Thung Maha Bay Community Tourism

Thung Maha Bay Community Tourism is run by a fishing community group in Ban Thungmaha, on the coast of Pathio district in Chumphon. It’s a genuine, bookable program rather than a passive village stop — the group runs boat tours out to a cluster of nearby islands (Koh Yo, Koh Phra, Koh Wiang, Koh Ran Ped and Koh Ran Gai among them), with snorkeling around the coral at some of them, plus squid and shellfish foraging and trips into the surrounding mangrove. Homestay accommodation and fresh seafood meals round out the package for visitors who want to stay longer than a day trip.

Visiting the settlement itself — the boardwalks, the boats, the ordinary rhythm of a working fishing community — costs nothing. The paid part is the specific activity: an island boat tour, a snorkeling trip, a homestay night. None of this is priced or listed publicly, which means you contact the group directly by phone or LINE to check availability and current rates before turning up. Group size and weather both affect whether a boat trip runs on a given day.

Watch out: this only works if you book ahead. There’s no ticket booth or walk-in reception — arriving unannounced means there may be no boat, no guide, and no one expecting you. Build in a buffer day if a specific tour matters to you, since sea conditions can push a trip to the next available slot.

Insider Tip: message the group’s LINE contact a few days out rather than calling cold — it gives them time to confirm boat availability and, if your Thai is limited, gives both sides time to work through the details in writing.

Comfortable, grippy shoes work better than sandals for the boardwalks and boat boarding, and respectful casual clothing suits the community setting. The address is 51/4 Moo 1, Ban Thungmaha, Tambon Pak Khlong, Pathio — roughly 30-40 minutes from Chumphon town by car, with no public transport route, so arrange your own vehicle or a taxi. Noen Sai Ngam, also in Pathio district, makes an easy add-on stop on the same trip.