Koh Ngai is a tiny triangle shaped island measuring approximately 4km by 2km which is part of Thailand’s chain of aptly named “Paradise Islands” off the coast of Krabi Province in Southern Thailand. While commonly spoken about along with its Trang province neighbors – Koh Kradan, Koh Mook and Koh Libong – Koh Ngai to the north is actually part of of Krabi Province.
The 2 kilometer stretch of white sand beach on the Eastern side of Koh Ngai is often heralded as one of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand – along with Paradise Beach on Koh Kradan. The beach has a similar 20 – 30 meter shallow sand shelf that brings you to a reef that rings the island.
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Best Time to Visit
The tourist season runs from November to April every year. Note that there may be limited to no services – such as transportation to and from the island/restaurants etc. outside the regular tourist season. Note also, that the weather is less predictable at the start of the tourist season – and there can still be significant rainfall in the month of November.
Transportation
Koh Ngai, is quite easily accessible by boat from Koh Lanta or any of the other Paradise islands. If you’re flying in, the best airports are as follows: Krabi Airport (KBV) or Trang Airport (TRA) and Phuket (Phuket Airport: HKT). From these hubs you can arrange for ground and ferry transport over to Koh Ngai. The island is also a stop on the popular 4-island trip from Koh Lanta.
I recommend making your transfer bookings on 12Go. I used them both from the airport in Trang to my first stop in Koh Kradan as well to get between and around the Paradise islands. Their prices are the same as booking locally, and their customer service is very quick – they answer on WhatsApp. Plus you have the convenience of booking everything before your vacation rather than shopping around during your valuable vacation time, and also have the protection of booking with a reputable agency in case the local provider does not show up – you can get a full refund either through 12Go or through your credit card.
Where to Stay
Most accommodations on Koh Ngai are located on the main beach – with some exceptions such as Koh Ngai Resort and Paradise Beach Resort – which are located on their own beaches that are primarily boat access only.
Note that from Coco Cottage Resort northwards on the main beach; there is no beach during high tide. The water comes directly to the properties from Coco Cottage northwards. The beach at low-tide for properties north of Coco Cottage is generally not one where you’re going to want to lay down on due to the prevalence of broken coral/debris. Some properties like the Koh Ngai Cliff Beach Resort make up for the lack of a proper beachfront by having incredible infinity pools, but if consistent access to a beautiful beachfront is important to you, choose properties south of Coco Cottage Resort.
Budget:
Koh Ngai Camping has large oceanfront tents on the northern part of the main beach – with nighty rates starting about $35USD. Rates typically include breakfast. Note the stretch of beach in front of Koh Ngai Camping tends to disappear at high tide.
I stayed at the Koh Ngai Seafood which has oceanview fan-only bungalows for about $35-40USD. I found my bungalow to be very spacious, and the adjoining restaurant served great food. I enjoyed the shaded lawn area in front of the bungalows overlooking the ocean where you could do yoga or sit by one of the seaside benches. In my view, this is one of the best value for money you can get for accommodations on Koh Ngai.
Koh Ngai Kaimuk Thong Resort is another budget property with fan-only rooms starting at $35-40USD. The stretch of beach in front of this property is just about the nicest you can get on Koh Ngai.
Mid-Range:
Koh Hai Fantasy Resort is a mid-range property with air-conditioned rooms starting at $50 – $75USD. The stretch of beach in front of this property is excellent but busy during the day with boats. The property also has one of the island’s only general stores, and is the launch point for Tigerline fast boats to Koh Libong.
Koh Ngai Cliff Beach Resort towards the north end of the island sits on a hill and offers air-conditioned rooms starting at $60 – $90USD. A selling point for this property is its infinity pool that offers panoramic views of the ocean.
Luxury:
Koh Ngai Thanya Resort with air-conditioned rooms and bungalows starting at $80 – $120USD. Koh Ngai Thanya Resort is a relaxed, nature-focused retreat with charming wooden bungalows, and a lovely pool.
Coco Cottage Resort with air-conditioned rooms and bungalows starting at $75 – $120USD is a charming eco-chic retreat with beautifully designed bungalows, a relaxing atmosphere, and thoughtful touches like outdoor showers, a saltwater pool, and complimentary floats and beach gear.
