Private Tours & Boat Charters in Koh Samui

Most people assume a private tour in Koh Samui means paying double for something they could do in a group. The opposite is true for groups of 5 or more, and this page is mainly here to kill the "private is only for rich people" assumption with actual math. It is also here to answer every question you probably have about private charters before you bother sending us a message. We run about 40 private charters a month — longtails, speedboats, sailing catamarans, luxury yachts — and we have heard every version of every worry from families, couples, and proposals that went ahead (and one or two that got cancelled, which we talk about openly below).

"Is it actually cheaper for us, or am I being upsold?"

Honest math, not marketing. A group speedboat tour to Pig Island costs ฿1,350 per adult. A private longtail charter for the same route is ฿5,640 for the whole boat. Calculated per person for different group sizes:

• 2 people: Group = ฿2,700. Private = ฿5,640. Group is 52% cheaper.
• 4 people: Group = ฿5,400. Private = ฿5,640. Group is 4% cheaper.
• 5 people: Group = ฿6,750. Private = ฿5,640. Private is 16% cheaper AND you get flexibility.
• 6 people: Group = ฿8,100. Private = ฿5,640. Private is 30% cheaper.
• 8 people: Group = ฿10,800. Private = ฿5,640. Private is 48% cheaper.

The break-even on a longtail charter is around 5 people. On a speedboat charter (฿11,840 per boat) the break-even is 9 people. On a luxury sailing catamaran the break-even is closer to 12-14 people. We will tell you honestly which option wins for your specific group when you send us your dates — we would rather book you on the right thing and have you come back next year than upsell once.

"If we are only 2, is private ever worth it?"

Yes, for specific reasons. Private is worth the premium for couples when:

• It is a special occasion — honeymoon, anniversary, proposal, milestone birthday. Being on the boat with 10 strangers during your proposal is not the memory you want.
• You want control over timing — late start for jet lag recovery, specific sunset location, extended photography stops.
• You want privacy — celebrities, well-known people, anyone tired of being photographed by strangers.
• You have a specific plan — skip the main touristy stops, visit a specific quiet beach, combine a boat with a surprise meal you arranged somewhere.

If none of those apply and you are just on a normal holiday, book the group tour. You will meet other travellers, save money, and the experience on a small-group longtail (max 8 passengers) is almost as personal as private.

The three boat types — what each one actually gives you

Private longtail charter — ฿5,640 per boat (half day) or ฿7,500 (full day)

The Private Longtail Koh Tan & Pig Island Charter is our most-booked private option. Traditional wooden longtail, slow and stable, captain from the south coast. Capacity 10 passengers. Runs from south Koh Samui pier covering Koh Tan, Koh Madsum (Pig Island), and your choice of additional stops. Best for families, couples on a budget with 4+ people, photographers who want the classic Thai boat look, and anyone who gets seasick on speedboats (longtails are dramatically more stable at cruise speed).

What you can customise: start time (we can leave as early as 7 AM or as late as 15:00), route and stops, picnic or beach lunch arrangements, snorkel gear included, decorations for special occasions, music via our onboard waterproof Bluetooth speaker, champagne and drinks (you bring or we buy). What you cannot customise: the captain (we assign based on availability, all are experienced), the boat's speed (longtails cruise at 10-15 knots, period).

Private speedboat charter — ฿11,840 per boat (half day) or ฿14,500 (full day)

The Private Speedboat Charter is for groups who want speed and range. Up to 12 passengers. Covers the same sites as the longtail plus Five Islands (west coast), the Khanom coast (mainland), and makes full-day Koh Tao trips feasible. Best for groups of 8+, people short on time who want to see multiple sites in one day, and anyone who wants to reach Koh Nang Yuan as part of a private day.

For the specific Koh Tao day trip as a private charter, we use at ฿39,400 per boat. Full day, 1.5 hours each way, the best snorkelling accessible from Samui as a private experience. Worth it for groups of 10+ who want to compare notes against a group trip.

