Ko Hae (เกาะเฮ), sometimes spelled Ko He or Ko Hey and also known as Coral Island, is an island southeast of Phuket, about 5 km off-shore. In addition to the splendid reefs there are two fine beaches on the north and west of the island. Ko Hae is part of a marine preserve, but accommodation, restaurants, various watersports and diving are all available.

Get in

Boats leave from Rawai and Chalong. Package tours are also available.

See

• Banana Beach. 15 minutes from Chalong Bay. The very beautiful, quiet with all facilities featuring horn bill rainforest birds and fish life.

Do

Snorkelling

Although the mass of tourists who arrive every day at Long Beach have taken their toll on the corals, there are still some nice corals to be found in the deeper waters further from shore.

Banana Beach is more exclusive, nice and quiet, and the marine life for snorkelling or diving is exceptional. Shady trees hang over the sand. About 100 m from shore on Long Beach and about 50 m at Banana Beach there are vast staghorn coral reefs.

Visibility is excellent most days. The afternoons are particularly good. There are buoyed areas to keep the boats from the swimmers so it is very safe, no injuries in over 25 years of visitors. Caution is advised for those swimming and snorkelling in the waters further from shore. There is heavy boat traffic all day.

Coral Island Club provides daily trips to Banana Beach and overnight camping. Activities include swimming, snorkeling, power snorkelling, diving, parasailing, banana boats, kayaking, fish feeding, hornbill feeding, BBQs, and camping.

Sleep

• Coral Island Resort (Take a speedboat from Chalong Bay), ☏ +66 76 281060-2, fax: +66 76 381957, resv@coralislandresort.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Low season, 1,800-3,000 baht; high season, 2,800-3,600 baht; peak season, 3,700-4,900 baht.