Four Islands Tour

A circuit of four islands south of Ao Nang — snorkelling, swimming, and at low tide the famous sandbar between Tup and Mor. As one of the defining landmarks in Krabi, Four Islands Tour is the kind of stop most first-time visitors build a half-day around — and that returning travelers keep finding new angles on. Classic day trip to Phra Nang, Tup, Mor, and Chicken Island.

Krabi itself sets the tone: a mainland province whose coast hides Railay's vertical cliffs, the four-island day trip, and some of Southeast Asia's best rock climbing. Four Islands Tour fits squarely into that story, which is why it lands on almost every shortlist of things to do in Krabi, Thailand.

Most visits to Four Islands Tour center on a handful of set-pieces. Don't try to rush through all of them — pick two or three and give them real time. The highlights worth pacing yourself for include tup island sandbar, chicken island shape, and snorkelling off poda.

Each one rewards a slower look. The first visit tends to be about taking in the scale; the second is when you start noticing the details that make this landmark feel like Krabi and nowhere else.

A few practical notes that locals and repeat visitors tend to repeat: speedboat is faster, longtail is cheaper, bring reef-safe sunscreen, and half-day morning trips beat the crowds.

These aren't rules — they're just the kind of small choices that turn a decent visit into a memorable one. If you only follow one piece of advice, make it the first.

Four Islands Tour is open year-round, but timing your visit to Krabi well makes a real difference to what you'll experience. November–April.

Within the day, early morning and the hour before sunset are almost always the best windows — fewer crowds, softer light, and a better chance of catching Krabi at its calmest. Midday in peak season is the trade-off worth avoiding when you can.

Reaching Four Islands Tour is straightforward once you get the hang of moving around Krabi. Longtail boats between beaches and islands; song­thaews on land.

Most visitors fold Four Islands Tour into a longer day in this part of Krabi, so leave time on either side to walk the surrounding blocks. The approach is part of the experience.

Four Islands Tour pairs naturally with the other headline stops in Krabi. A common rhythm is to combine it with Railay Beach, Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea), and Ao Nang — either across one packed day or split between two slower ones depending on your pace.

If this is your first trip to Krabi, treat Four Islands Tour as an anchor and plan the rest of the day around it. If it's your second or third visit, use it as a reason to explore the streets and food spots nearby that you skipped the first time.

Krabi is the obvious base for visiting Four Islands Tour, but it's worth thinking about what else fits into the same trip. Thailand rewards travelers who string two or three cities together rather than treating any one as a single destination.

Our Thailand country guide is the quickest way to see what pairs well with Krabi — and what's only a short hop away if you have a few extra days.

If you're putting together a trip to Krabi and trying to work out where Four Islands Tour fits, the short answer is: near the top of the list. Most travelers give it between an hour and a half day depending on how deep they want to go, and it sits comfortably alongside the rest of the things to do in Krabi, Thailand.

Build in a buffer for queues in high season, and don't underestimate how much time you'll want to spend just being in the surrounding area. Classic day trip to Phra Nang, Tup, Mor, and Chicken Island, but Four Islands Tour also doubles as a useful orientation point for the wider landmarks and streets that define this side of Krabi.

Pair this guide with our full Krabi city guide for context on neighborhoods, getting around, and where to stay, and with the Thailand country guide if you're considering more than one stop. Between them you'll have enough to put together a confident itinerary without over-planning a single visit.