Thapwarin Resort with air-conditioned rooms starting at $90 – $120USD. Thapwarin Resort combines charming thatched-roof bungalows with a peaceful, nature-filled setting, spacious rooms, and a relaxed atmosphere.
Beaches
There are three main beaches on Koh Ngai. The largest is the main eastern stretch of beach that runs 2km nearly from the southern tip of the island all the way up to the Koh Ngai Cliff Beach resort near the north-eastern end of the island. The best stretch of this beach in my opinion is the section between BMH Bar and Koh Ngai Kaimuk Thong Resort due to the fact that north of BMH Bar the beach shrinks at high tide, and south of Kaimuk Thong Resort, is generally where all the boats and longtails tend to dock – so even though the beach there is nice, during the day – the area south of Kaimuk Thong Resort is often congested with boats and daytrippers.
There are three smaller beaches in the south end of the island that can be accessed through a jungle path that starts behind the Thanya resort. Allow yourself about 30 – 45 minutes walk, and bring water and mosquito repellent, and avoid travel in the darkness. The largest of these southern beaches is Paradise beach which is also where the Paradise Beach Resort is located.
Please be careful on the jungle path – it is advisable to wear shoes with good traction and avoid the path in rainy weather – as there could be mudslides and washed out paths. Also be aware that there are poisonous insects like centipedes and pit vipers that live on the island so be careful of where you step.
Activities
There are no shortage of boat excursions you can book from various vendors at at the busy south end of the main beach. Private long-tail boat excursions were going for 2000Baht per boat. So you if you can get a group together it may be worthwhile to just book a private boat.
There is decent snorkeling to be had about 30 – 40 meters off the shore – which is easily accessible at lower tides by just walking out from the beach towards the reef that rings the island. While the reef is surprisingly healthy given the amount of boat traffic; visibility can be poor due to the high winds that are common on Koh Ngai. The best snorkeling is generally considered to be at the south end of the beach by the Koh Ngai Resort, but it is healthy all the way up the beach as well.
Make sure to bring watershoes or water sandals if you’re going to be snorkeling, as there is quite a lot of rock/broken coral/debris that you’ll have to navigate getting to and from the reef.
In the evenings, for something a little different than the numerous resort bars and restaurants that line the main beach considering making the trek to the northern end of the beach to Light My Fire bar and restaurant to enjoy some delicious food and excellent live music. The owner is amazing and the musicians are excellent – be aware that the section can be cut off from the southern half of the beach at high tide – but it is generally possible to walk across the resort properties in the North end if the beach is covered at high tide.
Amenities
There’s a pricey mini-mart selling most things you might need in the lobby of the Koh Hai Fantasy Resort – including sunscreen, mosquito repellent, snorkeling gear, food and drinks like beer, wine, rum, vodka, and snacks. The store also has a fairly impressive array of pharmacy items – including contact lens solution and antibiotics.
Koh Ngai Kaimuk Thong Resort also has a small beachside mini-mart which sell some items that the mini-mart at the Fantasy Island resort does not sell – like different varieties of single serve coffee sachets.
While the island does not have a medical clinic or pharmacy; First Lanta Medical has signage all over the beach advertising 24/7 medical services delivered to your hotel room – including free video call assessments (and presumably evacuation to the mainland if you have a serious medical issue). On the weekends, they even had nursing staff walk up and down the beach offering free medical assessments and small supplies like band-aids. I did not see this service on Koh Kradan – although I’m assuming First Lanta Medical can also provide services throughout the region.
Things to Know Before You Go
Most boats will land directly on the beach on Koh Ngai – generally they will strive to land in front of the beach where you’re staying; if not, they will have beach buggies to bring you and your luggage to the property where you are staying. Note that this means that this is generally going to be a “wet-foot” landing on Koh Ngai. Would strongly recommend wearing water shoes or water sandals to aid in your arrival in shallow water. I would generally recommend bringing a backpack over a suitcase to Koh Ngai and the other paradise islands.
