Koh Hong National Park Fees
The national park fee is not included in your tour price and is collected at the island by the park rangers. Bring cash, they don't take cards. The fee is valid for the entire day across all islands in the park.
The money goes directly to the national park authority and funds conservation, ranger operations and maintaining the beaches and reef.
About the National Park
Koh Hong sits inside Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, one of Thailand's oldest marine protected areas, established in 1983. The park covers around 390 square kilometres of sea and includes 42 islands along the Krabi coastline. Koh Hong, Koh Lading, Koh Pakbia and Koh Rai are all part of the same protected group.
The national park status means the islands are managed by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), a Thai government body. Commercial development on the islands is banned. Anchoring directly on the reef is not allowed. Fishing is restricted. Rangers patrol daily. It's one of the reasons the reef here is still in good shape compared to parts of the Thai coast that had less protection during the high-growth tourism years of the 2000s and 2010s.
What to Expect on the Day
The fee collection is simple and takes about two minutes. When your boat arrives at the island, park rangers will either come alongside in a small boat or meet you at the beach. They'll count the group, collect the fee in cash, and hand out wristbands. You wear the wristband for the day and you're done.
A few practical things to know:
- Cash only, Thai baht. No cards, no QR codes, no exceptions.
- Exact change is not required. Rangers carry change for larger notes.
- The fee is per person, not per boat.
- Children under 3 are free. Children 3–14 pay ฿100.
- The wristband covers all islands in the park for the full day.
- If you visit more than one island in the park on the same day, you only pay once.
The nearest ATM to Ao Nang pier is in Ao Nang town, about a 5-minute walk from most hotels. There are no ATMs or money changers on the islands. If you're joining an early morning departure, sort your cash the night before.
How Koh Hong Compares to Other National Park Fees in Thailand
Koh Hong's ฿200 adult fee is on the lower end of Thai national park entry charges. Here's how it compares:
| Location | Adult fee (foreign) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Koh Hong (Krabi) | ฿200 | Covers all islands in the park group |
| Phi Phi Islands | ฿400 | Same national park, higher fee due to visitor volume |
| Similan Islands | ฿500 | Remote liveaboard destination, higher conservation costs |
| Ang Thong Marine Park | ฿300 | Koh Samui area |
| Khao Sok National Park | ฿300 | Inland rainforest park |
Phi Phi and Koh Hong are actually part of the same national park. The difference in fee reflects the higher visitor numbers at Phi Phi and the additional management costs that come with them. Koh Hong sees fewer visitors and has stayed at ฿200 since the post-Covid fee revision in 2023.
What the Rangers Actually Do
It's easy to think of the entry fee as just a toll. It's more than that. The rangers at Koh Hong work year-round, including outside tourist season. Their day-to-day work includes patrolling the reef by boat to stop illegal fishing and anchoring, collecting waste from the beach and water, monitoring coral health, enforcing visitor limits at the lagoon entrance, and managing the flow of tour boats so the island doesn't get overwhelmed on busy days.
The no-anchor rule in particular has made a measurable difference. Boats are required to use buoys or anchor in sandy areas only. Coral that would otherwise be broken by chain drag has been left intact. If you snorkel at Koh Hong, the reef quality you see is partly a result of that enforcement.