Luxury sailing catamaran — from ฿25,000 per day

For wedding parties, executive groups, milestone celebrations, or anyone who simply wants the premium experience. White sailing catamaran, 2 hulls, spacious deck with shaded lounge, proper toilets (important on 6+ hour trips), full kitchen on board, bar service, crew of 3-4. Capacity 12-20 passengers depending on the specific vessel.

We work with two operators in Samui. Both have USCG-equivalent safety certification and licensed Thai captains with commercial maritime experience. Prices vary by vessel and duration — ask us for a specific quote with your dates and we return the exact boats available and their pricing within 24 hours. A full-day catamaran day (9 hours) with lunch and drinks for 10 people typically runs ฿32,000-38,000 total.

"How do I actually customise the itinerary?"

After you book, we send a short form asking: (1) what time you want to start, (2) where you are staying and how many pickup stops, (3) dietary restrictions and allergies, (4) any specific stops or beaches you want, (5) occasions we should prepare for (birthday, anniversary, proposal), (6) music preferences, (7) any photography or video needs. Our operations team reads it, the captain reviews it, and we send back a confirmed itinerary within 24 hours. You can iterate — "can we swap the reef stop for a quieter beach" — before the day.

Common customisations we handle every week:

• Delayed start (09:30 instead of 08:00) for families with jet-lagged kids or guests recovering from a late night
• Quiet beach lunch at specific unnamed beaches instead of the usual tourist-heavy spots
• Drone pickup — we coordinate with guests bringing drones for aerial shots at specific viewpoints
• South side of Pig Island for the quieter reef snorkel instead of the north pig-feeding beach
• Onboard acoustic guitar player (700 THB add-on) for sunset catamaran dinners
• Second crew member (additional 1,500 THB per day) for larger groups needing extra help
• Fishing stop at a drop-off reef for 30 minutes with hand lines
• Hop to Koh Phangan briefly to see Haad Rin or Bottle Beach

"What if the captain doesn't actually understand what I want?"

Every private charter we run has an English-speaking captain — guaranteed. If the captain on the roster that day does not speak English fluently, we assign an additional English-speaking guide from our team at no extra charge. We have never sent a private charter out with a communication barrier in 6 years. If you want an extra layer of security, tell us at booking: "I want the most English-fluent captain available" and we route around to find them.

For guests who speak Spanish, French, or basic Italian, our owner Will speaks all three and can either be on the boat himself (if his schedule allows) or brief the captain with specific phrases in advance.

"Proposals — can you actually handle them right?"

We handle 2 to 4 proposals a month, most of them on private sunset longtails. The setup requires 48 hours advance notice minimum (ideally a week). What we arrange:

• Rose petals on the deck — real, bought the morning of from a Chaweng flower market
• Champagne or sparkling wine on ice — your choice of bottle, we buy and chill
• Cake picked up from a Bophut bakery (we work with two, one does English-style, one does Thai-fusion)
• Discreet photography by our partner photographer Lek in Bophut — she has shot probably 200 of these for TIK clients
• Dinner reservation at a beachfront restaurant after the boat comes back (we coordinate with the restaurant)
• Ring safekeeping — we have a small locker on the captain's console if you need to hide it for the ride out

What we are honest about: the boat is an intimate space, so the surprise element is harder than a restaurant surprise. The captain and crew will know. We brief them to stay invisible until the moment passes — no false congratulations, no disruption. About 1 in 20 proposals we book gets cancelled last-minute because the couple has an argument earlier in the trip. If that happens, we refund the deposit fully with no judgement and rebook for another time if the relationship recovers. This is not public on our site but it is the reality.

"Cancellation, rescheduling, refunds"

Standard private charter cancellation policy:

• Cancelled 48+ hours before departure: Full refund, no fee.
• Cancelled 24-48 hours before: 50% refund (boat and crew are already committed).
• Cancelled same day for personal reasons: No refund, but we can move the booking to another day if available in your trip.
• Cancelled by us for weather: Full refund or free reschedule, your choice. Always.
• Cancelled same day because your child is sick: Free reschedule to another day. Call before 07:00.

