Krabi island hopping guide: island groups, season and the right boat

The coast around Krabi and Phang Nga Bay is shaped by limestone. The steep rock towers that rise straight out of the water are called karst. Over very long periods limestone dissolves in rainwater and seawater, and that is exactly what creates overhangs, caves, undercut rock bases and the niches where small beaches sit.

According to general geological knowledge, the limestone itself goes back to ancient marine deposits, among them reefs that grew in shallow seas a very long time ago. Later the land rose, sea levels climbed again and the ridges turned into islands. What you see from the boat today is, at its core, an old reef that wind, rain and waves have carved into towers, bays and lagoons over a long time.

This has practical consequences for your boat tour. Many islands have hardly any beach but steep rock walls where you can snorkel. Some bays lie behind narrow passages and are only easy to reach at the right water level. And because the cliffs cast shade, the light changes strongly through the day. That is why it pays to choose not just the destination but also the time of day on purpose.

Broadly speaking there are two seasons. In the dry season, roughly November to April, the sea is usually calmer and the weather more stable, and visibility under water is often better. It is also when most visitors come. From May to October the monsoon sets in: more rain, a rougher sea depending on the day, but many places are much emptier. Boat tours are possible in these months, but depend more on wind and waves and can be moved at short notice.

On top of that there are national park closures to know about when planning. According to the most recently published dates, Maya Bay is closed each year from about 1 August to 30 September and then reopens; before booking, check whether a newer notice exists for your date. According to the national park authority, the Koh Rok and Koh Haa group is usually closed to visitors from 16 May to 15 November. This alone changes the choice of possible destinations with the season.

Which option is right depends on your travel dates, not on one “best” season for everyone. If you are flexible and value quiet, you can have a lovely island day in the low season too. If you are tied to one date, it is wise to plan a buffer day.

Around Krabi there are more islands than one holiday can cover. For an overview it helps to think in three groups, each with its own character and travel time from Ao Nang. The minute figures come from our tour data and are a guide in calm seas.

The 4 Islands are the near group. Koh Poda, Chicken Island and the Tup sandbar lie close together, and Phra Nang and Railay are only a few boat minutes away. The sandbar only appears at low tide; see the tides guide for more. The Hong group lies a little further out and is the quieter choice for lagoons, swimming and snorkelling. Phi Phi is the furthest of these three groups, with Maya Bay (viewing only, no swimming), Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave and Bamboo Island.

On the 4 Islands route, Koh Poda stands for beach and limestone rock, Chicken Island for snorkelling at a striking rock pinnacle and the Tup sandbar for a walk through shallow water as long as it is low tide. Phra Nang Cave Beach rounds off the route with cliffs and evening light. How the stops lie relative to each other is explained in the article on names, map and sandbar timing of the 4 Islands.

In the Hong group the focus is on the Koh Hong lagoon, the small cove of Koh Lao Lading and the two beaches of Koh Pakbia. The scenery is less about one photo spot and more about time in the water. If you want to see both groups in one day, the article on Hong and the 4 Islands in one day puts it into perspective.

At Phi Phi the timing decides how the visit feels. Maya Bay may only be looked at, swimming is not allowed there. Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave and Bamboo Island add variety. We have a separate article on Bamboo Island, and one on Maya Bay with the current status of the closure periods.

To be honest, there is more than one way to reach the islands in Krabi. The classic longtail is a traditional wooden boat, slower and louder, best suited to short hops such as Railay or the nearby islands. Then there are large group boats on a fixed schedule. We run only private trips on a speedboat and do not offer longtail, catamaran or yacht tours. A detailed comparison is in the guide on longtail versus speedboat.

Our boat is a white hardtop cabin boat with twin 300 hp engines. It takes a maximum of 5 guests and has a bench seat, comfortable boat chairs and shade. Because the boat is yours alone, you decide together with the captain on the pace, the order of stops and the time at each place. That is especially valuable when tides and swell influence the day.

The price is per boat, not per person. With a group of five guests, five people share the same amount. How this compares with group tours is explained in the cost guide to private boat charters in Krabi.

Many of the most beautiful places around Krabi have no road. Small coves beneath rock walls, beaches without infrastructure and lagoons behind rock passages can only be reached by water. Here the boat is not just transport but the way the landscape becomes accessible at all.

Then there is snorkelling. Snorkel gear is free with us, and you simply tick it when booking. What you see under water depends on the place, visibility and the sea’s mood that day; we cannot promise particular animals. What is certain is that on a private boat you can stay longer where you like it.

The third point is freedom: set off earlier, come back later, skip one cove, stay longer in another. That is hard on a group tour with a fixed plan, but normal on a private trip.

A few decisions turn a good island day into a very good one. We have gathered the most important points from our experience.

Tours start in either Ao Nang or Krabi Town; the meeting place is agreed with you. We do not offer hotel transfers. Within Ao Nang and to Krabi Town, local taxis are usually cheap and straightforward, so getting to the meeting place is rarely a problem.

Our three tours to start with are the “4-Islands VIP & Sunset Special” (6 hrs, from 1 pm, from 18,500 THB per boat), the “Hong Island Secret Lagoons & Hidden Bays” (7 hrs, from 8 am, from 21,500 THB per boat) and the “Phi Phi Early Bird” (8 hrs, from 7 am, from 28,500 THB per boat). All prices are for up to 5 guests. The enquiry is non-binding, and a date is only reserved once we confirm it.