Private Longtail Boat Full Day - Epic 8-Hour Island Adventure Around Koh Tao

Eight hours. Your own private longtail boat. The entire coastline of Koh Tao at your fingertips.

This isn't a tour. This is YOUR day. Your adventure. Your pace. Your choices.

Want to spend two hours swimming with sea turtles? Do it. Found an empty beach that looks perfect? Anchor there and have a beach day. Discovered a reef you can't leave? Stay as long as you want.

With eight full hours and a local captain who knows these islands like his own home, today becomes whatever kind of adventure you want it to be.

Half-day trips are great. But full-day? Full-day is MAGIC.

Here's why: With eight hours, you're not rushed. Ever. You can:

The half-day is "we got to see some cool stuff." The full-day is "we LIVED on that boat today."

Koh Tao isn't huge, but there's A LOT to see. With eight hours, you can genuinely circumnavigate the island, hitting spots on all sides:

East Coast: Shark Bay, Aow Leuk, Hin Wong Bay, Tanote Bay West Coast: Koh Nang Yuan, Mango Bay, Lighthouse Bay North: Secret bays the captain knows South: Less-visited spots with pristine reefs

You're not choosing which side of the island to see. You're seeing it ALL.

This might sound small but it's HUGE: having time for an actual lunch break.

Mid-day, you're tired from swimming. Hungry. The sun is hottest. Instead of pushing through, you anchor at a bay with a beachside restaurant. Walk onto the beach. Order cold drinks and fresh pad thai. Sit in the shade for an hour.

This break transforms the day from exhausting to perfect. You recharge. Then you head back out refreshed for round two of exploring. It's the difference between finishing the day tired vs finishing it fulfilled.

Kids have limited attention spans. On a half-day, parents stress about keeping them engaged for 5 straight hours. On a full-day, you have time for:

Adults also appreciate the variety. Some people LOVE snorkeling for hours. Others want to split it with beach time, boat rides, exploring. Eight hours gives everyone what they need.

Meet your captain at Mae Haad Pier at 8am. Why 8am? Because early morning is BEST:

Captain briefs you on the plan, asks what you want to see. Engine roars to life. You cruise out as the island wakes up.

First Stop - Koh Nang Yuan (1.5-2 hours): Arrive around 8:30am before the day-tripper crowds. This gives you the iconic viewpoint almost to yourself. The snorkeling at Japanese Garden is pristine in morning light. Crystal clear visibility. Turtles cruising the reef. This is the Koh Tao you saw in photos - and it's real.

Second Stop - Mango Bay (1 hour): More turtles. Lots of them. The shallow seagrass beds here attract green sea turtles that come to feed. Float on the surface watching these ancient creatures much below you. The water is so clear they look painted on the sand.

Third Stop - Lighthouse Bay (45 min - 1 hour): Fewer tourists know about this spot. Captain takes you here before lunch. The reef is pristine. Schools of fish swarm around you. You might have it completely to yourselves. This is the "secret spot" moment.

You've been going for 4 hours. You're tired. Hungry. Sun-baked.

Captain cruises to a bay with a beach restaurant. You anchor. Wade to shore.

Options:

This break is ESSENTIAL. You're not on a schedule. Take your time. The boat isn't leaving without you.

Refreshed and fed, you head back out. But afternoon brings different advantages:

Fourth Stop - Shark Bay (45 min): Blacktip reef sharks cruise the shallow sand. Multiple sharks, no fear. They're curious about you but harmless. That moment when one swims directly toward you, then veers off at the last second? Your heart RACES. In the best way.

Fifth Stop - Hin Wong Bay (1 hour): The underwater boulder maze. This is where strong swimmers explore deeper. The rock formations create swim-throughs and caves. Moray eels peek from crevices. Massive schools of fish swirl around you. This is adventurous snorkeling.

Sixth Stop - Mystery Captain's Choice: By now, the captain knows what you like. Maybe you want another beach break. Maybe a secret coral garden. Maybe a quiet bay to just float and exist. He's got a spot. Trust him.

