Snorkel only
The Nemo snorkel boat
Reefs, no landings
- From$39
- Length5 hours
- Reviews363
Price for your party
Snorkeling Pattaya: the reefs, the boats and the rules
3 islands catamaran day from Pattaya
★ 4.8 · 805 opinions
Choose from 4 options
Work out the cost of your water day
Set the size of your party and compare snorkel and water trips.
- Nemo snorkel boat5 hours · starts at, per person $39
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View - Snorkel or dive day8 hours · starts at, per person $77
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View - Parasailing1 hour · starts at, per person $27
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View - Catamaran with gear7 to 8 hours · starts at, per person $83
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Where to snorkel off Pattaya, which trips are built around the water, what they cost, how to protect the coral and what to do if you would rather not swim.
Editorial team, pattaya3islands.click · Updated November 12, 2026 · Takes 7 min
In brief
- Snorkel boatThe Nemo Island trip starts from $39 and makes 2 to 3 snorkel stops without landing.
- Catamaran daySnorkeling gear comes with the catamaran day, from $83 for 7 to 8 hours.
- First-time diveA snorkel or beginner dive day starts from $77 for 8 hours.
- Reef ruleUse reef-safe sunscreen and leave the coral untouched.1
- ParasailingA parasailing session starts from $27 and lasts 1 hour.
Where the clearer water is off Pattaya
The water off the city beach is not where people go to snorkel. The trips in the listings head for the islands: the outer islands of the catamaran circuit, where the day hands out snorkeling gear for stops at Koh Phai and Koh Rin, and Koh Sak beside Koh Larn, where a speedboat trip includes snorkeling and stand up paddleboarding. The boat is the access, and the sea state decides how clear the water looks on the day.
The dedicated snorkel trip sails to waters off Sattahip, and the Nemo Island listing counts 2 to 3 snorkel stops across roughly 3 hours, naming an untouched reef area as its snorkel spot. No island landing is involved, so you stay in or beside the boat throughout. Expect clearer water in the calmer months, and ask the operator about current conditions.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand points out that Thailand receives more than 6 million marine tourists a year, and that limited awareness tends to cause damage such as treading on reef, upsetting animals or ignoring rip currents.2 That is a reminder that the reef you see is shared, and every group that snorkels it affects it a little.
Side by side
Water trips from Pattaya by starting price
| Trip | From | Length | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parasailing | $27 | 1 hour | 75 |
| Nemo Island snorkel | $39 | 5 hours | 363 |
| Sea walking and Koh Larn | $75 | 6 hours | 11 |
| Snorkel or beginner dive | $77 | 8 hours | 68 |
| Catamaran with snorkel gear | $83 | 7 to 8 hours | 805 |
Starting fares only; the date and the package you pick decide the final price.
Reef rules, sunscreen and what you may see
The rule that matters most is simple: do not touch the coral and do not stand on it. The Tourism Authority of Thailand tells visitors to bring reef-safe sunscreen and to leave the coral untouched, and it has launched a Coral College e-learning platform covering marine safety, coral reef protection and sustainable underwater tourism.1,3
The reefs here are a place for small reef fish, soft and hard corals and a few urchins in the rocks, and a first-time snorkeller will see more by floating calmly than by swimming hard. Keep your fins off the bottom, keep your distance from anything that looks alive and never take a shell or coral as a souvenir, however tempting the beach is. Follow the guide's instructions about where to swim.
Because the Gulf is shallow in places, tides and wind can stir the water, so a hazy first stop does not mean the whole trip is poor. Choose a morning with little wind where you can, and wear a snug mask that has been tested before you leave the boat. A rash guard protects your back from the sun and from stingers, and the same agency advises exactly that.4
Feedback by trip
Reviews for snorkel and water trips
- Coral and Sak trip797
- Nemo Island trip363
- Parasailing75
- Snorkel or dive day68
- Sea walking11
Counts of reviews on each listing, from the scraped records.
Snorkeling from the catamaran and the Nemo boat
The catamaran day sold here is the all-round option: snorkeling equipment is part of the day, the stops at Koh Phai and Koh Rin give 90 and 60 minutes of free time and swimming, and the fare includes a buffet lunch and soft drinks. It starts from $83 and has 805 reviews at 4.8, so it is the safe choice if you want snorkeling as a part of a bigger day.
The second catamaran lists snorkeling in vibrant coral reefs, paddleboards and fishing gear among its highlights, from $72 for 7 hours. The Nemo Island trip is the specialist, from $39 for 5 hours, with a professional guide taking underwater photographs according to its highlights and 363 reviews averaging 4.6.
Check the specialist trip's conditions before booking. Fitness should be moderate, guests of 65 and over are not accepted, there is no lunch, and with fewer than 4 guests the operator refunds you or offers a new date. If you want the water and nothing else, this is the tidy choice; if you want lunch and a beach, take the catamaran.
Pick your water day
Which water trip fits you
Describe your comfort in the water and a matching trip appears.
If I want to snorkel and nothing else
The Nemo snorkel boat
From $39 with 2 to 3 snorkel stops and no landings.
If I want snorkeling plus lunch and a beach
The catamaran day
Gear and a buffet lunch from $83 over 7 to 8 hours.
If I want to try diving
The beginner dive day
Packages from $77, with lunch on board and an instructor.
If I cannot swim
Sea walking at Koh Larn
From $75, and its highlights say no skills are needed.
If I want a quick thrill
Parasailing
From $27 for a session of 1 hour.
