- A full-day speedboat charter from Koh Samui for a small group starts around ฿30,000, for the whole boat, not per person.
- Sailing catamarans range from about ฿21,000 for a half day to ฿85,000 for a full day in Ang Thong, with butler service and a beach picnic often included.
- Motor yachts run from ฿18,000 for a short Hilux trip up to ฿305,000 for a full day on the 60-foot Minor Affair.
- Every listed price covers a base number of guests; extra people are charged per head, so the per-person cost drops as your group grows.
- Long-tail boats are the cheapest way on the water, from ฿3,000 for one or two people to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum.
You're standing on Chaweng or Bophut beach, phone out, trying to work out why one site quotes ฿3,000 for a boat trip and another quotes ฿130,000, and whether they're even talking about the same day. They are, sort of. The gap is the boat, the route, the hours, and how many people are splitting the bill. Understanding boat charter koh samui price starts with one fact: almost every number you see is for the whole boat, not per passenger, and that changes the maths completely.
This guide breaks prices down by boat type, using the actual rates for boats chartered out of Koh Samui, so you can see what a reasonable budget looks like before you start asking for quotes. It also covers what normally comes included, where the extra charges hide, and which boat is worth paying more for versus where a cheaper option does the job just as well.
How does boat charter pricing actually work on Koh Samui?
Every quote is for the whole boat with captain and crew, covering a set number of guests, with extra guests added at a fixed per-person rate up to the boat's maximum capacity. This is the single most important thing to understand before comparing prices between boats.
A speedboat like Anda is priced for up to 6 people at ฿30,000 for a full day to Koh Phangan, and each additional guest adds ฿1,000, up to a maximum of 12 on board. So a group of 10 pays ฿30,000 plus 4 extra guests, nowhere near ฿5,000 a head once you do the sums. On the other end, a yacht like Lisa is priced for 10 people at ฿85,000 for a half day, with each extra guest at ฿3,000, capped at 13 total. The lesson: the headline price is only useful once you know how many people it already covers.
The route and the number of hours matter as much as the boat itself. A 4-hour trip to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum costs noticeably less than an 8-hour day to Ang Thong Marine Park or Koh Tao, because those destinations are further from Samui's shores and the whole day is spent on the water. If you are watching a budget, a shorter trip to a closer island does more for your money than trimming the boat size.
Island entrance fees are almost never included. Ang Thong Marine Park charges THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child; Koh Nang Yuan charges THB 250 per adult and THB 125 per child; Koh Madsum and Koh Rap each charge THB 50 per person. These are paid locally, in cash, and they are easy to forget when you're adding up a budget for a group of ten.
What does a speedboat charter cost?
Speedboat charters from Koh Samui start around ฿30,000 for a full day with a small group, and go up to around ฿62,000 for the longer runs to Koh Tao on the larger boats. Speedboats are the fastest way to cover distance, which matters if your route includes Ang Thong or Koh Tao and you don't want half your day spent travelling.
At the lower end, Anda and Ofcourse run full-day trips to Koh Phangan or to Koh Tan, Koh Madsum and Koh Rap for ฿30,000 to ฿40,000, moving up to around ฿44,000 to ฿47,000 for Ang Thong or Koh Tao. Sapphire and Ti Ti sit in a similar bracket and carry up to 24 guests, which makes them a sound choice for a group that wants speed without paying yacht prices. Pearl is worth a look if hotel transfer matters to you, since it's built into the price on every route rather than charged separately.
Two speedboats work differently from the rest: Coco Cay and Summer Casa price for 2 people as the base, with an onboard toilet, sun bed and butler service, which makes sense for a couple or a small family rather than a big group. A 4-hour trip to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum on either starts at ฿38,000, with Koh Tao reaching ฿61,000 to ฿62,000 for a full day.
Ruby 38 takes a maximum of only 8 guests, which keeps the boat feeling private even though the base price covers 6, and Neverland goes the other way, carrying up to 37 guests with a base of 10 included, which is the one to look at if you've got a big birthday group and still want speedboat speed instead of a slower catamaran day.
What does a catamaran charter cost?
Catamaran prices on Koh Samui run from about ฿21,000 for a half day to around ฿85,000 for a full day in Ang Thong on the larger boats. Catamarans trade speed for space and stability, so they suit groups who want to actually hang out on the boat rather than just get from island to island.
At the entry level, Vickey and Victoria both start around ฿21,000 for a half day or sunset run to Koh Tan, with a base of 6 to 10 guests depending on the boat. These are good value if your plan is a few hours of swimming and snorkelling rather than a long day. Nina sits just above them, with a 2.5-hour sunset cruise at ฿22,000 and a full 8-hour day at ฿43,000, and it's one of the few catamarans with a water slide included on the longer programs.
