TL;DR: The classic Krabi 4 Islands tour (Phra Nang Cave Beach, Chicken Island, Tup Island and Poda Island) runs about ฿500-800 (~US$15-24) per person by shared longtail boat or ฿1,000-1,600 (~US$30-48) by speedboat, plus a ฿400 (~US$12) national park fee for adults (฿200 / ~$6 for children) that operators are not allowed to bundle into the tour price. Full-day tours run roughly 6-7 hours from an 8-8:30am pickup to a 3pm finish; half-day and afternoon/sunset options exist from about ฿1,600-3,100 (~US$48-94) depending on the operator and inclusions. The sandbar between Tup Island and Koh Mor only appears at low tide, so time of day matters as much as time of year. All prices ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).
If you’ve searched “Krabi 4 islands tour,” you’ve already seen the postcard: a longtail boat beached on white sand, limestone cliffs rising out of turquoise water, and a thin strip of sand connecting two islands like a bridge. That’s Tup Island’s sandbar, and it’s the centrepiece of the single most-booked day trip out of Ao Nang and Krabi Town. This guide compares longtail versus speedboat, half-day versus full-day, breaks down the national park fee that catches first-timers off guard, and gives an honest read on the crowds, the tide dependency, and what actually happens when the weather turns. Every price and detail below is checked against current 2026 operator listings and national park fee schedules, sourced at the end.
What’s included in the Krabi 4 Islands tour?
A standard full-day tour includes hotel or pier transfer, a guide, snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel and life jacket), lunch, fruit and drinking water. What it does not include is the national park entrance fee, which Thai park regulations require to be collected and paid separately from the tour price, so no legitimate operator can fold it into the advertised rate. Most also charge a small pickup surcharge, around ฿100 (~US$3) per person, for hotels in Klong Muang, Tubkaek or Krabi Town, since those are further from the Ao Nang pier where the boats actually launch.
Krabi 4 Islands tour options compared
| Option | Boat | Duration | Price (per person) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-day shared longtail | Longtail | ~6.5-7 hrs (8am-3pm) | ฿500-800 (~US$15-24) | Cheapest; louder, slower ride |
| Full-day shared speedboat | Speedboat | ~6-7 hrs (8-9am-3pm) | ฿1,000-1,600 (~US$30-48) | More time per island, smoother ride |
| Half-day morning | Speedboat or longtail | ~4 hrs (8:30am-12:30pm) | Varies by operator, contact for rate | Skips lunch stop on some itineraries |
| Half-day afternoon | Speedboat or longtail | ~4 hrs (2:30-6:30pm) | Varies by operator, contact for rate | Fewer boats at each stop |
| Sunset / plankton tour | Speedboat | ~6.5-7.5 hrs (noon-7 or 7:30pm) | ฿2,800-3,100 (~US$85-94) | Adds Phra Nang sunset + bioluminescent plankton swim |
| Private longtail charter | Longtail | Full day, flexible | ~฿3,000-4,600+ (~US$90-140) total for boat | Set your own pace and stop order |
National park fee (฿400 / ~US$12 adult, ฿200 / ~US$6 child) is additional on every option above. Prices compiled from Krabi tour operator listings; see Sources.
Which islands does the tour actually visit?
The four stops are Phra Nang Cave Beach at Railay, Chicken Island (Koh Kai, named for a rock outcrop shaped like a chicken’s head), Tup Island (Koh Tup) and Poda Island (Koh Poda). Many itineraries also swing by tiny Koh Mor, the islet joined to Tup by the low-tide sandbar, which is why you’ll sometimes see the same trip marketed as a “5 islands” tour. Guides set the actual visiting order on the day based on sea conditions and tide timing, not a fixed script, so don’t expect the same sequence every time.
Longtail vs speedboat: which should you book?
Speedboat gets you more time at each island for more money; longtail is the budget, slower-paced version of the same route. A shared longtail costs roughly ฿500-800 (~US$15-24) per person, while a shared speedboat runs about ฿1,000-1,600 (~US$30-48) for the same four stops. The longtail’s wooden hull and open tail-mounted engine make for a noisier, bumpier ride, especially with any chop, and it takes longer to cover the same distance between islands, which eats into your time on the sand. The speedboat costs more but is faster and steadier, useful if you get seasick easily or want maximum time swimming and snorkelling rather than transiting. Neither is a bad choice; it’s a straight budget-versus-comfort trade-off.
Half-day or full-day?
Full-day is the default and the better value if you have the time; half-day suits a shorter stay or a trip you’re pairing with something else that day. A full-day tour runs roughly 6-7 hours, typically an 8-8:30am hotel pickup, a 9am boat departure from Ao Nang, and a 3pm return, covering all four islands with a proper lunch stop. Half-day options split into a morning slot (roughly 8:30am-12:30pm) or an afternoon slot (roughly 2:30-6:30pm), both around four hours, which usually means less time per island and sometimes a packed lunch box instead of a sit-down meal. If you only have an afternoon free, or you’re combining the trip with a Railay Beach visit or an evening in Ao Nang, the half-day version still hits the highlights.
What about the national park fee?