This is more flexible than group bookings through Viator or GetYourGuide, which typically charge up to 100% for same-day cancellations regardless of reason. Another reason to book direct.

"What is actually included on a private charter?"

Every private booking includes:

• The whole boat (longtail, speedboat, or catamaran) for your group
• Captain and required crew (1 for longtail, 2 for speedboat, 3-4 for catamaran)
• Fuel for the standard route (detours outside the route add small surcharges)
• All national park and port entry fees
• Snorkel gear for everyone including children's sizes
• Life jackets in every size
• Bottled water and fresh fruit unlimited
• Air-conditioned hotel pickup and drop-off from anywhere on Samui
• English-speaking captain or added guide
• First-aid kit and safety equipment
• Reef-safe sunscreen for 250 THB on request

Not included by default (priced separately and quoted up front when you request them):

• Premium drinks (beer, wine, cocktails, champagne)
• Gourmet lunch (we arrange through trusted caterers — 450-1,200 THB per person depending on menu)
• Decorations for special occasions (rose petals, flower arrangements, banner)
• Professional photographer on board
• Live music (acoustic guitar, DJ) on catamaran charters
• Second guide for groups over 10

"Luxury Angthong as a private charter — what does it actually look like?"

The Angthong Marine Park Private Charter at ฿32,850 for the full day is our most-booked premium private charter. Full-day 9 hours covering the 42 islands of Ang Thong Marine Park including the emerald lagoon Talay Nai, viewpoint climb, kayaking session in sheltered bays, buffet lunch included, park fees included, up to 15 passengers.

The upgrade over the group Angthong tour (at ฿800 per person) is real: you skip the 70-passenger big boat with its fixed itinerary and crowded viewpoint climb. On the private, your group controls the order of stops, lingers at the lagoon without being rushed, gets the kayaks to yourselves, and has the viewpoint at a less crowded time. For groups of 10+ the per-person price ends up similar to the group tour AND you skip strangers.

For true luxury, the Luxury Angthong Yacht Cruise at ฿45,800 adds a larger boat, premium lunch, bar service, and smaller group dynamic. This is the top-end option for executive retreats and special occasions where the budget is not the primary concern.

"Who runs this — are we safe?"

Tour In Koh Samui is the retail brand of Southeast Asia Tour Provider Co. Ltd., a Thai-registered company operating under TAT Tourism License 44/00448. We book through a vetted roster of local captains and operators — Every captain has minimum 5 years on these exact waters (not generic boating experience, local experience). Every boat carries a stocked first-aid kit, life jackets in every size, and a marine radio. Our safety record: zero injuries on private charters in 6 years of operation.

If you want to verify before booking: You can also call TAT Surat Thani and verify license 44/00448 directly. Most clients do not bother — the first call or email is enough to confirm we are real.

"How do I book?"

Chat with us at tourinkohsamui.com with (1) your dates and flexibility, (2) group size and ages, (3) what type of experience (family day, proposal, anniversary, group celebration, just private), (4) any specific route or stops you want, (5) budget range if relevant. We reply within 2 hours during the day with 2 or 3 specific private options that fit, a clean all-in price, and confirmation of availability. No card details needed to check availability. Deposit (usually 50%) required to lock the boat; balance due at departure. Full refund up to 48 hours before.

Browse all our private tour options or contact us directly. We are Koh Samui-based, licensed, and we run these boats every day of the year.

Related travel guides for Koh Samui

If this page was useful, our other Koh Samui travel guides cover every kind of trip — browse the full list on our Explore Koh Samui guides index, or jump directly to one of the guides below:

• Sunset Cruises in Koh Samui
• Temple & Cultural Tour Guide
• Family Tours in Koh Samui
• Snorkeling & Diving in Koh Samui

👉 Back to all Koh Samui travel guides

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