How much is the entry fee for Mu Ko Chumphon National Park?

For Thais it's 40 THB for adults and 20 THB for children; for foreigners it's 200 THB for adults and 100 THB for children. This is separate from the tour or boat fare. Some tours include the entry fee, others have you pay it yourself at the checkpoint, so ask clearly when you book.

When is the best time to dive in Mu Ko Chumphon?

The clear-water, calm-wind season is April to October, especially May, which many people say is the clearest water of the year. November to February is the monsoon season on the Gulf side, with strong waves and boats often unable to go out, so check with your tour operator first.

Roughly how much do Mu Ko Chumphon diving tours cost?

A one-day join-in snorkeling tour, shared with another group, starts at around 1,300–1,500 THB per person, including boat, guide, gear and lunch. If there are several of you, you can charter your own boat; a private boat starts at around 1,200–1,500 THB and up. Prices shift with the season and distance.

Is there really a chance of seeing whale sharks, and can you see them while snorkeling?

The Chumphon sea is a route that whale sharks pass through to feed in certain seasons, especially around Ko Ngam Yai and Ko Ngam Noi, and there's a chance of seeing one even while snorkeling. But there are no guarantees — treat it as a bonus rather than something to expect on every trip. People see them most often during clear-water season.

Which pier do you take a boat from to reach Mu Ko Chumphon?

It depends on which island group you're heading for. Ao Kram Pier in Sawi district is the closest departure for Ko Kula, a 15–20 minute boat ride. Tha Yang Pier in town is the main pier for the Ko Ngam tours, while Ko Ran Pet–Ko Ran Kai and Ko Thalu depart from the Lang Suan–Thung Tako side. Check with your tour operator which pier they use.

Mu Ko Chumphon National Park 2026 — Snorkeling, Diving & Fees

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Mu Ko Chumphon National Park covers stretches of sea and islands across several districts, from the Chumphon river mouth down through Sawi and Thung Tako to Lang Suan. More than 40 islands of all sizes are scattered through the area: some are rock islands where swiftlets nest, some have white-sand beaches you can walk on, and around them are the reefs that make up the dive spots. The charm of this coast is that it's still not as crowded as the Andaman side. People haven't spread across it the way they have in Krabi or Phuket, so the atmosphere stays calmer.

Another thing people who work the sea here bring up often is that the waters off Chumphon are a route that whale sharks regularly pass through to feed in certain seasons, especially around the Ko Ngam islands. If you're lucky you have a shot at seeing a big one even on a snorkeling trip. The area is also one of the country's densest spots for sea fans and black coral, which keeps underwater photographers coming back.

Top dive spots in Mu Ko Chumphon

Chumphon's dive spots are spread across several islands. Most one-day tours loop around 3–4 islands so you get a mix of snorkeling and beach time. The ones people talk about most are the Ko Ngam group and the islands around them, listed below.

Ko Ngam Yai

Snorkeling & diving · whale shark chance

The big rock island that's the star of the Chumphon sea. It's ringed by hard-coral gardens and sea fans, with fish of every kind, and it's the spot in the park with the best chance of meeting a whale shark. Good for both snorkeling and diving.

HighlightCoral

Ko Ngam Noi

Snorkeling & diving · sea-fan wall

Right next to Ko Ngam Yai, its underwater rock walls are lined with sea fans and brightly colored soft coral, with moray eels, groupers and schools of small fish gathered in clusters. A favorite of underwater photographers.

Soft coralPhotography

Ko Maphrao

Snorkeling · good for beginners

A small island with a clean white-sand beach and clear shallow water, good for beginners and kids because the shallow-water coral sits close to the surface and is easy to see. Easy to walk the beach too.

BeachFamily

Ko Kalok

Snorkeling · coral around the island

An oddly shaped rock island where boats usually stop so you can snorkel the coral around it. The water is clear and you can see the fish schools easily — a popular stop on the one-day 4-island programs.

