Chicken Island · Tup · Poda · Phra Nang
Four Islands by Longtail
4.8 (512)
Sandbar walk at low tide · Phra Nang cave beach · park fee included
from$92 / pp
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Krabi
Krabi tours & island day trips
Krabi is the Andaman without the traffic. Railay's cliffs, the four limestone islands off Ao Nang and the hongs of Hong Island are all within 40 minutes of the pier — which is why people who have done both usually prefer Krabi to Phuket.
4Tours & day trips
3–5Days we recommend
Nov–AprBest window
$58Day trips from
The short answer
Krabi boat days start at $58 per person and everything leaves from Ao Nang pier or Tha Lane, which keeps crossings short. The four islands and Hong Island are the two trips to choose between, and Railay is a half day. November to April is dry; Krabi's bay is more sheltered than Phuket's west coast in the shoulder months.
- Boat days from$58 per person
- Best monthsNovember–April
- Recommended stay3–5 nights
- From Phuket2 hours by road
Day trips
What leaves from Ao Nang
Nearly everything in Krabi is a boat day. The three that matter leave from Ao Nang pier or Tha Lane, and all of them are short crossings — no five-hour transfers, which is the whole point of basing here.
Hong Island · Lagoon · Koh Lao Lading
Hong Island & the Lagoon
4.9 (287)
360° viewpoint climb · kayak through the hong · early start beats the fleet
from$88 / pp
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Tiger Cave Temple · Krabi town · Ao Nam Mao
Tiger Cave & the Inland Side
4.6 (96)
1,260 steps · temple dress code wraps · ends at the night market
from$58 / pp
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Railay West · Phra Nang · Tonsai
Railay & Phra Nang Beach
4.8 (203)
No road access · cave shrine · climb or swim, your choice
from$68 / pp
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Multi-day
All Thailand tours
Krabi as part of a longer route
Phuket · Phi Phi · Krabi
Andaman Island Escape
Beach hotels · private boat days · all entrance fees
from$1,690 / pp
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Bangkok · Ayutthaya · Chiang Mai · Krabi
Classic Thailand Journey
Domestic flight · private guide throughout · all fees
from$2,480 / pp
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Bangkok · Krabi · Koh Lanta
Two of Us, Slowly
Sea-view suites · private transfers · sunset boat
from$2,240 / pp
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The coast, honestly
Ao Nang or Railay?
Railay has no road, no cars and the best beach in the province — and it also has one ATM, generator noise at some resorts, and a longtail ride every time you want a supermarket. Ao Nang has pavements, restaurants, pharmacies and a pier you can walk to. Families and anyone staying more than three nights should be in Ao Nang; couples on a short stay and climbers should be on Railay.
Krabi town, 20 minutes inland, is where Thais actually live. It has the night market, the weekend walking street and the cheapest food in the province, and almost no foreign tourists sleep there. It is worth one evening, not three nights.
Longtail or speedboat
The four islands are a longtail day: slower, cheaper, and you can stand at the back and watch the karsts come at you. Hong Island is better by speedboat because the crossing is longer and the lagoon has a fixed window before the tide. We do not put a longtail in the open sea in February, and we do not put a speedboat inside the hongs at low tide.
Both are private by default. Shared longtails leave Ao Nang around 09:00 with 25–30 people aboard; a private boat leaves when you want and stays as long as the light does.
When to come
November to April is dry and calm — the same window as Phuket, and the reason both coasts fill up over Christmas. Krabi's advantage in the shoulder months is geography: the bay is sheltered, so boat days get cancelled less often than on Phuket's west coast. May to October is green season: half the price, empty beaches, and rain that usually arrives in the late afternoon and leaves within the hour.
Getting here
Krabi airport is 25 minutes from Ao Nang and 40 from Krabi town; a private transfer is $28 and a shared van is $10 per person with a wait until it fills. From Phuket it is two hours by road or 45 minutes by ferry from Rassada pier. From Koh Lanta, two car ferries and about two and a half hours.
What is included on boat days
National park fees, life jackets in adult and child sizes, drinking water, fruit, snorkel gear and a dry bag. Lunch is included on full-day trips and named in the proposal — beach restaurant, not a buffet pontoon.
Questions
Krabi, answered
Should I stay in Ao Nang, Railay or Krabi town?
Ao Nang for a base with restaurants and a pier within walking distance; Railay for scenery and climbing and nothing else; Krabi town for one night and the night market. We book by what you plan to do each day.
Can I do Krabi and Phuket in one trip?
Yes, and most people should. Two hours by road or 45 minutes by ferry. We usually put Phuket first and Krabi second — Krabi is quieter and makes the better finish.
Is the Four Islands trip suitable for children?
Yes, with a caveat at low tide: the sandbar between Chicken Island and Tup is a 200-metre walk over coral rubble in ankle-deep water. Fine for ages 6 and up with reef shoes, which we carry in child sizes.
Do you run tours in the rainy season?
Yes. Krabi's bay is sheltered, so boat days run more often than on Phuket's west coast in May–October. When the marine police close the park, we cancel and refund in full rather than substitute a bus tour.
How much are the national park fees?
200 baht per adult and 100 per child for most Krabi marine parks, plus 400 baht per boat at some piers. Both are already inside our quoted price — you will not be asked for cash at the gate.
Can we climb?
Railay is one of the world's great limestone climbing areas. We do not run courses ourselves but we book half-day beginner sessions with the long-established schools on Railay West, and we can put a non-climbing partner on a boat for the morning.
Tell us your dates on the Andaman.
We will check the tide tables, the park closures and the boat availability before quoting.
Written and checked by the Travel Thailand Tour team, Bangkok · Last updated · Prices are per person and were correct at the time of writing.