There are no ATMs on the island, so bring all the cash you think you may need. Some of the higher-end restaurants and hotels on the island may allow you to pay by credit card (with a 3% surcharge), but better to have cash on-hand as the island is primarily cash-forward.
Like Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai is a tourist island – meaning that locals generally do not live on the island aside from those working in the tourism sector.
Internet/Wifi
As is the case with most of the Paradise Islands; expect WIFI to be somewhat unreliable unless you stay at a higher end property. Generally speaking, the only guaranteed WIFI will be at the reception area of the hotel. Therefore, if you anticipate streaming a movie from your room or generally having internet available throughout the island, I would recommend getting a good SIM card prior to arriving on the island. I used this eSIM from Trip.com during my travels in Thailand and was very pleased with its performance and price. There are different options. Including a 100GB per day plan which could be suitable for hotspotting a group of travellers. 15 days on this plan only costs $19USD.
Normally I would say it’s a toss-up between buying a SIM or eSIM at the airport or online, but I found this particular eSIM to be of superior value as it is around the same price as buying a SIM card at the airport in Bangkok, but it actually taps into two major providers in Thailand (TrueMove and DTAC) – giving you a wider range of coverage than just buying a single provider SIM card at the airport. Therefore my eSIM worked perfectly for all applications including hotspotting my computer to stream movies.
Packing List
- Cash – nearly everything is cash-only on the island. Bring enough cash to cover all your expenses.
- Swimsuit
- Swim Buoy: serves as both a dry bag that you can wear like a one-shoulder backpack to carry your belongings on dry land; swim beacon (so boaters can see you) and emergency floatation device in the water. The best part about the swim buoy is that you can safely carry your belongings with you while swimming as well, as the buoy is essentially a dry bag in addition to a swim safety device.
- Water wallet. Great for bringing phone, cash/cards and keys into the water with you so you don’t need to leave them on the beach.
- Snorkeling gear. There’s great snorkeling on Koh Kradan, so bring at least a mask and fins so you don’t spend a fortune on rentals.
- Water shoes or water sandals. Important if you’re going to snorkel out to the reefs.
- Bug spray (I love this DEET-free repellent that kept me completely bite free in India)
- Sunglasses
- Insect bite healer. This device is basically like a mini heat-pen that when applied to a fresh bite, denatures the poison from the insect bite and greatly reduces/eliminates itching and swelling.
- Powerbank for charging phone and other electronic devices.
- Electronics (Phone, laptop, associated chargers)
- Travel adaptor
- Sarong/Beach blanket
- Lightweight towel
- Hat. Your hats should have a brim to keep the sun off your face. This one has a SFP50 protection, and is lightweight and quick drying.
- Toothbrush, floss, toothpaste. (This travel dental kit is travel-sized and has everything you need.)
- Sunscreen. If you’re travelling only, consider a solid sunscreen
- Shampoo. I prefer bar shampoo when I travel. I also just use it as all-purpose soap.
- Hair Conditioner. I prefer bar conditioner when I travel.
- Antihistamines – in case of allergic reaction on the road or to help with swelling associated with bug bites (if you’re allergic)
- Benadryl “itch stick” for bug bites. Instant relief from insect bites.
- Pepto-bismol tablets. This inexpensive medication is a life-saver for mild digestive issues/nausea that are bound to happen when travelling.
- Headlamp – in case you plan to be out after sunset
Final Thoughts
Koh Ngai is a stunning island that offers a few more services, accommodations and dining that its famous neighbour – Koh Kradan. While it’s more busy than its famous neighbour, the trade off is that it seems to get fewer day-trippers, or at least somehow the extra kilometer of beach the island has seems to make the day-trippers seem more dispersed.
Overall, there is a serenity and peace around Koh Ngai that I deeply enjoyed. The weather in late-December when I visited was absolutely perfect. Perfectly sunny days, temperatures around 28 – 29 Celsius, perfect water temperature (like bathwater), a warm gentle breeze that blew all day and evening that kept the bugs off, yet made me feel like mother nature was wrapping with cool, gentle comfort. Of course climate can differ from trip to trip and I’m sure Koh Ngai has its bad days – but for my trip – the weather was absolutely sublime.