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View all Krabi toursAfternoon Four Islands Boat Trip with Buffet Lunch in Krabi
Set off after the morning fleet has gone home and see Krabi's four islands at their quietest, with snorkelling, a buffet lunch and softer afternoon light.
Highlights
- Late departure that misses the morning fleet
- Walk the Thale Waek sandbar as the tide drops
- Snorkel shallow coral beside Chicken Island
- Phra Nang Cave Beach and its working shrine
- Longtail reaches water speedboats anchor away from
Afternoon Four Islands Boat Trip with Buffet Lunch: Key Facts
| Price | From $31 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
The four-island circuit on a longtail, departing after lunch so you arrive as everyone else is leaving.
Morning boats all leave Ao Nang within the same hour and reach the same beaches together. The afternoon departure inverts that. By the time you reach the later stops the moored fleet has gone, and Poda and Phra Nang are at their quietest of the day.
The Thale Waek sandbar is timed to work in your favour. The Separated Sea is a strip of sand linking Tup, Mor and Chicken islands that emerges as the tide drops and vanishes as it rises, so an afternoon trip on a falling tide walks out onto sand that was underwater when the morning boats passed it.
Chicken Island has the snorkelling: shallow coral just off the beach, close enough that you do not need to be a strong swimmer to see it. Phra Nang Cave Beach sits under an overhanging cliff on the Railay peninsula, with the shrine at one end where fishermen leave carved wooden offerings to a spirit they believe protects them at sea. The shrine is still in use, so it is worth being unobtrusive with photographs.
The longtail is slower and noisier than a speedboat and gets into shallow water a speedboat has to anchor away from, which on this route is the trade you want.
Your place is held with the operator before your booking is final. The price covers round-trip hotel transfers, the longtail with guide, buffet lunch, snorkelling mask and fins, drinking water and soft drinks, fresh fruit, life jackets and insurance.
Six hours. National park fees are collected at the pier unless confirmed otherwise, so carry cash. Minimum one day's notice.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Late-morning transfer from your hotel to the pier at Ao Nang.
Buffet lunch
Thai buffet lunch before or shortly after boarding, depending on the tide.
Chicken Island snorkelling
Snorkel stop over the shallow reef beside the island's rock spire.
Thale Waek sandbar
Walk the sand causeway linking the islands as the tide pulls back.
Poda and Phra Nang beaches
Free time on two of Krabi's best beaches in the quiet late-afternoon light.
Return to hotel
Boat back to the pier and transfer to your accommodation.
Detailed Itinerary
Pickups start around 11:30, which gives you a slow morning before the trip. Lunch is served either at the pier or shortly after boarding, and the boat is out on the water by early afternoon.
The first stop is the reef off Chicken Island, usually much emptier than it was three hours earlier. From there the boat crosses to Thale Waek, where the falling tide exposes a strip of sand you can walk between the islands, one of the few places in Krabi where the geography does something you can see happening in real time.
The last stretch of the afternoon is spent between Poda and Phra Nang, with free time on both beaches. The boat turns back around 17:30 and hotel drop-offs follow shortly afterwards.
Includes
- Round-trip hotel transfers
- Longtail boat with guide
- Buffet lunch
- Snorkelling mask and fins
- Drinking water and soft drinks
- Fresh fruit
- Life jackets
- Insurance
Excludes
- National park entrance fee
- Towels
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Ao Nang, Krabi Town and Nopparat Thara
Weather
This runs outdoors, so the operator can call it off for rain, wind or sea conditions, and that decision is usually made on the day. If they cancel, you choose: another date, or your money back in full. We do not keep a booking fee on a tour that did not run.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
We played slightly more to have an exclusive trip. I would recommend this thoroughly. Angie. our guide was incredibly helpful. her English was good and she informed us about all the relevant information we needed and answered all our questions, she even carried our bags at certain times, took photos and let her spend as much time as we wanted in certain areas. The snorkeling aspect of this trip was amazing. we had as much time as we wanted to snorkel. it wasn't particularly busy and we saw lots of fish. The lunch that was provided was excellent and we had as much time to eat it as we wanted to, the day was not rushed at all. We also had an additional opportunity to snorkel after lunch. We had a great time and once again want to thank our guide Angie, she was great.
Extremely satisfied with the activities provided; all of my children enjoyed them. Especially snorkelling, as it was a first-time experience and felt safe as the tour guide was keeping an eye on us. The views on the beaches were amazing for photos, and the kids loved swimming in the clear sea.
It was a fantastic day out! we had a great guide called Koko he was very knowledgeable and funny! The beaches were stunning lunch was wonderful and would definitely recommend this to others. thankyou !
Going out in the afternoon is the trick nobody tells you. We had Tup Island almost to ourselves by four o'clock while the morning boats were long gone. The light on the limestone in the last hour was far better for photos than harsh midday sun.
Six hours covering Poda, Tup, Chicken and Phra Nang with a buffet lunch on the boat. Snorkelling was calm and the water was warm from a full day of sun. Far fewer people at every single stop.
Buffet lunch was better than I expected, fried rice, a curry, spring rolls and fresh watermelon. Phra Nang cave shrine was quiet enough to actually look at properly. Good price for what you get.
Genuinely quieter than the morning trips and I would recommend it for that alone. The one catch is you are back after dark in low season, so plan dinner late. Snorkelling visibility was slightly cloudier than in the morning.
The sandbar between Tup and Chicken Island was exposed when we arrived and we walked the whole length of it with maybe six other people. Crew were attentive and helped with the snorkel gear. Hotel pickup around midday was convenient.
Best value boat trip we did in Krabi. Same four islands as the morning tours at a lower price and with a fraction of the crowds. Take a light layer for the ride back once the sun drops.