A Guide to Island Hopping from Ao Nang, Thailand

Island hopping was one of the hardest things to research before arriving in Thailand. Not due to a lack of content online, but rather, an excessive amount of it. I found myself taking copious amounts of notes about each island, only to find myself more indecisive than when I started. Therefore, I’ve created my own guide to island hopping, with answers to questions I had prior to boarding my first long-tail boat. This guide will also help if you choose, specifically, to use Ao Nang as your base.

Boat Tours vs. DIY Island Hopping: What do I choose?

As with most things related to travel, this all comes down to personal preference. The boat tours are a guaranteed way to visit four or five islands over the course of an afternoon. This means you can decide which of the islands you prefer and return the next day, if you choose. It’s also helpful if you are limited on time and want to see a variety of destinations within the area. Of course, as with most tours, you have limited freedom when it comes to the schedule. Another thing to consider is the price. If you choose a speed boat tour, the price will be significantly higher than traveling via long-tail. That being said, it will also be a more comfortable ride.

Personally, I chose to avoid the tours. I had three full days in Ao Nang, and therefore picked a few islands I wanted to truly explore. Each morning I boarded a long-tail boat to a different island. It allowed me to relax, and fully experience each destination. I knew I didn’t want to be stuck boarding and disembarking a boat all afternoon, which in return, allowed for major beach time.

There are pros and cons to a DIY island tour, but a significant perk is the freedom it permits. Every night prior to island hopping, I sat down and made a plan for the following day. I ended up visiting islands I wasn’t as keen on in the beginning, but now feel grateful to have witnessed.

Where do I purchase long-tail boat tickets in Ao Nang?

There are multiple locations to purchase long-tail boat tickets in Ao Nang. With that being said, I still felt quite lost upon arrival. The price doesn’t vary much between vendors, so I found the most obvious {and crowded} hut I could locate {here}. It’s right on the beach and on a major corner in Ao Nang. They were helpful {enough} and the longest wait time I encountered was approximately 30 minutes. For reference, I visited in the middle of August, Thailand’s off-season.

How much does it cost?

For the four island speedboat tours, you are looking at around ฿900 – 1200 {approx. $27 – 37 USD} per person. For a long-tail four island tour, you’ll pay around ฿450 {approx. $13 USD}. If you choose to DIY, each long-tail boat ride costs approximately ฿150 {approx. $4.50 USD}.

Which islands should I visit?

This is always the big question when it comes to island hopping in Thailand. How does one decide which islands to visit? I looked at heaps of Pinterest pins over the last few months. Personally, I can recommend all three islands I visited. But even with that being said, there are many islands I missed out on during my visit. The fact of the matter is, you can’t see them all. Therefore, it’s important to know what you are looking for.

For me, it was {clean} white sand beaches, limestone cliffs, and a destination within reasonable distance to my base in Ao Nang. I basically wanted anything aesthetically pleasing to the eye, that I could still enjoy practically. During my week in Thailand I visited Koh Poda, Railay Beach, and the Phi Phi Islands. I spent one full day in each location, so I really got a feel for the vibe and culture of each island. Honestly, if given the chance to do it all over again, I would still visit those three islands. {keep reading to get a break down of each location}

How long should I spend on each island?

Koh Poda – One day is more than enough time to enjoy Koh Poda. It’s such a small island without accommodation options, and only a small shack selling basic food and drinks. Therefore, most people make a day trip out of Koh Poda. It is also included on {most} speed boat tours.

Phi Phi Islands – The Phi Phi Islands are the furthest away from Ao Nang {and Phuket}, and therefore require travel via ferry. One day {or in reality a half day} on the island was not long enough for me. I would have enjoyed staying over night and exploring the islands a bit more. My recommendation would be to spend two days and one night on the main island.

Railay Beach – Similarly to the Phi Phi Islands, I couldn’t get enough of Railay. I went for the afternoon, and while this was more than enough time to sun bathe, walk around the island, and explore the caves, I was attracted to the vibe in Railay so much so that I wanted to stay. This is an island that I would spend at least two days on {if I had the time}.

Side note: when I use the word ‘island’ to describe Railay, it’s inaccurate terminology. Technically, it’s a peninsula off of Krabi, but it’s only reachable via long-tail boat and therefore acts as an island.

How do I purchase ferry tickets to the Phi Phi Islands?

