Your Guide to Hong Island
a perfect day trip from Krabi, Thailand
Hong Island (Koh Hong) is a secluded island located off the coast of Krabi, Thailand. Hong Island has beautiful white sand beaches and iconic towering limestone cliffs, making Koh Hong one of the most stunning hidden gems in Thailand. Hong Lagoon is a lake-like secluded bay of Hong Island, only accessible by boat. The crystal blue water surrounded by the steep limestone cliffs makes this Thailand Island a memorable day trip from Krabi or Phuket.
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Where is Hong Island Thailand?
Hong Island, also known as Koh Hong, is located in the Krabi Province of southern Thailand, in the Andaman Sea. It is approximately 25 kilometers from the coast of Krabi.
Hong Island Thailand is one of the many islands in Phang Nga Bay, which is located northwest of Ao Nang, Krabi. This small island lies between Krabi and Ko Yao Noi. Hong Island is part of Thanbok Kharanee National Park, which costs 400 Baht upon entrance as you arrive.
How do you get to Hong Island?
You get to Hong Island by boat. This can be your choice of speedboat or long-tailed boat. There are dozens of day tours offered by boat from Phuket and Krabi to Hong Island You can find these day tours through your accommodation or in tourist towns such as Ao Nang, Krabi, Patong, Phuket, Railay Beach, and many other popular towns near Krabi and Phuket.
Krabi to Hong Island
The trip from Krabi to Koh Hong Island takes approximately 45 minutes by long-tailed boat and 30 minutes by speedboat.
Your hotel can provide you with information about a day trip to Koh Hong, but you might want to walk around Ao Nang to find the best deal. You will not have a hard time finding a tour, they are all over the touristy spots of Krabi.
Phuket to Hong Island
The trip from Phuket to Hong Island takes double the time it does from Krabi.
If you are planning on doing a day trip to the Island, you will have to take a speedboat or catamaran to make use of your travel time. It will still take about 2 1/2 hours to arrive, but most tours will make other stops to other islands such as Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai, or James Bond Island.
Click below for a great tour of multiple islands including Koh Hong from Phuket: James Bond, Panyee Island, Hong Island and Naka Island by Speedboat From Phuket
Is Hong Island worth visiting?
This stunning island is absolutely worth visiting when in Thailand. Koh Hong Island is only an hour away by boat from Krabi or Phuket and offers a stunning white sand beach and steep limestone cliffs surrounding a crystal blue lagoon.
Hong Island was one of my favorite day trips from southern Thailand. The view from the top of Koh Hong Viewpoint is one of the most beautiful views in Thailand. If you have a free day while in Krabi or Phuket, take a day trip here and experience one of the many stunning islands Thailand has to offer.
What to do in Hong Island?
Koh Hong is a small island but you can spend a whole day exploring its beaches, lagoons, and scenery. Hong Island has hikes, swimming, snorkeling, café huts, and a beautiful white sand beach to enjoy.
Hong Lagoon
Hong Lagoon is only accessible by boat, but its luminous green-tinted waters and limestone cliff scenery are a sight you do not want to miss!
Jump off the boat into the warm water and do a little snorkeling or just relax in the sun and enjoy the mind-blowing scenery. This stop on Koh Hong Island is a must when doing a tour of the island.
Koh Hong Island Viewpoint
Koh Hong Island 360 Viewpoint has one of the most beautiful views of Phang Nga Bay in southern Thailand. This steep climb up about 400+ steps only takes about 20 minutes to complete.
At the top of Koh Hong Viewpoint, you will find panoramic views of Hong Island and the surrounding Phang Nga Bay. This walk-up is moderately challenging but short and worth it! You could reach the viewpoint in sandals, but don’t forget sunscreen since you are in direct sunlight!
If you are on the fence about visiting Koh Hong Island Viewpoint, I am here to tell you to do it! It was one of my favorite views during my Thailand trip and I got some of my best scenic pictures from this viewpoint.
Click for: Hong Island Viewpoint Loop in All Trails
Pilae Beach
Pilae Beach is a stunning white sand beach on Koh Hong Island with beautiful clear waters and limestone cliffs. This beach is wonderful to snorkel at as there are so many tropical fish.
There are small cafes to get a refreshing Thai Tea, relax in the sun, and enjoy the instagrammable scenery. Look for water monitors, we saw a huge one walk right across the beach! (don’t approach them, admire from afar).
What to bring to Hong Island?
1. You want to make sure you bring a travel beach backpack with you to carry all of your items for a day at the beach. Below is the stylish beach bag I brought that was so convenient and adorable for pictures!
2. Sunscreen and bug spray with DEET are a must on the Thai Islands. There are a lot of mosquitoes in Thailand, and you must protect yourself using a specific bug spray with DEET in it. Linked below is the bug spray I brought to Thailand.
