The Krabi 4 island tour from Phuket is one long speedboat day. Pickup around 05:00, a 45–50 km crossing each way, back at the hotel late afternoon.
- Price: about ฿1,800–฿4,900 per adult, plus park fee.
- Includes: hotel transfer, lunch, snorkeling, guide.
- Staying in Ao Nang? Book from Krabi instead — it costs a third.
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The Krabi 4 island tour from Phuket is a long day, but doable. A van grabs you around 05:00–06:00, a speedboat crosses about 45–50 km of open sea from Royal Phuket Marina or Rassada Pier, and you do Poda, Chicken and Tup islands with lunch and snorkeling before heading back to Phuket by late afternoon. Joined tours cost roughly ฿1,800–฿4,900 per adult, plus the national park fee.
Worth it? If Phuket's your only base, yes. The Krabi islands are prettier and calmer than most Phuket day trips, I think. But if you'll be in Ao Nang anyway, just wait: same islands, a third of the price, and a 9 a.m. start instead of 5 a.m. Easy call.
| 4 island tour from Phuket | 4 island tour from Krabi (Ao Nang) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per adult | ฿1,800–฿4,900 | ฿599–฿1,200 |
| Hotel pickup | 05:00–08:00 | 08:00–08:30 |
| Time on boats | 3–4 hours | 1–1.5 hours |
| Back at hotel | About 16:00–17:00 | About 15:00–16:00 |
| Best if | You are only staying in Phuket | You are staying in Krabi |
Introduction to the Krabi 4 Island Tour
What is the Krabi 4 Island Tour?
The Krabi 4 Island Tour loops the small islands off Ao Nang: Poda Island, Chicken Island and Tup Island, often with Phra Nang Cave Beach on the Railay peninsula thrown in. Phuket operators usually do three islands, and some add Railay or a Phang Nga Bay viewpoint on the way over. The good bits don't change. Walking the Talay Waek sandbar at low tide. Snorkeling over Chicken Island’s reef. Lunch on Poda’s long white beach.
For Phuket people the pull is the contrast. Plenty of Phuket’s own day trips are big-boat affairs. The Krabi islands feel more like postcard Thailand, with limestone towers, glassy water, sand you wade straight onto. Full picture in the 4 island tour Krabi guide.
Departure and Logistics
Where does the tour depart from in Phuket?
The tour departs from Royal Phuket Marina on Phuket’s east coast, or from Rassada Pier near Phuket Town. Royal Phuket Marina's the posh one: operators like Siam Adventure World sit you in a lounge with coffee and a light breakfast, then head out around 07:00. Rassada is budget-combo territory. You cross on a big ferry to Nopparat Thara in Krabi and swap onto a speedboat there.
From Patong, Kata or Karon it's 40–60 minutes by road to the marina. Hence the brutal pickup times. Phuket only works as a starting point because the sea route to the Krabi islands is short, about 50 km, against roughly 180 km of road around Phang Nga Bay.
Is hotel transfer included in the tour package?
Yes, hotel transfer is included in almost every Phuket package for the main beach areas: Patong, Kata, Karon, Kamala, Phuket Town. Northern resorts (Mai Khao, Nai Yang) and a few hill hotels pay a surcharge. Honestly the transfer is what turns a 5 a.m. start from a nightmare into a nap in the van. Pickup times by area:
- Patong, Kata, Karon: about 05:00–06:30 for marina departures.
- Phuket Town, Chalong: slightly later.
- Rassada ferry combos: about 07:00–08:00.
You'll get the exact time on your voucher the evening before.
Tour Itinerary and Destinations
What islands are included in the tour?
- Poda Island — the largest island, a long white beach backed by palms and casuarinas, and the Poda sea stack.
- Chicken Island — the chicken-head pinnacle and a shallow reef, the best snorkel stop.
- Tup Island — two islets joined by a sandbar you can walk across at low tide.
Some itineraries add Railay or Phra Nang Cave Beach as stop four. Others trade it for a longer lunch. Poda's beauty is the headline; Tup's sandbar is what you'll actually remember. More on the islands and map.
What activities are available during the tour?
Snorkeling is the main activity, over the reef at Chicken Island and sometimes off Poda. In the dry season Krabi's water is calm and clear, so even beginners get into it; you can stand up in bits of it. Beyond that:
- Walking the Tup–Mor sandbar.
