Krabi Island Hopping 2026: The Four Islands, Chicken Island and Railay Explained
Krabi has about 160 km of coastline and more than 130 islands offshore, of which the main day-trip options are the Four Islands, the Hong Islands, the Railay peninsula and the Phi Phi group. Most routes board straight off Ao Nang beach, with crossings from 15 minutes to 2 hours and different park fees and seasonal limits on each.
The routes fall into 3 types: near-shore runs to the Four Islands and Railay, 15 to 40 minutes one way; full-day runs to the Hong Islands and Phi Phi, 40 to 120 minutes one way; and inland trips to the Emerald Pool and the Tiger Cave Temple, 1 to 1.5 hours by road and unaffected by swell.
2026 park fees: 400 baht for the Four Islands, 300 baht for the Hong Islands
The park covering the Four Islands and Phi Phi charges about 400 baht and the Hong Islands area about 300 baht, mostly half price for children. Railay Beach charges no park fee. Most day-trip quotes exclude the fee, which is paid in cash on landing. Fees and collection can change, so confirm with the operator whether they are included before booking.
Seasons: swell under 1 metre from November to April
November to April is the Andaman high season, with swell mostly under 1 metre, every route running and underwater visibility often above 15 metres. In the May to October rainy season swell often passes 2 metres, long-tail cancellations rise, and the Phi Phi and Hong Islands routes are suspended more often. Confirm the day's conditions with the operator.
Departure points: Ao Nang against the piers in Krabi town
Ao Nang beach is the main departure point for the Four Islands, the Hong Islands and Railay, with long-tails boarding straight off the sand and no pier needed. Chao Fa pier in Krabi town mainly serves Railay and Phi Phi and sits 25 minutes by road from Ao Nang. Speedboats and ferries mostly leave from Klong Jilad pier, 10 minutes from Krabi town. Take the departure point from the operator's confirmation.
Arranging Krabi island transport: 4 options and what they cost
Trips come in 4 forms: day tours, chartered long-tails, scheduled ferries and land transfers. Trips from Ao Nang mostly include hotel pickup, while departures from Krabi town mostly mean getting to the pier yourself. Confirm quotes against the operator's notice.
Four Islands day trip: 1,200 baht by long-tail, 1,800 baht by speedboat
A long-tail Four Islands day trip runs about 1,000 to 1,400 baht per person and a speedboat about 1,500 to 2,200 baht, both including lunch, snorkel gear and insurance but excluding the park fee of about 400 baht. Departures are mostly 09:00 with a 16:00 return, and half-day trips run about 800 baht. Confirm prices and inclusions against the operator's notice.
Chartered long-tails: 1,800 to 2,500 baht for a half day
A long-tail charter off Ao Nang beach runs about 1,800 to 2,500 baht for a half day carrying 6 to 8 people, or about 3,000 to 4,000 baht for a full day, with the route chosen freely. Boats without a shade canopy run about 300 baht cheaper. Charters exclude the park fee and meals. Confirm the price before boarding.
To Railay: 100 to 150 baht one way, 15 minutes
Shuttle long-tails from the east end of Ao Nang beach to Railay West cost about 100 to 150 baht per person over about 15 minutes, departing once 8 passengers fill, running roughly 08:00 to 18:00, with night surcharges commonly above 200 baht. From Chao Fa pier in Krabi town the fare is about 150 baht over 45 minutes. Confirm fares and last departures against the pier notice.
To Phi Phi: ferries 400 to 600 baht, 2 hours
Ferries from Klong Jilad pier to Phi Phi run about 3 times a day, first at 09:00 and last at 15:00, taking about 2 hours for 400 to 600 baht. Speedboats take about 45 minutes at about 900 to 1,200 baht per person. The route suits staying a night or more on Phi Phi. Confirm fares and departures against the pier notice.
Krabi's island options in 2026: 8 routes explained
These are ordered by crossing time, each with its park fee and seasonal limits. Fees and access can change, so confirm the national park and operator notices.
Railay West: a car-free peninsula 15 minutes out
Railay West runs about 700 metres, closed in on three sides by limestone cliffs up to 150 metres high with no land link, making it the only lodging area in Krabi reachable solely by boat. The sand is fine and the gradient gentle, with water under 1.5 metres deep extending about 50 metres. No park fee applies.
Long-tails from Ao Nang take 15 minutes at 100 to 150 baht per person. The peninsula has about 25 places to eat, mostly trading 08:00 to 23:00, and the climbing routes concentrate around the east beach. Confirm fares and trading hours against the notices on site.
