Guide
Longtail boat or speedboat in Krabi: which should you choose?
For Hong Island or the 4 Islands, take a longtail boat. Hong is about 45 minutes from Ao Nang by longtail boat and about 30 minutes by speedboat, so a speedboat only saves you around 15 minutes each way. A longtail boat gives you the boat Krabi is known for, an open front deck and plenty of room to stretch out. Choose a speedboat instead if you are heading to Phi Phi (about an hour, against two hours or more by longtail boat), if someone in your group gets badly seasick, or on a stormy day in June or September.
We operate our own private luxury longtail boat charter, so take our view with that in mind. We’ll also tell you below exactly when we think you shouldn’t book us.
Longtail boat and speedboat, side by side
| Longtail boat | Speedboat | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting to Hong Lagoon | About 45 minutes from Nopparat Thara pier | About 30 minutes from the same pier |
| Getting to Phi Phi | Two hours or more each way, and only on a boat registered for that trip | About an hour each way |
| The boat itself | A wooden hull with one engine on a long shaft at the back. Ours is 10.25 m long, with a 78 hp Isuzu diesel | One, two or three engines at the back, depending on the size of the boat |
| Who’s on board | On Krabi Bliss, your group only, up to 8 guests | Shared trips carry about 10 people on a one-engine boat, 20 to 30 on two engines, and 40 to 45 on three |
| Boarding at Nopparat Thara | Walk out through water to around ankle or shin height, then up a short 3-step ladder to board the boat | Speedboats board from the same beach, so expect the same walk through ankle- or shin-deep water |
| The ride | Slower, and you feel the waves more on a choppy day | Faster and steadier. The more engines, the steadier it feels, though it can still be bumpy |
| Noise | You can talk normally on board, and the front deck is the quietest spot | Not necessarily quieter than a longtail boat. It depends on the engines |
| Toilet on board | None on the typical longtail boat, but there are toilet stops along the route | Some speedboats have one, so ask before you book |
| A private trip usually includes | It varies, so ask. Ours comes with a captain, a first mate and a licensed English-speaking guide, plus food and drinks, cushions and the full set-up | It varies, so ask. The private speedboats we know of usually come with a captain only, drinking water and fruit |
When a speedboat is the better choice
- You’re going to Phi Phi. By longtail boat you spend two hours or more each way just getting there. A speedboat does it in about an hour, which gives you back half a day. If you still want a longtail boat to Phi Phi, ask the operator to show you the boat’s registration for that trip before you pay, because not every longtail boat is registered to sail that far.
- Someone in your group gets badly seasick. A speedboat sits steadier on the water, and the bigger the boat (the more engines it has), the steadier it is. Even a shared trip on the largest speedboat you can find is a fair trade for someone who really suffers.
- It’s a stormy day in June or September. On choppy days a speedboat is the steadier boat for the run out to Hong. On those days we’ll tell you if we don’t think it’s a day for a longtail boat. We either move you to another day, subject to availability, cancel Hong with a full refund, or suggest switching to the 4 Islands, which are closer to the pier, at the 4 Islands price. We would rather lose the booking than take you and our crew out on the wrong day.
When a longtail boat is the better choice
- You want the authentic Krabi experience. The longtail boat is the traditional boat of Krabi and the Andaman coast, wooden hull and long-tail engine and all. If you want your boat day to feel truly local and authentic, this is the boat to take.
- You want room and a proper set-up. On a private luxury charter like ours, the front deck is open and cushioned, with a backrest to lean on, and you can sit out there on the way and at every stop. It’s my favourite seat on the run to Hong, and it makes the 45 minutes go by quickly.
- Mild seasickness is manageable for you. If you’re not sure how you’ll do on the water, a pill taken before you leave usually settles it (more on that below). Our guide carries them on board.
What the longtail boat ride is actually like
Getting on. At Nopparat Thara pier, dozens of longtail boats park nose-in on the sand. The concrete platform is for the ferries to Phi Phi and Koh Lanta, so you walk out to the boat, usually with the sea water coming up to around your ankles or shins, and climb a short three-step ladder on the side. Our crew are there to help everyone on and off. If anyone in your group is slow on ladders, this is one place a private boat earns its keep, with nobody waiting or pressuring you from behind.
On the way. Sit out on the front deck for the view and the breeze, or stay inside under the roof in the shade. It’s slightly noisier inside, but you can talk normally in both spots. If the water gets choppy and spray comes in, the waterproof curtains roll down, and your guide will lower them for you.
