After joining endless boat tours in Thailand and Krabi, we agree a day trip to Hong Island (Koh Hong) is one of the best trips in Krabi. We even splurged a bit and did a private tour in a luxury long-tail boat, which was a unique experience.
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip, so after doing careful research and doing a trip ourselves, we wrote this Koh Hong guide with all the information and insider tips you need to know before visiting.
About Hong Island
Hong Island is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand due to its beautiful beach with fine white sand, breathtaking views, lush greenery, and crystal-clear waters.
The island is part of Phang Nga Bay and is closest to Krabi. Therefore, the best way to visit Hong Island is on a day trip from Krabi.
- Also read: Things to do in Krabi Guide
Besides the natural beauty, Hong Island offers a variety of activities, including kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming, making it a must-visit place in Krabi.
The highlights of Hong Island are the Hong Viewpoint and the beautiful Hong Island Lagoon.
Hong Island entrance fee
Koh Hong Island requires an entrance fee since it is a part of Than Bok Khorani National Park.
The entrance fee for Hong Island is 300 baht (around 8.8 €) for foreign adults and 150 baht for children and can only be paid in cash.
Hong Island is open year-round from 8 am to 4:30 pm.
Good to know: Most tours to Hong Island don’t include the national park fees in the price, and you’ll have to pay it on the spot before entering the island. So bring an appropriate amount of cash.
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How to get to Hong Island
The only way to reach Hong Island is by boat, and the most popular and easiest way is to join the Hong Island day trip from Krabi, which also visits other stunning spots around Hong Island, such as Hong Lagoon.
There are so many different options to choose from, from speedboats to regular or luxury long-tail boats. Click to check all the options.
You can also choose between a private Hong tour for a more intimate and custom experience or a shared tour.
Alternatively, you can visit Koh Hong on a day trip from Koh Yao Noi (this is the tour).
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Private or shared Hong Island tour?
While we did a fair share of shared boat trips around Thailand, we always highly recommend booking a private boat for travelers with a bit bigger budget or those traveling as a group or family (since you can split the cost, which can end almost the same as a shared tour).
This time, we chose a private trip with the luxury long-tail boat to Hong Island (you can also select a regular local boat, which is cheaper). We can say it’s absolutely worth the money because it’s much more comfortable, you can customize the itinerary according to what you like, and you have a more relaxed schedule.
- You can read about our trip in our Review of the Luxury Longtail Boat Tour to Hong Island.
Half-day or full-day tour to Hong Island?
Private tours to Hong Island have two options: a half-day or a full-day tour.
There is also an option to combine the Hong Island day trip with some other areas around Krabi, like Maya Bay or 4 islands, which can help you maximize your time on your Krabi itinerary.
However, we recommend a full-day trip to Hong Island as you’ll experience and enjoy the location much more. But if you’re short on time, a half-day tour offers everything the same, just in a bit more sped-up version.
We did a half-day tour of Hong Island and felt like we had just enough time to see and enjoy the place. But, of course, since we liked it so much, we wished we booked a full-day tour.
Recommended Experiences
Things to do on Hong Island
While Hong Viewpoint and Hong Lagoon are the absolute highlights of the Hong Island day trip, here are all the things to do on Hong Island (Koh Hong).
1. Admire the beauty of Hong Lagoon
The jewel and one of the top things to see on Koh Hong Island is the Hong Lagoon which can only be reached through a narrow passageway between huge limestone cliffs.
The lagoon on Hong Island is gorgeous, and we took the opportunity to make a short swimming stop there.
During lower tide, you can see the bottom of the lagoon and spot fish swimming around.
Fun fact: The color of the water at Hong Island Lagoon changes depending on the tide and the weather conditions (sunny, cloudy), as well as the angle from which you observe it.
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2. Visit Hong Island 360 Viewpoint
Another top thing to do on Hong Island is the Hong 360 viewpoint. Built in 2020, it is easily one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Thailand, with stunning 360 views of Phang Nga Islands, surrounding Krabi Islands, and Koh Hong Beach.
To get to the viewpoint of Hong Island, you need to climb 419 metal stairs. And most of the walkway is luckily in the shade.
There are actually two different viewing platforms, but the most popular one is the highest one as it offers the best view of Phang Nga Bay.
It usually takes around 20 minutes to reach the top of the Hong Island viewpoint, but it took us only about 10 minutes to reach the highest viewpoint without stopping.
However, we recommend you take it slow, as the humidity and heat can be hard to handle. And don’t forget to bring water with you!
The Hong Island viewpoint reminded us of the Ang Thong National Park viewpoint we visited in Koh Samui. However, the hike up was easier than in Ang Thong.
