Best Thailand Island Tours
Exploring Thailand’s stunning islands is best done through day tours. With plenty of options available, here are the top Thailand island tours worth booking.
Top Tip: If you want to visit these places without crowds book a boat a private boat and leave at 6 am.
When you book a private boat, you avoid having to wait for other people, and you can tailor the boat tour to your needs by deciding where you want to go and how much time you want to spend at each destination.
There are many local tour companies on the streets of any place you travel to in South Thailand where you can book your day tours, but if you want to book online and in advance, below are some recommendations.
For a detailed and comprehensive itinerary for Thailand that plans your entire trip for you check out the following ebooks: 2 Week South Thailand Itinerary, 2 Week Thailand Itinerary and 14 Day South Thailand Honeymoon Itinerary.
1. Phi Phi Islands
The best way to see Phi Phi Islands is by staying on Koh Phi Phi Don Island and booking a private long-tail boat to visit the following places:
A private 6-hour long-tail boat tour costs 4,500 Baht with Visa Travel Phi Phi (if you want to book in advance) for 2 people.
Private Tour Recommendation: Private Tour By Long Tail Boat with Visa Travel Phi Phi
If you plan on visiting Phi Phi Islands from Krabi or Phuket it’s best to do a group tour.
Group Tour Recommendation: From Krabi: Phi Phi Islands Speedboat Day Tour with GetYourGuide
From Phuket: Maya, Phi Phi, and Bamboo Island with Buffet Lunch
2. Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are an absolute must-see for anyone visiting Phuket or Khao Lak!
This tour takes you on a speedboat for about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Khao Lak to the Similan Islands.
Donald Duck Bay, one of the many beautiful Similan Islands, is the first stop. On this island, you can hike to the famous Sail-Rock to see the incredible beach from above, or you can spend time swimming and sunbathing on the white sandy beach.
After that, you’ll be taken to two snorkelling spots: Ba Ngu Island and Pay Island. Sea turtles are frequently spotted near Payu Island.
Lunch is served on Miang Island, followed by more relaxing and swimming on the beautiful beach before returning to the pier.
Tour Recommendation: From Phuket or Khao Lak: Similan Islands Early Bird Day Trip
3. Hong Islands
It’s easiest to visit Hong Islands from Krabi. Book a private long-tail boat to visit the following places:
A private long tail boat for 5 hours with the tour company listed below costs 2,800 Baht per couple, not including the national park fee of 300 Baht per person.
Private Tour Recommendation: Book a private long tail boat through tour@swisschalet-thailand.com.
Group Tour Recommendation: Krabi: Hong Islands Day Trip by Speedboat with Lunch
4. Ang Thong National Marine Park
Before departing for Koh Mae Koh and visiting the emerald green Emerald Lagoon, a light breakfast is served onboard.
After lunch, you will arrive at Ko Wua Ta Lap. Here you can choose to snorkel (snorkelling equipment provided), relax on the white sandy beach, explore a stalagmite cave or hike to the most stunning viewpoint in the Gulf of Thailand!
To get to the viewpoint it takes about half an hour with many viewpoint stops along the way. Be sure to bring plenty of water with you. It’s not an easy hike as there are many steep steps and the heat makes it more difficult.
A full-day tour costs 1,250 Baht per person, not including the national park fee of 300 Baht per person. The cost includes a light breakfast, a buffet-style lunch, and pick-up and drop-off services. It costs an extra 550 Baht per person to kayak around Koh Mae Koh.
Tour Recommendation: Ang Thong Marine Park Full-Day Big Boat Economy Tour with Koh Samui Tours
5. 7 Islands Sunset
The 7-Island Sunset Tour includes visiting: Ko Ma Tang Ming (snorkelling), Koh Tup, Koh More, Koh Kai (also known as Chicken Island for its chicken-shaped rock), Koh Yawasam (snorkelling), Koh Poda (BBQ dinner while watching the sunset) and Koh Range (swim with bioluminescent plankton).
The tour cost 1,380 Baht per person with the recommended tour company below, not including the national park fee of 200 Baht per person. The tour lasts approximately 7 hours.
Tour Recommendation: Krabi: 7 Islands Sunset Tour with BBQ dinner and Snorkelling
6. Pig Island
Pig Beach is located on Koh Mat Sum island, just a 20-minute boat ride from Koh Samui.
The tour begins with a visit to Pig Islands, where the tour guide takes you to a viewpoint (to be honest, I would skip the viewpoint and spend more time with the pigs on the beach); there are better viewpoints on Koh Samui.
Feeding the pigs costs 30 Baht, and there are many of them laying around on the beach, including cute little piglets!
After that, you’ll be taken to Koh Tean, where you can snorkel near the island before enjoying a delicious Thai lunch on Koh Tean.
After lunch, you can kayak to nearby beaches before returning to Koh Samui.
Tour Recommendation: Koh Samui: Private Longtail Tour to Koh Mat Sum
Discovering Thailand’s islands is an adventure waiting to unfold, and day tours offer the perfect gateway to these paradises. In my view, the above six Thailand Island Tours offer the ultimate experiences for your vacation.
Check out my blog post on 10 things to do in Krabi! It’s packed with exciting ideas, from beach escapades to temple explorations and island hopping. For a comprehensive guide on Phi Phi Islands read my blog post Phi Phi Islands: The Ultimate Guide.
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a payment I will earn a commission. I link these websites because they give the best value/service and not because of the commission I receive. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to pay using these links is completely up to you. I only recommend websites to book through that I use myself and I know will be beneficial!
