Krabi Islands: Phi Phi, Hong and the “4 Islands” Tour — How to Get There

Choose a Krabi island by trip purpose: Phi Phi for a bay-hopping tour or independent travel, Hong for the beach, lagoon and viewpoint, and the “4 Islands” route for a first look at nearby island stops. Start with a simple decision: do you need transport or a day tour? A ferry ticket to Phi Phi takes you to Tonsai Pier, while a visit to Maya Bay falls under a separate program.

The next choice is a group tour or a private boat. It is best to compare them by route, included services and total cost, since the same destination name does not guarantee the same piers, transfers and stops. Specific offers with prices, schedules and separate fees are reviewed below.

Current as of the update date. Prices apply to the named operator offers; schedules and access conditions may change. Before paying, check the program you choose, especially if your trip depends on visiting a specific bay.

Krabi Islands: Phi Phi, Hong or the “4 Islands” — Which to Choose

First decide what you want from the trip: getting to your accommodation, visiting bays, or spending a day at island stops. Then choose transport and a program. For planning the mainland part, see the article about how to plan a holiday in Krabi.

Don’t choose based only on the number of names in an advertisement. A beach stop, passage into a lagoon and a climb to a viewpoint each require a different allocation of time. If you are booking the trip for one specific place, find it in the program and clarify the format of the visit.

Where boats depart from: Ao Nang, Railay and Krabi piers

Hotel pickup, the meeting point and the departure pier are different points. A transfer may start at your accommodation, but that does not mean you will board a boat right next to it. Your booking confirmation should make clear the meeting point and how you will get to the pier.

For the nearby tour, the operator Barracudas lists hotel pickups in Ao Nang in 08:40–09:10. This schedule applies to this specific offer. It must not be applied to other tours, private boats or ferry trips.

The described group longtail tour to Hong includes pickup from Ao Nang, Railay (Railay), Klong Muang (Klong Muang), Tub Kaek (Tub Kaek), Krabi Town and Nopparat Thara Nopparat Thara. These terms apply to this offer; for another operator, inclusion of the transfer should be checked separately.

The speedboat tour shown departs from Nopparat Thara Pier. An example of a ferry route to Phi Phi starts at Klong Jilad Pier and ends at Tonsai Pier. Check the place names on your ticket, not just the name of the resort.

How to Get to Phi Phi: Ferry and Day Tour

Phi Phi Islands can be included in the trip via a transport ticket or a tour. A ferry to Tonsai and a bay tour serve different purposes. If you plan an independent trip with an overnight stay, choose accommodation and the return sailing separately.

The Klong Jilad Pier website publishes the following example of a standard ferry:

The pier’s website recommends booking 48 hours in advance. This is a planning recommendation, not a mandatory requirement for all passengers. A return ticket should not be considered included in the stated price.

For the tour, the operator Barracudas offers an adult speedboat ticket for 1490 ฿. The description says the crossing to Maya Bay takes about an hour; the park fee is listed separately. This reference applies to the tour route and does not replace the ferry schedule.

An earlier published statement from the Public Relations Department (PRD) described a landing for access to the bay at Loh Samah Pier. This is an earlier description of the visiting procedure, not a new confirmation of access conditions.

Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island are named in the private route of the operator Krabi Voyager. They do not become required stops on every Phi Phi tour. For further route planning, see the detailed guide to the Phi Phi Islands.

“4 Islands” Tour: Poda, Chicken, Tup and the Sand Spit

The name “4 Islands” refers to the route being sold, but on its own it does not describe every landing. The published program for the group speedboat from Nopparat Thara lists the following stops:

• Tup (Tup Island).
• Chicken, also known as Ko Kai (Chicken Island / Koh Kai).
• Poda (Poda Island).
• Phra Nang Beach (Phra Nang Cave Beach).

According to the operator’s description, this program returns participants to the mainland in early afternoon, and about 45 minutesis spent on Tup. This is the duration of this specific stop, not a promise of the same time from another organizer.

The main feature here — the Talay Waek sand spit. At low tide it connects Tup with the neighboring Mor Island. This description does not set a fixed daily window for when the sand spit appears.

This is where the tour’s name can be misleading: the beach is also on the list of stops, and Mor is mentioned through its connection to the sand spit. So check not only the advertising headline but also the detailed program. If walking the sand spit is your main goal, ask how the chosen trip is coordinated with low tide and what is provided if conditions change.

Phra Nang is also worth considering as a separate part of a mainland holiday. For more about this area, see the article on Railay and Phra Nang beaches.

Hong Island: beach, lagoon and viewpoint

Hong is best planned as separate activities: a beach stop, a visit to the inner lagoon and a climb to the viewpoint. Don’t treat them as interchangeable items. When choosing a program, find out which visits are included and how time is divided on the island.

For the Hong Island Lagoon the operator of the kayaking program describes entry through a gap in the cliffs: by kayak if one is added to the tour, and by swimming if no kayak is included. This is a description of a commercial offer, rather than a general permission from the national park. How you visit must comply with the rules and conditions of your trip.

To the Hong Island Viewpoint according to the longtail tour operator’s description, leads a staircase of just over 400 steps. From the platform there is a 360-degree view.

Bring water and comfortable shoes if you plan to climb. This is practical advice, not a mandatory park requirement. Decide before you buy whether you want to climb: then the question of time at the viewpoint will be part of choosing a tour, not a surprise on site.