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3. Relax on the Koh Hong beach
Another thing to do on Hong island is, obviously, relaxing on Koh Hong Island’s white sand beach in the small bay with beautiful turquoise water.
We were surprised at how fine the sand on the Hong Island beach was.
And there are actually two parts of the beach, separated by a large limestone formation. But the first beach you enter serves more as a jetty/pier for boats that come and for paying the entrance fee for the park.
The beach part closest to the viewpoint is the most beautiful one.
4. Go kayaking or snorkeling around Hong Island
You can also go snorkeling and kayaking at the Hong Island beach. It’s not the best snorkeling spot, but you can see some fish and a few corals.
As the bottom here is sandy, the visibility is often limited. We weren’t lucky to have good visibility during our visit, so we skipped snorkeling.
Some tours include kayaks in the price, but you can also rent one while on the island. However, if you want to do kayaking, we recommend booking a tour with a kayaking option in advance. While you can rent kayaks on Hong Island directly, they are limited, so there’s a possibility there won’t be any left.
5. Visit Koh Lao Lading – Paradise Island
Koh Lao Lading is a small island next to Hong Island with a stunning beach, famous for the swing where everyone takes photos. And you can visit it as part of many Hong Island day trips.
The beach at Lao Lading is quite small, so just a few boats can make it crowded. But we were all alone since we visited this beach first thing in the morning. 🙂
6. Visit Koh Phakbia and Koh Rai islands
Depending on your tour, you might also stop at Koh Phakbia and Koh Rai islands, connected by a sandbar during low tide.
You can see a similar phenomenon at Koh Tup Island on a Krabi 5 islands sunset tour.
Koh Hong Video Highlights
RECOMMENDED TOURS
Klook.comWhat to pack for the Hong Island day tour?
The main things you need to pack for the Hong Island day tour:
- Reef safe sunscreen
- Quick-dry Towel
- Bathing suit
- Dry clothes (use code SHIPPEDAWAY for 10% at Unbound Merino)
- Sunglasses
- Waterproof bag
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Action camera (GoPro with a waterproof case or Osmo Action)
We brought our waterproof backpack that was very useful for our island hopping trips in Thailand and kayaking or beach days. We can fit our camera and drone inside and feel safe.
Boats, especially speedboats, get wet, if not from water splashing inside, then from constantly going in and out of the water, especially on snorkeling trips.
Best time to visit Hong Island
The best time to visit Hong Island is between December and March, when the weather is the most stable.
The hottest months on Hong Island are mid-March to May, just before the monsoon, which has heavy rainfall and lasts from June to October.
- Also read: Best time to visit Thailand (all areas)
Good to know:
In the transitional and rainy season, the best time for exploring is in the morning when it’s less likely to rain. And for that reason, we highly recommend booking a morning trip.
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Frequently asked questions
We always recommend booking tours in Thailand online in advance, especially if you’re traveling in the high season.
Advantages of booking tours in advance: reading tour reviews, securing your spot on a specific date, free cancellation until 1 day before, options of hotel pickup, meals, and snorkeling gear, and even entrance fees included in some tours.
Reserve your spot online now!
It is not possible to stay overnight on Hong Island. It’s uninhabited and without any accommodation, so only the national park rangers and restaurant employees are there during the opening hours.
Nonetheless, there are some amazing stays in Krabi. Read: Where to Stay in Krabi – Best Hotels and Areas
As in most Thailand national parks, flying a drone is forbidden on Hong Island. However, you’re allowed to drone in the Hong Lagoon.
Depending on the tour and boat type, the price for a Hong Island day tour ranges from 35 USD to 300 USD. Click to see all the options.
Getting to Hong Island from Krabi takes around 50 minutes by longtail boat and about 25 minutes by speedboat.
However, from Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai, it only takes about 15 minutes to get there.
The day trip to Hong Island is one of the best things you can do in Krabi and Thailand and is definitely worth it for the fantastic 360 views from the viewpoint, the stunning lagoon, and the beautiful white sand beach.
Koh Hong, Koh Lao Lading, and Koh Phakbia all have free restrooms, and Koh Hong also has a restaurant where you can buy some food and water. A small store with smoothies and other drinks is also available at Lao Lading.
Both, Lao Lading and Koh Hong, have a big shaded area where you can relax.
Thank you for reading our Hong Island Travel Guide. We hope we helped you plan your trip. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below! 🥰 And make sure to read our other Thailand guides.
Continue planning your Thailand trip
Find a list of over 60 travel guides to Thailand’s South, Central, and North.
Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai – Pai
Phi Phi Islands – Maya Bay – Koh Hong
Koh Samui – Koh Tao – Koh Phangan
Similan Islands – Surin Islands
