It may sound like a dream, but it’s real. Just a small boat ride outside of Koh Samui in Thailand you can swim with the most adorable small pigs and hang out with them in the picture perfect calm water on a completely secluded island. Welcome to Pig Island. A no-brainer for all adventureseekers visiting Thailand near Koh Samui.
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In this article we cover following information about Pig Island:
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As the name indicates, Pig Island, is an island with pigs. Not the usual kind of stable pigs covered in mud for sure, but imagine big pigs and small piglets lounging together in the white sand and swimming in the shallow water. Not an everyday imagination, right? And so is the experience of visiting the mad sum island neither. Searching the internet you will find more different stories about the history of Pig Island and how the pigs originally arrived. But the story we were told by our local boat guide was that once koh mudsum was owned by the Kitt family. And at that time the island was not a popular tourist destination and the family lived in silence and tried just to keep the wheels running. One day mr. kitt went to the mainland to visit some family. He passed a market in Surat Thani and there he saw four pigs huddling together away from the rest of the pigs which were soon sold away to farmers and butchers. Mr. Kitt observed that the four pigs looked underfed and scared, so eventually he ended up buying all of them to rescue them from being killed. He really was a man with a big heart, right?! He later found out that the four pigs acted like a little family. Mr. Kitt brought them back home to his island but within days we realiazed that the pigs needed a lot of food! So he got a problem.. (continues after photo)
He tried one thing after another to figure out what to do and after hours of reflections he finally managed to team up with GoJo Tours from Koh Samui. Together they created “Pig Island” as a way to support him and the pigs. And today they are the only group working directly with Mr. Kitt and the pigs. Their shared project provides feed for the pigs as they bring visitors to the island feeding the pigs, and they donate a percentage of each tour ticket to the local community as well as they ensure environmental sustainability at Koh Madsum. And the pigs? They are really thriving, we believe. The four pigs are now a group of more than 30 pigs with more than three generations. They spend their day napping in the shade under the big palm tress, cooling off in the ocean and playing with the visitors, when they want. It really seems like these lovely pigs are living the dream life!
When visiting Koh Samui, going on a pig island tour is highly recommended. The only way to get there is by boat and the tour takes about 15-30 minutes from Koh Samui depending on the chosen type of boat. Luckily, you find plenty of guided tours that will take you there. Some of them go there directly and others are a part of a half day trip or full day trip. Really, you cannot visit without booking one of these.
Prior to our visit we randomly talked to our uber driver Soba Jaikwang about our wish to go and within minutes she gave us a list of local operators that could take us. After contact to more local operators, we can now confirm that some of the best prices for a guided tour to Pig island is found through GetYourGuide, which offer many different, fun trips to Pig Islands amoung others.
You have more options for planning a trip to Pig Island Thailand. These include:
The speedboats are probably the easiest way to get there and also the most comftable, whereas the longtail boats are the classic Thailand boats which is more authentic. We were a small group of four friends going to Koh Madsum and choose to book a private tour to Pig Island with a longtail boat, as we like to do the traditional things.
When deciding on what kind of tour to koh mudsum you want take into consideration how many people you are going. For us, four people, it almost made more sense economically to book a private trip than going on a tour. Also take into consideration the best tour program. You both find half day trips and full day tours combining your visit to Koh Madsum and the wild pigs with other adventures and islands along the way or afterwards. But really, no matter what you choose you will have great fun!
Most of the tours have free hotel transfer service meaning that they will pick you up at your hotel, no matter where you are staying at Koh Samui, and then drive you to the southern most habour of the island, like Thong Krut Pier like us, to reach the chosen type of boat. It is super simple!
If you think whether this trip is worth the money and time, the answer is YES.. when will you ever get the chance to swim with such adorable pigs again! The price is great value.
In this section you can read more about what to do on Koh Madsum or Pig island near Koh Samui.
All around the island you meet the most beautiful beaches, palms and wonderful views to the surrounding islands. Imediately as you arrive you feel like you are in the middle of paradise. And when you feel thirst you find a small beach bar where you can buy refreshments.
And now it is time.. Shortly after arrival you will be met by the small pigs in the waterline. Where some of the pigs are social and hungry, other are relaxing in the shadows of the trees and others are back in their little private pig house. This made us so happy to experience that the pigs always have the option to settle back when they don’t want people starring at them.
