Five Islands vs Pig Island from Koh Samui

What are the Five Islands in Koh Samui?

The Five Islands are a small group of steep, rocky islands off Koh Samui’s southwest coast, known in Thai as Koh Si Koh Ha, “four islands, five islands”.

They are known for swiftlet nests, which have long been harvested from the rock for the edible bird’s-nest trade, and the birds still circle the cliffs.

They look nothing like Pig Island. There is no single beach stop to aim for, so most visitors see them on a cruise or jetski loop along Samui’s quieter southwest coast.

Why are they called the Five Islands?

The local explanation for the name is that one island always hides behind another, so from most viewpoints you can count only four of the five. That is where Koh Si Koh Ha, “four islands, five islands”, comes from.

It is a small story, but a nice one if you enjoy local geography.

What is Pig Island?

Pig Island is Koh Madsum, a small island just south of Koh Samui where pigs roam the beach.

Most Pig Island tours also stop at Koh Tan, the main snorkeling stop on the southern route. That makes the standard trip far more active than a Five Islands cruise.

A typical Pig Island trip includes:

• a short boat ride from the south coast;
• snorkeling at Koh Tan;
• time ashore on Koh Madsum with the pigs;
• swimming and beach time.

Landing on Koh Madsum costs 50 baht per person in cash on most tours.

The biggest difference: sightseeing vs activity

This is the quickest way to tell the two apart.

Five Islands

You go for:

• the cruise and the coastline;
• the rocky island scenery;
• the sunset;
• a private boat at a relaxed pace.

Pig Island + Koh Tan

You go for:

• snorkeling;
• the beach and the pigs;
• swimming;
• a family activity.

If you want to do things, choose Pig Island. If you want to sit back and enjoy the setting, the Five Islands may suit you better.

Which has better snorkeling?

Pig Island + Koh Tan. The snorkeling happens at Koh Tan, not at Pig Island itself: it is the usual shallow-reef stop on the southern route, and most shared tours supply the gear.

Five Islands trips include snorkeling only when the route also takes in Koh Tan, as the Pig Island, Koh Tan and Five Islands jetski tour does. If snorkeling matters to you, check the exact stops before you book.

Which has better beach time?

Pig Island. On Koh Madsum you land and can:

• walk the beach;
• see the pigs;
• swim;
• take photos;
• relax in the shade.

At the Five Islands you mostly look at the rocks from the water and move on.

Which has better scenery?

That depends on the scenery you like.

Five Islands

Better for:

• rocky island silhouettes;
• sunset;
• open-water views;
• the quieter southwest coast.

Pig Island

Better for:

• a tropical beach;
• pigs on the sand;
• longtail boats;
• classic island-stop photos.

Landscape photographers often prefer the Five Islands. For easy holiday photos, Pig Island gives you more.

Which is better for sunset?

The Five Islands. They lie off the southwest coast, facing the sun as it sets, and private yacht and catamaran companies on Samui sell evening trips there. None of those yacht trips is listed on GetYourGuide. The listed option is the sunset jetski tour to Pig Island and the Five Islands (4.8/5, but from only 8 reviews so far, from $301 per jetski for up to two).

Pig Island has sunset trips too, and they are easier to book. The Pig Island and Koh Tan sunset trip with dinner (4.2/5 from 734 reviews, from $46 per person) snorkels at Koh Tan in the afternoon and waits off Koh Madsum for the sunset. Our Pig Island sunset tours page covers it in detail.

Which is better for families?

Pig Island + Koh Tan. Children get more to do:

• the pigs;
• snorkeling;
• the beach;
• swimming;
• the boat ride.

The Five Islands suit children who already enjoy being on boats and looking at scenery. Very young children often get bored on a purely scenic cruise. The jetski tours are not an option for most families either: they are not suitable for non-swimmers, and one jetski carries at most two people.

Which is better for couples?

The Five Islands work well for couples, especially on:

• a private yacht;
• a sunset trip;
• a catamaran;
• a small private charter.

Pig Island is good for couples too, particularly on a private longtail to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum (4.3/5 from 665 reviews, from $101 for up to two people).

The difference is the mood.

Pig Island

Playful and busy with activities.

Five Islands

Relaxed and romantic.

Which is better for first-time visitors?