By how you swim
Snorkel, dive or stay dry
First dive
Beginner dive day
Packages to choose from
- From$77
- Length8 hours
- Reviews68
Stay dry
Sea walking at Koh Larn
No swimming skills needed
- From$75
- Length6 hours
- Reviews11
First-time diving and safety around the dive
If snorkeling leaves you curious about the deeper reef, a beginner dive is the next step. One listing mixes snorkeling and diving: it is priced from $77, lasts 8 hours and lets you pick snorkeling, certified diving or a first dive, with lunch aboard and an instructor in English, Thai or Chinese.
Among the Tourism Authority of Thailand's safety tips for divers and snorkellers is an instruction to use well maintained equipment, since faulty or damaged gear can lead to accidents.10 It also recommends waiting between 12 and 18 hours before flying after a dive, so do not book a dive on the day of a flight home.7
Be careful which package you tick, as the listing itself asks you to confirm the choice among its 3, and read what the price includes before paying. A first-time dive is a supervised experience, so ask the instructor about the depth, the length of the session and the medical questions you need to answer before the boat leaves the pier.
A snorkel morning
The Nemo Island trip, step by step
Morning
Pickup in Pattaya
Pickup is included in the listing.
At sea
Head for the snorkel stops
The trip makes 2 to 3 stops without any island landing.
In the water
Snorkel about 3 hours
Moderate fitness is required for the time in the water.
Midday
Bring your own snack
Lunch is not provided on this trip.
Return
Back to Pattaya
The whole trip lasts 5 hours in total.
Glass-bottom boats and ways to see the reef dry
Many travellers look for glass bottom boat Pattaya options, yet the GetYourGuide records at hand hold no listing for such a boat. For non-swimmers the closest alternative is underwater sea walking, bundled with a day at Koh Larn and Koh Sak from $75 for 6 hours, and its highlights say no skills are needed.
A Coral Island speedboat day with a sea walker activity and lunch starts from $68 for 8 hours, with 8 pickup location options across Pattaya. Both have few reviews, only 11 and 10, so read the details with care. A beach day with a transparent kayak is another way to see underwater without swimming far, from $37 for 8 to 10 hours.
If you cannot swim at all, tell the operator before you book, wear the life jacket that the crew provides and stay on the boat for the snorkel stops. The catamaran days include time on the deck and the beach, so a non-swimmer in the group still has a full day, and you can watch from the net at the front of the boat.
Video
Nemo Island snorkeling day trip from Bangkok
Global Travel Mate on YouTube · Until you tap play, no video is loaded.
They are more commonly seen during the monsoon months, when winds and currents bring them closer to shore.
Snorkel kit
Gear, rules and safety
Gear3
Reef rules3
Parasailing in the bay
Pattaya parasailing is the high-up counterpart to snorkeling. Sessions run from Manta Marina Pattaya, cost from $27 and take 1 hour including a 10 minute speedboat leg, with 75 reviews averaging 4.2. The Coral Island and Sak Island run by speedboat opens with parasailing, with 30 minutes at Manta Marina before the islands.
The terms are strict. Participants over 100 kg are not permitted, late arrivals count as no-shows with a non-refundable ticket, and rescheduling carries a fee of THB 200 a person. The speedboat trip repeats the same weight limit of 100 kilograms for parasailing and warns that good weather is required.
Parasailing and snorkeling suit different moods, and on a hot day many people prefer to do the water first and the flight afterwards. If you plan both, book them on separate days so a late pickup or a rough sea does not cost you the fare of both activities at once. Our price guide shows what each costs side by side.
Jellyfish, rain and what to do if you are stung
Safety comes down to a few habits, all from the Tourism Authority of Thailand: expect more box jellyfish and similar hazards in the monsoon, stay out of the sea after heavy rain, at night or beyond the buoys, and wear a rash guard, lycra suit or long sleeves against stings.5,6,4 None of this is unusual advice, but it is easy to forget on a bright morning at sea.
If a sting happens, the advice is to call the national emergency hotline on 1669, douse the sting with vinegar for 30 seconds or more and avoid rubbing it or rinsing it with fresh water.8,9 The same agency says hotels, beach restaurants and dive operators must stock vinegar, though carrying a bottle of your own is sensible.9
Use the price calculator above to cost a snorkel trip for your group, and read our guide to the islands before you pick a route. The calm, clear days of the cool season are the best for the water, and a morning start usually gives you the least wind, which is a good reason to choose the first boat of the day.
FAQ
Brief questions, brief answers.
Where is the best snorkeling near Pattaya?
At the outer islands.
Koh Phai and Koh Rin on the catamaran, or the stops of the Nemo trip.
How much does a snorkeling trip in Pattaya cost?
From $39.
The Nemo Island trip starts from $39 for 5 hours, and the catamaran day from $83.
Is snorkeling gear included on the catamaran?
Yes.
Snorkeling equipment is provided on the catamaran day, along with a Thai buffet lunch.
Is there a glass bottom boat in Pattaya?
None in the records we checked.
Sea walking from $75 is an option for non-swimmers, and its highlights say no skills are needed.
How much is parasailing in Pattaya?
From $27.
A session of 1 hour at Manta Marina starts from $27, with a 10 minute speedboat leg.
How long should I wait to fly after diving?
12 to 18 hours.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand recommends waiting between 12 and 18 hours.7
Sources
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · The Andaman Opens Its Doors Again ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · TAT Launches Coral College Project ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · TAT Launches Coral College Project ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Jellyfish Safety Advice in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Jellyfish Safety Advice in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Jellyfish Safety Advice in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Diving and Snorkelling in Thailand, Made Easy ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Jellyfish Safety Advice in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Jellyfish Safety Advice in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Diving and Snorkelling in Thailand, Made Easy ↩