Coral Island Phuket (Ko He)

Coral Island, also known as Koh Hey or Ko He, is a beautiful island located in the south of Phuket, Thailand. It’s a popular tourist destination due to its proximity to Phuket, being only about 10 kilometers off-shore. The island is known for its stunning beaches, clear blue waters, and various water activities. Visitors can reach the island within 15 minutes by speedboat from Rawai Beach in south Phuket. The island offers two main beaches: Long Beach and Banana Beach, each with its unique charm and activities. Despite its popularity, Coral Island still maintains its natural beauty, making it a must-visit when in Phuket.

How to go to Coral Island Phuket

By Plane and Bus:

  • You can take a flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok to Phuket (HKT). The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • After arriving at Phuket Airport, you can take the Phuket Airport Bus to Phromthep Cape. The bus ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • From Phromthep Cape, you can take a speedboat to Coral Island. The speedboat ride takes about 15 minutes.

By Bus:

  • Alternatively, you can take a bus from Bangkok Mochit Bus Terminal to Thalang, Phuket. The bus journey takes approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes.
  • From Thalang, you can take a local taxi or minivan to Rawai Beach or Chalong Pier in Phuket, where you can hire a long-tail boat or speedboat to Coral Island.

By Train, Bus, and Ferry:

  • Another option is to take a train from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok to Surat Thani Train Station. The train journey takes about 8 hours.
  • From Surat Thani Train Station, take a bus to Krabi Bus Terminal. The bus ride takes about 2 hours.
  • From Krabi, you can take a ferry to Koh Yao Noi and then travel to Coral Island.

History of Coral Island Phuket

Origins and Name

Coral Island, known as Koh Hae in Thai, is named after the Coral Island Resort located on the island. Despite its name, the island does possess some coral off its coastline, which has made it a popular spot for diving and snorkeling. The island lies just 9 kilometers from the south-eastern tip of Phuket and is only 20 minutes by boat, making it a popular destination for day-trippers.

Development and Tourism

Over the years, Coral Island has seen a significant increase in tourism. Its proximity to Phuket and its beautiful beaches have made it a favorite among tourists. The main beach can get a little busy during the daytime, though at night the island is very quiet. The upmarket beach bungalows at the Coral Island Resort are the only accommodation on the island, adding to its exclusivity.

Changes Over Time

With its fantastic setting and close proximity to Phuket, Coral Island became a victim of mass tourism a few years ago. However, things have changed recently. Despite the influx of tourists, the island has managed to maintain its natural beauty and charm. The many trees provide plenty of shade to relax under, and a breeze gently flows through, making it a peaceful and relaxing destination.

Present Day

Today, Coral Island continues to be a popular tourist destination. Massive restaurants and shops accommodate a non-stop flow of tourists disembarking by speed boats starting in the morning. Despite the crowd, if you arrive with the first speedboat, you may have the beach for yourself for a short while. The package for a day trip often includes the boat transfer, snorkeling gear, and a buffet lunch. Despite the changes, Coral Island remains a beautiful destination with stunning beaches and clear blue waters. It continues to attract tourists from all over the world, looking for a piece of paradise in Thailand.

Main attractions of Coral Island Phuket

Long Beach

Long Beach is a long and superb beach with beautiful white sand and water so blue you’ll need sunglasses to look at it. There are a few restaurants and bars along the beach and many water activities: banana boats, parasailing, snorkeling and even beach scuba diving! Best of all, you can spend a night or two in a bungalow right on the sand at Coral Island Resort. Of course, with such a fantastic setting and so close to Phuket, Coral Island became the victim of mass tourism, and a few years ago we would have discouraged anyone from going to Long Beach and walking to the next beach instead. But things have changed. We unexpectedly spent most of our day here and enjoyed the quality of the sand and the tropical blue background. The many trees provided plenty of shade to relax under, and a breeze gently flowed through.

Banana Beach

Banana Beach used to be an unknown beach. There were an abandoned restaurant and a couple of longtail boats. It was a great escape from the madness of Long Beach, but very few would make an effort to walk there. Today, everything has changed! Massive Restaurants and shops accommodate a non-stop flow of tourists disembarking by speed boats starting at 9.30 in the morning. First, the staff will assign each tourist a beach chair in a dedicated row. Someone will then give an orientation speech on what to do and when to do it when the buffet lunch is, and of course, how much each activity costs. If you arrive with the first speedboat, you may have the beach for yourself for 30 mn. More boats will soon come and disembark more tourists who take their selfies exceptionally seriously.

Water Activities

Coral Island is known for its various water activities. You can spend half a day or a full day playing on the beach, snorkeling or even scuba diving, even during low season. There are a few restaurants and bars along the beach and many water activities: banana boats, parasailing, snorkeling and even beach scuba diving! The package for a day trip often includes the boat transfer, snorkeling gear, and a buffet lunch. Despite the changes, Coral Island remains a beautiful destination with stunning beaches and clear blue waters. It continues to attract tourists from all over the world, looking for a piece of paradise in Thailand.

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