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This is the most sold boat trip in the Ao Nang bay: a shared longtail or speedboat that leaves the pier in the morning and loops around the islands of the national park. Most operators stop at Chicken Island for snorkelling, Tup Island and its sandbar with Koh Mawr, Koh Poda for lunch, and Phra Nang Cave Beach on the Railay peninsula. Expect 6 to 8 hours door to door, many other boats at each stop, and a stop order that changes with the operator and the tide.
The day, hour by hour
Times are the operators' own published windows and Wikivoyage's note on when the first boats arrive, not our estimates. The order of the stops changes with the operator and with the tide.
07:30 – 08:30
Hotel pickup in Ao Nang or Krabi Town and the drive to the pier, where the boats fill up.
09:00 – 10:00
The first group boats reach the inner islands. Most operators snorkel at Chicken Island here: this is the quietest hour to be in the water.
Around midday
Tup Island and the sandbar with Koh Mawr. GetYourGuide notes that the strip of sand at Thale Waek can be walked at low tide; Wikivoyage describes the same sandbar joining Tup to its neighbour.
Early afternoon
Lunch on Koh Poda, the largest of the four, then time on the beach. The park fee, where it applies, is usually collected here.
Later afternoon
Phra Nang Cave Beach on the Railay peninsula: the cliffs, the cave shrine, and the busiest water of the day.
15:00 – 16:30
Back at the pier and the hotel, depending on the operator and on how long the last stop runs.
What you actually do all day
See
Four islands out of the Andaman: Koh Kai with its chicken-shaped rock, the sandbar at Tup, the beach and the viewpoint on Koh Poda, and the cliffs of Phra Nang on the way home.
Hear
The longtail engine at the stern, and the water getting quieter as your boat moves along the queue of other boats.
Feel
Sand underfoot on the sandbar, salt drying on your shoulders, and the heat coming off the limestone in the middle of the day.
The sandbar and Phra Nang are the reason to go, and the tide decides how good the day is.
The stops, in a typical order
- 1Pier and crossing: Hotel pickup runs roughly 7:30 to 8:30, then boarding at the pier. The first crossing takes 25 to 35 minutes by longtail or 12 to 15 minutes by speedboat, according to one operator.
- 2Chicken Island snorkelling: Most boats anchor off the island and you swim from the deck over a shallow reef. Expect reef fish rather than spectacular coral, and look for the rock at the tip shaped like a chicken's head.
- 3Tup Island and the sandbar: At low tide a strip of white sand, called Thale Waek, links Tup to its neighbours and you can walk it in ankle-deep water. At high tide it is under water, so timing matters.
- 4Koh Mawr on foot: Koh Mawr is the tiny islet next to Tup, reachable on foot when the sandbar is out. Some tours also give it a short stop of its own, around 15 minutes in one published programme.
- 5Koh Poda for lunch: The longest stop, usually 60 to 90 minutes, with lunch on the beach and time to swim. One operator serves lunch on Tup Island instead, so check the programme of your own tour.
- 6Phra Nang Cave Beach: The mainland stop on the Railay peninsula, usually 45 to 60 minutes of beach time. Some speedboat tours put it first; others finish here before the return crossing to the pier.