Clear waterDay tour

Ko Thalu

Snorkeling · rock arch

An island whose standout feature is a rock arch you can pass through. The water around it is clear, with coral and fish schools to snorkel over. It's another island on the tour route over by Ko Ran Pet and Ko Ran Kai.

Photo spot

Ko Ran Pet–Ko Ran Kai

Snorkeling · day tour

A pair of islands that make up another popular snorkeling spot on the far side, with clear shallow water and coral of many kinds. They're usually run as a one-day tour paired with Ko Thalu, with easy boat access from the Lang Suan–Thung Tako piers.

Clear shallows

Ko Mattra

Snorkeling · beach break

An island with both a sandy beach and a reef. Some tours use it as a lunch and swim stop. The atmosphere is laid-back, good for a mid-trip break.

Beach

Ko Kula

Snorkeling · short boat ride

An island on the Ao Kram side with the shortest boat ride, just 15–20 minutes. It has a sandy beach and clear shallow water, with snorkeling and kayaking around the island. Good for anyone who wants an island day without a long boat ride.

KayakClose to shore

Where should beginners start

If you've never snorkeled before, start at Ko Maphrao or Ko Kula, where the water is shallow and the coral sits close to the surface. Once you're comfortable, move on to the Ko Ngam group, where the water is deeper and there's a chance of a whale shark. Most tours include life jackets and a guide who stays with you, so just tell the guide up front if you're not a strong swimmer.

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Best time to go and when the water is clearest

Chumphon is on the Gulf of Thailand, so the clear-water, calm-wind season runs roughly from April to October, and especially May, which many people say is the clearest water of the year — you can see the coral and fish schools sharply. From November to February it's the monsoon season on the Gulf side, with strong waves and a lot of rain, and many tour operators stop running or can't take boats out every day.

April–May — water at its clearest and the heat is just right for swimming. This is the high season for the Chumphon sea.
June–October — still good for getting in the water, with rain in spells but plenty of days when the sea is still lovely, and fewer people than in the hot season.
November–February — monsoon season, strong waves, boats often can't go out. Always check with your tour operator first.
Whale sharks — no guarantees, but people see them most often during clear-water season around the Ko Ngam islands. Treat it as a bonus rather than something to count on.

Getting there and the piers

The park spans several districts, so there are several departure piers depending on which island group you're heading for. Most tours meet you at the pier and set off together. If you're driving yourself, check with the tour operator which pier they use, since each one is in a different district.

Ao Kram Pier (Sawi district) — the closest departure for Ko Kula, a 15–20 minute boat ride. Good for an easy trip without a long ride.
Tha Yang Pier (Mueang district) — the main pier for many Ko Ngam dive tours, and convenient to reach from town.
Lang Suan–Thung Tako piers — for the Ko Ran Pet–Ko Ran Kai and Ko Thalu programs on the southern side of the province.
Getting to Chumphon — take the train or a coach to Chumphon station and carry on to the pier, or fly into Chumphon airport and rent or charter a car from there.

Booking a tour or chartering a boat

If you'd rather not arrange it yourself, booking a one-day snorkeling tour with a local operator is the easiest option — they sort out the boat, guide, gear and lunch for you. A join-in tour (sharing with another group) starts at around 1,300–1,500 THB per person. If there are several of you, you can charter your own boat instead; a private boat starts at around 1,200–1,500 THB and up, depending on the size of the boat and the distance. Prices shift with the season and fuel costs, so confirm with the operator again before you book.

Park entry fee and costs

The park entry fee is separate from the tour or boat fare. Some tours include the entry fee, others have you pay it yourself at the checkpoint, so ask clearly when you book to avoid confusion on the day.

Park entry (Thai) — 40 THB adults, 20 THB children.
Park entry (foreigners) — 200 THB adults, 100 THB children.
One-day join-in snorkeling tour — around 1,300–1,500 THB per person, including boat, guide, gear and lunch.
Chartering your own boat — from around 1,200–1,500 THB per boat and up; works out cheaper per head for a group.
Gear rental — if you go on your own, masks and fins can be rented at the pier for a few hundred THB.

Mu Ko Chumphon as a one-day round trip

Day trip