While it’s simple enough to jump aboard a long-tail boat in Ao Nang, the ferry dock to get to the Phi Phi Islands is a bit of a drive. Like the long-tail boats, there are so many vendors in Ao Nang selling tickets to the Phi Phi Islands. With that being said, my recommendation is to speak with your hotel or hostel about your options. Most of the time, the hotels will have some sort of a relationship with shuttle drivers that will pick you up and take you to the docks as a package deal with your ticket.

As someone who was traveling alone, this was extremely convenient for me. You can just as easily call a taxi, but it will cost you big time. I purchased a round trip ferry ticket {with morning pick up service from my hostel} for ฿800 {approx. $25 USD}. You do not have to purchase a return ticket on the spot, however it’s advised.

Also, the price for a return ticket at the ferry dock was the same amount I paid {for my return ticket} in my package deal at my hostel. I made my decision to visit the Phi Phi Island extremely last minute, so I was also limited in my researching skills. Regardless, I was happy with my decision to utilize the shuttle because it got me there on time and without any hassle.

Best island for partying/backpackers?

The Phi Phi Islands are definitely the go-to for a good time. It’s a {young, outgoing, gap-year} backpackers paradise. While families still continue to visit the Phi Phi Islands, you can read many a horror story of how loud the entire island becomes once the sun goes down. It was indeed the most ‘trashy’ island I visited in Thailand, however the water was still crystal clear and it wasn’t much to complain about.

All of the backpackers I met along my journey relayed stories relating to drunk banter, swimming in the ocean fully clothed, waking up on the beach, etc. You catch my drift. I truly didn’t have to engage in a night out on the island to feel as though I experienced one.

There are some mixed opinions about the Phi Phi Islands online, which made me very hesitant to visit them for myself. I have an upcoming blog post all about the topic, but for your own reading pleasure I wanted to provide a few articles I read before making my decision:

I Still F*ing Hate Ko Phi Phi by Nomadic Matt

Island Hopping Phi Phi Islands of Thailand by Travel Pockets

Best island for a honeymoon?

My travel style is far from a honeymooner, however I still appreciate the perks that are involved in honeymoon destinations. One of my good friends from home {shout out to Kaitlin} recommended I visit the beautiful island of Koh Lanta during my trip to Thailand. She recently visited with her significant other and confirmed it was close to perfection. While I was tempted to go, I had to decide between Koh Lanta and the Phi Phi Islands. Ultimately, we know I chose the Phi Phi Islands, but I still have dreams of returning and spending a few days on Koh Lanta.

After doing some research, I quickly realized the Koh Lanta is an extremely romantic destination in every aspect of the word. You can read more about this pretty little island here:

17 Amazing Things to do in Koh Lanta, Thailand by Two Wandering Soles

The Best of Koh Lanta, Thailand by Just Globetrotting

Best island for white sand beaches?

Koh Poda. Point blank. What this stunning island lacks in size, it made up for in pristine, white sand beaches. There were certain stretches of sand along the island that were completely deserted. For part of the afternoon, I had my very own private beach, all to myself. Read more about Koh Poda here:

Please Don’t go to Koh Poda, Thailand by Globetrotting Girls

Best island for the famous limestone cliffs of Thailand?

When I dreamt of Thailand, the first thing that came to my mind were limestone cliffs. I knew I wanted to select a location that allowed easy access to these magnificent beasts in nature. If you seek the same, Railay is the place to be. Railay Beach offers massive limestone cliffs around every corner {and personally I thought they were the most beautiful in all of Thailand}. Read more about Railay here:

The Ultimate Travel Guide to Railay, Thailand by The Wander Blogger

TIPS:

– Before you can leave for any of the islands mentioned above {with the exception of Phi Phi Islands}, you will have to wait until the entire long boat is filled to capacity. “Capacity” is a liberal term which changes depending on the season. For the most part, however, the boat won’t leave unless there are six passengers onboard. This can take anywhere from 5 – 30 minutes.

– The ferry to and from Phi Phi islands takes longer than anyone will quote you. Everyone will tell you the journey takes an hour and fifteen minutes, however it takes over two hours {each way}. The first ferry leaves at 9:00 AM, so the earliest you’ll arrive to the Phi Phi Islands is 11:00 AM.

– Prepare yourself for “fees” on some of the islands including Poda, Chicken Island, and the Phi Phi islands. The price of these fees range from ฿20 – 400 {$0.60 – 12 USD}.