Choosing a boat tour in Koh Samui
Almost every day tour sold on this island is a speedboat tour. They are fast, they are cheap, and they are the single most common complaint in Koh Samui's reviews: thirty or forty people packed onto a hull that slams, a schedule that moves you on before you have settled, and a day that is over by the time your ears stop ringing. If that is what you want, the beach roads are full of people selling it.
We run one boat, and she is the opposite of that. A traditional Thai teak cruiser — handcrafted wood, a proper cabin, a flat roof deck built for lying on — carrying a maximum of fifteen guests. She is slow. That is the product, not a limitation.
Which trip suits you
The half-day trip is the one most people take: five hours from nine in the morning, up the Big Buddha coast to Silver Beach for snorkelling and the beach stop, with lunch served on board and everyone home by two. It suits families — the minimum age is four, and the crew run a supervised snorkelling session for children — and it suits anyone who wants a full day's worth of island without losing the whole day.
The sunset cruise is three hours from four in the afternoon, on the west side of the island where the sun actually sets over water. There is a swim stop in the calm sea off Lipa Noi with Ang Thong on the horizon, drinks from the moment you board, and the chef's light bites on deck as the colour goes. It is the better choice if you have a beach day you do not want to give up, or if you simply want the part of the day everyone photographs.
A private charter is the whole boat, for your group alone, on a route you help design. Weekends, by arrangement, up to fifteen guests, with chef menus arranged around who is actually coming. It is what to book for a milestone birthday, a family that does not want to share, or a small wedding party.
What is included on every trip
Return hotel transfer by van, island-wide, at no extra cost — you pick your area when you book and we confirm the time the day before. Snorkelling equipment and lifejackets for every guest. A professional guide, a safety briefing, and travel and medical insurance. Shade when you want it and room to put your things down.
Snorkelling and swimming are crew-supervised recreational activities on our trips — we do not sell dive courses or certified instruction.
When to come
Koh Samui runs counter to Phuket, which surprises people. The best sea conditions here are late December through April and again from June to August. Mid-October to mid-December is the northeast monsoon and the period with the highest chance of a weather cancellation — we still sail plenty of days in it, but we will tell you honestly if a day does not look good.
Shared trips run Monday to Friday and need a minimum of five guests to depart. Saturdays and Sundays are held for private charters. If a shared departure does not reach five, you choose a free reschedule or a full refund — nothing is deducted.
Booking, paying and cancelling
Shared trips are booked on this website — pick a date, choose your lunch, and pay securely online. Charters are quoted in writing first, because the price depends on the length of the day and what you want on board.
Cancel or reschedule free of charge up to 24 hours before departure. The full terms, including the refund tiers for charters, are on the booking terms page. If you want to ask something first, the crew answer on WhatsApp.
More reading: the journal has guides to the island's coastline and what to expect on the water, and the journey map walks through a trip stop by stop.