I also highly recommend getting this natural essential oil insect-repellent soap to use while you are in Thailand, that way if you forget bug spray you are still protected.
3. Comfy Beach Sandals are important especially if you want to walk about the Island or climb up to the viewpoint. Linked below are beach sandals I love and a super comfortable for trips to the beach.
- towel
- bathing suit
- sunglasses/sunhat
- change of clothes
- water
- snorkeling gear (ask if your tour provides this)
- Baht for snack shacks
You want to make sure you are prepared for your day on Hong Island. When packing for southeast asia it’s important to consider the hot and humid climate. Lightweight, breathable clothing made of natural fibers like cotton or linen is a good choice. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, insect repellent, and comfortable walking shoes.
Click to see my amazon travel essentials list
When to visit Hong Island Krabi?
The best time to visit Hong Island is during the dry season, which typically runs from November to April. During this time, you can expect sunny skies, warm temperatures, and low humidity, making it perfect for all of the outdoor activities Koh Hong has to offer.
The rainy season in Hong Island runs from May to October, and while it can be hot and humid, it also brings heavier rainfall and occasional thunderstorms. This time of year can still be enjoyable, with fewer tourists and greener landscapes, but some activities may be affected due to the weather conditions.
Ultimately, the best time to visit Koh Hong depends on your preferences and what activities you have planned. It’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast before your trip and plan accordingly.
Do you need to book in advance to visit Hong Islands?
You do not need to purchase tours ahead of time if you prefer not to, you will be able to purchase these tours when you get to Thailand. Tours by speedboat or long-tailed boat range between $40-USD 120 for the day.
You can do a group tour to purchase a hong island private tour, where you would get the boat for yourself.
Check with your hotel to see if they do any tours. Our hotel was on the beach and it was more convenient to have the long-tailed boat pick us up right from there. It cost us 3000 Baht, which was more expensive than jumping on a group tour, but it was something we wanted to splurge on to have the convenience and a long-tailed boat all to ourselves. we stayed at the Tubaak Resort in Krabi, one word.. stunning.
If you want to plan your full vacation ahead of time click below for a great tour of Koh Hong from Krabi.
Hong Island vs. Phi Phi Islands
The Phi Phi Islands are much bigger being 6 Islands in total, whereas Hong Island is one island. Both Islands in southern Thailand are beautiful and worth seeing if you are able.
Koh Phi Phi is certainly one of the most popular destinations in Thailand, with the scenic Maya Bay being the most visited beach that was just able to re-open to tourists last year. This exploding popularity leads to a lot of tourists visiting the Phi Phi Islands, so if you want to avoid the crowds, maybe a day tour to Hong Island is more your speed.
Phi Phi Island is also a tour that can be done in one day, from Krabi or from Phuket to Phi Phi.
The Phi Phi Islands have resorts, restaurants, and other accommodations for tourists to stay, whereas Hong Island is only visited by day. My favorite days in Southern Thailand were day trips to Hong Island and the Phi Phi Islands
Island Hopping in Thailand
Although I would have preferred a full day in Koh Hong because of how much I loved it, it is very common to include Hong Island in an Island hopping day trip from Krabi or Phuket.
Some popular islands near Hong Island:
- Bamboo Island.
- Koh Jum
- Koh Lanta.
- Chicken Island
- Koh Poda.
- Koh Talu.
The most beautiful beaches are on the Islands so you want to check out as many as you can. I recommend doing day tours of these Islands, you can do multiple in one tour if you wanted to see them all.
If you are staying in Krabi and want to see Railay Beach, I suggest taking a day to do that without a tour. Just head to Ao Nang Beach and hop on a long-tailed boat that will take you 20 minutes to Railay Beach. It is inexpensive to do it this way, just make sure you ride back before 6 because that’s when the last boat is.
Traveling to Thailand
Thailand is one of my favorite destinations in the whole world. The picturesque scenery of the South and the rich culture of the North makes for an incredible travel experience.
Whether it’s visiting an elephant sanctuary in Phuket, attending Thailand’s lantern festival in Chiang Mai, visiting Maya Bay in Phi Phi, exploring the floating market in Bangkok, or visiting Railay Beach in Krabi, Thailand has everything you are looking for in a travel destination.
Thailand is an affordable travel destination that can give you everything you need out of a travel experience. If you plan on traveling to Krabi check out this 1 week in Krabi itinerary to help you plan out your travels to this beautiful part of southern Thailand. I hope this Hong Island article helps you on your journey to Southern Thailand. Enjoy every moment in the land of smiles.
Hi I’m Becca
I travel the world and share the tips and tricks I learn along the way. I am in the process of creating my own travel scrapbook with the goal of helping you create yours. Say hi to me on social media!