Best day tours from Krabi

A couple of weeks ago I returned to Ao Nang, the beach town of Krabi, and spent a few days exploring the nearby islands that I had yet to see.

As I already mentioned in the article about Krabi, the beach town of Ao Nang is an ideal place as a base camp from which to explore the many islands in the area. To reach them, the most common is to do day trips by speedboat or longtail boat. In this article I explain briefly what these excursions are about, and I attach some of the photos I took on this trip. This is our list of the 7 best tours from Krabi, hope you enjoy them!

Since you are going to Krabi: you might also be interested in our ranking of the best beaches in Krabi

⚓ Phi Phi Islands tour

It is by far the most popular tour in the area, mainly for visiting the famous Maya Beach, featured in the movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo Di Caprio. In this boat trip you will visit really beautiful places but also very touristy, so it will be a miracle if it’s not really crowded, especially in high season. From May to October (low season) there are fewer tourists. This boat tour also usually stops at Bamboo island, a white sand beach with aquamarine waters. Here you’ll find more info and images of Phi Phi.

► This speedboat tour is offered by InThailand Travel in semi-private (small groups) and high quality. If you want more information on this tour you can get in touch with us.

⚓ 4 Islands Tour

One of the easier boat trips, since the islets that are visited are quite close to Krabi. In this tour it is customary to stop at Chicken and Tub islands, 2 islets connected to each other by a narrow corridor of white sand, that separates the sea for a few hours only at low tide, creating an image that would make the cover of any travel magazine shine. Afterwards, you usually go to the beach of nearby Poda Island, and later stop at the most beautiful beach in Railay Bay, Phra Nang.

► This tour is also offered by InThailand Travel in semi-private and high quality.

⚓ Hong Island tour

Nobody staying in Krabi should miss Hong Island, where some of the most beautiful beaches in the area are. I was there during the month of July, and despite being in the middle of the so-called ‘rainy season’, it was an excellent sunny day with very few tourists -as you can see in the photo-, so I really enjoyed it. In high season it is usually packed to the brim. If you go on a private longtail boat they will give you at least a couple of free hours to enjoy it.

► This island, along with James Bond Island and Koh Yao Noi, can be visited on one of InThailand Travel‘s tours in semi-private and high quality. If you’re interested just get in touch.

⚓ Railay Bay

Beautiful Railay Bay is probably what made Krabi famous in the first place. I recommend you go and spend at least a whole day there. Railay Bay can only be accessed by boat, since is completely surrounded by huge cliffs that prevent access by land. There are several hotels, many of them high-end, although there are cheaper options as well. From Ao Nang you can take a boat to Railay Bay. The journey only takes about 15-20 minutes, and there are usually boats until 6pm.

Tonsai Beach is also in Railay Bay, and can only be accessed by boat. Tonsai is much more suitable for backpackers as there is cheap accommodation. Many people go there to practice rock climbing and spend several days on that beach.

⚓ Phang Nga Bay and James Bond island

This is another of the most popular excursions, although by distance it is better to do it from Phuket, as it is closer. Phang Nga Bay is famous for its limestone rock formations that jut out from the middle of the sea. The most famous of these formations is the one found on the island of Khao Ping Gan, also known as James Bond Island since it appeared in the 1974 movie ‘The Man With the Golden Gun’. On this tour you also stop for lunch in the Muslim floating village of Panyee. I will talk more about this excursion in an article exclusively dedicated to it.

⚓ Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park, north of Krabi, has one of the oldest forests in the world and a gorgeous artificial lake where you can spend the night in a floating cabin. The park is divided into two areas: the creek and jungle, where you can go hiking, and the lake, which you can visit by boat. It is a highly recommended park that is not yet part of the most popular tourist circuits, so it is still highly recommended. This is the only tour on this list that shouldn’t be done as a day tour: give it at least 2 days, or even better 3.

⚓ Hot Springs and Thai Massage at Waree Raksa

On my last visit to the area, I had the opportunity to spend a day doing a spa and hot springs program at Waree Raska (sometimes we have to make this kind of sacrifices in order to check the services we offer at InThailand Travel). It is a natural hot spring 80 km from Krabi that has been adapted as a small spa. They pick you up at the hotel. On the way you’ll shortly stop at a local market and at Wat Tam Seua (tiger temple). Once you arrive at the spa, first you take a shower and they cleanse you with a natural cream. Then you bathe in the pools at different temperatures, changing from hot water to cold. When you are already quite relaxed, they direct a brief yoga session and give you a back massage while sitting in the water. Then you take a cold water bath to wake up from so much relaxation, and it’s time for lunch and some rest. Finally you get a Thai massage before returning to the hotel. I guarantee there is no way any stress can remain after this tour!

Things you need to know before booking your tour

Group tours or private tours?

In Ao Nang you will find heaps of agencies offering tours to the islands in the area. The first thing to decide is whether you want to do these excursions in a group or in private. Of course group tours will be much cheaper (about € 30-50 per person), while private tours will cost more (about € 75-150 per person).

At InThailand Travel we offer some of the best speedboat tours from Krabi, in small groups and high quality, adjusting the schedule daily in order to provide the best experience possible. Just get in touch with us and we’ll give you all the details.

Are group excursions weary?

Group excursions have a fairly marked itinerary that you can check before booking the excursion. They usually take you to tourist areas where there are a lot of people, and they don’t usually give you much time on each beach. Sometimes one can leave with the feeling of having seen very beautiful places but not having been able to enjoy them due to lack of time or excessive tourists. In any case, these excursions are still worth it if you have little time and want to see several places.

Can these excursions be done all year round? How is the weather in Krabi?

Yes. These boat tours are done all year round, and are only canceled in case of strong waves or heavy rain, which doesn’t happen much often. Even in the rainy season, when of course cancellations are more likely to happen, most of the days boat tours depart as usual. In case of cancellation, tour operators refund the money or offer alternatives (excursions on the mainland). The best time to do these tours is from November to April (see article on the climate of Thailand), although they can be done all year round. I have been many times between June and August and, as you can see in the photos of my articles, I had a lot of sun.