Do It Yourself Coral Island Tour

by Christine Goh
(Singapore)

Question

Hi,

Whilst there is Coral Island tour that my family of 6,(4 adults + 2 kids) could book with the agent, is it possible to make the trip to Coral Island on our own?

We are staying at Bang Tao area.

Would it be better to arrange for ferry or speedboat from Chalong Pier or Rawai Beach?

How much would the ferry or speedboat cost for a round trip transfer?

Would there be any rental kiosk for snorkeling equipment?

A tour would cost us Thai Baht 1000 for Adult and 800 for Child.

Which would be a better option, a Tour booked through an agent or a Do It Yourself Tour?

Answer
Hi Christine,

Yes, it’s possible for you and your family to make the trip to Coral Island without booking a tour through an agent.

If you organise your own day trip to Coral Island keep in mind that you will need to also organise your own return transport from Bang Tao to Rawai or Chalong Peir.

We usually hire a car or motorbike when in Phuket to get around as we find it a cheaper alternative then paying for taxis and tuk tuks.

Therefore, it has been a while since we have caught a taxi from Bang Tao to the southern areas of Phuket, but I would expect that you would be looking at paying around 800 baht each way.

As there are six of you travelling as a group it would be best to find a taxi large enough that will be able to transport all of you, like a mini bus and also let them know beforehand that you want a return transfer; which might work out slightly cheaper than paying for two, one way fares.

There are speedboats and many longtail boats located along the shoreline at Rawai Beach that will take you to Coral Island.

The price for a longtail boat will vary, especially during the low season and you will have to negotiate the price of the boat with the longtail boat drivers, I would estimate that the price per boat is around 1500 baht for the return trip from Rawai and slightly more expensive from Chalong Pier.

Most longtail boats include snorkel gear in the price of the boat, but just double check with them before heading off.

Naturally a speedboat to Coral Island will be much quicker but it will also cost a lot more and personally I find longtail boats are a fun way to get around.

Another option, although this is more expensive is to Charter your own private speedboat, we did this on our last trip to Coral Island and had a wonderful day.

The speedboat charter company can pick you up from your resort and transfer you to their private beach before heading off to Coral Island and the best part is you can tailor where you want to go, they also take you to areas that are not overcrowded, which is nice.

What I would do is when you get to Phuket, ask a couple of taxi drivers around Bang Tao area "how much it is to get a return trip to Rawai or Chalong Pier” then weigh up which is the better option for your group.

Also you might want to have a look at stopping off at Bon Island for lunch on your way back from Coral Island.

I hope this information is helpful, sorry I can't be more specific with prices the prices change continually from year to year and season to season.

Wishing you and your family all the best for your travels in Phuket.

Regards
Jeff & Paula