Final spot. Usually somewhere chill. Maybe Aow Leuk - the calm bay with easy snorkeling. Or back to a beach for final swimming.

You're tired now. Good tired. The kind of tired that comes from DOING things. From adventure. From living a full day.

The cruise back to Mae Haad is special. The day is ending. The light is golden. You're salty, sun-tired, completely satisfied.

Everyone's a bit quiet. Looking through photos. Replaying favorite moments. Already planning when you'll do this again.

That's when it hits you: you just spent eight hours on a Thai longtail boat exploring tropical islands. This was your day. And it was perfect.

With 8 hours, you can realistically visit 5-7 locations. Here's the full menu of possibilities:

Koh Nang Yuan - The Icon

Mango Bay - Turtle Central

Shark Bay - The Thrill

Lighthouse Bay - Pristine Paradise

Hin Wong Bay - The Playground

Tanote Bay - The Hidden Gem

Aow Leuk - Family Favorite

Secret North Beaches

Koh Tao South Pinnacle

Here's the beautiful thing: your captain decides based on:

If you're the type who thinks "I'm in Thailand, I'm making the MOST of every day," this is your trip.

You want to see EVERYTHING. You don't want to choose between spots - you want ALL the spots. You're comfortable in water. You can snorkel for hours. You don't need AC and luxury - you need ADVENTURE.

This trip was designed for you.

Your own private boat for 8 hours is romantic as hell.

You're not sharing with strangers. You can be as affectionate as you want. Stop wherever looks beautiful. Have the captain take photos of you at every spot. Pack champagne (he'll keep it cold in the water). Watch sunset from your private deck.

This becomes the highlight of your honeymoon. The thing you talk about for years.

Eight hours together, away from screens and hotels and normal life. Just family. Water. Adventure. Exploration.

Parents get to be FUN. Kids get to see parents completely relaxed. Everyone discovers things together. The captain becomes like a fun uncle. Inside family jokes get created.

This is the day your kids remember from "that Thailand trip."

Split 8 people? Suddenly this private boat is 175฿ per person for EIGHT HOURS.

That's cheaper than most group tours. But you get your own boat. Your own music. Your own vibes. Your own schedule. Your own adventure.

Someone brings a speaker. Someone brings snacks. Someone documents everything. Someone jumps off the boat doing backflips. Legendary day happens.

You NEED time. Group tours rush you - 20 minutes per stop. That's not enough for good content.

Private full-day? Stay at each spot as long as needed. Get the perfect shot. Wait for that turtle to swim past. Capture the light rays. Film from every angle.

Professional photographers book these regularly. The content they get pays for the trip 10x over.

Meeting Point: Mae Haad Pier (main Koh Tao pier)

Recommended Start: 8:00am (get full advantage of calm morning conditions + lunch + afternoon)

Alternative Starts: 9:00am or 10:00am work but you lose some afternoon time

Duration: Full 8 hours from departure to return

Return Time: Usually 4:00pm - 5:00pm depending on start time

Must Bring:

Highly Recommended:

Don't Forget:

Peak Season (Jan-Aug): Near-perfect conditions, calm seas, excellent visibility

Shoulder Season (Sep-Oct): Still good, occasional afternoon showers

Monsoon (Nov-Dec): Rougher seas, some trips may cancel, but off-season has its own charm

Daily Weather: Morning starts calm, afternoon can get choppier. This is normal.

Eight hours on a Thai longtail boat.

Swimming with sea turtles and sharks.

Snorkeling pristine reefs.

Discovering secret beaches.

Lunch on a tropical shore.

Sunset cruise home.

No schedule. No crowds. No compromise.

Just you, your crew, and the islands.

This is the Koh Tao adventure you'll tell stories about for years.

This is the day you came for.

Book it. Live it. Remember it forever.

See you on the water. 🌊⛵🏝️