated.
In Koh Phangan, it is in Mae Haad, connected by a sandbank to the small island of Koh Ma, that the best snorkeling is found. Soft coral, sea kraits, turtles, and a plethora of fish species call the reef home. Following the coast towards the south, three other sites have good snorkeling opportunities: Salad Beach, Yao Beach, and Chao Phao Beach.
In Koh Samui, Chaweng Beach, Silver Beach, Coral Cove and Ao Phang Ka are the most popular snorkeling locations.
On these two islands, the sea can be rough in the most exposed locations, and underwater visibility can get bad, particularly in the rainy season.
If you stay for a few days in Koh Phang Ngan or Koh Samui, don’t miss the boat trip to the Angthong Marine National Park and its 42 tropical islands surrounded by turquoise water.
Idyllic islands in the Gulf of Thailand, the Koh Chang archipelago is also a good snorkeling destination.
Although you can find decent snorkeling from the main island when the underwater visibility allows (you can try your chance at Kai Bae Beach or Lonely Beach), the best snorkeling is found on the small islands south of Koh Chang.
Koh Rang National Park, which can be reached on day trips from Koh Chang, is a tropical paradise. Most snorkeling sessions during boat tours take place in Koh Rong, Koh Yak Lek, and on the islet facing Shrine Beach. Good snorkeling is found in Koh Mai too.
Elsewhere in the Gulf of Thailand, there is very good snorkeling on Koh Talu, one of the country’s few private islands, protected by a marine reserve. If you are staying in Pattaya, Koh Larn, Koh Khrok and Koh Sak are easy to reach with day trips.
The Andaman Sea, which borders the western coast of Thailand, is home to some of the country’s most beautiful islands.
Koh Lanta National Park includes part of the island of Koh Lanta, as well as several surrounding islands and islets. If the main island does not offer good snorkeling conditions, there are excellent sites in the surrounding area to visit on day trips.
The twin islands of Koh Rok Noi and Koh Rok Yai are both fringed with shallow reefs where you can see anemonefish, moray eels, angelfish, and other tropical fish.
The tiny archipelago of Koh Haa (The Five Islands) also hosts an abundance of marine life, particularly in the lagoon which connects the three central islands and at The Cathedral.
Other popular day tour destinations in the National Park include Koh Mai, Koh Gnu, Koh Ma and Koh Talabeng.
The Phi Phi Islands are a small archipelago off the coast of Krabi. This region mesmerizes visitors with its towering emerald hills, turquoise waters, and white sand beaches.
As one of the most popular tourist hotspots in Thailand, coral damage in the Phi Phi Islands reached a critical level at the end of the 2010s due to the booming tourism industry, leading to the complete closure of some popular islands.
The two main islands of the archipelago are Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh, but only the first is inhabited.
On Koh Phi Phi Don, the most visited snorkeling locations are Monkey Beach (Yong Kasem Bay), a small jungle-fringed cove inhabited by a colony of crab-eating macaques, and Loh Lana Bay. All their corals, however, are destroyed.
World-famous Maya Bay, on the neighboring island of Koh Phi Phi Leh, is the jewel in the crown of the Phi Phi Islands. The site reopened in 2023 after four years and the marine life – in particular the blacktip sharks- has returned to Maya Bay, but snorkeling and swimming remain prohibited.
Boats therefore take day trippers for snorkeling in the neighboring Pi Leh Bay, which mainly features coral debris-covered seabed.
Around the two Phi Phi islands, several islands and islets lend themselves to great snorkeling trips: Bamboo Island, entirely surrounded by a coral reef, and Mosquito Island (or Koh Yung), which is currently closed to visitors.
This group of 5 small islands, located just 40 miles/65 kilometers off the coast of continental Thailand, seems like a slice of paradise. Within the boundaries of the Mu Ko Surin National Park, spanning a mere 10 miles/16 kilometers from north to south lies some of the most extraordinary snorkeling sites in the country.
The two main islands in the archipelago are Koh Surin Nuea to the north and Koh Surin Tai to the south. The Surin Islands are popular with day trippers from Phuket, Krabi, or Ao Nang, but if you want to better enjoy the place, opt for a liveaboard cruise instead. The National Park is closed during the rainy season, in general from mid-May to the end of October.
A dozen good snorkeling spots are scattered around the five Surin islands. If the reefs suffered several episodes of bleaching around twenty years ago, the reefs have now recovered and are among the most beautiful in Thailand.
Bigger animals like Manta rays or Whale Sharks can also be seen although sightings are less common.
60 miles/100 kilometers northwest of Phuket lies the Similan Marine National Park, a group of granite islands that includes the 9 islands of the Similan archipelago, as well as two islands located further north, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai.
The crystal-clear waters surrounding the Islands contribute to excellent visibility, allowing you to witness awe-inspiring creatures like nudibranchs, octopuses, reef fish, and sea turtles, for which the archipelago is an important nesting site.
Still off the beaten track twenty years ago, the Similan Islands are now visited by an increasing number of tourists.
There are many more snorkeling opportunities in the Andaman Sea, in particular in Koh Kradan, Koh Lipe, the Racha Islands (Koh Racha Noi and Koh Racha Yai), and the Hat Chao Mai Marine Park, near Koh Lanta.
The degradation of coral reefs has continued for several decades in Thailand due to tourism and fishing activities. Even though some strict measures have been implemented to allow corals to recover, a large part of the country’s shallow reefs is still damaged in comparison with the Philippines or Indonesia, for example.
Despite the variable state of coral reefs, snorkeling in Thailand means a staggering array of marine life. The country’s reefs support thousands of fish and invertebrate species, hundreds of coral types, as well as sea turtles, sea snakes, blacktip reef sharks, whales, and manta rays.
As the country is sandwiched between two oceans, the marine life partly differs depending on whether you snorkel in the Andaman Sea, on the Indian Ocean side, or in the Gulf of Thailand, on the Pacific Ocean side.
Thailand is known as a reliable place to spot different species of anemonefish. On Koh Tao, Thailand’s diving Mecca, however, only two species are usually spotted: the Skunk clownfish, abundant at all locations, and the Saddleback clownfish, rarely seen at snorkeling depths. To encounter the famous Ocellaris clownfish, head towards the Phi Phi Islands or the Koh Lanta National Park instead.
With a water temperature on average around 82.4°F/28°C, Thailand is a year-round snorkeling destination.
There are two main seasons in Thailand: the dry season, from December to April, and the monsoon season, from May to November. With its sunny weather and mild temperatures, the dry season is the most suitable for snorkeling. During the rainy season, rain can last several days and boats remain at the dock due to poor sea conditions.
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Common on all reef spots
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; abundant at Furuzamami Beach
Frequently sighted at Ama Beach at high tide; occasionally seen at Furuzamami Beach
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; common at Furuzamami and Aharen
Frequently sighted chasing on Furuzamami Beach reef
Common in Koh Tao, particularly at Shark Bay
Common in Koh Tao, notably at Shark Bay
Frequently sighted on many spots in the Andaman Sea, including Phi Phi and Koh Lanta
Widespread; common around Koh Tao, especially at Koh Nang Yuan, Tanote Bay, Sharks Bay and Monkey Beach
Sheltered cove with corals and reef fish
Level: Free shore access
Fringing reef with colorful fish
Level: Free shore access Resort nearby
Level: Resort nearby
Level:
Rocky bay with reef fish, schools of fusiliers and small sharks
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