About this tour
When Em from our team booked this 6–7 hour long-tail boat tour out of Ao Nang, we hit four islands in one hit: Railey, Chicken Island (named for its bizarre rock formation), Tup Island, and Poda. The crew — a mix of tourists and a few local families — spent time snorkelling over coral, ate lunch on an island, caught the natural sand bridge at Tup during low tide, then wound down on Poda's white sand. It's a proper day on the water, the kind where you either love the boat life or realise it's not your jam.
Highlights
- Chicken Island's rock formation is genuinely odd and unmissable
- Tup Island's tidal sand pathway — timing had to line up right
- Snorkelling gear included; coral and fish turned up as promised
- Lunch cooked on-island, ate with feet in the sand
- Long-tail boat itself — noisy and basic, but classic Thailand
- Poda Island's beach quiet enough to actually swim and relax
- Guide spoke English clearly and knew the tides well
What to expect
The day starts with a hotel pickup and a ride to the boat. You pile into a wooden long-tail with maybe 12–15 other travellers, and the engine roars to life — it's loud and smelly, but that's part of the charm. First stop is usually Railey or Chicken Island; you get an hour or so to swim and snap photos of that famous rock. The snorkelling happens at a reef stop, often before or after; the gear works fine, and there's decent coral if you're not expecting the Great Barrier Reef.
Lunch is a proper meal — rice, curry, fresh fruit — served on one of the islands. You'll sit under a tarp or tree, and it's genuinely nice. Then comes Tup Island, where a narrow sandbar links two chunks of land. This only shows up at low tide, so timing matters; if you miss it, you miss it. The final leg is Poda, a sprawling beach where you can sunbathe, swim, or just chill. The whole thing feels unhurried once you're there, though the boat ride is bumpy and exhausting.
What travellers say
- Four islands in one outing; covers a lot of ground without fuss
- Snorkel gear and lunch included; good value for the full day
- Tup Island's tidal sand bridge is genuinely unique and well-timed
- English-speaking guide knows the tides and local conditions well
- Poda Island's beach is spacious and genuinely nice to relax on
- Long-tail boat is loud, hot, and rough on backs and stomachs
- Tup Island's sand pathway is tide-dependent; not guaranteed
- Midday crowds can make the islands feel less peaceful
- Not suitable for pregnant travellers or those with spinal issues
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This tour packs four separate islands into one day without feeling rushed, and the snorkelling and lunch are genuine value-adds rather than token extras. Em reckoned the guide's knowledge of tides and currents made the whole thing feel safe and well-paced. It's an easy entry point to island-hopping if you're nervous about solo adventures. Small groups mean you're not herded like cattle.
Long-tail boats are loud, hot, and slow — if you get seasick easily or have a bad back, this'll be rough. The sand pathway at Tup depends entirely on tide timing; you can't guarantee seeing it. National parks in Thailand mean crowds, especially midday. Infants have to sit on an adult's lap the whole time, which sounds awful. It's not suitable if you're pregnant, have spinal issues, or any serious health concerns — check with a doctor first. Bring sun cream (the reef sun is vicious), a rashguard, and cash for tips; those aren't included. Start early: most tours leave around 8–9 a.m., and the afternoon sun is punishing.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.