Snorkeling Tours from Phuket: Where the Water Is Clearest
By the PhuketGO tour desk on Phuket — we book and run these trips every week · Updated 28 September 2026
The best snorkelling you can reach from Phuket in a day is in the Similan islands. Racha Yai comes a close second if you do not want a long crossing. For a very first time with a mask, Khai island on the Phi Phi route and Hin Dam bay at Coral island are kinder: shallow water, fish close to the shore.
Tours and prices in Thai baht
| Tour | Duration | Adult | Child 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similan islands, early departure | One day, 04:00–17:00 | 2,800 ฿ | 2,500 ฿ |
| Similan islands: the classic day trip | About twelve hours | 2,600 ฿ | 2,400 ฿ |
| Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise | One day, 04:30–15:30 | 1,600 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Racha and Coral islands by speedboat | Eight to nine hours | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Coral island from Rawai pier | Half a day, 08:30–14:00 | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island by speedboat | One day | 2,000 ฿ | 1,800 ฿ |
| Krabi tropical paradise: four islands in one day | One day, 09:00–18:30 | 2,300 ฿ | 2,000 ฿ |
| Diving in the Andaman Sea: two dives in a day | One day, roughly 07:00–18:00 | 4,200 ฿ | 4,000 ฿ |
Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.
Where is the clearest water for snorkelling near Phuket?
The Similans, and it is not close. The national park has the best visibility and the most life on the reef — but it only opens from mid-October to mid-May. On the classic big-boat day there are two stops purely for snorkelling: island 9 at nine in the morning, island 7 after lunch.
The early Similan boat gets there ahead of the crowd. Its snorkel stop is in open water where turtles often show up (often, not always — nobody controls turtles). And it hands out fins, not just masks and snorkels, which makes a real difference in a current.
Is Racha Yai good for snorkelling?
Very, especially early. Racha Yai is forty minutes from Chalong, with clear water at Patok Bay. On the sunrise trip you land at 06:40 — beach empty, visibility at its best — and later stop over the coral reefs for a second go before lunch on Coral island.
Coral island has the reef right off the beach. On the half-day trip from Rawai, the boat moves after lunch to Hin Dam bay on the far side of the island. Quieter than the main beach. A good place to find out whether you like this.
I have never snorkelled. Where should I start?
Khai island. On Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island it is the very first stop: shallow, clear water, fish right up to the sand. You can stand whenever you panic (everyone does, once). The rest of the day adds snorkelling at Monkey Beach and beside Maya Bay.
Other Phi Phi trips have their own stops around Phi Phi Don; the sunrise boat stops at one of the best spots in the archipelago around 09:20. Masks and snorkels come with the price on every trip in the table below.
Can I snorkel at Hong island, or try diving?
Krabi tropical paradise includes a snorkelling stop off Hong island in turquoise water at 15:40, after the climb to the viewpoint. It is a good choice for people who want snorkelling as one part of a relaxed day with a late start rather than the main event.
If you want to go below the surface, the Andaman Sea diving day offers two dives of 30 to 40 minutes each on two different sites. It suits first-timers, who get a full briefing and stay with a certified instructor throughout, and certified divers, who go to deeper sites. For divers without certification one dive is 3,900 ฿ and two dives are 4,100 ฿, and a medical questionnaire is filled in before diving.
- Clearest water, high season — the Similans
- Clear water without a long crossing — Racha Yai, ideally at sunrise
- First time snorkelling — Khai island on the Phi Phi route
- Short and easy — Hin Dam bay at Coral island
- Going deeper — the Andaman Sea diving day
What should I know before snorkelling?
Being able to swim makes every snorkelling stop far more enjoyable, but life jackets are provided and you can snorkel wearing one. On the speedboat trips the ride can be bumpy; take something beforehand if you are prone to seasickness, because feeling unwell at the stop ruins the best reef.
Every tour in our catalogue runs with an English-speaking guide.
Reefs recover slowly, so stand on sand rather than coral, do not feed the fish and keep your fins up when you float over shallow reef. The crews point out where to enter the water at each stop, and they will hand out a life jacket to anyone who wants to keep one on.
The first time, most people fight the mask — fogging, water in the snorkel, the urge to stand up. By the second stop they have usually stopped thinking about the gear and are just watching fish. Give it that second stop before you decide snorkelling is not for you.
The tours on this page
Questions people ask
Where is the best snorkelling near Phuket?
The Similan islands, open from mid-October to mid-May. Outside that season, Racha Yai is the clearest water within a short crossing, best early in the morning.
Which snorkelling trip is best for beginners?
Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island. The first stop at Khai has shallow, clear water with fish right at the shore, the easiest first snorkel there is.
Is snorkelling gear included?
Yes. Masks, snorkels and life jackets are included on every snorkelling trip. The early Similan departure also includes fins.
Can non-swimmers snorkel?
With a life jacket, yes, in shallow spots such as Khai island and Hin Dam bay. Being able to swim makes the deeper stops, like the Similans, far better.
Can I try diving without a certificate?
Yes. The Andaman Sea diving day takes first-timers with a full briefing and an instructor throughout. One dive is 3,900 ฿ and two are 4,100 ฿ for divers without certification.
What time of day is best for snorkelling?
Early morning. The sunrise trip lands on Racha Yai at 06:40, and the early Similan boat reaches the archipelago ahead of the main groups, when the sea is usually calmer and the water clearer.
Tell us your dates
Send the trip you like, your dates and your hotel. We confirm the pickup time and how the sea looks for that day. Payment is agreed in the chat after the booking is confirmed: by card, bank transfer or USDT.