Pig Island (Koh Madsum) & Koh Tan Day Trip: Prices, Ethics & How to Go

Overview

A Pig Island (Koh Madsum) and Koh Tan day trip from Koh Samui costs roughly 1,150-2,800 THB (~33-80 USD) per adult on a shared tour, departs from Thong Krut Pier on the south coast, and combines 30-60 minutes of snorkeling at Koh Tan with an hour or so feeding and photographing the free-roaming pigs of Koh Madsum. It is one of the shortest, easiest boat trips on the island — most tours run 4-6 hours door to door, making it realistic even for travelers based on the east coast.

The two islands sit close together a short crossing south of Samui. Koh Tan (also spelled Koh Taen) is a mostly undeveloped island with shallow fringing reefs. Koh Madsum, better known as Pig Island, is famous for a colony of domestic pigs that wander the beach and swim out to greet arriving boats — an unusual sight that has made it one of Samui’s most photographed excursions and one of its most debated.

Key takeaways

• Shared tours run 1,150-2,800 THB (~33-80 USD) per adult; private longtail charters from ~2,700 THB (~77 USD), private speedboats from ~6,800 THB (~194 USD).
• Thong Krut Pier is the main departure point: 30 min by longtail or 10-15 min by speedboat to Koh Tan.
• Koh Tan’s reef sits in 2-5 m of water with 5-10 m visibility — good for beginners and families.
• The pigs’ welfare is genuinely mixed: some operators overcrowd the beach and let visitors overfeed the animals; choose a small-group operator and buy feed only from the island’s official stall.
• December-August brings the calmest crossing; September-November monsoon swells cause the most cancellations.

---

Longtail vs Speedboat from Thong Krut Pier

The choice between a traditional longtail boat and a modern speedboat is the first decision for any Pig Island and Koh Tan trip, and it mostly comes down to time versus atmosphere. Both depart from the same pier and reach the same two islands.

Longtail boats are the cheaper, more atmospheric option and the way most local operators have run this route since the 1980s. Speedboats cost more but cut the crossing to a third of the time, which matters if you are combining the trip with an afternoon commitment elsewhere on the island.

---

2026 Prices for Pig Island and Koh Tan Tours

Shared join-in tours are the cheapest way to visit both islands, typically 1,150-1,350 THB (~33-39 USD) for children and 1,595-2,800 THB (~46-80 USD) for adults depending on boat type and inclusions, as of Sep 2026. A separate island entry fee of about 50 THB (~1.50 USD) per adult applies at Koh Madsum, with children usually free.

Most package prices include hotel transfer, a guide, snorkeling gear, life jackets, and lunch or snacks; always confirm what is included before paying, since some budget operators charge the entry fee and equipment rental separately.

---

What a Typical Pig Island and Koh Tan Day Looks Like

A standard full-day tour runs about six hours door to door, structured around the two islands with lunch in between. Hotel pickup adds 20-40 minutes each way depending on where you are staying on Koh Samui.

Half-day private charters compress this into 4 hours by skipping lunch or one of the stops — worth asking about if you only want the pigs, or only want the reef.

---

Snorkeling at Koh Tan

Koh Tan offers shallow, beginner-friendly snorkeling in 2-5 meters of water with typical visibility of 5-10 meters, making it one of the easier reef stops on any Samui day trip. The shallow fringing reef mixes hard and soft coral and supports parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, sea urchins, starfish, and occasional green sea turtle sightings.

Most tours include mask, snorkel and fins in the package price, plus life jackets for weaker swimmers. The reef here is calmer and less crowded than Ang Thong Marine Park’s snorkeling stops, though the marine life is also less dense — for a fuller comparison of Samui’s shore and boat snorkeling spots, see our Best Snorkeling Spots in Koh Samui guide. Koh Tan itself remains largely undeveloped beyond a handful of simple beach bars.

---

The Pigs of Koh Madsum — Origins and Honest Ethics

Koh Madsum’s pigs are not native wildlife; the colony reportedly began when a local beach bar owner, known locally as Mr Kitt, rescued a small family of pigs from a Surat Thani market where they were destined for slaughter. The pigs bred on the island over subsequent years, and the population has grown substantially — some recent accounts put the number at over 100, mostly piglets, though exact figures vary by source and season.

This is the section most guides skip, and it deserves a straight answer: opinions on Pig Island’s ethics are genuinely divided, and both sides have a point. Tour operators and some visitors describe the pigs as healthy, sheltered, watered, and looked after by a caretaker, with tour revenue funding their feed. Other visitors and at least one detailed Tripadvisor review describe aggressive begging behavior, overcrowding at peak hours, and pigs that appeared underfed or distressed when tour boats bunch up mid-morning. Both things can be true at once — welfare on a loosely regulated tourist beach depends heavily on the season, the crowd size, and which operator brought you there.