Expect to pay ฿400 (~US$12) per adult and ฿200 (~US$6) per child (age 4-11; under 4 free), in cash, on top of whatever the tour itself costs. This is a Mu Ko Poda national park entrance fee, not a tour company charge, and Thai regulations require it to be collected separately rather than bundled into the advertised price. In practice, your guide collects the cash from everyone in the group near the start of the trip and pays the park ranger directly when the boat reaches the islands. Bring small baht notes, since guides aren’t always equipped to break large bills for an entire boatload of tourists.
Is the snorkelling any good?
Snorkelling here is decent rather than spectacular, best around Chicken Island and the channel near Poda, and heavily dependent on how many boats got there before you. Visibility and reef health have taken a hit from the sheer volume of daily tour traffic, so don’t expect the pristine reefs of more remote Thai dive sites. That said, you’ll still see plenty of reef fish and clear, shallow water good for casual swimmers and non-divers, and the gear (mask, snorkel, life jacket) is included in every standard tour. Reef-safe sunscreen matters here specifically because of how concentrated the daily snorkelling traffic already is on a small area of reef.
What is the sandbar walk between Tup Island and Koh Mor?
At low tide, the water between Tup Island and the tiny islet of Koh Mor drains low enough to expose a walkable strip of sand connecting the two, so you can walk across open sea on a sandbar with water on both sides. This is the single most-photographed moment of the trip, and it only exists in a window around low tide; book a tour that lands there at high tide and the sandbar is simply underwater, no walk possible. If the sandbar photo is the reason you’re booking this tour, check the day’s tide table (or ask your operator directly) rather than assuming any given time slot will show it.
Best time of day to avoid the crowds
All four islands get busy roughly 10am to 2pm, when every operator’s morning-departure boats converge on the same small beaches at once. Since Phra Nang Cave Beach, Poda and the Tup sandbar are compact and popular, that midday overlap means shoulder-to-shoulder boats and crowded sand at the peak. Later time slots, an afternoon half-day tour or a sunset/plankton tour departing around noon, tend to see fewer boats at each stop as the morning wave heads home, according to Krabi tour operators. The trade-off is less daylight for photos and a shorter window on each island, so it’s a genuine choice between crowds and light, not a free upgrade.
What should you bring?
- Reef-safe sunscreen (some operators discourage or restrict regular sunscreen near the reef areas)
- A hat, sunglasses with a strap, and a rash guard or swimwear
- A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch (you’re getting in and out of boats and water all day)
- Reef shoes or sandals for the rockier entry points, especially at Chicken Island
- Cash in small baht notes for the national park fee and any drinks or snacks bought on the islands
- Earplugs if you’re sensitive to engine noise on a longtail boat
Honest downsides
This tour is popular for good reason, but go in with realistic expectations.
- It’s genuinely crowded. Four small, beautiful stops and dozens of operators running the same route daily means the peak window (roughly 10am-2pm) can feel more like a queue than a quiet island escape.
- The sandbar is tide-dependent, not guaranteed. If your boat arrives at high tide, there’s no sandbar walk that day, full stop. It’s worth checking tide times or asking your operator before you book around that specific photo.
- Weather can cancel or reroute the trip. Monsoon season, roughly mid-April to October and worst from May through October, brings rough seas that can delay departures, force a different island order, or cancel the trip outright. The calmer, drier window is November to mid-April.
- The national park fee always feels like a surprise upsell. It isn’t a scam, it’s a regulatory requirement, but if you only budgeted for the advertised tour price, add roughly ฿400 (~US$12) per adult before you commit.
- Snorkelling is good, not great. Heavy daily boat traffic has visibly worn on the reef quality around the islands; treat it as a pleasant swim with fish rather than a serious snorkelling destination.
- Longtail rides are loud and can be rough. If you’re prone to motion sickness or noise-sensitive, budget for the speedboat option instead.
Bottom line
The Krabi 4 Islands tour earns its popularity: four distinct, photogenic stops, decent snorkelling, and the novelty sandbar walk, all bookable as a single organised day with no logistics of your own. Book a speedboat if comfort and time-on-island matter more than saving a few hundred baht, budget separately for the ฿400 (~US$12) national park fee, and if the sandbar photo is the goal, check the tide before you pick a time slot. Pair it with a wider look at things to do in Krabi, read up on Ao Nang if that’s your base, or extend the trip with a stop at Railay Beach, which sits right alongside Phra Nang Cave Beach on this same route. Check the best time to visit Krabi before you travel, since monsoon timing affects whether this tour runs at all, and browse what’s on in Krabi to slot the trip around anything else happening while you’re in town.
Sources
- Krabi Trek: 4 Island Tour by Longtail & Speedboat: speedboat pricing (฿1,000 adult / ฿800 child), duration, pickup times, inclusions
- Krabi Trek: 4 Island Tour by Longtail Boat: longtail pricing (฿800 adult / ฿500 child), duration, pickup times, inclusions
- Krabi Trek: Krabi National Park Fees: national park fee (฿400 adult / ฿200 child, under 4 free), cash payment process
- Krabi Nature: Krabi 4 Islands Tour in 2026: full-day vs sunset tour timing, longtail vs speedboat characteristics, sandbar tide dependency, crowd timing advice, private boat pricing
- Railay Eco Tour: 4 Islands Half Day Trip: half-day morning/afternoon time slots, islands covered
- Thailand Highlights: Best (and Worst) Times to Visit Krabi 2026: monsoon season timing, rough-sea boat disruption