- Swimming and beach time on Poda.
- Photo stops at sea stacks and limestone cliffs.
Amenities and Services
Is lunch provided during the tour?
Yes, lunch is provided on every standard Krabi 4 island tour from Phuket. Usually a Thai buffet on Poda Island or on the boat, rice, curries, stir-fries, fruit, with drinking water and soft drinks. The premium operators put out a better spread and add breakfast at the marina.
Vegetarian, vegan or halal? All available on request, but tell the operator when you book, not on the morning itself. Lunch lands in the middle of the day, usually between 12:00 and 13:30, just before the long crossing home.
Tour Operator and Booking Information
Who operates the tour and what is their reputation?
A handful of Phuket operators run it. For the premium version the Siam Adventure World team is one of the best-known names: speedboat from Royal Phuket Marina, breakfast in a marina lounge, around ฿3,900–฿4,900 per adult. Budget outfits like Phuket Dream Company pair a big-boat ferry with a speedboat for about ฿1,800–฿2,700.
Reputation swings with the season and the crew. Before booking anyone, read their newest reviews on Tripadvisor and Google Maps, see whether customer service actually answers complaints, and ask for the TAT licence number. Awards on a website? Meh. What last week’s passengers wrote matters more.
How can I book the tour and what are the costs?
You can book online with the operator, on platforms like Klook, or at your hotel’s tour desk. What it costs in 2026:
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry + speedboat combo from Rassada | About ฿1,800–฿2,700 per adult | Longer day, cheapest |
| Premium speedboat from Royal Phuket Marina | About ฿3,900–฿4,900 per adult | Breakfast at the marina lounge |
| Private luxury speedboat charter | From about ฿41,690 per boat | All-inclusive, 8 hours |
| National park fee | ฿200–฿400 per adult | Cash; check your voucher |
Discounts pop up in the rainy season, and kids pay less. Most operators take cards online. Many let you cancel free 24 hours ahead, and weather cancellations get refunded in full.
Tour Experience and Feedback
How long is the tour and what is the schedule?
Door to door it's about 10–12 hours. A typical premium schedule:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 05:00–06:00 | Hotel pickup in Phuket |
| 06:00–07:00 | Breakfast and briefing at Royal Phuket Marina |
| 07:00–08:30 | Speedboat crossing to Krabi |
| 08:30–13:30 | Poda, Chicken and Tup islands with lunch |
| 13:30–15:30 | Crossing back to Phuket |
| 15:00–17:00 | Arrive at the marina, transfer to your hotel |
The tide sets the island order. Rough seas in May–October can stretch the crossing, or kill the trip. Daylight barely changes through the year this close to the equator, so that's one less thing.
What do other customers say about the tour?
Customers rate the islands on the Krabi 4 Island Tour from Phuket highly. The early start, less so. Good reviews mention empty morning beaches (arriving by 08:30 really helps), friendly crews, good snorkeling. The bad ones: a long, bumpy crossing on windy days and feeling rushed at every island. Every operator could do better on the same two things. Be clearer about the park fee. Be honest about crossing times.
Got more than a day? Then move to Ao Nang for two nights instead, honestly. Our 3-day Krabi itinerary shows how.
FAQ
How much does the Krabi 4 island tour cost?
The Krabi 4 island tour costs ฿599–฿1,200 per adult from Ao Nang, or about ฿1,800–฿4,900 per adult from Phuket, plus the national park fee either way. The price page breaks it down.
How much does a 4-island tour from Phuket cost?
A 4-island tour from Phuket costs about ฿1,800–฿2,700 per adult for a ferry-and-speedboat combo, or ฿3,900–฿4,900 for a premium speedboat out of Royal Phuket Marina (2026 prices).
What is included in Krabi 4 Island Tour?
The Krabi 4 Island Tour from Phuket includes return hotel transfer, the boat, an English-speaking guide, snorkel gear, life jackets, lunch and drinks. Premium ones throw in breakfast. The park fee is usually extra.
How much does a Phuket to Krabi tour cost?
A Phuket to Krabi tour costs about ฿1,800–฿4,900 per adult for a joined island day trip. Just the one-way ferry between Phuket and Ao Nang? From about ฿850. A private luxury speedboat starts around ฿41,690 per boat.