Longtail Boat Snorkelling Trip to the Inner Islands Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe and Walking Street

Koh Lipe is a small island in the far south of the Andaman coast, in Satun province, close to the border with Malaysia. It sits inside the boundaries of Tarutao National Park, and its three main beaches – Pattaya, Sunrise and Sunset – are linked by Walking Street, a lane of cafés, dive shops and tour counters. Your trip starts here at 9:15, so check in at least 20 minutes early.

Most travellers reach Koh Lipe by speedboat from Pak Bara pier on the mainland, or from Langkawi in Malaysia in season. Everyone pays the national park fee on arrival; keep that ticket, because you must show it at the park checkpoint during this trip. It stays valid for five days from purchase.

Koh Jabang: Soft Corals and Anemones

The first stop is Koh Jabang, a tiny rocky island north of Koh Lipe that divers and snorkellers love for its colourful soft corals. Underwater rocks along the channel are covered in purple, orange and pink growth, often called the seven-colour coral, with anemones and swarms of small reef fish moving in the current.

The water here is around five to six metres deep, so you see the reef clearly from the surface, and confident swimmers can duck down for a closer look. The captain chooses the side of the island with the calmest water on the day and stays with anyone who needs help. Morning light at this first stop is usually soft and the water at its calmest, which makes it a favourite with underwater photographers.

Koh Hin Ngam: The Black-Stone Beach

Koh Hin Ngam is one of the most unusual places in Tarutao National Park. Instead of sand, its beach is made of smooth, rounded grey and black stones of almost the same size. When the waves wash over them they shine like polished glass, and the effect is striking in photos. Local belief says the stones must never be taken from the island, and park rangers enforce the rule.

Behind the island lies a separate snorkelling site with brain corals, fire corals and plenty of clownfish in shallow water. A national park checkpoint operates here, which is where you show the ticket you bought on arrival at Koh Lipe. Most visitors spend a few minutes walking on the stones and taking photos before getting back on the boat.

Koh Yang and Koh Rawi

Just north of Koh Hin Ngam, Koh Yang is surrounded by hard corals – staghorn, lettuce and table corals – that create a maze of shapes for fish to shelter in. It is an ideal stop for beginners because the reef is close to the surface and the water is usually calm and clear.

Koh Rawi, the next stop, is a larger island with long white-sand beaches and very clear water. This is where you eat your lunch box with seasonal fruit, use the toilets and have time to swim or relax under the trees. It is one of the most photographed beaches near Koh Lipe and a highlight of any Koh Lipe island hopping day.

Koh Adang Reef

Koh Adang is the large, mountainous island that rises directly north of Koh Lipe, covered in rainforest and fringed by reefs. The snorkelling stop here shows a wide variety of corals – staghorn, brain, big star and orange cup corals – together with sea anemones where at least two types of clownfish live.

Keep an eye out for giant clams, blue starfish, rock gourami and the occasional lionfish resting under ledges. After the last swim the longtail boat heads back to Koh Lipe, arriving in the afternoon with plenty of time left to enjoy the beach or sunset. Koh Adang also has jungle trails and viewpoints, so many travellers return another day to explore its forest on foot.