Guide
Hong Island or 4 Islands in Krabi: which should you choose?
With one day in Krabi, choose Hong Island: 45 minutes from Ao Nang by longtail, an enclosed lagoon you can swim in and a 360-degree viewpoint, from ฿9,500 per boat with Krabi Bliss plus a ฿300 park fee per adult.
Choose the 4 Islands for a closer, cheaper half day, 20 minutes out at ฿7,900 per boat plus ฿200 per adult, with Railay, Phra Nang Cave and a sandbar you can walk at low tide.
From May to October, the 4 Islands are also the more dependable trip.
Prices checked October 2026.
Hong Island and the 4 Islands: side-by-side comparison
| Hong Island | 4 Islands | |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing from Nopparat Thara pier | About 45 minutes to Hong Lagoon | About 20 minutes to the first stop, Railay |
| Stops on a half day | Hong Lagoon, Hong Island beach and viewpoint, Lao Lading | Railay and Phra Nang Cave, the Tup Island sandbar, Chicken Island, Poda Island |
| Known for | An enclosed lagoon ringed by cliffs, and a 360-degree viewpoint | Classic beaches, the cave shrine and a sandbar between islands |
| Time ashore | About 1 hour on Hong Island on a half day, 1.5 to 2 hours on a full day. The viewpoint takes 30 to 40 minutes up and back | More beach stops for island hopping, 45 minutes to 1¼ hours at each |
| Snorkelling | Inside the lagoon, at Koh Lao Ga and near Hong Island | Off Railay beside Phra Nang Cave, and at Chicken Island |
| Tide it needs | High water to enter Hong Lagoon. Hong Island beach and Lao Lading are fine at any tide | A tide of 1 metre or less, for the sandbar to show and to walk along it |
| Avoiding the crowd | 45 minutes to an hour inside the lagoon on a private boat | Go in the afternoon, after the group tours that usually leave in the morning |
| May to October | On rough days the national park sometimes advises boats against going to Hong | Closer to shore, usually calmer, and the more dependable trip |
| Park fee, adult / child aged 3 to 11 | ฿300 / ฿150 | ฿200 / ฿100 |
| Krabi Bliss, per boat, half day / full day | ฿9,500 / ฿14,900 | ฿7,900 / ฿12,900 |
| Best for | One special day, couples, a more stunning experience. A must-visit on the Andaman Sea | A shorter day on Krabi’s classic beaches, island hopping, and more dependable in low season |
Pick Hong Island if
- You have one boat day. It is the trip we send couples on when they ask us to choose for them.
- You want to swim in the lagoon, not photograph it. On a private boat you get time to swim and explore inside the lagoon, where a shared tour often allows only a short photo stop.
- You want the Hong Island 360° View Point. It is included, and takes 30 to 40 minutes up and back.
- You are here between November and April, when the sea out to Hong is settled day after day.
Pick the 4 Islands if
- You are here between May and October. The islands sit closer to shore, the water is usually calmer, and the trip still runs on days when the national park advises boats against going to Hong.
- You want a shorter day, or you’re on a tighter budget. It is 20 minutes out instead of 45, ฿1,600 less per half day, and the park fee is ฿200 a head instead of ฿300.
- You want Railay and Phra Nang Cave. You get beach time, the cave shrine, and a paddleboard ride to the cave if you want one.
- You want to walk the sandbar between Tup Island and its neighbours at low tide.
Which has better snorkelling, Hong Island or the 4 Islands?
Some guides tell you Hong has the better snorkelling. Others say the 4 Islands do. From the crew that runs both routes every week: each has good spots, and the captain knows where the fish are on the day.
- 4 Islands: off Railay beside Phra Nang Cave, and at Chicken Island.
- Hong Island: inside the lagoon, at Koh Lao Ga, and near Hong Island itself.
If snorkelling is the reason you are coming, tell us when you book and we build the day around it. Then choose the route on something else.
Why the tide decides the order of your stops
Hong Lagoon is entered through a narrow gap that needs high water, and the Tup sandbar only shows when the water is low.
- Hong first while the water is up. On every Hong day, full or half, our captain starts at the lagoon, unless you have asked for something different. The water at the lagoon is usually higher earlier in the day, so the earlier you go in, the easier the entry. Leave it until later and you may find the gap too shallow.
- The sandbar rule. Our crew reads a tide app set to the Ko Taphao Noi station. At 1 metre or less, the sandbar is out and you can walk it. You can check your own date the same way before you book.
- Never before 8:30. Earlier than that, the water at our pier is too shallow to leave without risking the hull.
A group tour runs to a fixed timetable, so it reaches the lagoon or the sandbar whenever the timetable says. A private boat can reorder the day around the tide.
How long do you get inside Hong Lagoon?
Group boats can enter Hong Lagoon too, but most stop for photos and leave. Getting a full boat of guests into the water and back on board takes longer than their timetable allows.
On a private boat, you get 45 minutes to an hour inside the lagoon to swim, snorkel or paddleboard, and longer on a full day. Then about an hour on Hong Island itself on a half day, enough for the viewpoint, or 1.5 to 2 hours on a full day.
Can you do Hong Island and the 4 Islands in one day?
Most of our high-season guests take a full day, split about evenly between the Combo and the Hong Island full day. There are two ways to see both routes.
In one day: the Hong + 4 Islands Sunset Combo, ฿16,900 per boat. Hong comes first, while the water is high enough for the lagoon. Lunch is on the beach behind Poda, away from the main beach where most boats land. Boats need national park approval to use it, and park officers turn some away. The afternoon covers the 4 Islands, and the day ends with sunset on the water. Park fees are ฿500 per adult.
Over two days: a 4 Islands afternoon half day (฿7,900) and a Hong Island full day (฿14,900) on another date. It costs more, ฿22,800 in all, but nothing is rushed, and the 4 Islands afternoon misses the morning group tours.
Common questions
Which is better with young children? A half day on either route, in the morning, when it is cooler. Children under 3 pay no park fee.
Morning or afternoon? For a Hong half day, take the morning. The national park closes Hong Island at 5pm, so an afternoon half day leaves less time ashore. If you book an afternoon trip with anyone, ask how long you get on Hong Island before it closes. If you have ever been hurried off the island late in the day, that is why. For the 4 Islands, the afternoon is quieter because the group tours go out in the morning, though the morning is cooler. Both afternoon half days end at golden hour.
Is the viewpoint included? Yes. It is on Hong Island, takes 30 to 40 minutes up and back, and fits within the hour you get there on a half day.
What if the sea is rough? From November to April it rarely is. In June, and sometimes in September, the authorities may advise boats against going to Hong. Trips can still run on those days, but we put safety first. We’ll contact you in advance and you choose: switch to the 4 Islands, move to another day, or take a full refund. The 4 Islands, closer to shore, usually still run. Park officers have an office on almost every island, for checks and safety.
How do I book? Message us on WhatsApp with your dates. We check the tide for your days and tell you which route suits which day.
For what each price level in Krabi includes, see How much does a private longtail boat cost in Krabi?
Written by Krabi Bliss, the crew that runs both routes. Last updated 13 October 2026.
