Krabi national park fees: what to know before an island visit

There is no single national park fee for Krabi, but several arrangements depending on protected area and destination. If a route visits several areas, you may pay several entries. The fee is usually charged per person; foreign adults generally pay more than Thai nationals, and different rates often apply to children.

The fee is set by the national park authority, not by the tour operator. It can change, and figures in blogs and forums are often out of date. The most reliable answer is therefore always the current information from the authority or your operator shortly before your date.

Whether and how much of an entrance fee applies at your destination, you will learn when booking.

Several protected areas lie around Krabi, each with its own rules. The following assignment is the common one; for borderline cases the authority or your operator decides which entry applies to your route.

National park fees are usually charged per person and per visit to a protected area and are paid on site to the park rangers or at the park entrance. Different rates may apply to adults, children, foreigners and Thai nationals. From which age or height a child rate applies can differ.

We do not want to create false precision here: the primary source is the national park authority (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation). Operator and travel sites online are not always up to date. The rates that count are the ones posted on site.

For your planning this means: expect that one entry per person may apply for each protected area, and ask when booking what applies to your route.

There are several reasons why two blogs write different things about the same island. First, the assignment of islands to areas is described differently: whoever says “4 Islands” means slightly different stops depending on the operator. Second, rates differ for foreigners, Thais, adults and children, and many texts mention only one.

Third, fees get revised and old information stays online for years. And fourth, some things depend on special rules, for example at Maya Bay, where access and rules are regulated separately.

This leads to the simplest rule: do not rely on a single piece of information from the web, ask your operator how the fee is handled for your route.

It is usual for national park fees to be paid in cash at a ticket counter or to the rangers, mostly in baht. Card payment is not reliably available on the islands. If you have to pay the fee yourself, bring enough baht in cash, ideally in small notes.

Keep the ticket or receipt for the day, as it may be checked in the park. The fee funds the protection of the areas, and a receipt creates clarity.

Ask before booking how the fee is handled on your tour, and have any open points confirmed in writing.

Whether and how much of an entrance fee applies at your destination, you will learn when booking. Simply tell us in your enquiry which route interests you, and we will clarify the situation for your date.

All tour prices apply per boat for up to 5 guests, for example Hong Lagoons from 21,500 THB or Koh Rok Safari from 32,000 THB.

In practice: because our price applies per boat, the calculation stays clear. You compare your group’s total price, not individual items.

National parks are not always accessible. Some areas are seasonally restricted or temporarily closed, for example for nature protection or because of weather. Koh Rok and Koh Haa are officially closed from 16 May to 15 November (some sources say until the end of October); the open season runs roughly from mid-November to mid-May. Check the current dates before booking.

Maya Bay has special rules on visit length, access and behaviour. They change from time to time, so we do not cover them here but in our article on Phi Phi and Maya Bay in the early morning. In general the rules in the parks are: take nothing, do not feed animals, do not touch corals, take your rubbish back with you.

These rules protect the areas where our tours take place. For us they are part of a good private charter – calm visits, fewer crowds and no burden on the reef.

If a route visits several protected areas, an entry may apply for each area. On shared tours this often only becomes visible at the pier because only an entry price is quoted at first. With a private charter priced per boat you can plan cleanly: the group’s total price, food and drinks, and the question about entry that you clarify in advance.

Children are also worth a look: different rates often apply to them. From which age or height a child rate applies can differ. Ask about this for your family before you withdraw cash.

National park fees are part of protecting these areas: among other things they are meant to help fund the running, monitoring and upkeep of the parks. How exactly they are used is for the authority to decide. What is certain: islands like the Hong lagoon or Phang Nga Bay stay beautiful only if visitors behave considerately.

A few simple rules apply. Leave no rubbish behind, not even small wrappers. Do not touch or stand on corals, use reef-friendly sunscreen where possible and do not feed animals. In lagoons and caves keep your distance from rocks and marine life and follow the instructions of rangers and your captain.

A private charter with a small group makes this easier: with a maximum of five guests the impact on a bay is lower than with a boat carrying dozens of people, and we can choose times when it is quieter. You will find more tips in our packing list and etiquette guide for your boat day.

These points help you avoid surprises with national park fees: