How to Get to Koh Hong Island?
Koh Hong is a small and very popular island located halfway between Koh Yao Noi and Krabi, about 7 km from each and technically 30 km east of the closest port of Phuket Island. The island is superb and consists of two enclosed beaches and a bay that reminds a lot of the famous Maya Bay on Phi Phi island.
Koh Hong is very popular, especially for tourists based in Krabi, and there is a permanent ballet of longtail boats and speedboats dropping and picking up visitors all day. Koh Hong is part of a national park; therefore, a fee is required to step on the beach. In addition, like in most national parks, no alcohol is allowed, and you won’t be allowed to fly a drone.
We used a longtail boat from Koh Yao Noi for 800 baht per person, including a small picnic on the small island of Koh Pakbia. The boat picked us up from Klong Jark Beach in front of our hotel Cape Kudu, and the ride from Koh Yao Noi was smooth and only took about 20 mn.
We entered the first hong, which is a beautiful, very shallow bay without a beach (Hong means room in Thai, and if you explore Phang Nga Bay, you will hear the word Hong very frequently because here, it refers to an enclosed lagoon, usually accessible via a narrow passage) and gently glided around to enjoy the beauty. Because the entrance is very narrow, it can get quite busy and messy with boats trying to get in and out safely.
We soon moved to the main beach of Koh Hong, and things got really busy there. We had to pay 60 baht for Thai nationals and 300 baht for foreigners to our pilot so he could handle the fee to the park’s official staff, drop us on the long floating pier and move away fast to give access to the next boat. We had to walk a long, busy, floating bouncy pier and were glad to reach the stable beach.
Despite the many boats parked nearby, the two beaches were not as busy as we thought, but don’t expect a deserted spot as it often appears on Instagram photos! The beaches are wide, and the sand is incredibly white, one of the smoothest we have seen. The high limestone cliffs surrounding the two bays add a fantastic touch to the atmosphere, and the place truly gives a majestic impression. The water is warm, quiet and crystal clear, so don’t forget your swimsuits!
The viewpoint
If you are brave enough, and many visitors are, you can climb the stairs to Koh Hong Viewpoint. It’s challenging, but the view from up there is worth the effort. You will appreciate a grandiose panorama with many limestone cliffs emerging vertically from the sea.
We spent a couple of hours swimming and exploring Koh Hong; it was time for lunch. Our pilot took us to a small nearby island called Koh Pakbia, where we unfolded a beach mattress and ate our modest lunch; nothing exceptional, but the place was beautiful.
Once our picnic finished, it was time to head back to our hotel, but due to the low tide, we were dropped off at a different beach where a pickup truck was waiting for us.
Overall, Koh Hong was a lot busier than we expected it to be, mostly with tourists staying in the nearby Krabi, but it is a beauty to visit at least once in a lifetime.
Popular Ways to Visit Koh Hong
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Map of Koh Hong
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