Transit & logisticsBy Clever Tourists · Published
Buy a ticket at the Ao Nang Long Tail Boat Service Club booth on the beachfront and wait for the boat to fill (usually around 8 passengers); the ride to Railay West takes 10 to 15 minutes. The fare was about 100 THB (≈ $3.0) per person one way in 2024-25 reports, with a surcharge after about 6 pm. Expect a wet landing: you wade ashore, so wear shorts and carry bags above your head.
• The main booth is on the Ao Nang beach road near the center of the beach. Fares are posted on a board; pay cash.
• Boats are shared and leave once enough passengers have bought tickets. If you are in a hurry you can pay for the empty seats or charter the whole boat.
• Day service runs from early morning to around 6 pm. Later boats run on demand at a higher price, and late-evening returns from Railay can involve a long wait for a group to form.
• Buy the return at Railay rather than in advance. Several companies operate, and a lost return ticket means paying again.
Have small notes ready; the boatmen rarely carry change for 1,000 THB (≈ $30). For tipping boat crews and tour guides, see our Thailand tipping guide.
There is no pier on Railay West: the longtail noses onto the sand and you climb down into knee-deep water, sometimes deeper with swell. Pack in a backpack, not a roller case, and put electronics in a dry bag.
Tides matter more on Railay East, the mangrove side where boats from Ao Nam Mao pier and Krabi town land. At low tide boats stop well offshore and you walk across mud flats; at high tide there is a floating jetty. Check a Krabi tide table if you are carrying luggage.
• 4 Islands: usually Phra Nang Cave Beach, Chicken Island, Tup Island (walkable sandbar at low tide) and Poda. These sit in Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.
• Hong Islands: a lagoon enclosed by cliffs north of Ao Nang, in Than Bok Khorani National Park.
• Park fees: usually not included in the tour price and collected in cash on the day. Operators currently quote anything from 200 THB to 400 THB (≈ $11.9) per foreign adult depending on which islands are visited, against 20 to 40 THB (≈ $0.59–1.2) for Thais. Ask your operator for the exact amount in writing and check the Department of National Parks if in doubt.
Longtail tours are cheaper and slower; speedboats cover more ground and are the usual choice for Hong Island and Phi Phi.
Speedboat day trips to Phi Phi run from Ao Nang and nearby Nopparat Thara pier. Foreign adults landing on Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Le or Bamboo Island pay 400 THB (≈ $11.9) in national park fees (200 THB (≈ $5.9) for children), per figures reported by the Bangkok Post in 2024.
Maya Bay on Phi Phi Le closes every year from 1 August to 30 September for reef and beach recovery; in 2026 it reopened on 1 October. Swimming in the bay is not allowed and boats drop visitors on the back side of the island.
The Andaman coast's calm season runs roughly November to April. From about May to October the southwest monsoon brings swell and squalls; island tours are cancelled on rough days, and when seas off Ao Nang beach are too heavy, Railay boats switch to the sheltered Ao Nam Mao pier and land at Railay East.
Morning departures are usually calmer than afternoon ones in any season. If a tour is cancelled for weather, operators normally refund or rebook. For more on the Krabi coast, see our Thailand guide.
About 100 THB (≈ $3.0) per person one way in 2024-25 reports, paid in cash at the Ao Nang Long Tail Boat Service Club booth, with a surcharge after about 6 pm. Check the posted board for the current fare.
Regular shared boats run until around 6 pm. After that, boats leave on demand at a higher fare once enough passengers gather, so late returns can mean a wait.
Yes. Railay West has no pier, so you step off the longtail into knee-deep water. Wear shorts and keep bags in a dry bag or above your head.
Usually not. Operators quote 200 to 400 THB (≈ $5.9–11.9) per foreign adult depending on the islands, collected in cash; Phi Phi landings cost 400 THB (≈ $11.9).
Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September and reopened on 1 October 2026. Swimming in the bay itself is not permitted.
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