Coral Island (Koh Hey) by Private Boat: Beaches, Snorkelling and Timing

Coral Island is the easy answer when you want island water and a beach without a long crossing. It sits just off Rawai in the south of Phuket. Travel guides describe snorkelling close to shore, and the charter service behind this site lists it among the islands that appear on many of its day-charter routes. On a private boat you decide when you arrive, which side of the island you stop on and how long you stay. That matters more here than at most islands, because Coral Island is also a regular stop for tour boats.

This guide covers where the island is, which beaches the sources name, what to expect from the snorkelling, how to look after a reef that has had a hard time, and what to ask before you book.

Where Coral Island is

Coral Island is the name most visitors use. In Thai it is เกาะเฮ, written in English as Koh Hey, Koh He, Ko He, Koh Hae or Koh Hei depending on the source. They are all the same island.

According to Lovethailand.org, the island lies in Rawai subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district, about 5 km by boat from Rawai Beach. The same page gives about 15 minutes by speedboat from Ao Chalong pier, and Thai Holiday Guide also describes it as about 15 minutes by speedboat off Rawai. Treat those as rough guides only: the real crossing depends on the boat, the pier you leave from and the sea on the day.

Because it is so close to the south coast, Coral Island pairs naturally with other nearby islands. The private day charter page from Blue Andaman, the charter service behind this site, lists Coral alongside Racha Yai, Maiton and Khai as islands that appear across many of its listed day-charter routes.

The beaches

Sources do not agree on a single set of beach names, so here is what each one says:

• Banana Beach is named by all three sources that list beaches. Lovethailand.org describes it as a curved bay about 250 m long. Thai Holiday Guide calls it the quieter of the two main beaches, around the point.
• Long Beach is, according to Thai Holiday Guide, on the west side and is where most tour boats dock. Lovethailand.org names a wide sandy beach called Hat Yao. Ask the crew whether these names refer to the same beach.
• Coral Beach and Krahang Beach are named in The Thaiger's 2024 report on mooring buoys around the island, along with Banana Beach.

If you want a calmer stop, tell the captain which beach you prefer when you book and ask which one suits the sea and the time of day you will arrive.

Thai Holiday Guide notes that beach vendors charge separately for chairs, umbrellas and water sports, so check what your boat package includes and what you would pay for on the beach.

Snorkelling at Coral Island

Thai Holiday Guide calls snorkelling the island's main draw. It says reef fish live close to shore off both main beaches and the water is shallow enough for casual swimmers. Lovethailand.org also describes shallow snorkelling near the shore, and advises checking your mask and snorkel and wearing a life jacket.

Keep your expectations realistic. In 2017 The Phuket News reported research from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) finding that only about 25% of the reef area measured around ten years earlier was still alive. The DMCR linked the damage to boat anchors, "try dives" where tourists walked on coral, and dumped waste. That report is several years old, and reef condition changes over time, so ask your crew where the snorkelling is currently best.

If anyone in your group is a nervous swimmer, ask whether the boat carries life jackets and snorkel sets in the right sizes. Our guide to private boat trips with children has more on what to check for younger swimmers.

Looking after the reef

A few simple habits help protect what is left:

• Do not touch or stand on coral. Lovethailand.org gives this advice directly, and the DMCR report above names people walking on coral as one cause of damage.
• Moor, do not anchor, over the reef. In July 2024, Rawai Municipality and the Royal Thai Navy's Third Area Command installed mooring buoys at seven points around the island, including Coral Beach, Krahang Beach and Banana Beach, to prevent anchor damage to the reef, The Thaiger reported. It is fair to ask your captain whether they will use the buoys.
• Choose reef-safe sunscreen. Thai Holiday Guide recommends it. Separately, Thailand's Department of National Parks banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) and butylparaben in marine national parks, with a maximum fine of 100,000 baht, the Bangkok Post reported. No official source stating whether Coral Island lies inside a national park was available when this was checked, so do not rely on the ban either way: a sunscreen without those chemicals is the simple choice wherever you swim.
• Take your rubbish back to the boat. The 2024 clean-up reported by The Thaiger collected about 750 kg of trash from a 500 m stretch of beach on the east side of the island.

Why a private boat helps with timing

Coral Island is close to Phuket and well known, so it is a regular stop for group tours. A private charter cannot change that, but it does give you choices a shared tour does not:

• Ask about the start time. Check with the operator whether you can choose your departure time rather than fit a fixed tour schedule.
• You choose the order of stops. If you are combining Coral Island with another nearby island, you can ask the captain which order makes most sense for your day.
• You choose the beach. Instead of landing where most tour boats dock, you can ask for a quieter beach or snorkelling spot, sea conditions allowing.
• You decide how long to stay. Leave when the children are tired, or stay longer if the snorkelling is good, within your charter hours.

No reliable source on when the island is busiest was available when this was checked, so ask the operator when it tends to be quieter on your date.

Blue Andaman's day charter page makes a useful point: longer crossings leave less time for swimming and stops, so a shorter route can be a better fit for a relaxed day. Coral Island is a good example of a short route. The same page notes that weather, sea conditions and access restrictions can lead the captain to change stops, and that additional destinations or longer hours need agreement and may affect the cost.

Speedboat or catamaran for Coral Island?

For a short hop, either can work. In Blue Andaman's private speedboat listings, boats carry 6 to 12 guests and Coral is named among the nearer islands some speedboats cover. That page also points out that seating, sun cover, toilet facilities and access to the water vary from boat to boat, which matters for a snorkelling stop. Larger groups, or anyone who wants more shade and space, may prefer a catamaran. Our catamaran or speedboat comparison goes through the trade-offs.

When to go

Thailand's rainy season, driven by the southwest monsoon, runs from about mid-May to mid-October, according to the government's thailand.go.th guide to the seasons. Even a short crossing can be uncomfortable when the sea is rough. Whatever the season, the captain makes the final call on whether a stop is safe on the day.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which pier does this boat leave from, and how far is it from our hotel?
• Is Coral Island on this route, and which beach or snorkelling spot will we stop at?
• Can we choose our departure time and the order of stops?
• How long is the crossing to Coral Island for this boat in normal conditions?
• Will the boat use a mooring buoy rather than an anchor near the reef?
• Are snorkel sets and life jackets on board in the right sizes for everyone?
• Is there shade, a toilet and an easy way in and out of the water?
• Are any island, park or beach fees included, or do we pay them on the day?
• What happens if the sea is too rough for the planned stop?