Koh Samui Catamaran Trips Compared: Full-Day vs Half-Day, Prices & What’s Included

Look up a Koh Samui catamaran price and you will find anything from under ฿1,500 to tens of thousands of baht. Quality is only part of the gap. Most of it comes down to how long you are out, whether the boat is shared or private, and what is quietly left out of the headline price. Below are the three main types of catamaran day, with market prices checked on 2 October 2026, so you can compare like with like.

Quick answer	Shared half-day catamaran trips to Koh Tan and Pig Island are listed at about ฿1,495–2,000 per adult for around 4–4.5 hours, often without the island landing fee or drinks. A shared full day with Samui Journey costs ฿3,300 per adult, with lunch, drinks, accident insurance and hotel transfers included. Private charters are priced per boat. One Samui yacht lists ฿43,500–47,100 for an 8-hour day for up to 10 guests.
Children	Child rates and age bands vary. Samui Journey charges ฿1,900 for ages 5–11 and nothing for under-5s. Some half-day operators use a 4–10 age band
Biggest hidden costs	Island landing fees, drinks, towels and the time spent in a minibus

The three types of catamaran day

Half-day shared trips

Most shared catamaran trips from Samui’s south coast are half-days of around four to four and a half hours, leaving in the morning or the afternoon. They usually stop at Koh Tan for snorkelling and Koh Madsum (Pig Island), with a light lunch or snacks. Pick one if you want to see Pig Island without giving up a whole day, or if you are on a tight budget.

Full-day shared trips

A full day adds stops and time in the water, and the price usually covers more. The Samui Journey 1-Day Catamaran, for example, covers the Five Islands, snorkelling at Koh Tan and Pig Island. Hotel pickup is between about 9:00 and 9:40 AM (by area), and drop-off is at your hotel at around 4:30 PM.

Private charters

With a private charter you hire the whole boat and crew, choose the route and set the pace. Prices are quoted per boat, not per person, so divide by the size of your group before you compare them with anything else.

Koh Samui catamaran price comparison

These are prices as published on 2 October 2026. Operators change them, and the same boat is often sold through several agents at different rates, so treat the figures as a guide, not a quote.

The small print in those listings matters. One half-day listing excludes the island entrance fee (฿50 per adult, free for children) as well as alcoholic and soft drinks. Another shows a regular adult price of ฿2,000 with a promotional price of ฿1,550. A third excludes alcohol, entrance fees and towels. The headline price is rarely what you end up paying.

What “included” means in practice

Before you compare one Koh Samui catamaran price with another, line up what you get for each. These items make the biggest difference.

• Hotel transfers. Most shared trips include pickup, but check that your area is covered and what time you will be collected.
• Lunch. A full lunch, a “light lunch” and “snacks and fruit” are not the same thing on a long day in the sun.
• Drinks. Drinking water was included in every listing we checked. Soft drinks were not always.
• Island landing fee. Usually small, but if it is not included you pay it in cash on the day.
• Insurance. Look for “accident insurance” or “travel insurance” in the inclusions.
• Activities. Kayaks, paddleboards, slides and water toys vary from boat to boat.
• Child age bands. A seven-year-old is a child everywhere, but an 11-year-old may count as an adult on a trip that uses a 4–10 band.

On the Samui Journey full day, lunch, drinks, accident insurance and hotel transfers are included. So are the banana boat, springboard, floating sea pool and Thai massage on board, all at no extra cost. Everyone gets a life jacket. For anything not listed here, such as snorkel equipment sizes or the lunch menu, ask on WhatsApp before you book.

A worked example: a family of four

Take two adults, a seven-year-old and a three-year-old.

• Samui Journey full day: 2 × ฿3,300 + ฿1,900 + ฿0 = ฿8,500, with lunch, drinks, accident insurance and transfers included.
• Half-day at the lowest listed price: 2 × ฿1,495 + ฿1,295 (the three-year-old is free on that listing) = ฿4,285, plus ฿100 in island fees for the adults, plus any drinks you buy.

The half-day is clearly cheaper. The full day costs more, but you get longer on the water, an extra stop at the Five Islands and fewer extras to pay for. Neither is the “right” answer. It comes down to whether you want a morning out or a whole day at sea.

Full-day or half-day: which suits you?

A half-day suits you if you mainly want to see Pig Island, you have young children who struggle with long days, you want the afternoon free, or you are on a strict budget.

A full day suits you if you want the boat to be the main event, with time to swim, eat and rest between stops. It also works for a mixed group where some want activity and others want a massage and the shade, and for anyone who would rather pay one price with no extras to add up.

A private charter suits you if you are a larger group splitting the cost, you want your own route and timings, or you are celebrating something special.

Still choosing between a catamaran, a speedboat and Ang Thong? Our Koh Samui boat trips comparison puts every option side by side.

Questions to ask any operator before you pay

1. What is the minimum number of guests, and what happens if it is not reached? Samui Journey needs at least 40 guests. If that number is not reached, you choose a new date or a full refund.
2. What happens if the weather is bad? Samui Journey moves you to a new date first and gives a full refund if the new date is also cancelled.
3. How late can I cancel? With Samui Journey, cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. Later cancellations and no-shows are non-refundable.
4. Who is the captain, and is the operator licensed? Samui Journey holds TAT licence 44/00252, and its captain is licensed with more than 10 years’ experience.
5. Are there life jackets for every guest, including children? Ask about sizes if your child is small.
6. What exactly is the final price per person, all extras included?

Samui Journey 1-Day Catamaran at a glance

Route	Five Islands, snorkelling at Koh Tan, Pig Island (Koh Madsum)
Departure	Bang Kao Pier, on Samui’s south coast
Timing	Hotel pickup at about 9:00–9:40 AM (by area), back at your hotel at about 4:30 PM
Prices	Adult (12+) ฿3,300; child (5–11) ฿1,900; under-5s free
Included	Lunch, drinks, accident insurance, hotel transfers
Also included	Banana boat, springboard, floating sea pool, Thai massage, all in the price
Safety	Licensed captain with 10+ years’ experience, life jackets for everyone, first-aid kit
Policies	Minimum 40 guests (new date or full refund). Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup. In bad weather, a new date first, then a full refund if that date is also cancelled

Packing for the day? See our boat day packing checklist.

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