Assess the beach stop separately from the lagoon and the stairs. If you want a relaxed day without climbing, discuss this when choosing a program. If you are interested in a kayak, check whether it is included in the price.

Speedboat or Longtail: Group and Private Boat

Boat type is only part of the choice. A speedboat can be used for a tour, and a longtail for a group or private trip. Compare route, schedule and services; the name of the boat alone does not give the full picture of the day.

On a group tour, you buy a ticket per person and choose a published program. For a private charter, look at the price per boat, the number of included guests and the terms for agreeing on the route. A private boat does not automatically mean included fees, transfer, or stops wherever you want.

Barracudas describes the speedboat crossing to Maya Bay as about an hour. In the published example, the Klong Jilad to Tonsai ferry takes 2 hours. These figures apply to different routes and formats, so they cannot be used as a universal comparison of all boats.

There is also a separate combined program for Hong and the nearby island route. Its description says the speedboat departs from Nopparat Thara at 09:00, starts the return at 17:00, visits nine stops and includes park fees. The start of the return trip is not the same as the time of arrival at the hotel.

The practical conclusion is simple: the number of stops helps you understand what the program includes, but on its own does not show the time spent at each place. Do not carry over the fees included in a combined tour to a separate trip or charter. To choose a format, compare tours and boat trips in Krabi, then check the terms of the offer you prefer.

How Much the Trip Costs: Tours, Charters and Park Fees

It is easier to look at the ticket price, the private boat cost and the park fee separately. That way you can see exactly what you are paying for and which costs remain. Below are prices for specific offers, not average market rates.

Group tours

Prices are for Barracudas’ offers; confirm current costs.

A dash means no price for this offer is given here. It does not prove that the operator has no other options. Included services should be compared with the program of the ticket you choose.

Private boats

Prices are for offers from Barracudas and Krabi Voyager; confirm current costs.

For a private longtail to Phi Phi, the operator Krabi Voyager publishes time slots 09:00–18:30 and 07:30–17:00. The price includes the first 4 guests; each additional guest aged 5 and older costs 700 ฿. Children under 5 ride free, and the boat’s capacity is 8 people.

Park fees

Amounts for foreign visitors are listed by Barracudas; confirm current costs.

These amounts are given as the operator’s information; they do not describe the history of changes to government tariffs. In Barracudas’ private charter, the fee is not included and is paid separately in cash on the day of the trip.

On the described group longtail tour to Hong, the fee for Than Bok Khorani National Park is also not included. The operator states that payment is made in cash on the islands: 300 ฿ for an adult and 150 ฿ for a child aged 4–11. The child age from this offer should not be carried over to other rates.

Seasonal Closures and Island Visiting Rules

According to the Visit-Thailand travel guide, Maya Bay reopened on October 1, 2026 after its annual closure. A seasonal closure should not be treated as a promise of the same calendar for future trips. A government notice explains such periods as nature recovery and visitor safety during the monsoon season.

The swimming ban and the landing procedure are described in an earlier official announcement about visiting Maya Bay. The Public Relations Department (PRD) indicated access via Loh Samah Pier and a swimming ban in the bay. The same announcement describes 11 sessions, each lasting no more than 1 hour, with a limit of 375 people per session.

These are previously published conditions, not fresh confirmation of the current procedure. Before your trip, check the park’s current restrictions: the opening announcement does not guarantee a visit on every future date. Maya Bay should not be planned as a required swimming stop.

For sunscreens, check the ingredients. The prohibited components are listed in the explanation from the Tourism Authority of Thailand:

• Oxybenzone.
• Octinoxate.
• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor.
• Butylparaben.

This list does not mean you must use only mineral sunscreen. A “reef-safe” label does not replace checking the ingredients either. It is easier to choose a product in advance, when you have time to read the ingredients.

For swimming and snorkeling, see the beach safety guide. However, being able to swim in one place does not mean the same permission applies at another stop on the route.

What to Check Before Booking and Bring on the Boat

Before paying, go through the terms of your specific trip. This checklist is especially useful if you are comparing offers with similar names: differences may lie in the transfer, fees and services.

• Where is the meeting point?
• From which pier does the boat depart, and where does it arrive?
• Is pickup from your area and the return transfer included?
• Which stops are included, and where is the landing planned?
• Are meals included?
• Do they provide a mask, snorkel and other snorkeling gear?
• What language does the guide use?
• Are park fees included, and how are separate expenses paid?
• What are the cancellation and date change terms?

For a ferry ticket, check luggage and child fares separately. The carrier Ao Nang Travel sets a luggage limit of 20 kg and an extra charge of 100 ฿ per bag if the limit is exceeded. Purchased tickets are non-refundable; you can change the date up to the departure date.

This carrier’s children aged 0–2 travel free, and for ages 3–11 a child fare applies. The company recommends booking at least 2 hours before departure. These are its own terms and recommendation, which should not be mixed up with the age rules for the children’s ticket on the Klong Jilad–Tonsai ferry.

Bring cash for separately paid fees, suitable sunscreen, water, a hat and comfortable shoes on the boat. For the Phi Phi speedboat tour, Barracudas states that the fee is paid in cash on the day of the trip. This recommendation does not mean cards are not accepted at every park ticket office.

For the rest of your preparation, use the checklist of what to bring to Thailand. For an island day, the key is to match your items to the program: the viewpoint climb, the beach stop, or transport with luggage.