National park fees in Phuket and south: Thai vs foreigner

National park fees can add several hundred baht per person to an island tour, especially when travelling from Phuket to Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi Island or the Similan Islands. The amount depends on the park rather than the departure point, and Thai citizens pay a lower rate than foreign visitors. The figures below are commonly published standard entrance fees in Thai baht and are useful for budgeting, but travellers should confirm current prices before departure because fees and seasonal access can change.

How national park pricing works

Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation sets separate entrance rates for Thai citizens and foreign visitors. Thai visitors normally need to show a valid Thai national ID card to receive the domestic rate. A work permit, Thai driving licence or long-stay visa does not always qualify a foreign resident for Thai pricing.

The listed child rate is generally applied according to the park’s age or height rules. Very young children may enter free, but interpretation can vary at individual ticket counters.

Fees are usually charged per person and per park. One ticket does not provide admission to every national park in the region. A trip combining two separately managed parks may therefore require two payments.

The prices below cover standard admission only. They do not normally include:

• Boat transfers or tour prices
• Pier and local administration fees
• Parking, camping or equipment rental
• Private guides and park activities
• Scuba-diving charges where applicable

Phuket and Phang Nga national park fees

Phuket’s principal coastal national park is Sirinat National Park, which includes Nai Yang, Mai Khao and Nai Thon areas. Many tours marketed as Phuket trips actually enter parks in neighbouring Phang Nga province.

Destination or park	Foreigner adult	Foreigner child	Thai adult	Thai child
Sirinat National Park, Phuket	200	100	40	20
Ao Phang Nga National Park	300	150	60	30
Mu Ko Similan National Park	500	250	100	50
Mu Ko Surin National Park	500	250	100	50

The Ao Phang Nga fee commonly applies to sightseeing routes through Phang Nga Bay, including park-managed areas around its limestone islands. Check the itinerary if visiting James Bond Island, as operators differ in how they describe included admission.

The Similan and Surin Islands have the highest standard entrance fees in this guide. Both marine parks close seasonally, usually during the southwest monsoon, although opening dates remain subject to official announcements and sea conditions. Scuba divers may also pay an additional daily diving fee.

Phi Phi Island and Krabi fees

Phi Phi Island is in Krabi province, even when the tour departs from Phuket. Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and much of the surrounding marine area fall within Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.

Destination or park	Foreigner adult	Foreigner child	Thai adult	Thai child
Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi	400	200	40	20
Than Bok Khorani National Park	300	150	60	30
Mu Ko Lanta National Park	200	100	40	20
Khao Phanom Bencha National Park	200	100	40	20

The 400-baht foreign adult fee is the main park charge associated with standard Phi Phi and Maya Bay tours. It may be collected by the operator before departure or included in the advertised tour price.

Than Bok Khorani covers several mainland and marine attractions around Ao Luek, while Mu Ko Lanta includes the national park area at the southern end of Ko Lanta and nearby islands. Maya Bay may close temporarily for environmental recovery, even when other parts of Phi Phi remain accessible.

Surat Thani and Samui fees

Surat Thani province includes Khao Sok, Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and the departure points for Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park. Samui itself does not have a general island admission fee, but an Ang Thong day trip normally involves national park admission.

Destination or park	Foreigner adult	Foreigner child	Thai adult	Thai child
Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park	300	150	60	30
Khao Sok National Park	300	150	40	20
Than Sadet–Ko Phangan National Park	200	100	40	20

Ang Thong tours from Samui often quote the park fee separately, so check whether the advertised amount includes admission. Kayak rental, viewpoint access arrangements and boat transfers may also be separate.

At Khao Sok, the national park ticket does not cover every expense associated with Cheow Lan Lake. Travellers may also encounter pier charges, boat hire, accommodation, local guide costs or wildlife sanctuary fees, depending on the route. Ask for an itemised quotation rather than assuming the 300-baht entrance ticket covers the full lake excursion.

Trang national park fees

Hat Chao Mai National Park protects a long section of the Trang coast and marine areas around islands such as Ko Kradan and parts of Ko Muk. It is the national park fee most visitors are likely to encounter on a Trang island-hopping trip.

Destination or park	Foreigner adult	Foreigner child	Thai adult	Thai child
Hat Chao Mai National Park	200	100	40	20

Tours visiting Ko Kradan, the Emerald Cave or other protected locations may collect this fee separately. However, island routes can cross different administrative areas, and not every beach or snorkelling stop requires admission.

Trang’s marine conditions are seasonal. Some services become limited during the monsoon, and individual attractions may close because of rough seas or conservation work. Confirm both access and fee inclusion with the boat operator before travelling.

Budgeting and paying the fees

First check whether a tour lists national park admission as “included” or “excluded.” For a foreign family of two adults and two children, the difference is significant: Phi Phi admission can total 1,200 baht, while the same family visiting the Similan Islands can pay 1,500 baht.

Carry enough Thai baht in small notes. Some parks and tour operators accept electronic payment, but cash remains useful at piers, remote entrances and island checkpoints. When a tour company collects the fee, ask whether it is the official park entrance charge or a package of park, pier and local fees.

Keep the ticket or payment receipt until the trip ends. Rangers may inspect tickets at another beach, pier or checkpoint within the same park. If you leave and re-enter, ask whether the original ticket remains valid that day.

Before departure, verify prices through the national park, the official Department of National Parks information channels or your licensed tour operator. This is especially important after government fee announcements and during seasonal reopening periods.

Plan your trip

Choose the destination first, then add the relevant entrance fee to the boat, transport and activity costs. From Phuket, remember that a Phi Phi Island trip uses the Krabi rate, while Phang Nga Bay, Similan and Surin trips use fees set for parks in Phang Nga province. From Samui, allow for the Mu Ko Ang Thong fee if the marine park is on the itinerary.

When comparing tours, use the total payable price rather than the headline tour rate. Confirm adult and child numbers, nationality-based fees, pier charges, seasonal closures and refund arrangements if weather prevents park entry.

Cyber Tour Phuket can clarify whether national park fees are included in a proposed group itinerary and identify which protected areas are scheduled for each travel day. Final admission remains subject to the park’s official rate and access conditions on the date of travel.