Turquoise waters, pure nature and a snorkeling paradise literally on your doorstep: Koh Ngai (also called Koh Hai) is one of the most beautiful islands in the southern Andaman Sea in Thailand. If you are looking for peace and quiet and want to relax, then this is the right place for you!
Where is Koh Ngai located?
The small island of Koh Ngai is still a real natural paradise. It is only a cuddly 5 square kilometers in size and is located south of the island of Koh Lanta in the Andaman Sea. Here are some of the most beautiful islands in Thailand and Koh Ngai is definitely one of them! It is only 15 kilometers to the nearest pier on the mainland, Pak Meng Pier. The next largest city on the mainland is Trang.
The best places to stay on Koh Ngai:
Budget/mid-range: Koh Ngai Seafood
Upscale: Coco Cottage Resort
What you can do on Koh Ngai
It’s easy to list the activities on Koh Ngai. Snorkeling, sunbathing, relaxing, and unwinding: there isn’t much else to do. You can stroll up and down the beautiful beach or explore the underwater world. In fact, there are small coral reefs right off the beach. The water is crystal-clear and turquoise blue.
If you need some exercise, you can also rent a kayak almost anywhere. If the water is calm, you can also paddle to one of the small inhabitated islands nearby.
You can reach Paradise Beach on the other side of the island after a short hike through the jungle. There’s a small beach there. However, the only resort there is closed. So be sure to bring enough water and food with you. Sturdy shoes are helpful.
Day trip to Koh Ngai
If you’re short on time, you can also take a day trip to Koh Ngai. Tours are offered from several islands around Koh Ngai as well as from the mainland. These usually include additional stops. You can either book a spot on one of these tours or charter an entire boat once you’re there. However, this is usually only worth it if you’re in a larger group.
Small disadvantages in paradise
If you are accommodated on Koh Ngai, the excursions can sometimes spoil the paradisiacal atmosphere, depending on the day of the week. On weekends, several boats can dock one after the other. However, the main beach is very spacious, and there are always longtail boats carrying small groups heading to Koh Ngai. So the crowds are spread out quite well.
More annoying are the loud longtail boats crisscrossing the waters off the coast, which serve as a reminder that you’re still relatively close to civilization—the mainland is clearly visible from Koh Ngai.
Thailand really is a fantastic travel destination and incredibly diverse. Why not take a look at my other articles on Thailand and see for yourself!
How expensive is Koh Ngai?
Koh Ngai is one of the more expensive vacation destinations in Thailand. This gives the island a kind of exclusivity and Koh Ngai is still not overcrowded like many other islands. However, this exclusivity also has its price.
Prices are higher than elsewhere in Thailand (e.g., a serving of spring rolls costs 140 THB, approx. €, and a large bottle of water for the day costs 40 THB). Restaurants typically add a 10% service charge and a 7% tax to the final bill.
Where to stay on Koh Ngai
Since the island is relatively small, there aren’t many places to stay. Unlike on other islands, it’s best to decide in advance where you’d like to stay and book right away. For one thing, accommodations here fill up quickly during peak season; for another, when you arrive by boat, you’ll be dropped off right in front of your resort.
There is a pier, but if your resort is located a bit further up the beach, the only way to get there would be to walk along the beach with all your luggage. However, the more expensive resorts usually find a convenient way to pick you up from the boat, luggage and all. That’s because there are no roads, scooters, or any other means of transportation on Koh Ngai. It’s best to contact your resort again after making your reservation.
Koh Ngai Seafood
Koh Ngai Seafood consists of a few small bungalows on the beach. The bungalows are simple, but are all facing the sea and even from the two cabins located in the second row you’ll have a sea view. There is no hot water (but that is really not bad considering the tropical temperatures) and electricity is also only available from about 6pm until about 8am in the morning.
Just don’t get the very first bungalow next to the restaurant, it’s not quite as heavenly in terms of noise.
Coco Cottage
If I had seen Coco Cottage before, I would have booked right here! In person, I found the small plant much prettier and more atmospheric. I would even say I could have spent an entire 2-week vacation here without really doing much and recover like never before. The restaurant is expensive, but a pleasant change from the other locations, and the service so nice that I became a regular here pretty quickly, even though I lived two resorts away.
What you need to bring to Koh Ngai
Be sure to remember that you’re going to a nearly deserted island ! Here there is no 7Eleven like elsewhere in Thailand, which is open around the clock and which supplies you with everything. Some resorts have small “stores” where you can stock up on essentials, such as water for the day or if you run out of toothpaste. But it’s best if you bring everything with you beforehand.
Here’s a list of things you should pack:
- Sunscreen (preferably coral friendly)
- Mosquito repellent with DEET (you’re in the middle of the jungle, and there are already some pesky mosquitoes in the evening when there’s no wind).
- Snorkeling equipment such as goggles and snorkels (the resorts also rent equipment, but it is usually only the simplest models, which are of course already very used. With the goggles you don’t necessarily have the best view).
How to get to Koh Ngai
Koh Ngai is connected to the speedboat network operated by the major ferry companies between Phuket and Ko Lipe. The boats run on this route between November and April and stop at just about every island along the way, such as Koh Kradan, Koh Jum, and Koh Mook. Operators on this route include Bundhaya, Tigerlinetravel, Phuketferry, and Satun Pakbara. As with all modes of transportation in Asia, you can easily book tickets in advance on 12go .
When I made my booking, I could still specify whether I wanted to book a transfer from the pier by longtail boat for an additional 100 baht, but in the end the speedboat itself docked on the beach in front of Koh Ngai Seafood. On departure, however, I was first taken to the speedboat by longtail boat. As always, the luggage is unloaded for you, you then simply hop off the boat into the sand and, if necessary, you also get help getting off.
Interested in island hopping in Thailand?
Be sure to check out my complete island guide for the southern Andaman Sea here
Who will love Koh Ngai
If you are looking for parties and really want to party, Koh Ngai is not for you. You will also look in vain for milder forms of evening entertainment such as fire shows.
Hikers & Outdoor Enthusiasts
If you want to explore and hike a lot, it will be difficult on Koh Ngai. Basically, there is only the main beach, where most of the resorts are located, and Paradise Beach in the south, which you can reach via a hiking trail. The only resort there, however, has closed since the pandemic.
The rest of the island is completely densely forested, completely undeveloped and partly mountainous. For this, Koh Ngai is the perfect island to relax and enjoy the nature all around. You can see hornbills, sea eagles and many other exotic birds.
Families with children
I wouldn’t recommend Koh Ngai to families with smaller children: Although the beach slopes relatively shallowly in most places, the coral reef starts relatively close to shore and it can be hard to find a spot without uneven ground. Also, glass shards keep washing up, some dull, but others still very sharp. But older children will certainly enjoy the fascinating underwater world.
Solo travelers
With all the paradise vibes, you might think that Koh Ngai is mainly for couples in love. But even as a solo traveler I felt very comfortable here and was not the only person traveling alone.
Koh Ngai is simply perfect if you need a few days’ rest from traveling and want to relax. But beware, one or two people stayed on this beautiful island longer than planned 🙂
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