Pig Island Koh Samui (Koh Madsum): A Complete, Responsible Visitor’s Guide

Pig Island is the nickname for Koh Madsum (also spelled Koh Mudsum or Koh Mat Sum), a small island off the south coast of Koh Samui where a group of free-roaming pigs lives on the beach. For many people a Pig Island Koh Samui stop ends up as the most photographed half-hour of the holiday, and it is usually paired with snorkelling at neighbouring Koh Tan.

We cover what is on the island, how to get across, the best time of day and year and what to pack. We also cover how to behave around the animals, which matters as much as the rest, so the visit stays good for them as well as for you.

Quick facts

Official name	Koh Madsum / Koh Mudsum / Ko Mat Sum (เกาะมัดสุม)
Nickname	Pig Island
Location	Off the south coast of Koh Samui, Taling Ngam sub-district, Surat Thani province
Nearest neighbour	Koh Tan (Koh Taen), the larger island next door, known for snorkelling
Usual departure points	Thong Krut (longtails, speedboats); Bang Kao Pier (Samui Journey catamaran)
Crossing time	Roughly 15–25 minutes from Thong Krut, depending on the boat and the sea
Island fee	Included in the Samui Journey catamaran price. If you arrive independently, you may be asked for a small cash landing fee
Facilities	Basic. A small beach bar/restaurant has operated on the island, but do not count on shops
Best season	Generally January to August. Heaviest rain and roughest seas from mid-October to early December

What Pig Island is like

It helps to know what you are getting. Koh Madsum is a low island fringed with palms, with a sandy beach and clear, shallow water on its sheltered side. The pigs live around the beach and in the shade behind it. They are domestic pigs, not wild boar, and they are used to boats pulling in.

How they got there depends on who you ask. The version you hear most often locally is that a man who ran a small beach bar on the island bought a few pigs at a livestock market and brought them over, and they bred. Another says the first pigs came across from Koh Tan. Neither story seems to have an official record behind it, so treat both as island folklore.

Do not expect the famous “swimming pigs” picture from the Bahamas. Visitor reports agree that the Koh Madsum pigs mostly stay on the sand and wander into the shallows to cool off. Nobody has trained them to swim out to boats. If an operator promises swimming pigs, be wary of whatever else they are promising.

Away from the pigs, the island has a quiet beach, good water for a float, and views back to the hills of southern Samui. A private resort takes up part of the island, so stay within the public beach area.

How to get to Pig Island from Koh Samui

There is no bridge or ferry service, so you need a boat. There are three realistic ways to do it.

Option 1: a catamaran day trip (Pig Island + Koh Tan + Five Islands)

For most visitors the easiest way is to make Pig Island one stop on a longer day at sea. On the Samui Journey 1-Day Catamaran, Koh Madsum is the last island of the day. It comes after the Five Islands rock formations in the late morning and snorkelling at Koh Tan around midday. We collect guests from their hotel between 9:00 and 9:40 AM (depending on area). The boat leaves Bang Kao Pier at about 10:30 AM, reaches Pig Island at around 2:50 PM and has you back at your hotel around 4:30 PM.

Going in the afternoon works well. You land after lunch onboard, rested from the morning’s swimming, and the island is a relaxed final stop rather than a rushed first one.

Option 2: a speedboat group tour

Several Samui operators run half-day or full-day speedboat trips to Koh Tan and Pig Island. They are faster and fit in more stops per hour, but the ride is bumpier and the boats are smaller. Check what is included before you book, because lunch, snorkel gear, the island fee and hotel transfers all vary. Our Koh Samui boat trips comparison sets out how catamarans, speedboats and private charters differ.

Option 3: a private longtail from Thong Krut

If you are travelling independently, go to Thong Krut, the fishing village on Samui’s south-west coast, and arrange a longtail with a local boatman. You choose the timing, which helps if you want early-morning light. Agree the price, the islands and the total time before you leave the jetty, and ask whether there are life jackets and snorkel gear on board.

