Krabi island hopping

This is a popular day trip from Ao Nang, taking in the three islands of Ko Poda, Ko Gai (Chicken Island) and Ko Tub, with its sweeping three-pronged sandbar, plus the beautiful Phra Nang Cave Beach on the Railay peninsula. This beach, inaccessible by road, is considered to be one of the most beautiful strips of sand in the world.

Koh Poda is famous for its white beaches and turquoise water; Chicken Island, with the odd rocky outcrop that earned it its name makes a good photo op. Fun fact: Chicken Island is really called “Axe Island” or Koh Hua Gwan; it was dubbed “that chicken island” by Krabi’s first tourists and the nickname stuck.

There will also be stops at excellent snorkeling sites near Ko Yawasam and Ko See, rocky outcrops with abundant coral reefs and marine life. Itinerary order varies throughout the month, so that the sandbar can be reached at low tide (at high tide it is barely visible) and will include a picnic lunch on one of the islands or beaches.

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Want to add a 4 island tour to your itinerary? Select the program and date you prefer below and click “Add to Cart” to pay. We will email you to confirm your hotel pick-up and issue your voucher.

Which tour to choose? A longtail boat is the traditional way to travel; speedboats are obviously faster though not recommended for small children, pregnant women, or anyone with back problems. On this itinerary, which is so close to the coast, speed / travel time is not a huge factor.

Part of the marine National Park, these superb islands can be reached within twenty minutes from Ao Nang by speedboat, or 45 mins by longtail. Set against the spectacular backdrop of Phang Nga Bay, with its countless rocky outcrops, the islands in the Ko Hong group are rightly considered to be among the most beautiful in Krabi province.

The main island is home to a hidden lagoon and is uninhabited, except for the birds, white-faced gibbons and giant monitor lizards that are often spotted on the beach. Ko Lahding is another beautiful island where swallows’ nests are collected and Ko Pakbia has an impressive sandbar revealed at low tide. The full day trip includes several snorkeling stops – including the impressive coral reefs at Lahding Bay.

Itinerary order varies throughout the month, so that the lagoon can be entered before low tide (when it is only accessible by kayak) and will include a picnic lunch on the main island of Koh Hong, where basic toilet facilties are available.

As mentioned, these islands can also be explored by kayak (these are carried with you on the boat from Ao Nang), which would be our recommended choice if you are reasonably fit.

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Want to add a Hong Island tour to your itinerary? Select the program and date you prefer below and click “Add to Cart” to pay. We will email you to confirm your hotel pick-up and issue your voucher.

Which tour to choose? A longtail boat is the traditional way to travel; speedboats are faster, allowing you more time at your destination, though not recommended for small children, pregnant women, or anyone with back problems. The kayaking cruise is recommended for nature lovers as it allows you to enter the lagoon at low tide and see starfish, crabs and other marine life.

This is a Krabi ‘must-see’. Equally captivating above and below water, these six islands richly deserve their reputation as ‘the jewels of the Andaman Sea’. Though the main sites visited can be clogged with boats during peak season (Phi Phi is also accessible by day trip from Phuket), they are still (in our opinion) worth seeing for the incredible shifting landscapes and myriad hues of the water as you pass by.

The day tours from the Krabi mainland will take you to world-famous beaches such as Maya Bay, where the movie ‘The Beach’ was set, the pristine white sand and turquoise water of Bamboo Island, as well as snorkeling in colourful coral gardens around Hin Klang and Monkey Bay (which offer a far better experience than the tragically damaged reefs around Maya Bay).

Boats will also cruise around the many coves of Phi Phi Leh (Losamah, Ao Bileh) and stop for a truly mediocre buffet lunch on the only inhabited island in the group, Phi Phi Don. Day tour operators unfortunately have no choice but to use the services of this restaurant; this does not stop you from going off to eat independently elsewhere – we would recommend any of the beachfront cafes a short walk across the island on Lohdalum Bay. Do check the departure time of your boat before you go, however!

The order of places visited on the Phi Phi Island tour varies year round according to the tides and weather, so it is not practical to post an itinerary.

For more information about the Phi Phi Islands, visit our dedicated site: The Phi Phi Islands Guide.

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Want to add a Phi Phi island tour to your itinerary? Select the date you prefer below and click “Add to Cart” to pay. We will email you to confirm your hotel pick-up and issue your voucher.

Note that since the “express boat” tour stopped in 2011, it is now only possible to visit Phi Phi Island by speedboat – which takes less than 45 minutes, as opposed to double that with a normal boat. This method of travel is not recommended for very small children, pregnant women, or anyone with back problems. In these cases, your only option would be to depart from Phuket on one of the larger cruise boats they offer there.

Technically located in Phang Nga province to the north of Krabi, we include this trip (which does depart from Krabi) as it is so popular – 007 and Bond Girl wannabes are clearly more common than we thought! You can make like Roger Moore in The Man with The Golden Gun on the tiny island of Koh Khao Ping Gan, which served as Scaramanga’s hideout in the movie, filmed way back in 1974.

The countless tacky souvenir stands may sully the experience now, but the trip is made more interesting by other things on the itinerary, not least of which is a wonderful cruise through Phang Nga Bay, which has some of the most astonishing scenery in the world.

You will also visit a traditional floating fishing village at Koh Panyi. The tour – which should really be called a “Phang Nga” trip – can also be combined with other activities, such as a short kayak paddle through the mangroves or a half hour elephant trek.

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Want to add a James Bond Island tour to your itinerary? Select the date you prefer below and click “Add to Cart” to pay. We will email you to confirm your hotel pick-up and issue your voucher. Note that the cruise part of all the below itineraries is done by longtail boat; you can however “upgrade” to a speedboat for approx. +500 THB per person; please contact us for further details.