- The speedboat tour costs ฿1890 per adult and crosses to Ang Thong in about 40 minutes, with four stops, buffet lunch and kayaking included.
- The big boat tour starts from ฿1100 per adult, takes about 1.5 hours each way, and is by far the smoothest ride if you worry about seasickness.
- Neither price includes the national park fee of ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child, paid in cash on the day.
- Kayaking is already in the speedboat price; on the big boat it costs ฿400 more per adult (฿1500 total) and is optional.
- Both run daily except during the annual park closure, usually 1 November to 15 December.
Someone in your group gets queasy on boats. Someone else wants to see as much of Ang Thong as possible before flying home in two days. You are booking for both of them, and the two tours that keep coming up are the speedboat and the big boat. This is the honest version of how they differ, not the brochure version.
Short answer on ang thong speedboat or big boat: if your main goal is seeing the most of the park in one day and nobody gets seasick easily, take the speedboat. If comfort, a lower price or a family with small kids matters more than ticking off every stop, the big boat is the better call.
What is actually different between the two boats?
The speedboat is smaller, faster and takes the open sea harder. The big boat is a large, stable tourist boat built for a smoother ride, not speed.
That single difference explains almost everything else: how long the crossing takes, how many stops fit into the day, how rough it feels, and even the mood on board. A speedboat full of people bouncing over chop feels different from a wide deck where you can walk around and the horizon barely moves.
How long does each one take to reach Ang Thong?
The speedboat crosses in about 40 minutes, the big boat takes roughly 1.5 hours each way. That is nearly two extra hours at sea, round trip, on the big boat.
Where does that time go on the speedboat? Straight into the park: four stops instead of two, more time at each, and you are back at your hotel earlier in the afternoon. The big boat uses its slower pace differently, with breakfast and lunch served on board while it travels, so the crossing does not feel wasted, just slower.
Side by side
| Speedboat Tour | Big Boat Tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ฿1890 adult / ฿1490 child | from ฿1100 adult / ฿700 child |
| Crossing time | About 40 minutes | About 1.5 hours |
| Days | Daily | Daily |
| Stops | Four: reef snorkeling, Mae Ko, Tamarin Beach, Wua Ta Lap | Two: Wua Ta Lap, Mae Ko |
| Lunch | Buffet on Tamarin Beach | Buffet served on board |
| Kayaking | Included | Optional, +฿400 adult |
| Park fee | Not included (฿300/฿150) | Not included (฿300/฿150) |
| Hours | 07:40 pickup, back about 16:30 | 07:30 pickup, back about 17:00 |
| Ride comfort | Bouncier, feels the waves | Much more stable |
Which one is smoother if I get seasick?
The big boat, without much competition. A large hull with a wide beam rolls far less than a speedboat skipping over the same swell, and that matters more than people expect once you are actually out there.
If someone in your group is prone to motion sickness, or you are travelling with grandparents or toddlers, this is probably the deciding factor on its own. The speedboat is not dangerous or wild, most days it is a fine ride, but on a choppy morning you will feel every bit of it. The Red Baron sailing cruise is another smooth option worth a look if speed is not the priority: see the Red Baron Sailing Cruise page.
How many islands and stops do I actually get?
The speedboat makes four stops in one day: a coral reef for snorkeling, the Emerald Lake on Mae Ko, lunch and kayaking at Tamarin Beach, and the viewpoint on Wua Ta Lap. The big boat makes two: Wua Ta Lap first, then Mae Ko in the afternoon.
That is the real trade-off, more than the price. If you want to snorkel over coral as part of the day, only the speedboat (among these two) includes it; the big boat hands out masks but does not have a dedicated reef stop built into its schedule. If you are only going to Ang Thong once, this is where many people lean speedboat.
Both tours stop at the Emerald Lake on Mae Ko and at Koh Wua Ta Lap, so you are not missing either of the park's signature sights on the cheaper option. What you miss on the big boat without the kayak add-on is the snorkeling stop and the Tamarin Beach kayaking session.
What about lunch and kayaking?
Lunch is included on both: a beach buffet on the speedboat, a buffet served on deck on the big boat. Kayaking works differently though: it is already included in the ฿1890 speedboat price, while on the big boat it is an optional extra that brings the price up to ฿1500 per adult.