At the islands. At Hong Island you step off onto a pier. At most other stops the boat pulls up on the beach and you climb down the same ladder onto the sand.
Toilets. There’s no toilet on board, which is normal for longtail boats. There are toilets at Nopparat Thara pier (a good place to change before you set off), and on Hong Island, Lao Lading, Poda and Tup, so you’re never far from one.
I tried the shared speedboat
I’ve done the shared speedboat trip to Phi Phi. I sat squashed between strangers, with another row of strangers facing me, close enough that our knees touched. It was fast but still rather bumpy, and half the people around me nodded off on the way. It got everyone to Phi Phi, which is exactly what it’s for.
Personally, I’d take it again to get to Phi Phi. But for a day tour, I’d choose a private boat, for my own comfort and for the loved ones coming along with me.
Choosing for your group
A shared longtail boat tour puts you on board with other guests. A private boat is your group only. A private luxury charter like ours adds the set-up, extra comfort and a guide who helps with photos. The picks below assume a private boat unless they say otherwise.
| Who’s coming | Our pick |
|---|---|
| A couple, or a surprise for your partner | A private longtail boat, so nobody else is on board. A private luxury charter adds the front-deck set-up and a guide to take your photos |
| Friends celebrating a birthday, up to 8 | A private longtail boat, so you have room to spread out. On a private luxury charter, the crew also handle the set-up and help with photos at every stop |
| A family with young children or grandparents | Either boat works. Expect the short walk through shallow water and the ladder at the pier. On a private boat the crew help everyone on at their own pace, and we carry children’s life jackets |
| Anyone who gets badly seasick | A speedboat, the biggest you can find |
| Heading to Phi Phi | A speedboat |
Seasickness: what actually works
Take a motion-sickness pill 30 to 60 minutes before the boat leaves, not once you start to feel queasy. By then it’s too late for it to work well. Dimenhydrinate is sold at 7-Eleven and pharmacies across Krabi. On our boat, the guide carries pills and offers them at the start of the trip, so say yes if you’d like one. Check with a pharmacist first for children, in pregnancy, or if you take other medication.
Ask to see the papers, whichever boat you book
Before you pay any operator, longtail boat or speedboat, ask to see:
- The boat’s licence from the Marine Department, with its expiry date. It also shows how many passengers the boat is registered for and which waters it may sail.
- The captain’s certificate.
- The tour operator’s licence from the Department of Tourism.
- Life jackets in children’s sizes, if children are coming.
- A first-aid kit.
Why ask: a boat’s papers say what it is allowed to do. A boat registered for 10 passengers should not be carrying 14, and a boat registered for local waters should not be heading out to Phi Phi.
The Krabi Bliss standard: our boat is surveyed by the Marine Department in Krabi, and we renew its licence on time every year, so it is always valid. It is registered for 12 people on board in total, and we carry 11 at most: up to 8 guests and a crew of 3. Our captain holds a second-class helmsman’s certificate for sea-going vessels, and our first mate is also a licensed captain. Krabi Bliss is licensed by the Department of Tourism, licence 33/11913. We carry life jackets in all sizes, including children’s, checked by the Marine Department, and a first-aid kit on board.
Need a speedboat instead?
We don’t run speedboats ourselves. If a speedboat is the right boat for you, message us on WhatsApp with “shared” or “private”, your date and how many people, and we’ll do our best to arrange one through speedboat partners we know.
Common questions
Is a speedboat quieter than a longtail boat? Not necessarily. It depends on the engines, and many speedboats run two or three. On our longtail boat you can talk normally, and the front deck is the quietest seat.
Can a speedboat get into Hong Lagoon? Yes. Speedboats reach the same stops as longtail boats, including Hong Lagoon, Poda and the Tup sandbar.
Will I get wet on a longtail boat? Your feet and shins will when you board at Nopparat Thara, because you walk out through shallow water to the boat. In choppy water there can be some spray, and the crew roll down the waterproof curtains to keep the inside dry.
Is there a toilet on the boat? Not on a typical longtail boat. There are toilets at the pier and on Hong Island, Lao Lading, Poda and Tup. Some speedboats have one, so ask before you book.
Can I take a longtail boat to Phi Phi? Some operators do, but it takes two hours or more each way, and the boat must be registered for that trip, so ask to see the registration. We don’t run Phi Phi ourselves. For Phi Phi, we’d put you on a speedboat.
Written by Krabi Bliss, the crew that runs this boat. Last updated 24 October 2026.