Scarlet and Blue Coco move into a more complete, full-service day: butler, bartender, a beach picnic and afternoon tea on Blue Coco, three staff and a slide on Scarlet. Both run full days to Koh Phangan around ฿52,000 to ฿62,000 and reach their highest prices, ฿72,000 and above, for Ang Thong.
For bigger groups, Coco Paradise and Serenity are built differently: Coco Paradise takes up to 45 guests with a dedicated butler and pastries from a pastry chef, and Serenity goes up to 60 guests with a dining room that seats 25 at once. Both are priced from ฿45,000 to ฿130,000 depending on route and hours, and the per-person maths changes completely once a group gets past 20, since the base guest count included in the price is much higher than on a small catamaran.
What does a motor yacht charter cost?
Motor yacht prices span the widest range of any boat type, from ฿18,000 for a short sunset run on Hilux to ฿305,000 for a full day on Minor Affair. The jump in price usually buys cabins, a larger crew, and genuinely premium finishes rather than just a bigger hull.
Hilux is the accessible end of the motor yacht range: a 4-hour trip to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum with fishing starts at ฿32,000, and even the 2-hour sunset program at the Five Islands is only ฿18,000, both priced for a base of 10 guests on a boat that takes up to 20. Princess 42 sits in the middle, a flybridge yacht with two cabins, priced for up to 10 guests (its maximum) from ฿77,000 for 4 hours to ฿139,000 for the full day to Koh Tao.
Lisa is the one to consider if you want a proper yacht day without the biggest budget: two double cabins, lunch on full-day trips, and two bottles of wine or 24 cans of beer included, from ฿85,000 for a half day. Minor Affair is the top of the range, a 60-foot Sunseeker with three double cabins, an English or Russian guide, and diving included in the price, starting at ฿260,000 for a full day around Koh Samui or Koh Phangan and rising to ฿305,000 for Koh Tao.
Motor yachts make the most sense for an anniversary, a honeymoon day, or a group that specifically wants the cabin layout and the slower, more indulgent pace that comes with a crewed yacht rather than a speedboat. If the goal is simply "get to three islands and snorkel," a motor yacht is rarely the most efficient way to spend the budget.
What about sailing yachts, junks and long-tail boats?
A traditional long-tail boat is the cheapest way onto the water around Koh Samui, starting at ฿3,000 for one or two people on a 4-hour trip to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum. It's also the most local, most no-frills option, which is exactly its appeal for some travellers and exactly its limit for others.
The standard Long-tail Boat includes life jackets, snorkelling equipment, and a captain, with island entrance fees and transfer to Thong Krut Pier charged separately. The Luxury Long-tail Boat adds cold drinks and fresh fruit for a modest step up in price, starting at ฿6,000 for 1-2 people. Both take a maximum of 10 guests and both charge the full tour price for a no-show, so confirm the date properly before booking.
At the opposite end sits Red Baron, a 98-foot Thai sailing junk with twin masts and genuinely large capacity, up to 70 guests. A 3-hour sunset dinner cruise starts at ฿42,000, and the full 10-hour Ang Thong day runs to ฿81,000, both priced for a base of 20 guests, which makes Red Baron one of the better per-person values on this list once a group gets large. It's a completely different experience from a speedboat day: slower, more atmospheric, built around the sails and the deck rather than snorkelling stops.
Typical price ranges by boat type
This table pulls together the ranges covered above so you can see them side by side. Remember every figure is for the whole boat at its base guest count, not per person.
| Boat type | Typical price range | Base guests usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Long-tail boat | ฿3,000 - ฿11,000 | 1-2 (scales up per pair) |
| Speedboat | ฿30,000 - ฿62,000 | 2 to 10, depending on boat |
| Sailing catamaran | ฿21,000 - ฿130,000 | 6 to 25, depending on boat |
| Motor yacht | ฿18,000 - ฿305,000 | 10, depending on boat |
| Sailing junk (Red Baron) | ฿42,000 - ฿81,000 | 20 |
Two patterns are worth noting here. First, the widest price range sits inside the motor yacht category, because that one label covers everything from a modest 15-metre boat to a 60-foot Sunseeker, so "motor yacht" alone tells you almost nothing about the bill. Second, a sailing catamaran can end up cheaper per person than a speedboat once a group passes 15 or 20 people, simply because the larger catamarans were built with a higher base guest count in mind.
What is usually included, and what isn't?
Captain and crew, fuel surcharge, travel insurance, snorkelling equipment, life jackets, and some form of drinks and fruit are included on nearly every boat on this list. That baseline is fairly consistent; the differences show up in the extras.
