Coral Island (Koh Hey)

A quick island escape for families.

Area

Island trips

Start from

Chalong pier

Distance

about 15 min by speedboat

Time needed

half a day

Best season

November – April

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Speedboat

Tickets & rules

None

Why go

Coral Island is a small island off Chalong, close enough for a half-day trip.

It's busy with water sports but has calm snorkelling spots.

Good for children and first-time snorkellers.

Banana Beach and Long Beach on Koh Hey have different moods: lively and calmer.

Glass-bottom boats show reef life.

It's a good choice if you have limited time, small children or an elderly family member who doesn't want a long boat ride. You can be on the sand within twenty minutes of leaving Chalong.

The island has two main beaches. Long Beach is the busier one with restaurants and activities; Banana Beach is smaller and calmer, with better snorkelling around the rocks.

The story

Koh Hey was once a quiet fishing island; now it hosts beach clubs.

Its reefs are being protected.

The island's reefs suffered from overuse; protection measures have helped.

Many Phuket families visit on holidays.

Like many islands close to Phuket, Koh Hey went from being a quiet fishing and coconut island to a busy day-trip destination in a single generation. In recent years, operators have introduced mooring buoys and swimming zones to protect what's left of the reef, and some parts of the coral are slowly recovering.

For many Thai families from Bangkok and the south, a day on Coral Island is a classic beach outing, so on public holidays it's full of Thai visitors as well as foreigners.

Getting there

Speedboat from Chalong pier.

Many tours include lunch and snorkel gear.

A suggested plan

1. MorningBoat over.
2. MiddaySwim and snorkel.
3. AfternoonReturn.
4. OptionalSea walker or parasailing.
5. OptionalMany tours stop briefly at another small island or a snorkelling point on the way back; ask when booking.

Where to stay

Day trip.

Good to know

• Go early.
• Bring snorkel gear.
• Shade is limited; bring an umbrella.
• Book through reputable operators.
• Choose a tour that doesn't push too many extra paid activities.
• The water is calmest in the morning before the wind picks up.