Private Luxury Longtail Boat to Hong Island from Krabi (Review)

About Hong Island

Hong Island is one of Krabi’s best tourist destinations, known for its beautiful white sand beach, interesting lagoon, and the best viewpoint of Phang Nga Bay.

Most people want to visit Hong Island because of the one-of-a-kind lagoon, but the island definitely offers more than that!

Hong Island is technically part of Phang Nga Bay and is the closest to Krabi, so the easiest and most common way is to come from Krabi.

And that’s how we visited as well. We booked our half-day luxury longtail boat trip on Klook and can highly recommend it as one of the best trips to do in Krabi. Read along to learn why.

What is the price of the private luxury Hong Island day tour?

A private luxury longtail boat trip to Hong Island from Krabi costs around $245 for a half-day trip and $370 for a full day.

Note: There are also other options for going on a Hong Island trip, which we detailed in our Hong Island Travel Guide.

What is included in the tour price?

The luxury longtail boat to Hong Island from Krabi includes:

• Transfer from Ao Nang 
• Lunch
• Fruits
• Soft drinks and water
• Snorkeling gear
• Towels

National Park fees

Hong Island is part of Than Bok Khorani National Park and therefore requires an entrance ticket. Most tours don’t include this in the price, and you’ll have to pay it on the spot before entering Hong Island.

Trip itinerary

While Hong Island day trips from Krabi usually have similar itineraries, you can customize your private trip according to your wishes.

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Although you are still a bit limited with what you can do in a certain timeframe. For example, if you want to visit all the spots around, you will spend less time on each location.

So if you want to stay longer on Hong Island, then it makes sense to spend less time at other spots.

1. Pick up from our hotel and arrival at Nopparat Thara Pier in Krabi

A van picked us up from our Ao Nang Homestay at the pre-arranged time, as a pick-up from the Ao Nang area is included. It took us to the nearby Nopparat Thara Pier, where most longtail boat trips to Hong Island start.

2. Longtail boat ride to Hong Island

We boarded the luxury longtail boat, got to know our captain and personal assistant/guide, and departed for a 50 minutes ride toward Hong Island.

To start the trip, we got a nice welcome drink, which was a nice touch. And on the way, our guide told us a bit about the area and what we were passing. We even saw fishermen catching jellyfish!

We went on the trip in June, which is not the best time to visit, so the ride was not so smooth due to the choppy sea and occasional rain.

However, the boat is equipped with rain covers, and they have umbrellas as well. And while that can’t completely save you from getting wet, it will definitely help!

3. A short stop at Koh Lao Lading, better known as Paradise Island

Located near Hong Island, Koh Lao Lading is a small island with a beautiful beach and an Instagram-famous swing.

Lao Lading was our first stop, and we were the only people there, which was amazing! The whole place felt so peaceful.

While we didn’t spend a long time there, as it also started raining just as we arrived, we still really liked it.

4. Visiting the famous Hong Lagoon

The hidden Hong Lagoon of Koh Hong Island is a beautiful spot that’s definitely worth its fame, as it looks super cool.

And you can only access the Hong Island Lagoon through a narrow entrance in-between two big limestone cliffs. It’s also the most famous photo spot on every Hong Island trip.

The lagoon is stunning, and we took the opportunity to make a short swimming stop there.

And during low tide, you can see to the bottom of the lagoon and spot fish swimming around.

After a short while in the lagoon, most other boats left, and we had a good 10 to 15 minutes before we left just for ourselves.

5. Lunch at Hong Lagoon

Our luxury private longtail boat tour included lunch, and we could choose where we wanted to have it.

We decided to have lunch on the boat in the lagoon rather than on the beach where sand can get in your food.

Usually, people have lunch right at the narrow passageway because of how cool it looks in photos. But we decided to rather be in the sun and not in the shade.

We had mixed weather conditions, so we wanted to enjoy the sun as much as we could. This meant we were bathing in sweat while we ate. But it was worth it!

The night before the trip, we chose our lunch package through WhatsApp. And you can choose from a few different options (both Western and Thai food). And it seems like there’s something for everyone!

We went for one Thai vegan food set and one Western vegan food set. The food was delicious, and we loved the variety.

The Western set included bruschetta, tofu tortilla, and pastries, while the Thai set included summer rolls, fried noodles with vegetables, and tofu and delicious Thai dessert (seriously so good!).

And we also got lots of fruit, orange juice, Thai tea, cold brew coffee, and fresh coconut.

6. Hong Island

Finally, after leaving the Hong Island Lagoon, we headed to the Hong Island pier on the opposite side of the island.

