Boat Rental Ao Nang (Krabi) — 2027 Guide: Railay, Four Islands, Hong Islands and Prices

Ao Nang is the main resort of Krabi province on Thailand's Andaman coast and the most natural starting point for a day at sea: from the beach you can see a line of limestone islands, and longtail boats land straight on the sand. From here the Railay peninsula, the Four Islands, the Hong Islands and, for a full day, Phi Phi are all within reach. This guide describes where you can go by boat from Ao Nang, how long the trips take, what the private boats and trips in our listings cost, and when the sea is calmest.

Where boats leave from

• Ao Nang beach: longtail boats take passengers straight off the sand, and you wade through shallow water to the boat. Larger boats cannot come up to the beach, so you reach them with a short longtail ride. See the Ao Nang location page.
• Nopparat Thara pier, just north of Ao Nang: the departure point for ferries and many speedboats heading to the islands.
• Krabi Town, about 20 km by road east of Ao Nang (about half an hour's drive): a town at the mouth of a river and a second departure point for the same islands. See the Krabi Town location page.

Railay and Phra Nang: by boat only

The Railay peninsula is cut off from the mainland by steep limestone cliffs, so there is no road to it: from Ao Nang you get there by longtail in about 10 to 15 minutes. West Railay has a sandy swimming beach, while East Railay faces the mangroves and turns into muddy shallows at low tide. A path below the cliffs leads to Phra Nang beach, with Phra Nang Cave at the end of the sand. Railay is also known for climbing on its limestone rock faces.

The difference between high and low tide is noticeable here. At low tide the sea pulls back from the shore and you wade further to the boat, while at high tide the beaches narrow. That is why routes around Railay and the Hong Islands are planned around the tide.

Four Islands: Koh Poda, Chicken Island and Tup

The most popular route from Ao Nang. The islands are in Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.

• Koh Poda, about 8 km from Ao Nang: a white beach and a limestone rock just off the shore.
• Chicken Island (Koh Kai): a rock that from the sea looks like a chicken's head; there is snorkelling alongside it.
• Koh Tup: at low tide a sandbar connects it to the neighbouring islets, and you can walk between the islands.
• Phra Nang beach on Railay is usually the fourth stop.

By speedboat all four places are within half an hour of Ao Nang, which leaves plenty of time for swimming.

Hong Islands

A group of islands about 20 km northwest of Ao Nang, about half an hour by speedboat, in Than Bok Khorani National Park. Koh Hong hides an inner lagoon surrounded by cliffs (hong means room in Thai), which you enter by kayak or small boat, depending on the tide. Around the islands there are beaches for swimming and shallows for snorkelling. The Hong Islands are often combined with Railay or the Four Islands on the same day.

Phi Phi as a full-day trip

Phi Phi is about 40 km south of Ao Nang, about an hour each way by speedboat. For a private day that means an early start, so that you reach the best-known bays before the large excursion boats. Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay from the Phuket side are covered in our Phuket boat rental guide.

Season, wind and sea

• November – April: the northeast monsoon brings dry weather and a calm sea along the Andaman coast. This is the main season, with the highest demand around Christmas and New Year.
• May – October: the southwest monsoon brings showers and waves from the open sea straight onto the Ao Nang coast. Boarding from the beach is harder then, and longer routes such as Phi Phi depend on the weather.

Boats and trips in our listings

All boats and trips in Krabi on Crystalium Booker come with a captain and crew, and prices are for the whole boat:

• Single Engine Speedboat 30ft (about 9 m, 250 hp, up to 8 guests): 8 hours at sea, with a captain, a crew member, water, fruit, masks and snorkels. Four Islands THB 14,000, Hong Islands THB 18,000, Hong Islands and Railay THB 19,000, Phi Phi or Phang Nga THB 21,000, Phi Phi and Four Islands THB 23,000, Hong Islands and Four Islands THB 25,000. National park fees are paid in cash to the rangers; the listing gives them as: Four Islands and Phi Phi THB 400 per adult and THB 200 per child, Hong Island THB 300 and 150. See the listing.
• Private 4-island junk boat tour and sunset: a traditional wooden Siamese junk for 1 to 33 guests, THB 90,000 for the whole boat. Hotel transfer, a Thai buffet, drinks, snorkelling gear, six paddleboards, a kayak and national park tickets are included. It departs from Ao Nang or Railay beach. See the trip.
• Private jigging fishing charter: from THB 10,800 per boat for squid fishing near the coast, from THB 11,800 for jigging around Koh Jum, Koh Pu and Koh Hong, and with a 33 ft boat for up to six guests also offshore to Koh Haa (THB 36,000) and Hin Daeng (THB 42,000). In season there is also a shared trip from THB 4,500 per person. Drinks, a meal, fishing tackle and a fishing deckhand are included. See the trip.
• Crowther 57ft Catamaran Krabi from Krabi Town, departing from Port Takola Marina (about 17 m, up to 15 guests in the base price, 40 at most, each extra guest THB 1,000): Four Islands THB 29,000 (8 hours), Hong Island THB 35,000 (8 hours), Phi Phi THB 39,000 (10 hours); from 15 December to 31 January THB 39,000, 45,000 and 49,000. An air-conditioned saloon, an English-speaking hostess, drinks, fruit, snorkelling gear and towels. See the listing.

Booking works like this: you send an enquiry, we check the date with the owner, you pay us the reservation, and you pay the rest to the owner on the day of the rental.

Boat rental in Ao Nang with Crystalium Booker

See all boats and trips on the Ao Nang and Krabi Town pages, or send us your dates and number of people through the contact page and we will suggest a boat. Do you rent out a boat or run trips in Krabi? List with us.