Thailand’s Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act (in force since December 2014) technically covers domestic animals used for tourism, but enforcement on a small offshore island with no permanent authority presence is minimal in practice. Visiting responsibly is largely down to individual travelers and operators, not government oversight.

---

Choosing a Responsible Operator

Picking the right operator meaningfully changes the pigs’ experience, not just yours. A handful of practical habits separate a lower-impact visit from a harmful one.

• Buy feed on the island, not before. Most guides now recommend purchasing bananas or vegetables from Koh Madsum’s own stall rather than bringing outside food, which is often less appropriate for the animals’ diet.
• Avoid the 10:30 AM-12:30 PM rush. This is when the largest number of tour boats overlap, concentrating crowds and feeding on the same stretch of beach.
• Never chase, corner, or pick up piglets. The animals can become defensive when startled or hemmed in by groups.
• Ask your operator about group size before booking. Smaller shared tours (under 15-20 people) or a private longtail put less pressure on the beach than large group departures.
• Don’t force a photo. Let the pigs approach; a pig walking away is a request to be left alone, not a photo opportunity to pursue.

If the idea of a crowded feeding beach doesn’t sit right with you, Koh Tan’s snorkeling alone, or one of the island’s other day trips such as Ang Thong Marine Park, cover similar boat-and-beach ground without the animal-welfare questions.

---

Best Months to Visit Pig Island and Koh Tan

December through August brings the calmest seas for the Thong Krut crossing and the clearest water for snorkeling at Koh Tan. September through November is Koh Samui’s monsoon window, when swells and rain most often cause tours to be shortened, rescheduled, or cancelled outright.

Within any season, an early departure (arriving before 9 AM) or a later slot (after 3 PM) generally means fewer boats sharing the beach with the pigs and calmer water for snorkeling, since most shared tours cluster around a mid-morning arrival window.

---

What to Bring

• Reef-safe sunscreen — there is little shade on longtail boats or Koh Madsum’s open beach.
• Hat and sunglasses — the crossing and the island stop are both fully exposed to sun.
• Swimwear and a cover-up or rash guard — you will be in and out of the water at Koh Tan.
• A towel — most budget tours do not supply one.
• A waterproof phone case or dry bag — for photos on the boat and at the pig beach.
• Cash — for the island entry fee, feed if not included, tips, and any drinks bought locally.
• Motion sickness tablets — worth carrying even on calm days, especially for the longer longtail crossing.

---

Getting to Thong Krut Pier

Thong Krut sits on Koh Samui’s south coast, about 45 minutes from Samui International Airport and 20-25 minutes from Nathon. Most booked tours include hotel pickup from anywhere on the island, adding roughly 20-40 minutes to the total trip depending on your base.

If you are driving yourself to meet a tour or arranging a private charter independently, see our Getting Around Koh Samui guide for songthaew routes, Grab availability, and scooter or car rental costs. Taling Ngam, a few minutes further along the south coast, is an alternative departure point for some private charters and Five Islands sunset cruises that also pass near Koh Tan.

---

Who Is This Day Trip Best For?

---

FAQ

How much does a Pig Island tour cost from Koh Samui?

Shared tours to Pig Island (Koh Madsum) and Koh Tan cost roughly 1,150-1,750 THB (~33-50 USD) by longtail boat or 1,595-2,800 THB (~46-80 USD) by speedboat per adult, as of Sep 2026. A separate ~50 THB (~1.50 USD) island entry fee usually applies. Private charters start around 2,700 THB (~77 USD) for a longtail and 6,800 THB (~194 USD) for a speedboat.

Is visiting Pig Island (Koh Madsum) ethical?

Opinions are genuinely mixed. The pigs are domestic animals cared for by an on-island caretaker, but overcrowding and overfeeding during peak morning hours have drawn documented criticism. Choosing a small-group operator, buying feed only from the island’s stall, and avoiding the 10:30 AM-12:30 PM rush meaningfully reduces the trip’s impact on the animals.

How long does the boat ride to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum take?

From Thong Krut Pier, a longtail boat takes about 30 minutes to Koh Tan, while a speedboat takes 10-15 minutes. The two islands sit close together, so the additional hop from Koh Tan to Koh Madsum adds only about 10 more minutes.

Can you snorkel at Pig Island itself, or only at Koh Tan?

Koh Tan has the main snorkeling stop, with a shallow fringing reef in 2-5 meters of water. Koh Madsum has a smaller, secondary snorkeling spot, but most of the time there is spent on the beach with the pigs rather than in the water.

What is the best time of year for a Pig Island and Koh Tan day trip?

December through August offers the calmest seas and best snorkeling visibility. September through November is Koh Samui’s monsoon season, when boat trips are more likely to be shortened, rescheduled, or cancelled due to swells.

Do I need to bring food for the pigs on Koh Madsum?

No — most current guidance recommends buying feed such as bananas or vegetables from the island’s own stall rather than bringing outside food, which supports the caretaker’s income and avoids giving the animals inappropriate items.