In the beach bar you can buy food for the pigs, if you want to. You get the food in a small bag and then you need to fill it into a plate from which the friendly pigs immediately will eat it. Keep tight, we tell you, they are super quick! Also you can fill a water bootle with water from the tank beside the bar and let the pigs drink directly from your waterbottle. Omg this was soooo cute! We have heard that the pigs also love fresh fruit like watermelon and corns, but did not bring this ourself. Let us know, if you try this! Our boat guide was, by the way, super super helpful so show us how to do and what not to do.
And here is a REMINDER for you..!. The pigs are NOT PETS! They are “wild” animals even though they are taking care of from the owners of the islands and the visitors. They can bite and they will protect their piglets at any time, so remember to approaching the pigs on their terms.
After having fun with the pigs you should definitely spend some time exploring the beaches around the island. You will probably like to shoot a nice photo or two so remember to bring your camera. Go have a dip in the crystal-clear waters and sunbath before you finally hop onto the boat once again and continue your journey from Pig Island, Koh Madsum.
Did you miss the story about how the pigs originally came to Pig Island? Read it right here.
Close by Pig Island the bigger island named Koh Taen or Koh Tan is located. Most boat tours to Pig Island will take you close by this island by along the way to your pig adventure. For a good reason! Around these islands you find the most vibrant coral reefs and and stunning marine life. This is the perfect place for snorkelling or diving. Imediately as you jump into the water you are joined by the most wonderful fish in all colors and shapes. Once again our local guide from the boat was a real champ, swimming together with us, showing us all the hidden corners using his best skills to attract the fishs. This was magical! If you wear your snorkeling west from the boat when you snorkle wound you are able to lay completely still in the calm open water and that way I managed to get the fish so close by that they starred directly inside my eyes from just outside my mask.
So another great reason for going on a tour to Pig Island when at Koh Samui is the great options for exploring the marine life in the Thailand archipelago. This is win win!
Really, you can go to Pig Island all year round. Though, in our opinion the best time to visit Pig Island (Koh Madsum) near Koh Samui in Thailand is during the dry season, which runs from around December to February. During these months, the weather is generally cooler, drier and more pleasant compared to other times of the year, making it ideal for outdoor activities and beach visits like the one to Pig Island Thailand. Visiting during the dry season not only ensures better weather conditions but also clearer water for snorkeling and swimming, providing a more enjoyable experience for your visit to Pig Island and its surrounding areas.
March to May marks the hot season, with higher temperatures and occasional rain, while June to November is the rainy season. The rainy season comes with heavier and more frequent showers, which might affect your travel plans and ability to enjoy Pig Island. This is not being said you won’t have a great adventure and cannot plan to go. We visited in October and the weather was sun and a few clouds in between, but no showers. You cannot trust the weather forecast in Thailand during rainy season. The local operators will let you know if heavy rains and storms will come and will not go, at least not in the longtail boats. As a safety rule, always look for weather conditions prior to your visit to Pig Island (Koh Mudsum).
We recommend visiting Pig Island in Thailand early in the morning or late at the afternoon to avoid the crowd – especially in the main season – cause the island has started being popular! You might even be lucky to have the most wonderful sunsets at Koh Mudsum!
To get you the best tour to Pig Island from Koh Samui, we have created a packing list to make sure you get the most out of the boat tour adventure.
Wondering how to get to Pig Island from Koh Samui? Click this and hop to the section.
btw.. please take a look at our Youtube video from Pig Island below if you would like to see more from Koh Madsum. On our YT channel you find more videos from Thailand.
So, if you read this far we hope that you now feel convinced about whether Pig Island in Thailand is worth the visit during your time at Koh Samui. At least, we believe it is! Pig Island is a story about a man with a big heart. If you want to visit this new, but soon really popular destination, you have more different options for going on a tour. All you need is a boat and a local guide and in this articled you presented you our favorite tour and we hope that you got inspired for going yourself. Please go feed those pigs!.. and check out our packing list listed above to make sure to bring everything needed for this fun adventure to the mad sum island. This is an adventure you will not miss when in Koh Samui.
If you are about to plan your Thailand trip, you should not miss the chance to join the°travelers’club in which you can ask and find any answer or question you are looking for – all questions are welcome! .. you might even connect to fellow travelers planning the same, win win.
Lastly, you are very welcome to go to our Instagram where you probably will find further inspiration and helpful information for your trip to Koh Samui and Pig Island.
Until next time,
Safe Travels
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