Island Hopping in Krabi, Thailand: What to Expect

If you’re headed towards the Thai beaches, one thing you have got to take the time out to do is go island hopping in Krabi! It’s a whole day affair, and you will be exhausted by the end of it, but it’s such a blast.

At the tail end of my friends’ and my Thailand and Cambodia trip, we spent five lovely days enjoying the sun and beaches in Ao Nang, Krabi. We already had a crazy few days in Bangkok, a hellish journey to Siem Reap, a fantastic trip in Siem Reap and Angkor, and then a nice, chill time in Chiang Mai. We were ready to end our vacation lounging around and swimming.

Thailand Travel Guide

This also meant checking out the famous Thai islands! When we asked our hostel about booking a tour, they recommended the classic 4 island tour which would take us to Koh Poda, Koh Kai (Chicken Island), Koh Tup, and Railay Beach (which isn’t an island but is only accessible by boat). Here’s a map so you can see them:

Island Hopping in Krabi

Tours to Take

There are different types of tours you can take to island hop around Krabi, and many of them will include other islands.

Krabi 4-Island Tour – This one is probably the closest to my tour. It’ll take you to Koh Kai, Koh Tup, Koh Poda, Phra Nang Cave, and lunch at Railay. Check here for rates + availability
Phi Phi Islands Day Tour by Speedboat – Visit the Phi Phi islands, which are farther out than our tour went. They include Bamboo Island, Phi Phi Lay Viking Cave, Loh Sama Bay, and snorkeling in Monkey Bay. Check here for rates + availability
Koh Hong Day Tour – Just a relaxing trip out to Koh Hong, a national marine park. Check here for prices + availability
James Bond Island by Speedboat – Famous for The Man with the Golden Gun, you’ll visit James Bond Island, Khao Phing Kan, Lot Cave, Panyee village, Monkey Cave, and some waterfalls. Check here for rates + availability
Koh Rok and Koh Ha Day Tour – Snorkel around Koh Ha and Koh Rok Noi, relax on Rok Yai, and enjoy a buffet lunch. Check here for rates + availability

What to Wear + Bring

In all my travels (even now 3 years later), I have never gotten so exhausted from the sun in my life. I wore a one-piece swimsuit, shorts, and a loose long-sleeve tunic. I basically had the tunic tied around my shoulders for relief by the end!

The thing is, at least on my type of tour, you will get soaked on the boat. I think I only bought my phone in a waterproof case and some sunglasses, which I wore the whole time. Don’t bring anything that can’t get wet.

And, of course, don’t forget your sunscreen! And reapply that sucker ever 2 hours.

Our Itinerary for Island Hopping in Krabi

Here’s a rundown of our itinerary.

8:30 a.m. – Picked-up from our hostel (we stayed at Glur Hostel)
9:30 a.m. – Arrived at the beach where we got on our long tail boat.
10:00 a.m. – Took a boat to Koh Poda. Got showered on by the ocean along the way.
11:00 a.m. – After about an hour on the beach, took the boat to Chicken Island, where we went snorkeling.
12:00 p.m. – Got off at Koh Tup for lunch.
1:00 p.m. – Took a boat to Railay Beach for some sea kayaking.
2:00 p.m. – Headed home.

That’s an estimate. My big advice is to be careful with taking small kids as they can get tired out very easily. One family had to leave early because the dad was seasick and the kids were heat exhausted! We were dead by the time we got back to our hostel, and, as you can see, we were really only gone until 3 in the afternoon!

I do have a vlog of the whole experience since I wasn’t sure how my DSLR would hold up. This is, like, the only time I’ve ever vlogged in my life haha:

Have you been island hopping? How was it for you?

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Island Hopping in Krabi: the Classic 4 Island Tour