The island has a floating pier where all longtail boats and speedboats stop and where the ticketing counter is located.

On entering Hong Island, we had to pay the entrance fee for the national park. And they only accept cash, so come prepared!

The two main attractions we wanted to visit on Hong Island are the fabulous 360 viewpoint, and the stunning white sand beach.

7. Hong Island 360 Viewpoint of Phang Nga Bay

Hong Island’s viewpoint is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Thailand, offering stunning 360 views of Phang Nga Bay, surrounding Krabi islands, and a view of the beach below.

To get to the viewpoint on Hong Island, you need to climb 419 metal stairs. Luckily, most of the walkway is in the shade, except the very top. 

There are actually 2 different viewing platforms, but the highest one is the most popular one as it offers the best view.

It usually takes around 20 minutes to reach the top, but it took us about 10 minutes to reach the highest viewpoint without making any stops.

However, we recommend taking it slow, as the humidity and heat can be hard to handle. And don’t forget to bring water with you!

Hong Island’s viewpoint reminded us a lot of the Ang Thong National Park viewpoint we visited in Koh Samui. But the hike up was definitely easier than the hike in Ang Thong.

8. Relax on the white sand beach of Hong Island

After coming down from the viewpoint, it was finally time for us to enjoy Hong Island’s stunning white sand beach in the bay surrounded by limestone cliffs.

We were surprised at how fine the sand on this beach was and how the water still had a beautiful turquoise color, even while it was raining.

There are actually two beaches on Hong Island, separated by a huge limestone formation. But the first beach is where the pier is, and the second one is for swimming.

9. Other things to do on Hong Island

As we were on a half-day trip, we didn’t have enough time for everything we could do on Hong Island, as you can also rent kayaks.

So we decided to try snorkeling, but since the weather wasn’t the best, the visibility was also bad (constant waves and sandy bottom).

Otherwise, even though it’s not the best snorkeling spot in Thailand, it’s still a nice place to see some different fish, according to what we heard from others.

10. Ending the day

Just before heading back to Krabi, the weather turned for worse. From nice and sunny, the wind really picked up, and it started raining heavily.

We were even warned to briefly move away from the beach as waves started coming in. We were all directed to the small restaurant and had to wait a bit before it was safe to head back. 

Fun fact: The sea is usually smooth and without big waves when it’s raining. We observed this on the beach, as there were constant waves before the rain, but during the rain, the water surface was smooth as butter.

What to expect from the trip

It takes around 50 minutes to reach Hong Island by longtail boat from Krabi, so a full-day trip is a much better option for having more time to enjoy.

And on this specific tour, you also get your personal assistant on board. They help with taking photos of you, watching your stuff, and answering all your questions!

Facilities on Hong and nearby islands

Koh Hong and Koh Lao Lading have free restrooms, and Koh Hong also has a restaurant where you can buy some food and water.

There’s also a small store with smoothies and other drinks available at Lao Lading.

And both Lao Lading and Koh Hong have a big shaded area where you can relax.

Can you use a drone on your Hong Island trip?

As in most Thailand national parks, flying a drone is also forbidden on Hong Island. However, you’re allowed to drone in the Hong Lagoon.

Should you book your Hong Island tour in advance?

We always recommend booking tours in Thailand online in advance, especially if you’re traveling in the high season.

While you can book your Hong Island tour on the spot in Krabi, booking a boat tour online has many more advantages!

You can mostly cancel free of charge up to 24 hours prior and read reviews from fellow travelers, and many tours include hotel pickup, meals, and snorkeling gear.

We booked our trip in advance, and in case the weather wasn’t good, it would be possible to reschedule it easily without any hassle.

What 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.

Is the Hong Island luxury longtail boat tour worth it?

The luxury longtail boat trip to Hong Island is one of the best things you can do in Krabi.

Taking a private tour gives you more flexibility as you can customize your trip, picking the order of the spots you’re visiting, how long to stay where or even skipping something if you don’t like it.

Plus, longtail boats can accommodate up to 8 people, so booking this private trip makes a lot of sense if you’re in a bigger group.

On top of that, if you have the budget, splurging on a luxury tour (especially for a full day) is so worth it!

You get a nicer boat with comfy seating in front of the boat – perfect for sunbathing and having a delicious lunch. And you get a guide who can watch over your stuff while you’re climbing the viewpoint or swimming on the beach.

So if you have the budget or if you’re traveling as a group, then a private luxury longtail boat to Hong Island from Krabi makes a lot of sense.

⛵ Bon voyage!