- The Ang Thong national park fee is ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child aged 3-12 and under 130 cm; children under 3 go free.
- Taller children pay the adult fee, even if they are under 12.
- The fee is paid in cash at the park on the speedboat, big boat and private tours.
- The VIP speedboat and the Red Baron cruise already include the park fee, so there is nothing to pay on the day.
- The park is usually closed from 1 November to 15 December, and no tickets are sold for those dates.
The night before your Ang Thong trip, someone in the group always asks the same thing: "Do we need cash tomorrow?" On most tours the answer is yes, because the Ang Thong national park fee is not in the tour price and it is paid in cash at the park. Here is exactly how much, who pays what and which tours spare you the question altogether.
It is a small part of the day, but it is the part that causes the most last-minute stress. Ten minutes of reading now saves a search for a cash machine at 07:40 in the morning.
How much is the Ang Thong national park fee?
The fee is ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child. The child rate applies from 3 to 12 years and under 130 cm; children under 3 go free.
The height rule is the one that surprises families. A tall 10-year-old who is over 130 cm pays the adult fee. If your child is tall for their age, plan for the adult rate.
| Who | Park fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ฿300 | Paid in cash at the park |
| Child 3-12 years, under 130 cm | ฿150 | Taller children pay the adult fee |
| Child under 3 | Free | No ticket needed |
The same fee applies whichever boat you arrive on. What changes between tours is only whether you pay it yourself or the price already covers it.
Which Ang Thong tours include the park fee?
Two of them. The VIP speedboat and the Red Baron cruise include the park fee; the speedboat, big boat and private charter do not.
This is worth knowing when you compare prices, because the headline numbers are not like for like. The VIP and Red Baron prices look higher partly because the fee is already inside them.
| Tour | Adult price | Park fee | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat | ฿1890 | Not included, ฿300 cash | Daily |
| VIP speedboat | ฿3890 | Included | Tue, Thu, Sat |
| Big boat | ฿1100, or ฿1500 with kayaks | Not included, ฿300 cash | Daily |
| Red Baron | ฿3700 | Included | Wed, Sat |
| Private speedboat | ฿39,000 per boat, up to 6 guests | Not included, ฿300 per adult | Any day |
On the VIP speedboat tour the fee is paid by the operator, so you need no cash for the ticket office at all. The same goes for the Red Baron. On the private charter the boat price covers the boat, crew, fuel and guide, but the park fee is separate, exactly as on the group tours.
Where and how do you pay the fee?
You pay it in cash, at the park. Plan on cash only and bring Thai baht in small notes.
The money goes to the national park, not to the tour company and not to us. That is why it sits outside the tour price on most trips: it is a government entrance ticket, the same for everyone who enters the park.
My practical advice is simple:
- Put the exact amount for your group in a separate envelope or pocket the night before.
- Bring small notes. Counting change on a rocking boat is nobody's favourite activity.
- Keep the cash in a waterproof pouch with your phone. You will be on boats and beaches all day.
- Remember children's ages and heights, so you know which rate each child pays.
Why does Ang Thong charge an entrance fee?
Because it is a protected national park. Mu Ko Ang Thong has been a national park since 12 November 1980, and the fee is the ticket into it.
The park covers about 102 km² of sea and islands, with coral reefs, limestone cliffs, young mangroves and forests that are home to dusky langurs, hornbills and around 50 bird species. People live on only two of the 42 islands: the fishing village on Koh Phaluai and the park staff at the headquarters on Wua Ta Lap.
Keeping that going needs rangers, a headquarters, trails and stairways. The stairway with handrails up to the Emerald Lake viewpoint and the trail on Wua Ta Lap do not maintain themselves. I think of the fee as the price of a protected place staying protected, and at ฿300 for a day among 42 islands it is fair value.
The park also closes every year, usually from 1 November to 15 December, to let nature recover. No tickets are sold for those dates, so no tours run and none can be booked. If you want the bigger picture of what the park protects, the main Ang Thong guide covers the islands and the wildlife.
What happens if you forget the cash?
Do not let it get that far. On tours without the fee included, the ฿300 per adult is paid in cash at the park, and the park is not the place to solve a cash problem.
Once you are out on the islands there is nowhere practical to get money, and the boat keeps to its timetable. If you realise in the morning that you have no cash, tell the guide straight away at pickup or registration, before the boat leaves, and ask what can be done. Do not wait until you reach the park.
If you know you hate carrying cash, that is a fair reason to look at the VIP speedboat or the Red Baron. Both cost more, but both include the fee and both include meals, so on the day you need nothing in your pocket except a little spending money.