- Lunch: included on some boats (Lisa's full-day trips, Minor Affair, Serenity's buffet option) and an extra charge on others (Anda, Ofcourse, Sapphire, Ti-Ti, Neverland).
- Hotel transfer: included on Anda, Pearl, Princess 42, Lisa and Minor Affair; not included on Ofcourse, Sapphire, Ti-Ti or the long-tail boats.
- Scuba diving: available as a paid add-on (around ฿4,500 for equipment, instructor and 2 dives) on several speedboats; included at no extra charge on Minor Affair.
- Island entrance fees: almost never included anywhere. Budget THB 300 per adult for Ang Thong, THB 250 for Koh Nang Yuan, and THB 50 each for Koh Madsum and Koh Rap.
- Water toys: paddle boards and snorkelling gear are standard on catamarans; a water slide is included on some (Nina, Scarlet, Coco Paradise as a paid add-on) and absent on others.
Read each boat's own page carefully before you book, since these details genuinely change what you end up paying on the day. The booking request itself is free and non-binding either way: send a route, a date and a group size through the form on any boat page, or message on WhatsApp, and a manager confirms the exact total before anything is paid.
When is a cheaper boat enough, and when should you pay more?
A cheaper boat is enough when your group is small, your route is short, and your priority is simply getting into the water. For a half day to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum with four or five people, a mid-range speedboat or an entry-level catamaran like Vickey or Victoria does the job exactly as well as something three times the price; you'll swim in the same sea either way.
Pay more when the boat itself needs to do more than carry you from point A to point B. A honeymoon or an anniversary benefits from the privacy and the cabin of a motor yacht like Lisa. A large celebration with 20 or more guests needs the deck space of Serenity, Coco Paradise or Red Baron, where a cramped speedboat would actually ruin the day rather than save money. A full day to Koh Tao and back benefits from a faster, larger speedboat so you're not burning three hours each way in a slow boat under a hot sun.
It's also worth being honest about sea conditions. From around November to January, the north-east monsoon can make the Gulf of Thailand rough, and a smaller, lighter boat feels that chop far more than a catamaran or a larger yacht does. If you're travelling in that window and someone in your group gets seasick easily, that's a real reason to spend more on a bigger, more stable boat rather than saving on a fast but bouncy one.
For deeper detail on routes, read about Ang Thong National Marine Park, the Koh Phangan coastline, or the short island-hop to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum. Whatever the budget, send the route, the date and the headcount through a boat page or on WhatsApp, and the price comes back confirmed, not estimated.
Questions and answers
Is the price per boat or per person?
Per boat. Every price on this site covers the whole charter with a set base number of guests, and extra guests beyond that base are added at a fixed per-person rate up to the boat's maximum capacity.
What is the cheapest way to charter a boat on Koh Samui?
A traditional long-tail boat from Thong Krut Pier, starting at THB 3,000 for one or two people on a half-day trip to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum. It's a simple wooden boat with a captain, life jackets and snorkelling gear, with island fees and pier transfer paid separately.
Are island entrance fees included in the charter price?
No, almost never. Ang Thong National Marine Park, Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Madsum and Koh Rap all charge separate entrance fees paid locally, usually in cash, on top of the boat charter price.
Does the price change with the season?
The listed prices don't change by season, but from around November to January the north-east monsoon can make the sea rough, and a route may be changed or a trip postponed for safety. Ang Thong National Marine Park also closes every year from 1 November to 15 December, regardless of weather.
How many people can fit on a chartered boat?
It depends entirely on the boat: small speedboats like Ruby 38 top out at 8 guests, mid-size speedboats and catamarans often reach 15 to 25, and the largest options like Red Baron or Serenity can carry up to 70 or 60 guests respectively. Check the specific boat's maximum before booking for a large group.
Is lunch included in the charter price?
It varies by boat. Some, like Lisa on full-day trips and Minor Affair, include lunch; others, like Anda, Ofcourse, Sapphire and Ti-Ti, offer it as an extra charge, so check the specific boat page.
How far in advance should I book a boat charter?
There's no fixed rule, but popular boats and peak season dates get booked up, so sending a request with your preferred date as early as possible gives more options. The request itself is free and non-binding, and a manager confirms availability and final price before any payment.
Can I bring my own food and drinks on board?
On several catamarans, including Blue Coco, Nina, Scarlet, Vickey and Victoria, you can bring your own snacks, food and drinks free of charge, with champagne glasses and dishes provided on board. Policies differ by boat, so it's worth confirming when you book.
Ready to choose your boat?
Every boat page shows the routes, prices and what is included. The booking request is free: a manager checks the boat is free on your date and confirms the price.
Updated 20 October 2026. Prices can change: the boat page always shows the current price.