The 4 Island Tour is one of the most popular excursions in Krabi and approaches some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole region. All destinations on the 4 Island Tour in Krabi are located directly off the coast of Ao Nang, which is why the holiday location is a great starting point.
Day trip in Krabi – the 4 Island Tour
You can read in our report today about where the 4 Island Tour is headed, what picturesque destinations it contains in Krabi, what it costs and how everything works.
How to get to Ao Nang
To reach Ao Nang it’s best to travel via Krabi. With this option you can fly to the Krabi International Airport which is connected to locations in Thailand as well as e.g. Kuala Lumpur or Qatar. More information about flights, departure times and prices can be found on Skyscanner.
You can also travel by bus or boat (from Koh Lanta etc.) to Krabi Town. From there you can continue your trip to Ao Nang. From the airport or the bus station you will have to take another means of transport to get to Ao Nang.
A Songthaew (shared taxi) from the bus station costs about 80 Baht to Ao Nang. A taxi costs about 400 Baht from Krabi Town or the airport. The cheapest option would be the shuttle bus, which runs regularly from the airport through Krabi Town to Ao Nang, for a price of 100 Baht per person.
Furthermore, you can take the ferry from Koh Lanta or Koh Phi Phi directly to Ao Nang. These boats will arrive at Nopparat Thara Pier and not at Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi Town. To see connections, times, prices and tickets for buses and boats, visit 12go.asia.
Accommodation in Ao Nang
The selection of accommodation in Ao Nang and the surrounding area is huge. We have stayed several times in Ao Nang and tried some different hotels. Since we are always traveling there by scooter, it doesn’t bother us personally if the accommodation is a bit further from the beach. This way you have peace and seclusion and can totally relax. Very suitable for this is the Deevana Krabi Resort, which is located in the middle of a beautiful green area. Both beaches, the Ao Nang Beach and the Noppharat Thara Beach, are just minutes away by taxi or scooter.
Tickets for the Krabi 4 Island Tour
There are many ways to buy tickets for the Krabi 4 Island Tour. You can buy a ticket for a private tour by longtail boat at the ticket booths on the beach or simply book it at your hotel, any travel agency or at a tour seller in Ao Nang.
You can also book the Krabi 4 Island Tour online in advance and secure your ticket when planning your trip. Here you will find the tickets for the tour by speedboat or longtail boat.
The prices are roughly the same for all options. The tickets cost around 500-800 baht per person for a tour with a longtail boat or 1000-1500 baht per person for a Krabi 4 Island Tour with a speedboat.
Note: The national park fee is not included in the ticket prices. That means there are additional costs of 400 baht (adults) or 200 baht (children) per person. These are collected by the tour provider at the start of the tour and later handed over to the park rangers on the islands.
The Krabi 4 Island Tour procedure
If you book a Krabi 4 Island Tour, you will be picked up at your hotel in the morning between 8.00 A.M. and 9.00 A.M. – depending on where you stay, e.g. in Ao Nang, Krabi Town or Klong Muang. After that you will go to the pier at Noppharat Thara Beach, where most tours start.
Now you have an approximately 20-minute boat ride ahead of you to get to Railay Beach West. More guests could be collected there and then it will take another few minutes to Phra Nang Cave Beach, the first stop of the tour.
The next stop is Tub Island, before heading to either Chicken Island or Koh Poda, where lunch is on the schedule. Accordingly, the last stop before returning to Ao Nang is also Chicken Island or Koh Poda, where you can relax and swim.
You can read and see what awaits you at the various stops, as well as some pictures of the islands in the following points:
1. Phra Nang Cave Beach
Phra Nang Cave Beach is usually the first stop on the Krabi 4 Island Tour and is located on the east coast of the Railay Peninsula. You can also walk to it from Railay East in a few minutes. It is one of the most popular beaches and at lunchtime it can get very crowded, at least in the main season.
The scenery of Phra Nang Cave Beach is gorgeous with limestone cliffs, fine sand, turquoise water and is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches on the mainland of Krabi. But visitors don’t just come for a swim, they also go climbing on the rocks or visiting the Phra Nang Cave (also known as Princess Cave) with the famous Penis Shrine.
Legend has it that the Phra Nang Cave is a stone-turned virgin who lived in Krabi centuries ago. At her wedding there were disputes between many admirers and the future husband. When a hermit from a nearby cave tried to settle the dispute and it didn’t work, he used his magical powers to turn everyone involved into stone. Allegedly, these then became Phra Nang Cave, Chicken Island, Koh Poda and other islands.
Nowadays, many of the phallic symbols are deposited there when Thai couples want to have children because it is believed to increase fertility.
Furthermore, there is a small island in the middle of the beach, which you can reach via a sandbar at low tide. You will also find many boats in the middle, which are actually small restaurants.
2. Tub Island
The second destination on the tour is Tub Island, sometimes written as Tup Island. The small island lies between Chicken Island and Koh Poda. Tub Island actually consists of two small islands, Koh Mor and Koh Tub, which are connected by a sandbar.
Another sandbar, which is a spectacular highlight, is accessible only at low tide. So you can’t completely influence it and have to be lucky on your Krabi 4 Island Tour. But if your visit is at low tide, you can walk over the sandbar to the next island, which is Chicken Island.
Tub Island is also a popular place for snorkeling. Especially on the side that points towards Koh Poda you can see some colorful fish near the beach and go snorkeling directly from the beach.
3. Chicken Island
The third stop is Koh Gai, better known as Chicken Island or Koh Poda Nok. The name comes from a rock at the southern end, which with some imagination resembles the head of a chicken.
Note: Depending on the tour, the program is sometimes changed and Koh Poda is approached in third place and Chicken Island comes last. But that doesn’t make a big difference for you.
It is usually very quiet on Chicken Island and of all the destinations mentioned it has the fewest visitors. There you can relax on the beach and walk over the sandbar at low tide, just like on Koh Tub, or go to the Chicken Island Viewpoint. It is located directly in front of the sandbar, where you only have to climb a short distance near the hut. Ropes will help you to ascend, but it’s actually not too difficult.
4. Koh Poda
The last stop is now Koh Poda. White sandy beach and turquoise water are waiting for you here, but on the other hand, so are most visitors and boats. However, there are zoned off areas where the boats are not allowed to go in and which are therefore still great for swimming.
The north of Koh Poda with the island Koh Ma Tang Ming in front of it, where you look towards the mainland of Krabi, is the most popular place on the island. With little bit of luck you can also see fish while snorkeling here. If you walk a little further along the beach towards the south, that means towards Koh Tub and Chicken Island, you will quickly see that there are fewer visitors and therefore more peace.
Koh Poda is part of the Had Noppharatthara – Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park and offers the most amenities for visitors with a small shop, restrooms and smoking areas. However, garbage cans are not provided and all visitors are instructed to take their garbage back to the mainland with them. The lunch break of the day tours is usually made on Koh Poda and a buffet is set up there or you get a lunch box, depending on the provider.
Conclusion on the Krabi 4 Island Tour
The Krabi 4 Island Tour covers some of the most beautiful destinations off the coast of Ao Nang and is therefore absolutely worth it. The tour is especially perfect for visitors who don’t spend too many days in Krabi. This way you can visit four destinations in one day instead of just going to one island with the longtail boats on the beach.
