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View all Krabi toursFour Islands by Boat: Snorkel Stops and Beach Time in Krabi
Sail out to Poda, Tup, Chicken and Phra Nang on a shared Krabi boat day, with snorkel stops, an island lunch and plenty of unhurried beach time.
Highlights
- Snorkel the clear shallows off Chicken Island
- Walk the tidal sandbar between Tup and Mor Islands
- Relax under the limestone cliffs at Phra Nang
- Beachside lunch served on Poda Island
- Round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off included
Full description
Krabi's four best-known islands sit close enough together that a single day on the water covers all of them, and this shared trip is the easy way to do it. A minibus collects you from your hotel in the morning and drops you at the pier, where your boat is waiting with fins, masks and a crew who run this route every day and know exactly when each beach empties out.
The day moves at a comfortable rhythm. You drift over shallow reef at Chicken Island where the fish gather in surprising numbers, wade the sandbar that links Tup to its neighbour when the tide allows, and step ashore at Phra Nang beneath the limestone overhangs that make this stretch of coast famous.
Lunch is served on the sand, and the afternoon leaves room to swim, nap in the shade or simply watch the longtails come and go before the boat turns back towards Ao Nang.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Air-conditioned minibus collects you from your Krabi or Ao Nang hotel and heads to the pier.
Chicken Island snorkelling
First swim stop over shallow reef beside the island's distinctive rock spire.
Tup Island sandbar
Wade or walk the sand causeway that appears between the islands at low tide.
Lunch on Poda Island
Thai lunch served on the beach with time to swim and rest in the shade.
Phra Nang Cave Beach
Final stop beneath the limestone headland, with free time on one of Thailand's most photographed beaches.
Return to hotel
Boat returns to the pier and the minibus drops you back at your accommodation.
Detailed Itinerary
The minibus reaches your hotel around 08:00 and the drive to the pier takes half an hour or so, depending on where you are staying. By 09:30 the boat is anchored off Chicken Island for the first snorkel of the day, and the crew hand out masks and point out where the reef is liveliest.
Mid-morning you move on to Tup, where a pale ribbon of sand links two islands whenever the tide drops far enough to expose it. Around noon the boat pulls up at Poda for lunch, laid out on the beach with fruit and cold water, followed by a long stretch of free time.
The last stop is Phra Nang at about 14:00, tucked under towering cliffs. By 16:00 the boat heads back to the mainland and transfers run to hotels across Ao Nang and Krabi Town.
Includes
- Air-conditioned hotel transfers
- Boat trip with English-speaking guide
- Snorkelling mask and fins
- Lunch and drinking water
- Fresh fruit
- Life jackets
- Insurance
Excludes
- National park entrance fee
- Towels
- Alcoholic drinks
- Gratuities
- Spa upgrade
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel lobby pickup across 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
Poda, Tup, Chicken and Phra Nang in one day and each one is genuinely different. At low tide you can walk the sandbar between Tup and Chicken Island which was the moment everyone got their cameras out. Phra Nang's cave shrine with the carved offerings is odd and fascinating.
Snorkelling off Poda had the clearest water and plenty of butterflyfish right by the rocks. Lunch was served on the beach and there was enough for seconds. Eight hours but the pace never felt rushed.
Beautiful islands, but this is a shared boat and ours had around thirty people so the beaches felt crowded when several boats landed together. Going in the morning means you meet the whole fleet. Phra Nang beach itself was still stunning.
The limestone cliffs at Phra Nang are more dramatic in person than in any photo and there were rock climbers on the wall above the beach. The crew rinsed and stored the snorkel gear between stops. Good value for a full day on the water.
Chicken Island actually does look like a chicken from the right angle, which the guide made sure we saw. Water and fruit were topped up all day. Bring reef shoes because a couple of the entries are over sharp rock.
We had about an hour at each island which was enough to swim, snorkel and dry off. National park fees are collected separately on the day. The boat had a canopy which mattered a lot by midday.
Great itinerary and a friendly crew, but the lunch buffet was fairly basic rice and fried chicken. If you are fussy about food bring a snack. The islands and the snorkelling are the reason to book and they delivered.
First time snorkelling and one of the crew stayed near me the whole time at the Tup Island stop. Saw a small blacktip reef shark from the boat which was the highlight of the trip for my son. Well organised from hotel pickup onwards.