A few other things are worth having alongside the cash:
- A photo of your passport. The tour company needs the number for the insurance.
- Swimwear, a towel, a hat and sunscreen.
- Shoes with grip for the stairs on Mae Ko and the trail on Wua Ta Lap.
Is it cheaper to choose a tour with the fee included?
Not on price alone. The speedboat at ฿1890 plus the ฿300 fee is still well below the VIP at ฿3890, so the VIP is about comfort, not saving money.
What you pay extra for on the VIP is a small group of up to 16, six stops instead of four, breakfast and lunch, and the fee already handled. On the Red Baron you pay for a slow day under red sails with meals and drinks on board. For a family on a budget, the big boat tour from ฿1100 plus the fee is still the cheapest way in.
Children change the maths a little, because each tour has its own child rules. The speedboat and big boat use 3-12 years and under 130 cm. The VIP charges ฿2890 for children aged 4-10, with under 4s free. The Red Baron charges ฿1850 for ages 5-10 and ฿500 for ages 2-4, with under 2s free. On the private boat everyone counts the same for the boat price, and only the separate park fee has a child rate.
Here is who I would point to each option:
- Budget travellers and anyone prone to seasickness: the big boat, with cash for the fee.
- Most couples and active families: the speedboat, with cash for the fee.
- Small groups who want everything paid in advance: the VIP speedboat.
- People who want a slow day on a sailing yacht: the Red Baron.
- Days
- Tue, Thu, Sat
- Time
- 07:00-17:30
- Boat
- Small group, max 16
- Park fee
- Included
- Days
- Wed, Sat
- Time
- 07:30-19:00
- Boat
- Traditional sailing junk
- Park fee
- Included
- Days
- Daily
- Time
- 07:40-16:30
- Boat
- Shared speedboat
- Park fee
- ฿300 extra
Is there anything else to pay on the day?
Apart from the balance of the tour price and the park fee, there is very little. The rest of the tour price is paid in advance: a prepayment, usually 50%, when you book, and the balance on the day of the tour.
Here is how booking works. The request on the website is free and no payment is taken. A manager contacts you by WhatsApp or email, confirms the details and sends a payment link for the prepayment. Card payments go through Stripe with a 6% card fee added, and the rest of the tour price is paid on the day.
Beyond that, the extras are small and mostly optional:
- Alcoholic drinks are not included on any of the group tours. Soft drinks and water are.
- An underwater camera is not included on the speedboat tour, so bring your own or a waterproof phone pouch.
- On the big boat, kayaking is an option: ฿1500 per adult instead of ฿1100, and ฿1000 per child instead of ฿700. It is easiest to choose it when you book.
- On the private charter, lunch and kayaking are not in the boat price. Lunch at the island restaurant is ordered in advance and paid on the spot.
So for a typical speedboat day, the cash you carry is the park fee plus a little for extras. Everything else is covered once the tour is paid.
Fee checklist for the day before
Go through this the evening before your trip. The only question that matters is whether your tour includes the fee or not.
- Speedboat, big boat or private charter: cash for ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child aged 3-12 and under 130 cm.
- VIP speedboat or Red Baron: nothing to pay for the park.
- Children under 3: free on the park fee.
- Dates between 1 November and 15 December: the park is usually closed, so no trip at all.
If you are still deciding how to get there and how long each boat takes, the guide on how to get to Ang Thong compares the crossings and the piers.
Questions and answers
Is the Ang Thong entrance fee included in the tour price?
Only on the VIP speedboat and the Red Baron cruise. On the speedboat, big boat and private charter you pay it separately in cash at the park.
Can I pay the Ang Thong park fee by card?
Plan to pay in cash. The fee is paid in cash at the park, so bring Thai baht in small notes for everyone in your group.
Do babies pay the Ang Thong park fee?
No. Children under 3 go free. Children aged 3-12 and under 130 cm pay ฿150, and taller children pay the adult fee of ฿300.
Does the private speedboat price include the park fee?
No. The ฿39,000 boat price covers the boat for up to 6 guests, crew, guide, fuel and drinks, but the park fee is separate: ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child.
Do teenagers pay the child rate?
No. The child rate of ฿150 is for ages 3-12 and under 130 cm. Teenagers, and younger children taller than 130 cm, pay the adult fee of ฿300.
Can I buy an Ang Thong ticket for November?
No. The park is usually closed every year from 1 November to 15 December and sells no tickets for those dates. No tours run during the closure.
Does the fee go to the tour company?
No. It is the national park entrance fee. That is why most tours list it separately from their own price.
Facts checked against our tour pages on 30 October 2026. Prices and days can change: your manager confirms them when you book.
