Koh Hey is an island located in southern Thailand, just 15 minutes away from Rawai Beach. It is a small island with a population of about 500 people. It is surrounded by coral reefs and is famous for its clear water and white sand beaches. It is also a great place to dive or snorkel.
The Beaches of Koh Hey Coral Island
Coral Island has two main beaches: Long Beach where the resort is located, and the smaller Banana beach, where most of the crowds have moved to.
Long Beach
Long Beach, California is a long and superb sandy beach with beautiful white sand, clear blue water and a lot of water sports: banana boats, parasailings, snorkelling, scuba diving and even beach diving. You can also stay in a bungalow on the beach at Coral Island Resort.
We were surprised to see that there were so many tourists at this beach. We had expected to find a quiet place, but we found ourselves surrounded by people. There were lots of vendors selling drinks and snacks, and even a small restaurant. We decided to stay awhile and enjoy the view.
We wanted to stay longer at Coral Island Resort, but we had to leave early because we were running late. We decided to skip the buffet lunch included in our room rate and instead went to Coral Island Resort for dinner. The food came slowly, but it was relaxing.
You can book a day trip to Long Beach from any tour counter in Patong. It often comes as an all-inclusive package including speedboat, snacks, drinks and snorkelling gear for around 2,000 baht per person, depending on the season. You can also drive yourself to Chalong pier and board one of the boats leaving from there.
Banana Beach
Banana beach used to be an unknown place. There were an abandoned hotel and a couple of longtails. It was a great place to escape from the madness of long beach, but very few would go there. Today, everything is different! Massive restaurants and shops accommodate a non stop flow of tourists disembarking from speed boats starting at 9:30am.
The first thing we did was to assign a beach chair in the dedicated row to each tourist, and someone gave them an orientation speech about what to do and when, when is the buffet, and of course, how expensive each activity is.
If you get there early enough, you might have the beach all to yourself for 30 minutes. More boats will soon arrive and disembark more tourists who are taking their selfies very seriously. Every girl thinks she is a model and dresses up for the occasion, even though it is not really necessary. It would almost be fun to watch if it weren’t so loud.
We were tired of all the crowds and the noise, so we decided to go back to our hotel room and relax. We had a nice dinner at the restaurant next door, and then we went back to our room. We were exhausted, so we just wanted to rest.
If you’re looking for a fun day out, you can book a day at Banana Beach for around 2,000 baht. You’ll get a hotel transfer to Chalong pier, a boat trip to the island, snorkelling gear, lunch set and a sun lounger.
How to find a bit of peace on Koh Hey Coral Island?
You don’t like crowds on the beach, and the overwhelming infrastructure built around the area to accommodate hundreds of tourists. You prefer to go to the other side of the beach, where there is a small dirt path that leads to another beach, just a ten minute walk away. But you’ll be a lot quieter there, and you won’t have to deal with the hassle of getting back on time.
Coral Island Resort is located right in front of the Coral Reef. You can enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean while relaxing at the resort. There are also many activities available for guests to participate in.
If you want to stay at a place that feels like a real tropical paradise, then you need to go to Bali. There are many resorts around the island, but if you want to feel like you’re on an island, then you need to stay at a resort on the beach. You will have your own private room, and you will have access to a swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar. The resort also has a dive centre, and a spa. The best thing about staying here is that you can enjoy the sunset every evening, and you can watch the waves crash onto the shore.
How far is Koh Hey Coral Island from Phuket?
Coral Island is 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from the beach at Rawai, where longtail boats depart for trips to nearby islands.
When is the best time to visit Koh Hey Coral Island?
The best time to go to Coral Island is between November to April, when the island is open all day long.
What is there to do around on the Koh Hey Coral Island?
Coral Island is a great place to visit if you love nature and the sea. There are many beaches around the island, including Banana Beach, which is next to the main beach. You can also enjoy snorkelling, diving, swimming and some other water sports.
