Explore more curated experiences in Krabi
View all Krabi toursHong Islands by Speedboat: Snorkelling, Lagoon and Beach Lunch in Krabi
A full day by speedboat around the Hong archipelago: snorkelling over reef, the emerald inner lagoon, white-sand islets and lunch served on the beach.
Highlights
- Snorkel over reef in the clear water of Hong Bay
- Enter Hong Island's hidden emerald lagoon
- Stop at the sandbars of Pakbia and Lading islands
- Thai lunch served on the beach
- Fast speedboat transfers for maximum beach time
Full description
The Hong islands sit an easy speedboat run offshore from Ao Nang, a scatter of limestone towers with beaches so pale the water above them turns turquoise. Hong itself is famous for the lagoon hidden in its middle, an almost enclosed pool of jade-green water reached through a narrow gap in the cliffs, and it is genuinely as good as the photographs suggest.
The day covers ground. You anchor over reef for snorkelling among parrotfish, butterflyfish and clams, cruise into the lagoon when the tide allows, and stop at smaller islands like Pakbia and Lading where the sandbars appear and disappear with the water. Lunch is Thai, laid out on the beach rather than eaten on a rocking boat, with time afterwards to swim or simply lie under a tree.
Crew handle snorkel gear, safety and the fiddly business of timing the lagoon entrance to the tide. Speedboats mean less time in transit and more time on sand, which for a full day out is exactly the right trade.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Collection from your hotel and transfer to the Ao Nang departure point for check-in.
Speedboat to Hong Bay
Briefing, life jackets and the run out past the karst islands to Hong Bay.
Snorkelling stop
Anchor over the reef to snorkel among coral heads, parrotfish and giant clams.
Hong Lagoon and beach lunch
Cruise into the enclosed lagoon, then land on Hong Island for a Thai lunch and swimming time.
Pakbia and Lading islands
Explore the smaller islands and their shifting white sandbars before the run home.
Return to Ao Nang
Speedboat back to the mainland and transfer to your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
Pickup runs from about 08:00 depending on where you are staying, with check-in and a safety briefing at the Ao Nang departure point before the 09:00 launch. The crossing to Hong Bay takes around forty minutes and passes a procession of limestone stacks that make the ride itself worth having a camera out for.
The first anchor is over reef at roughly 09:40 for an hour of snorkelling, with crew in the water keeping an eye on weaker swimmers. Around 11:00 the boat noses into Hong Lagoon through its narrow cliff entrance, tide permitting, then lands on Hong Island where lunch is set out on the beach and there is a long, unhurried stretch to swim or nap in the shade.
From about 13:30 the day moves on to Pakbia and Lading, smaller and quieter, where the sandbars shift with the tide. The return run starts near 15:00 and puts you back at your hotel by late afternoon.
Includes
- Speedboat transfers and national park boat service
- English-speaking guide and crew
- Thai lunch on the beach
- Snorkel mask and life jacket
- Drinking water, soft drinks and fruit
- Hotel pickup in the Ao Nang area
- Insurance
Excludes
- National park entrance fee
- Towels
- Alcoholic beverages
- Underwater camera rental
- Gratuities
Important information
Meeting point
Ao Nang Beach speedboat departure point, with hotel pickup available
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
You might also like...
Traveler Reviews
The speedboat got us to the Hong archipelago in about 40 minutes, which left loads of time in the water. The inner lagoon really is that opaque green colour you see in photos, and at high tide we swam right through the entrance gap. Snorkelling off the reef was decent, plenty of parrotfish and a few clownfish in the anemones.
Lunch was set up on the beach at Hong itself with rice, chicken, a red curry and cut pineapple, and we ate with our feet in the sand. The crew handed out snorkel gear and life vests before the first stop and actually stayed in the water with the weaker swimmers. Good value for a full eight-hour day.
We hit three small islets besides Hong and each one had that white powdery sand. Our guide pointed out the monitor lizard sunning itself behind the ranger station, which the rest of the boat completely missed. Bring reef-safe sunscreen because there is very little shade on the smaller stops.
Genuinely lovely islands and the lagoon was the highlight of our Krabi week. The one downside is the lagoon gets busy by mid-morning when the Phuket boats arrive, so there were maybe eight boats crowding the entrance. Still worth it, just be ready to share.
I was nervous about snorkelling as a weak swimmer and the crew gave me a float ring without any fuss. The water at the second stop was so clear I could see the bottom from the boat. National park fee is extra and paid on the day, worth having cash ready.
Nine hours door to door with the hotel pickup and it never dragged. Fresh fruit and water were topped up all day and the boat had a shaded canopy which mattered by noon. Emerald lagoon at Hong is the one thing I would repeat.
Beautiful trip but the sea was choppy on the way back and a couple of people on board were unwell. The beach lunch was simple rather than special. The islands themselves and the lagoon absolutely delivered though.