Bon Island or Ko Bon was a great day out to visit a paradise island off the South coast of Phuket, Thailand. Incredible Honeymoon Beach with very few tourists and crystal waters. The snorkeling was ok, a lot of Staghorn Branch coral, but not a lot of reef fish or anything big.
Pros
Cons
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Highlights
Coral present
1-2 Meters Average Depth
Good visibility
Medium difficulty
Cafe at Islands
Tours approx $40 USD
Sea Urchins Present
Unlikely
When:
Who:
Tour Cost:
Star Rating:
Cost:
I booked a trip to Bon Island as it was a small trip to the paradise island for the morning and early Afternoon. I had a transfer to Ra Wai Beach at the South of Phuket, and then from the Beach to Ko Bon by Longtail Boat. Ko Bon is a small uninhabited island a 15 minute boat ride from Ra Wai Beach. We made our way to the south side of the island to Honeymoon Beach, also known as Long Beach.
Snorkel Spot
The picturesque beach was very quiet. The beach had a very large field of Staghorn Branch Coral which ran for the first 20 meters or so from the beach. The coral was very shallow with the water depth being about 1-1.5meters deep.
Coral Reef
Throughout the Staghorn Branch coral there was also patches of soft coral and marine life. There were many damselfish hovering above the branch coral and then darting in and hiding if you get close.
Safety Tip:
There are Sea Urchins in the coral reef, so be careful. The shallow water means the coral reef is close to your waistline and there isn’t really any opportunity to stand up.
There were a few unusual marine species that I spotted in the Coral Reef and just beyond the coral reef near the Buoy. These included the Honeycomb Grouper, Jeweled Blenny Goby Fish, and Latticed Sand Perch. These were hard to spot due to their distinct camouflaged patterns.
Top Tip:
I would aim to ensure the trip goes to Honeymoon Beach (Long Beach) at Bon Island. There is another beach at the North of the Island next to Bon Island Restaurant which is more popular, but not for snorkeling.
One of the frustrations was the territorial Honeyhead Damselfish that swims within a sandy section and will swim towards you if you go close. They can give a little nip, but can be a bit annoying.
After the Branch coral reef there was a section of dead coral with very little to see. There is a Buoy which sits out about 40 meters off of the center of Honeymoon Beach. There were some reef fish swimming around this section including Parrotfish, Moorish Idol, and other reef fish feeding on the algae on the rocks. However I don’t think it is worth swimming that far out.
There isn’t a marked out snorkel area at Honeymoon Beach, Bon Island. But there is a large plastic Buoy that sits out 40 meters from the center of the beach. This is a good landmark to navigate your snorkel. I snorkeled in line with the buoy from the beach and did go out to the Buoy.
However the coral reef stops 5 meters before the Buoy and then there is dead coral and a rocky sea bed. You can see some reef fish feeding on algae on the rocks, but I didn’t think it was worthwhile swimming out to the Buoy. I definitely wouldn’t go beyond the Buoy as there is a current and passing boats.
There are two main beaches at Ko Bon (Bon Island), the landing Beach at Bon Island Restaurant, and Long Beach (Honeymoon Beach) on the North East of the island. The landing spot near Bon Island Restuarant has a smaller sandy beach with an area of water to swim off. I didn’t snorkel this section as the guide didn’t recommend it, and there were very small patches of rocks which didn’t offer much snorkeling opportunity. However it was a nice beach for a chill.
Summary
In summary, Bon Island is a fantastic trip to a quiet paradise island off the South coast of Phuket. I wouldn’t book this trip for the snorkeling, however it isn’t bad for a quick dip in the water. The better snorkel and beach opportunity is Honeymoon Beach on the West side of the island.
Tour Guide Options
There are very few tours available, I booked a trip through Klook and at the time (March, 2023) there was only one longtail tour on offer. I wouldn’t book this trip for the snorkeling, there were better snorkel trips running from Phuket including the Surin Islands, and Phi Phi Islands.
Best Snorkel Spot
In my opinion the best snorkel spot was about 15 meters from the beach in line with the floating buoy. The coral reef lasts for about 25 meters then turns to dead coral and a rocky sea bed.
Best Time Of Year
If you are visiting Phuket, the dry season will give you the best weather for snorkeling in October-May.
Popular Marine Life
Moorish Idol
Parrotfish
Blue Sea Star
Giant Clam
Sergeant Major Damselfish
Blue-Green Chromis
Coral Reef
Staghorn Branch Coral
Mushroom Coral
Boulder Coral
Encrusted Coral
What We Saw
(Seen on March, 2023)
| Hawksbill Turtle | Green Turtle |
| Oscellaris Clownfish | Zebra Lionfish |
| Picasso Triggerfish | Latticed Butterflyfish |
| Schlegel’s Parrotfish | Palenose Parrotfish |
| Red-Lip Parrotfish | Bullethead Parrotfish |
| Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish | White-And-Black Spinecheek |
| Porcupine Pufferfish | Twoline Spinecheek |
| Checkerboard Wrasse | Black Triggerfish |
| Orangestriped Triggerfish | Klein’s Butterflyfish |
| Moorish Idol | Yellowbar Sandperch |
| Teardrop Butterflyfish | Blackspotted Pufferfish |
| Titan Triggerfish | Barred Thicklip Wrasse |
| Sixbar Wrasse | Neon Damselfish |
| Golden Gregory | Phantom Bannerfish |
| Black Surgeonfish | Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse |
| Sergeant Major Damselfish | Crescent Wrasse |
| Unicornfish | Brackish Damselfish |
| Black Sea Cucumber | Needlefish |
| Blue Ridge Coral | Lettuce Coral |
| Branch Coral | Table Coral |
| Massive Boulder Coral | Stoney Acroporidae Coral |
| Brain Coral | Cauliflower Coral |
| Boulder Coral | Honeycomb Coral |
| Soft Coral | Encrusted Coral |
| Humbug Damselfish | Sergeant Major Damselfish |
| Jeweled Blenny Fish | Latticed Sandperch |
| Bluespot Butterflyfish | Sergeant Major Damselfish |
| Blue-Green Chromis | Blue Sea Star |
| Giant Clam | Parrotfish |
| Moorish Idol | Jeweled Blenny Goby Fish |
| Black Sea Urchin | Sea Cucumber |
| Staghorn Branch Coral | Boulder Coral |
| Soft Coral | Mushroom Coral |
Where is Bon Island, Thailand?
Bon Island (Ko Bon) is located south of the larger island of Phuket. It is a 15 minute Longtail boat ride from Rawai Beach, which is at the South-East of Phuket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bon Island is only accessible by boat, the island is a 15 minute boat ride from Rawai Beach at the South of Phuket.
I paid approximately $45.00 for a 4 hour trip to Bon Island, which included snorkel and beach time at Long Beach, and Bon Island Restaurant Beach. It also included a Lunch option, although you had the option to get food at the restaurant on the island.
I went on an organised tour which I booked through the app Klook. I couldn’t find another snorkel trip to Bon Island on any of the other apps and it wasn’t advertised by locals. The island was quiet with very few tourists.
You a large field of Staghorn Branch coral that covers the sea bed for 50 meters from Long Beach, which is on the North East side of the island. There were many Damselfish and other small reef fish swimming throughout the coral reef. I did spot some unusual marine life on my snorkel, including Jewelled Blenny, Latticed Sandperch, and a camouflaged Honeycomb Grouper.
Luke
FOUNDER
Luke is a passionate snorkeler who started Snorkelverse to live his dream of combining his passions for snorkeling, marine life, protecting marine ecosystems, and helping others.
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