Guide
Krabi from Phuket: the ferry, the 4 islands, and which to choose
How to get across, what a day there looks like, and Phuket or Krabi
2 min read · 6 sources
The short answer: the ferry from Phuket reaches Ao Nang in Krabi in under two hours, but the daily boat arrives in the afternoon. So Krabi works better as a night or two — for one day, take a tour from Phuket instead.
Phi Phi is part of Krabi province, so if you have been to Phi Phi from Phuket you have already seen Krabi’s most famous islands.
At a glance
- Ferry
- Rassada Pier → Ao Nang, daily 1:30pm, about 1 hour 45
- Fare
- 900 baht adult, 600 child
- Low season
- The boat does not sail every day, May to October
- Railay
- Longtail from Ao Nang, about 20 minutes, 100 baht
- One day only?
- Take an island day from Phuket instead
The ferry from Phuket
Ao Nang Princess sails from Rassada Pier in Phuket. Its own timetable is below.
The fare is 900 baht for adults and 600 for children. In the low season, May to October, it says the boat does not sail every day, so check before you plan around it.
The same company also sells a one-day Phuket–Krabi tour by big boat and speedboat for 2,700 baht, with the national park fee paid separately.
| Leaves Rassada | Days | Ao Nang | Railay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:30pm | Every day | 3:15pm | 3:30pm |
| 10:30am | Sun, Wed, Fri | 12:30pm | 12:15pm |
Timetable and booking
Railay
Railay is the famous limestone beach near Ao Nang. The Tourism Authority of Thailand gives the longtail boat from Ao Nang or Nopparat Thara as the way in: about 20 minutes and 100 baht per person each way.
The 4 islands trip
Krabi’s classic day out: Phra Nang Cave beach, Tup Island, Poda Island and Chicken Island, by speedboat from Nopparat Thara. Ao Nang Travel sells it for 1,300 baht per adult, with the national park fee paid on the day.
The islands are in Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, the same park as Phi Phi.
Phuket or Krabi?
Stay in Phuket if you want the non-stop flights from the Gulf, the widest choice of hotels, malls and halal food, and every island day on your doorstep.
Add Krabi if you want a quieter change of scene for a night or two: Ao Nang and Railay, and the limestone coast up close.
If the islands are the point, you do not need to move at all: Phi Phi and James Bond Island are both day trips from Phuket.
Sources
6 sources, each linked in the section it supports.
Photography is licensed stock, credited to Ines Diaz Cervantes on Pexels. Some images show the named place; where no photograph of a venue exists, the picture shows Thailand rather than that venue.
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