Pig Island + Koh Tan. In one trip you get:

• another island;
• snorkeling;
• the pigs;
• beach time.

The Five Islands are a more niche choice. They make more sense for repeat visitors, couples, and travellers who already have other beach and snorkeling days planned.

Which is better for repeat Koh Samui visitors?

The Five Islands. If you have already done Pig Island, Ang Thong and Koh Tao, a Five Islands trip shows you a quieter stretch of Samui’s coast you have not seen yet.

Which involves more boat time?

Usually the Five Islands, where the boat ride is most of the trip. Pig Island is a destination trip: you ride out, get off, do things and ride back.

If you love being on the water, that counts in favour of the Five Islands. If you get restless sitting on a boat, Pig Island suits you better.

Which is better if you get seasick?

Pig Island + Koh Tan, because the crossing is short and you spend much of the trip on land or in the water.

The Five Islands are close to Samui as well, but a cruise keeps you afloat for longer. If motion sickness is a problem, compare:

• the size of the boat;
• the total time on the water;
• the route;
• the sea forecast for your day.

What kind of boats do Five Islands tours use?

You may find:

• private yachts and motor yachts;
• catamarans;
• speedboats;
• longtails;
• jetskis, on the GetYourGuide tours.

The route is mainly booked as a private or sunset charter, which is a different market from Pig Island, where shared half-day tours are everywhere.

What kind of boats go to Pig Island?

Common options:

• longtail (the shared longtail trip with a viewpoint hike: 4.3/5 from 911 reviews, from $28 per person);
• speedboat;
• catamaran (4.5/5 from 107 reviews, from $64 per person).

Private longtails are especially popular, because the crossing from southern Koh Samui is short. Our speedboat vs longtail comparison goes through the trade-offs.

Can you combine the Five Islands and Pig Island?

Yes, on some private south-coast charters and on the longer jetski tours. A combined route might run:

1. snorkeling at Koh Tan;
2. Koh Madsum and the pigs;
3. a loop around the Five Islands;
4. the ride back at sunset.

You get the activities in the daytime and the scenery later. On the jetski tour, the shortest 2.5-hour package leaves out the Five Islands, so book a longer option if they are the point.

Is a combined tour worth it?

For a private group, usually yes. It works especially well if:

• you have most of the day free;
• you want the sunset;
• you are splitting the charter cost;
• you dislike shared tours.

For one or two people on a budget, two standard shared trips usually cost less.

Which is cheaper?

Pig Island, by a wide margin. There are many shared tours to choose from:

• group speedboats, from $42 per person;
• group longtails, from $28 per person;
• half-day catamarans, from $64 per person.

Five Islands trips are mostly sold as private yacht charters, sunset cruises or jetski tours. On GetYourGuide the cheapest Five Islands option starts at $258 per jetski, against $42 per person for the shared Pig Island speedboat.

Which gives better value?

For most first-time visitors, Pig Island + Koh Tan: you get more activities for the money.

The Five Islands give better value if what you want is:

• private time on the water;
• the sunset;
• quieter scenery;
• the boat trip itself.

Which is better for photography?

Choose Pig Island for

• the pigs;
• the beach;
• people;
• fun travel photos.

Choose the Five Islands for

• silhouettes;
• the sunset;
• boats;
• landscape shots.

Which is more crowded?

Pig Island is usually busier. It is one of Koh Samui’s best-known short trips, and the shared morning boats land at the same beach.

Five Islands trips tend to feel quieter because most are private or small-group. Crowds still vary by day and season.

Which is better in the morning?

Pig Island. A morning trip suits:

• snorkeling;
• families;
• beach time;
• cooler temperatures.

Which is better in the afternoon?

The Five Islands, because the trip ends facing the sunset. Pig Island also works well in the afternoon, once the morning boats have left.

Which is better if you only have half a day?

Both fit into half a day, so choose by what you want most.

Want activities?

Pig Island + Koh Tan.

Want sunset and scenery?

The Five Islands.

Which is better for a full day?

A combined private route. With a full day there is little reason to choose only one, unless you want a very slow cruise.

Five Islands vs Pig Island vs Ang Thong

These three routes have little in common.

Five Islands

Best for:

• the sunset;
• scenic cruising;
• private boats.

Pig Island

Best for:

• family fun;
• the pigs;
• easy snorkeling;
• a half day.

