Koh Adang - A Day Trip From Koh Lipe

Koh Adang is the second largest island of the Tarutao Marine National Parks and is only a few minutes by boat from Koh Lipe. You can already see the island from Sunrise Beach on Koh Lipe and it is perfect for a full- or half-day trip.

Day Trip to Koh Adang off the Coast of Koh Lipe

Koh Adang is a very small island, only about 6 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide. Many places on the island are difficult to reach, as Koh Adang is still almost completely covered by jungle and fortunately remains very natural.

Accommodation on Koh Lipe – Our Hotel Tip

The Mali Resort Sunrise Beach is idyllically situated at the quieter end of Sunrise Beach. It offers 16 Balinese-style bungalows and a particularly relaxed atmosphere right by the sea. The air-conditioned accommodation features modern amenities such as a TV, safe and a bathroom with a shower and hairdryer. The resort has a restaurant with sea views, which offers both Thai and Western dishes, as well as an à la carte breakfast. There is also a swimming pool, beautiful gardens and a beach bar where guests can relax.

You can find more accommodations on Koh Lipe here. It’s noticeably cheaper, for instance, in the central part of the island near the Walking Street.

Getting From Koh Lipe to Koh Adang

Basically, there is only one way to get to Koh Adang and that is to hire a longtail or taxi boat at the Sunrise Beach. You will find the taxi stand right by the water at Sunrise Beach, roughly at the level of the school on Koh Lipe.

Once there, ask for a boat to take you to Koh Adang. The boat has fixed prices and you pay 100 baht per person for one way. This means the round trip will cost you 200 baht.

The ride from Koh Lipe takes about 10-15 minutes until you arrive at the beach of Koh Adang. You can then arrange a time with the driver for when you want to be picked up. Or you can exchange phone numbers and let the driver know when you want to return (but first check whether you have a working mobile network).

Another sporty alternative would be a kayak trip from Koh Lipe to Koh Adang. You can rent kayaks at some hotels on Sunrise Beach for 300-400 baht per day. However, if you have never paddled a kayak before, we would not recommend attempting the long trip to Koh Adang right away.

Note: Since Koh Adang is part of Tarutao Marine National Parks, you need a ticket for the national park to visit the island. Normally, when you visit Koh Lipe, you already buy a ticket for 200 baht, which is valid for one week. Just take it with you to Koh Adang and everything is fine. It may be that no one checks the ticket there, but sometimes the rangers on site do. Otherwise, it is also sold on Koh Adang, although this usually only happens in the high season.

Accommodation on Koh Adang

Koh Adang is nowhere near as developed as Koh Lipe, so there are only very few options for staying overnight. The most commonly used are bungalows that you can book directly through the national park. These are equipped with a fan and cost about 600 baht per night.

A second popular option is camping on Koh Adang. You cannot book this in advance, so you simply go to Koh Adang and head to the ranger station. The cost is 30 baht if you have everything you need for the night in your packed backpack (sleeping bag, tent, etc.). If you still need some camping equipment, you can also rent it on-site, but then it costs 200 baht.

Furthermore, in the south, in the next bay after Laem Son Beach, there is the Adang Resort on a small private beach. Currently the only resort on Koh Adang, it offers air-conditioned rooms right on the beach, a restaurant and a bar, as well as a free shuttle to Koh Lipe.

Koh Adang Viewpoint

The Koh Adang Viewpoint is one of the highlights when visiting the island, because from there you can overlook large parts of the sea and the whole of Koh Lipe. Finding the path to the viewpoint is relatively easy. The trail starts behind the restaurant on Koh Adang, and a sign with the words Chado Cliff points you in the right direction.

There are actually three viewpoints on Koh Adang. The trail starts off relatively easy with a few steps but gets a bit more challenging as you go. Still, the path is well trodden and ropes help you climb up certain parts. There are not many arrows, but you will spot a few from time to time.

Especially in the midday heat, it can get tough, as the sun can be extremely strong. So do not forget sunscreen and enough water! It takes about 20-30 minutes to reach the first viewpoint, depending on how fast you walk. You will reach the last Koh Adang Viewpoint after roughly an hour. The higher you go, the more challenging it becomes.

Once you reach the Koh Adang Viewpoint at the top, you are rewarded with a fantastic view of Koh Lipe. The first viewpoint is not really signposted, but if you see large rocks on the left, you have arrived there.

Viewpoints 2 and 3 are each a bit further along, but they are signposted. We only went to the first Koh Adang Viewpoint because the heat was just too intense. However, the view is already outstanding here and it really does not get much better than this.

Koh Adang Beaches

Koh Adang has several beaches to offer, but most visitors stay at the beach directly in front of the ranger station, Laem Son Beach. It stretches for several hundred meters, offers many spots for swimming, and has a great view of Koh Lipe.

The water is very clear and turquoise, at least when the ocean is calm. It is a wonderful way to cool off, especially if you have just finished the short hike to the viewpoint. You will also find several shady spots under the pine trees right on the beach and, in all likelihood, hardly anyone else around.

Koh Adang actually has even more beaches scattered around the island. However, you can only reach them by boat. If you would like to visit those as well, it is best to discuss this with your boat driver. For an additional fee, he will certainly be happy to take you to the other beaches, such as Black Sand Beach in the north.

Since we only spent half a day on Koh Adang and already used up quite some time on the hike to the viewpoint, we stayed at the “main beach”. But that is definitely not a bad choice either.

Waterfalls on Koh Adang

If you spend more time on the island, for example because you stay overnight or you simply arrive very early on your day trip, then be sure to visit the Kinaree Waterfall or Pirates Waterfall. The latter is hidden about three kilometers deep in the jungle but is easy to reach. You can find more information about it in English on Getting Stamped.

Conclusion – Is a Trip to Koh Adang Worth It?

In our opinion, absolutely! If you have a day to spare after exploring Koh Lipe’s highlights, a trip to Koh Adang is a great option. Just a few minutes by boat and you are completely away from the mass tourism that sometimes dominates Koh Lipe.

On Koh Adang you will still find secluded spots on the beach, untouched nature and above all plenty of peace and beautiful photo opportunities. On top of that, a trip to Koh Adang is very affordable. A really lovely change of scenery during a stay on Koh Lipe.

Koh Lipe: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Koh Lipe in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Koh Lipe.

How to Get to Koh Lipe

The small island of Koh Lipe doesn’t have an airport, but you can travel to it by plane via Trang or Hat Yai on the Thai mainland. These are the airports closest to the Pakbara Pier, from which you’ll embark to Koh Lipe. You can find tickets, connections, and flight prices on Skyscanner.

You can also travel to Trang or Hat Yai within Thailand by train or bus. From both cities, it’s approximately 1 ½ hours to the Pakbara Pier, where the boats to Koh Lipe depart. The speedboats take another 1 ½ hours to reach the island. A combination package of bus and boat costs around 850 Baht and can be booked online, for example, on 12go.asia.

In the high season, there are two additional options. First, you can take the Tigerline company’s boat from Koh Lanta via Koh Mook etc. to Koh Lipe. Alternatively, there are direct boat connections from the Malaysian island of Langkawi.

Have you been to Koh Adang? Would you take a day trip to Koh Adang from Koh Lipe? We look forward to your feedback in the comments.