The Four Islands: a sandbar linking three at low tide
The four are Chicken Island, Poda, Mor and Tup, all within 2 km of each other. At low tide a sandbar about 400 metres long and 10 metres wide is exposed between Mor, Tup and Chicken Island and can be walked across, with the window shifting daily on the tide. The park fee runs about 400 baht.
Day trips leave at 09:00 and return at 16:00, with 40 to 60 minutes at each stop. Chicken Island takes its name from its outline and has a rock stack about 30 metres high at its southern end. Confirm the tidal window against the operator's plan on the day.
Poda Island: shallow-water snorkelling under 2 metres
Poda sits about 8 km off Ao Nang, with about 800 metres of white sand around the island and shallows on the north side under 2 metres deep where reef fish gather, making it the longest stop on the Four Islands route at mostly 60 minutes. The island has portable toilets and one drinks stall.
Underwater visibility often exceeds 15 metres in the dry season. There is no shade structure, so sun protection and water are worth carrying. The park fee is shared with the Four Islands route at about 400 baht. Confirm fees against the notices on site.
The Hong Islands: a lagoon ringed by limestone
The Hong Islands sit about 20 km north of Ao Nang, where the main island encloses a lagoon ringed by cliffs with an entrance about 10 metres wide, navigable by paddle only at high tide, and water 1 to 3 metres deep inside. Speedboats take about 40 minutes one way. The park fee runs about 300 baht.
Day trips run about 1,500 to 2,200 baht per person, leaving at 08:30 and returning at 16:30, mostly with 3 or 4 stops. The lagoon window depends on the tide, and at low water the trip switches to snorkelling off the outer beach. Confirm tides and fees against the operator's notice.
Phi Phi and Maya Bay: 45 minutes by speedboat
The Phi Phi group lies about 40 km southwest of Krabi, 45 minutes by speedboat or 2 hours by ferry. Maya Bay has about 200 metres of sand and since reopening in 2022 bars swimming and mooring inside the bay, so boats berth in the bay behind and visitors walk in. The park fee runs about 400 baht.
Day trips run about 1,800 to 2,600 baht per person, leaving at 08:00 and returning at 17:00, mostly with 4 or 5 stops. A daily visitor cap applies inside the bay. Confirm the current rules against the national park notice.
Emerald Pool and Blue Pool: an inland trip unaffected by swell
The Emerald Pool sits about 60 km east of Krabi town, 1.5 hours by road, a spring-fed pool in limestone at about 30 to 35°C and 1.5 metres deep. The Blue Pool nearby runs blue-green from its minerals and swimming is prohibited. The park fee runs about 200 baht.
Hours run roughly 08:30 to 17:00. The trail from the car park to the pools runs about 800 metres on a gentle gradient. The water often turns cloudy in the rainy season. It pairs with the Tiger Cave Temple on a one-day charter. Confirm fees and hours against the park notice.
Tiger Cave Temple: 1,237 steps to a hilltop image
The Tiger Cave Temple sits about 10 km north of Krabi town, where a hilltop image and stupa stand on a limestone peak at about 280 metres, reached by 1,237 steps and about 260 metres of climb, which generally takes 40 to 60 minutes. Entry is free, with voluntary donations.
Hours run roughly 06:00 to 18:00. Many sections pitch above 45 degrees with no shade, so before 07:00 or after 16:00 works better, with 1.5 litres of water or more. The steps turn slippery after rain. Confirm hours against the temple notice.
Sugarcane Island and Koh Thalu: a dry-season northern route
Sugarcane Island and Koh Thalu sit about 25 km northwest of Ao Nang, with coral cover among the best in Krabi's near shore and snorkelling in 3 to 6 metres of water. The route mostly operates November to April and is suspended in the rainy season on swell. The park fee runs about 300 baht.
Day trips run about 1,800 to 2,500 baht per person, with speedboats taking about 50 minutes one way. The islands have no food facilities, so meals are served on the boat. Confirm access and fees against the operator's notice.
What Krabi island hopping costs: the price structure
Spending splits into 3 categories: the trip fee, park fees and equipment rental. For a long-tail Four Islands day trip, the fee plus the park charge comes to about 1,400 to 1,800 baht per person. The ranges below are typical and move with the season, so confirm against the operator's notice.
Trip fees: 800 baht a half day, 1,000 to 2,600 baht a full day
Half-day routes run about 800 to 1,000 baht per person, the Four Islands day trip 1,000 to 2,200 baht, the Hong Islands 1,500 to 2,200 baht and Phi Phi 1,800 to 2,600 baht. Quotes mostly include lunch, snorkel gear and insurance but not park fees or drinks. Discounts of about 20% are common in the May to October low season. Confirm quotes against the operator's notice.