When to go

Best time of year

Koh Samui is on the Gulf of Thailand, and its weather does not follow Phuket’s pattern. The heaviest rain usually falls from mid-October to early December, when north-east winds can make the sea choppy and cancellations more likely. Roughly January to August is the most reliable stretch for island-hopping, though a short shower can come through in any month.

If you are travelling in the wetter months, build some flexibility into your plans. Samui Journey checks sea conditions every day. If the catamaran cannot sail safely, guests move to another date free of charge, and if that date is also affected, they get a full refund.

Best time of day

• Morning (private boats only): softer light for photos, and fewer visitors if you go early.
• Afternoon: warmer water and an easy pace after lunch. This is when the catamaran visits.
• Midday: when the sun is highest the pigs, sensibly, head for the shade, so expect fewer “pig on the beach” photos.

Pig etiquette: how to visit responsibly

Most guides skip this part. Pig Island has become popular quickly, and some visitors and travel writers have raised concerns about crowding, feeding and the animals’ welfare. A few habits on your part make a difference.

1. Do not bring your own snacks for the pigs. Crisps, bread, sweets and fruit with stones or cores are bad for them. If food is offered as part of the visit, use only what the guide or island staff hand out.
2. Let the pigs come to you. Do not chase, corner, lift or ride them, and never pull a piglet away from its mother. Adult pigs are heavy and can push or nip if they feel crowded.
3. Keep hands flat and fingers together if a pig takes food from you. Keep food out of pockets and bags, too. Pigs have excellent noses.
4. Watch children closely. Stand between small children and the bigger pigs, and leave if the animals get pushy.
5. Take all rubbish back with you. Plastic left on the beach ends up in the sea or in a pig.
6. Respect rest time. If the pigs are lying in the shade, leave them there. You will get other photo chances.

As a rule, if you would not do it to a farm animal at home, do not do it on Koh Madsum.

What to bring on a Pig Island Koh Samui trip

• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. There is not much shade on the beach.
• Water shoes or sandals. Hot sand, shells and the odd patch churned up by hooves.
• A dry bag for your phone and cash.
• Small cash in Thai baht for a drink at the beach bar, or for a landing fee if you go independently (on our catamaran the landing fee is already included).
• A towel and a change of clothes if you plan to swim.
• A phone strap or waterproof case. A lot of phones end up in the sea while their owners are photographing pigs.

On the Samui Journey catamaran, life jackets, snorkel gear, free-flow cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks, lunch with seasonal fruit, accident insurance and a first-aid kit are included, so you only need personal items.

Photo tips

• Get low. A shot from pig height with the sea behind beats standing over them every time.
• Use burst mode. Pigs move unpredictably.
• In the afternoon, keep the sun behind you to avoid silhouettes.
• Ask before photographing island staff or other visitors’ children.

Good to know

• It is a short stop, not a full day. What makes a Pig Island Koh Samui visit worthwhile is pairing it with Koh Tan’s snorkelling and the boat ride itself.
• The pigs are not “wild”. They depend on people, which is why the way visitors behave matters.
• It is not part of a national park. Pig Island is separate from Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park, a different archipelago roughly 30 km west of Koh Samui that charges its own park entry fee.
• Children love it, but a hungry adult pig can give them a fright. Talk to kids about it before you land.
• Minimum numbers apply. The catamaran needs a minimum of 40 guests to depart. If that is not reached, you will be offered another date or a full refund.
• Weather decides. No reputable operator will sail in unsafe conditions. See our refund and weather policy.

If you are planning a full Samui itinerary, many guests pair a sea day like this with an animal experience on land on another day, such as the 3-hour ethical programme at Samui Elephant Kingdom, where you make “Powerball” elephant food and learn how the elephants are cared for. For a day inland, our Explore the Real Samui 4×4 Island Safari takes you by pickup truck to the Big Buddha, Namuang Waterfall and the Grandfather & Grandmother Rocks.

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