Ang Thong

Best for:

• dramatic limestone landscapes;
• kayaking;
• viewpoints;
• a full day out on the Ang Thong snorkeling and kayaking tour.

Ang Thong usually closes to visitors from 1 November to 15 December, so it is not an option for late-autumn trips.

Five Islands vs Pig Island vs Koh Tao

Five Islands

Best for scenic cruising.

Pig Island

Best for a mix of activities.

Koh Tao

Best for a dedicated snorkeling day on the Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan speedboat trip.

If time underwater matters most, neither the Five Islands nor Pig Island matches Koh Tao.

Best choice for a honeymoon

A Five Islands sunset trip on a private yacht or catamaran suits the occasion better than a busy shared Pig Island tour.

Best choice for children

Pig Island + Koh Tan.

Best choice for a group of friends

A private south-coast charter combining:

• Pig Island;
• Koh Tan;
• the Five Islands.

The group gets more variety, and the charter cost is shared.

Best choice for budget travellers

A shared Pig Island tour, such as the longtail trip from $28.

Best choice for luxury travellers

A private Five Islands yacht trip, or a full-day yacht charter that also stops at Koh Tan and Pig Island.

What should you check before booking a Five Islands tour?

Ask:

1. Is it sightseeing only?
2. Do you go ashore anywhere?
3. Is snorkeling included?
4. What boat is used?
5. Is it private?
6. Is the sunset included?
7. How long is the cruise?
8. Are food and drinks included?

Five Islands trips vary widely, so these answers matter more than the trip’s name.

What should you check before booking Pig Island?

Ask:

1. Does it include Koh Tan?
2. How much snorkeling time do you get?
3. How long do you spend on Koh Madsum?
4. What boat is used?
5. Is it shared or private?
6. Are hotel transfers included?
7. Is lunch included?
8. Is the 50-baht island fee included?

Best time of year

Both routes depend on the same sea conditions around Koh Samui.

Late January to April is usually the most dependable period for boat trips. May to September still brings many good days. October gets more unsettled, and November is usually the least predictable month. Our best time to visit Pig Island guide goes month by month.

For a sunset trip, cloud cover matters as much as rain.

What happens in bad weather?

Tours may:

• start later;
• change the route;
• move you to another date;
• cancel.

Private boats follow the same safety rules, and the captain makes the call. An expensive yacht cannot ignore a rough sea.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Five Islands in Koh Samui?

A small group of rocky islands off southwest Koh Samui, called Koh Si Koh Ha in Thai and known for their swiftlet nests.

Is Pig Island one of the Five Islands?

No. Pig Island is Koh Madsum, a separate island south of Koh Samui.

Can you visit both on one trip?

Yes, on private south-coast charters and on the longer jetski tours that stop at Pig Island, Koh Tan and the Five Islands.

Which is better for snorkeling?

Pig Island + Koh Tan, because Koh Tan has the reef.

Which is better for sunset?

The Five Islands, which face the sunset off the southwest coast.

Which is better for children?

Pig Island.

Which is more romantic?

A Five Islands sunset trip on a private boat.

Which is cheaper?

Pig Island. Shared tours start at $28 per person, while Five Islands trips on GetYourGuide start at $258 per jetski.

Which is more crowded?

Pig Island is generally busier.

Which is better for first-time visitors?

Pig Island + Koh Tan.

Which is better for repeat visitors?

The Five Islands are the more unusual choice.

Do you need a full day?

No. Both fit into a shorter trip, although combined private charters can take most of the day.

Choosing between them

The Five Islands and Pig Island are very different trips.

Choose Pig Island + Koh Tan if you want:

• the pigs;
• a beach;
• snorkeling;
• activities for the whole family;
• an easy half day.

Choose the Five Islands if you want:

• scenic cruising;
• quieter surroundings;
• the sunset;
• the feel of a private yacht or catamaran.

If you are a family or group with a larger budget, combine Koh Tan, Pig Island and the Five Islands on one private south-coast charter.

For most first-time visitors, Pig Island is the stronger all-round trip. If the boat ride matters more to you than the stops, the Five Islands are often the one you remember.

Compare our current Pig Island tours from Koh Samui to see the main south-coast boat options, or read the island trips from Koh Samui guide for the longer routes.