4 Islands tours we checked
Top pickFrom US$37Krabi: Premium 4-Island Day Trip by Longtail Boat with Lunch
- Chicken Island snorkelling, the Tup sandbar and lunch on Koh Poda
- Ends at Phra Nang Cave Beach; shared or private, with hotel transfer
Best for: First-timers who want the classic Krabi day out
See prices & availability
Best valueFrom US$22Krabi: 4 Islands Day Trip by Longtail Boat or Speedboat
- Phra Nang Cave Beach, the Tup and Mor sandbar, Chicken Island and Koh Poda
- Thai mini buffet lunch on the beach; longtail or speedboat option
Best for: Budget travellers who still want the full 4 Islands route
See prices & availability
7 islandsFrom US$30Krabi: 7 Island Tour by Luxury Longtail Boat with Snorkeling
- Seven island stops by luxury longtail, snorkelling included
- Certified by GetYourGuide
Best for: Travellers who want more stops than the standard 4 Islands
See prices & availabilityPrices, park fee and what is included
Published adult prices for a shared tour range widely: 896 THB (child 657 THB) by longtail with one operator, 1,100 THB (child 4 to 11: 900 THB) by speedboat with another, and 1,500 THB longtail or 1,800 THB speedboat with a third. Discounted reseller listings go down to about 549 to 599 THB. A standard shared tour usually includes hotel pickup in the Ao Nang area, the boat, a guide, snorkelling gear, life jackets, lunch, drinking water and fruit. It usually excludes the park fee and personal purchases.
The islands sit inside Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, and most operators say the entry fee is not in the tour price. The amount published varies: 200 THB per foreign adult and 100 THB per child on the park page updated in June 2026, but 400 THB and 200 THB on the Tourism Authority of Thailand page. Bring about 200 to 400 THB per adult in small notes: it is paid in cash to a ranger at the pier or on landing.
Street agencies in Ao Nang and online resellers both sell the tour, and street prices are negotiable, especially from May to October. Boats leave from Ao Nang, from Nopparat Thara pier about 3 km west, or from Ao Nam Mao pier. From Railay, the circuit passes by Phra Nang, and a longtail can be hired there for a private trip, but public boats wait for at least 8 passengers. See getting to Railay for the boat links.
The dry season, from November to April, is the usual window, with the busiest weeks from December to February. From May to October prices drop, but tours can be cancelled at short notice for weather or rough sea. The first group boats reach the inner islands around 9 to 10 am, so an earlier start beats the crowd. The sandbar is only walkable for about two to three hours around low tide: check the Krabi tide table and ask the operator whether it adapts the stop order.
Published tips are simple. Wear grippy water shoes: Tup Island has sharp rocks and the sandbar has shell and coral fragments. Use mineral, reef-safe sunscreen, applied before boarding, since fines of up to 100,000 THB are announced in the park's coral zone. Carry a dry bag for your phone, a long-sleeved rash top, more drinking water than you think, and earplugs if longtail engines bother you. For other trips, compare boat trips and tours from Railay, or read Thailand Voyager's Krabi day trips for the wider choice around the province.
Frequently asked questions
Published shared prices run from about 549 to 1,800 THB per adult depending on the operator and boat, with child fares from about 449 to 1,400 THB. Most include hotel pickup, boat, guide, snorkelling gear, life jackets, lunch, water and fruit, but not the national park fee.
Prices and toursOperators announce 6 to 8 hours including hotel transfers. Pickups start around 7:30 to 8:30 and most tours drop you back between 3 pm and 4:30 pm.
Practical infoSnorkelling is optional and life jackets are provided on board. The day does involve climbing in and out of boats and walking on sand, so operators say basic mobility is required and it is not suited to wheelchair users.
Best beachesYes, and most tours do not include it; a few listings do, so read yours. Sources give 200 THB per foreign adult (100 THB child) or 400 THB (200 THB child), paid in cash at the pier or on landing.
Only around low tide, for about two to three hours; at high tide it is submerged. The lowest tides usually fall near the full and new moon, and the guide tells you in the morning what to expect.
Starting early gives you a better chance of low tide at the sandbar and fewer boats. The first group tours reach the inner islands around 9 to 10 am, and a private longtail lets you set your own timing.
Shared tours usually serve lunch on Koh Poda, or on Tup Island with one operator, and halal or vegetarian options can be requested in advance with some. Nothing is sold on Chicken Island, and Tup has only a small kiosk at the landing.
One operator runs in all weather but reschedules or fully refunds when weather or sea conditions are dangerous. Between May and October, tours can be cancelled at short notice.
Last updated September 2026.