Park fees and gear: 400 baht plus about 200 baht of rental
The Four Islands and Phi Phi run about 400 baht, the Hong Islands about 300 baht and the Emerald Pool about 200 baht, paid in cash on landing or at the gate. Wetsuit rental runs about 100 to 200 baht, an underwater camera about 300 to 500 baht and a kayak about 200 baht. Confirm costs against the notices on site.
Cancellations and rescheduling: what happens when long-tails are grounded
When swell grounds the boats in the rainy season, most operators offer a new date or a full refund, subject to their own terms, and some platforms charge a handling fee. Long-tails are grounded at a lower threshold than speedboats, so in the rainy season a speedboat route or an inland trip is the safer booking. Confirm the cancellation terms and refund method before booking.
Where to stay for Krabi island hopping: picking a zone by departure point
The zone decides the boarding time: Ao Nang for the Four Islands and the Hong Islands, Railay for quiet and walking access to the climbing, Krabi town for lower rates. Ao Nang to Krabi town takes 25 minutes, so confirm drive times against the day's traffic.
Ao Nang beach: long-tails board straight off the sand
Ao Nang is the departure point for the Four Islands, Hong Islands and Railay routes, with lodging within 5 minutes on foot of the launch and about 80 places to eat mostly trading to 23:00. The trade-offs are Krabi's top rate band from November to February and a steeper beach gradient that does not suit small children. Confirm live rates on your booking platform.
The Railay peninsula: a car-free setting next to the climbing
Railay lodging splits between the west and east beaches, the west on the sand and the east near the climbing routes, with no cars anywhere and footpaths linking the two. The trade-offs are prices about 20% above Ao Nang, only 2 convenience stores, and last shuttle boats around 18:00, after which leaving means paying a charter premium. Confirm sailings and prices against the notices on site.
Sequencing: early boats get the calmest water, near-shore routes first
Booking the 08:30 to 09:00 departure gives the calmest water, as mornings are usually smoothest. In the rainy season, near-shore routes such as Railay and the Four Islands belong first, leaving Phi Phi and the Hong Islands to the back of the trip so they can be moved. Confirm the day's sailings with the operator.
Kit and sun protection: long-tails have no shade, carry 2 litres
Long-tails are mostly open with limited shade, so a hat, a long-sleeved sun top and 2 litres of water or more are worth packing. Sandbars and shallows hold broken coral, so rubber-soled water shoes are advisable. Some chemical sunscreens are barred inside the park, so mineral products are the safer choice. Confirm landing rules against the national park notices on site.
FAQ
Q. Which islands does the Krabi Four Islands trip cover?
The four are Chicken Island, Poda, Mor and Tup, all within 2 km of each other, so a long-tail boat calls at every one in a day. At low tide a sandbar about 400 metres long is exposed between Mor, Tup and Chicken Island. Tides differ daily, so take the order from the operator's plan on the day.
Q. How do long-tail boats and speedboats differ?
A long-tail day trip runs about 1,000 to 1,400 baht and is slower, at 30 to 40 minutes one way, which suits the near islands; a speedboat runs about 1,500 to 2,200 baht at 15 to 20 minutes one way and fits 1 or 2 extra stops. Long-tails are noticeably rough once swell passes 1.5 metres. Confirm prices and routes against the operator's notice.
Q. Can Railay Beach be reached by road?
No. Railay is closed in on three sides by limestone cliffs with no land link, so a long-tail boat is the only way in. From Ao Nang the crossing takes about 15 minutes at about 100 to 150 baht per person, or about 45 minutes from the pier in Krabi town. Confirm fares and last departures against the pier notice.
Q. Is the national park fee charged separately?
Most quotes exclude it. The park covering the Four Islands and Phi Phi charges about 400 baht and the Hong Islands area about 300 baht, mostly half price for children, paid in cash on landing. Fees and collection can change, so confirm with the operator whether they are included before booking.
Q. Are Krabi island trips all cancelled in the rainy season?
From May to October swell in the Andaman often passes 2 metres and long-tail trips are cancelled more often than speedboats. The near-shore Railay and Four Islands routes are less affected, while the Hong Islands and Phi Phi are suspended more often. Confirm the day's sailings with the operator before setting out.
Q. Krabi town or Ao Nang for island hopping?
Ao Nang is the main departure point for the Four Islands, the Hong Islands and Railay, with the beach launch within walking distance; Krabi town sits 25 minutes by road and about 60 baht by songthaew, with lower rates but 50 extra minutes of driving each day. Confirm fares and departures against the notices on site.