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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 avoids the morning crowds
- Walk the Thale Waek sandbar as the tide drops
- Snorkel the reef beside Chicken Island
- Free time on Poda and Phra Nang beaches
- Buffet lunch and hotel transfers included
Full description
The four islands off Ao Nang are busiest between about nine and one, when every morning boat is working the same circuit. This trip simply waits. By the time you are on the water the sandbars have cleared, the beaches are half empty, and the light has softened into the warm afternoon tones photographers come here for.
The route covers the same landmarks: the shallow reef off Chicken Island, the sand causeway at Thale Waek that appears as the tide falls, Poda's long white beach and the sheltered curve of Phra Nang beneath its overhanging cliffs. You just get them with far fewer people in the way.
Snorkelling gear, life jackets and a buffet lunch are all included, along with cold drinks and hotel transfers both ways. It is a straightforward, good-value day that suits late risers and anyone who dislikes crowds.
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
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
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.