These three spectacularly beautiful tiny interconnected islands lie just off the North-east of Koh Tao and offer pretty good snorkeling.
The small cove marked on the map is the best spot for snorkeling (head out from the left side of the beach and keep to the left). Highlights include Titan Triggerfish, Batfish, Butterfly Fish, Groupers, Rays and all of the small reef typical of the region; anemone fish, cleaner wrasse etc. The boulders are encrusted in corals and anemones.

On the other side of the sandspit (the western side) is a reef composed of dead coral, there can be some interesting snorkeling on the seaward side of this reef if the conditions are calm: I've seen some Black tip reef sharks and crocodile fish on this side, though you do need to swim over a lot of dead coral before you see anything.

You can get to the island by chartering a long tail boat from most places on Koh Tao or even directly from Chumphon or Koh Samui with Lomprayah. There is a small entry fee to pay when you arrive on the island.

• Ease of Access: Straight off a gorgeous white sandy beach
• Hazards: Coral, Sunburn
• Visibility: Fair: 15m
• Best time to go: Anytime except October, November and December
• Water Temperature: 27 - 31°C
• Highlights:Fabulous beach, coral, reef fish

I recently stayed on Koh Nang Yuan - this is a truly special experience and totally different from the experience of sharing the water with hundreds of Chinese Lifejacket-wearing snorkellers who spend their time standing on the coral taking selfies.

The island is magical at dawn and dusk when the hoards of day-trippers are gone. I will never forget the experience of walking down the deserted sandspit during the early morning and seeing the Black Tip Reef Sharks swimming very close to the shoreline.

When the water is calm in the evening or morning, the snorkelling can be excellent on the seaward
(West) side of the sandspit (at the southern end). The only hazard is the very shallow reef that you have to swim over.

There are usually several Black Tips patrolling here and you can also see large Jacks and other species that disappear during the day when the Island is full.

The only down side is that the service at resort itself is quite poor- the location is so special that they can get away with it!

I stayed here too

It was well worth the trip and I'm glad we stayed in the resort on the island rather than just coming on a day trip. Snorkeling once all the day-trippers has gone is fun and less stressful given the amount of people STANDING on the coral!!!

Morning swim was the best, we went for a snorkel before we headed to the main island for breakfast. Now thats a way to wake up!

I've been here twice on a day trips and stayed over once; and I would come back again and again. I just love it!

I do hope it doesn't become over abused because of its beauty, as I really think more care should be taken with the coral - given there are so many people that seem to have no idea! (I even told someone off but their excuse was that they were having trouble with water dripping into their mask).

The black tipped reef shark were my favourite, although one got a little too close for comfort. My partner had a lamprey detach from a shark and head towards him (don't wear a grey t-shire when snorkeling, especially when there are sharks around) which was rather disconcerting; needless to say we quickly swam back over the reef to the shore for a break (and a beer).