Emerald Cave (Tham Morakot) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Emerald Cave. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Tin Adventure Sea Tour to 4 Islands & Emerald Cave from Koh Lanta

• Private Lanta 4 Islands Tour by Longtail Boat

• Lanta 4 Islands + Emerald Cave Snorkeling Tour

• 4-Island Tour to Emerald Cave by Longtail Boat from Koh Lanta

• Koh Lanta 4 Islands by Private Longtail Boat with Emerald Cave

While it's free to swim into Emerald Cave on your own, guided tours make the experience far easier, especially if you want to try any water-based activities. The most popular group snorkeling and island-hopping tours cost from US$30 to US$60, while private longtail and speedboat tours start around US$100.

Yes, Emerald Cave is worth visiting. Hidden inside a limestone cliff on Koh Muk, you need to swim through a pitch-black tunnel and will be rewarded with a stunning open-air lagoon—an experience that's hard to find anywhere else. Guided tours make the trip straightforward and typically combine the cave with snorkeling stops at nearby islands to make a day of it.

Per one customer who booked the Tin Adventure Sea Tour to 4 Islands & Emerald Cave from Koh Lanta, "This tour was the highlight of our trip to Thailand (and we did a lot of boat tours on this vacation). The spectacular Emerald Cave, the wonderful white-sand beaches at Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai, as well as the snorkeling stops were all amazing. The staff was very friendly and helpful—we loved that they dived with us at the snorkeling stops to show us the greatest spots and the most fascinating fish."

The Emerald Cave (Tham Morakot) is located on the western coast of the small Thai island of Koh Muk, in the country’s deep south. Getting into the cave requires swimming or paddling through a long, pitch-black tunnel. The best way to access the cave is by an organized tour.

To reach the heart of the Emerald Cave, you need to navigate a 262-foot (80-meter) tunnel that’s pitch-black. A guide rope is provided, and many tours include headlamps for guidance. What’s known as the Emerald Cave is at the end: a bright, verdant swimming hole with lush scenery.

Yes—swimming in the Emerald Cave is pretty much the only way to get there. While it may be possible to navigate the tunnel leading into the cave by kayak when the water level is low, most swim into the lagoon and relax on its sandy beaches.

The water levels in the Emerald Cave—and the tunnel required to reach it—vary depending on the time of day you plan to visit. The maximum depth in the cavern itself is around 39 feet (12 meters). Most tours also provide lifejackets to make navigating the water easy and safe.

If you want to see the Emerald Cave at its most beautiful—with its waters all aglow and green, as its name suggests—primetime is between 10am and 2pm. However, the landmark is often very crowded with tourist groups. For a calmer experience, aim for early morning or late afternoon.

It’s little wonder how the Emerald Cave earned its name: The hidden lagoon is surrounded by high rock walls covered in lush plants. When the sun shines in, the cavern lights up in vivid green hues. Aim to visit in the late morning or early afternoon to experience the phenomenon.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Emerald Cave. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions on and around Koh Lanta:

• Koh Haa (Koh Ha)

• Koh Kradan (Ko Kradan)

• Mu Ko Lanta National Park (Mu Koh Lanta National Marine Park)

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Koh Lanta.