Anchorage· Koh Taen (Koh Tan)· Thailand
Koh Taen (Koh Tan) Anchorage
9° 22.5′ N · 99° 57.4′ E
The sheltered water between Koh Taen and Koh Mat Sum, 5 km off Samui's south coast: mangroves, reef-fringed beaches and almost no development. Southeast Asia Pilot calls this the Koh Katen and Koh Matsum anchorage.
Practical
Southeast Asia Pilot (2025 edition) position 9°22.450'N 99°57.441'E. Anchor between the islands in 5-6 m on mud, clear of the fringing reef along Koh Taen's east coast. Mooring buoys have been laid and the Pilot says picking one up is increasingly expected to protect coral; check each buoy yourself (some are for small light boats only) and be ready to move if the owner or officials ask. Approach from the west is clear and deep along the north coast; from the east, beware unmarked rocks just past Lamai Beach. A few bungalows and a restaurant ashore may only open when day-trippers are about, so carry your own provisions. Coral reefs ring Koh Taen and have partly recovered from dynamite fishing that went on until the 1980s (Wikipedia). Island Spirit charter guide (2023): anchor between the dredged-channel breakwaters in 5 m on mud and sand and take the dinghy through the channel to land; the Ko Ten Coral Resort at the end of the channel serves cold beer and cheap Thai food. Southeast Asia Pilot warns the restaurant may open only when day-trippers are about, so bring your own provisions.
Best for
A quiet first or last night out of Samui
Season
Best in the NE monsoon; open to the south and southwest