If paddling past the cliffs near Mae Ko is something you actually want to do, work out which total is cheaper for your group rather than assuming the cheaper headline price wins. Read more on the Kayaking in Ang Thong page about where each tour paddles and the age rule (five years old minimum, no exceptions).
Which one is better value for the price?
Pound for pound on price, the big boat wins: from ฿1100 per adult against ฿1890 for the speedboat, and both charge the same park fee on top. If budget is tight and you are happy with two solid stops instead of four, the big boat delivers a full day in Ang Thong for noticeably less.
But value is not only about the lowest number. The speedboat buys you time and stops, not luxury, so judge it against what else you could do with that extra half-day if you took the slower boat instead. Neither is "wrong", they are built for different priorities.
- Tight budget, happy with two stops, want a gentle ride: big boat.
- Want to pack snorkeling, two islands, lunch and kayaking into one day: speedboat.
- Travelling with toddlers or anyone who gets seasick: big boat.
- Only one day free in your whole trip for Ang Thong: speedboat.
- Want everything handled with no cash needed at the park: neither, look at the VIP Speedboat Tour, which includes the park fee.
Who should choose the speedboat, and who should choose the big boat?
Choose the speedboat if you want the fullest day Ang Thong can give you in one trip and nobody in your group struggles with a bumpier ride. Choose the big boat if comfort, a lower price, or an easier day with young kids or older relatives matters more than squeezing in every stop.
There is also a middle path worth knowing about: the VIP Speedboat Tour runs a small group of up to 16 people, hits six stops including Koh Sam Sao and Koh Phaluai, and already includes the park fee and breakfast, for ฿3890. It is pricier than either tour here, but if the regular speedboat's bigger groups put you off, that is the step up.
Good to know before you book
Both tours run daily while the park is open, which is most of the year; the park is usually closed from 1 November to 15 December to let nature recover, and no tours run on those dates. Check the current dates with us if you are booking for late October, November or early December.
Neither tour includes the national park fee: that is ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child, paid in cash on the day, on top of whichever tour price you choose. Bring a photo of your passport too, both tours ask for the number for the travel insurance at check-in.
- Child price on the speedboat: 3 to 12 years and up to 130 cm, ฿1490.
- Child price on the big boat: 3 to 12 years and up to 130 cm, ฿700 without kayaks, ฿1000 with kayaks.
- Kayaking minimum age on both: 5 years old, no exceptions.
- Neither tour is suitable for pregnant women.
For the booking process itself, how the prepayment works and what happens if the weather turns, see our terms and conditions and cancellation policy. If you are still weighing up all five tours side by side rather than just these two, the How to get there page lays out the full comparison, crossing times included.
Questions and answers
Is the speedboat or the big boat faster to Ang Thong?
The speedboat is much faster, about 40 minutes each way compared to roughly 1.5 hours on the big boat. That extra time lets the speedboat tour fit in two more stops over the course of the day.
Which boat is better for kids?
The big boat tends to suit young children better because it is far more stable on the water. Both tours charge the same child price band (3 to 12 years, up to 130 cm), and kayaking on either requires a minimum age of 5.
Does either tour include the national park entrance fee?
No, neither the speedboat nor the big boat includes the ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child park fee, which is paid in cash on the day. If you want the fee bundled into the price, look at the VIP speedboat or the Red Baron cruise instead.
Can I add kayaking to the big boat tour?
Yes, kayaking is optional on the big boat and brings the price to ฿1500 per adult and ฿1000 per child, instead of ฿1100 and ฿700 without it. On the speedboat tour, kayaking is already included in the base price.
Which tour has better snorkeling?
The speedboat has a dedicated snorkeling stop at a coral reef as part of its four-stop route. The big boat's schedule focuses on Wua Ta Lap and Mae Ko and does not include a separate reef stop.
Do both tours run every day?
Yes, both run daily, except during the annual park closure which usually runs from 1 November to 15 December. Always check current dates with us if you are planning a trip close to those months.
Is the speedboat safe in rough weather?
The captain makes the final call on the route and timing based on the sea conditions on the day. If the swell is too rough, stops can be shortened or adjusted, and on genuinely bad days it is worth asking about the smoother big boat or Red Baron options instead.
Facts checked against our tour pages on 21 October 2026. Prices and days can change: your manager confirms them when you book.
