Hong island, or Koh Hong, is one of the best islands in the Andaman Sea of Thailand. It has crystal clear water, white fine sand, and is surrounded by stunning limestone cliffs.
There are no accommodations on Hong islands, so the best way to visit the island is to take the boat trips, either long tail boats or speed boats, from nearby islands and regions such as Koh Yao Yai, Koh Yao Noi, Ao Nang/ Krabi, and Phuket.
I visited the most popular islands and places in South Thailand. I took day trips to Hong islands from Koh Yao Yai because it’s one of the region’s closest points to Hong islands that offer accommodations.
Koh Hong is the main and biggest island in the group of several islands of the Hong islands. When taking day trips to Hong island, most tours will take you to other islands in the group such as Koh Pakbia, Koh Lao Lading, and Koh Daeng.
In this travel guide about Hong island, I will show to you the location, how to get to, what to do, and where to stay close to Hong islands. Everything is based on my personal experiences.
Where is Hong island?
Koh Hong is an island of Krabi province in South Thailand. It’s part of Than Bok Khorani National Park in the Andaman Sea. The island is midway between Koh Yao Noi island and Tubkaek Beach – the mainland of Krabi.
Koh Hong is around 6km west of Tubkaek Beach, and 20km north west of Ao Nang in mainland Thailand. It takes around 30 minutes for a long tail boat ride from Tubkaek Beach to Koh Hong, and a one hour boat ride from Ao Nang to Koh Hong.
Koh Hong is also close to popular destinations such as Phuket island, Phang Nga Bay, Koh Yao Yai, and Koh Yao Noi. It’s 6km east of Koh Yao islands and around 30km east of Phuket.
The long tail boat ride from Koh Yao Yai/ Noi to Koh Hong is around 30 mins, and from Phuket is around an hour from Phuket on speed boat.
Overview of Koh Hong island
Koh Hong is a small island, approximately 930 m wide and 1.1 km long at its widest and longest points. The main attractions on the island are the 500 m long Koh Hong Beach on the east coast and the Hong Lagoon in the middle of the island, as well as the natural trail and the viewpoint next to the beach.
Koh Hong means “Room island” in Thai. Koh means “island” and Hong means “room”. The name refers to the hidden, room-like lagoon enclosed by towering cliffs at its center, accessible only by boat through a narrow opening passage.
Hong island is known for its white sandy beach, crystal clear emerald water, rocky mountain with plenty of greenery. Koh Hong main beach is packed with tropical fish swimming, where you can see the sea animals from above the water without using sterling equipment.
Popular activities at Hong island are swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, kayaking, taking leisure walks on the natural trail, and hiking to the viewpoint.
Entrance ticket and opening hour
The entrance ticket to Hong island is 300 Baht for adults and 100 Baht for children. When you take the private boats or guided tours, make sure to ask if it’s included in the entrance fee to the national park.
My organised boat trip from Koh Yao Yai to Koh Hong costs me 1700 baht including the entrance fee to the park and the lunch box. I shared the boat with 5 other people.
If you book a trip to Koh Hong from other popular destinations such as Ao Nang or Phuket, the price can be cheaper even though it’s further away than Koh Yao Yai/ Noi. I guess this is because Ao Nang and Phuket are more popular, with more tour agencies, so the prices are competitive.
Hong island opens everyday during daytime all year round. All tourists visit the island during daytime, and there are no overnight stays on the island.
My tour from Koh Yao Yai starts at 9am and finishes around 3.30pm. The tour had a good schedule allowing us to explore the Lagoon because it’s only accessible when the tide is high.
Best things to do at Kok Hong island
1. Koh Hong Beach
Koh Hong Beach is the main beach on Koh Hong island. The beach is around 500m long in total, and is located on the east coast of the island.
The southern side of the beach is home to the floating boat, the northern side of the beach is the View Point Hong Island. Running along the beach is a restaurant, cafe, and behind it is the natural trail.
The beach is crescent-shaped. The northern beach is around 180m long and the southern beach is around 320m long. They are separated by a small island in front of the beach.
The beach has crystal clean water, fine white sand and is surrounded by limestone cliffs, especially in the northern part of the beach. Most people swim and snorkel in the northern part of the beach, the southern is where long tail boats docks.
Due to its shallow and calm water, Koh Hong Beach is also a kid-friendly beach. You can see the fish swimming in the surface of the water, but make sure to follow the park’s rules and don’t feed them. I saw some people bringing bread to feed the fish to take photos of them.
There are plenty of natural shaded areas from trees along the shore, but no sunbeds, so it’s best to bring your own beach towers if you want to sunbathe or chill on the sand.
You can have stunning views of Koh Hong Beach with its crystal turquoise water, white sand, and lush greenery from the Koh Hong 360° Viewpoint.
2. Koh Hong Lagoon
This is a hidden lagoon (also known as Talay Nai) located in the middle of the island, encircled by the high limestone mountains. It’s around 20mm long and 200m width. There is only one narrow doorway to the lagoon, and it’s only accessible by long tail boats at high tide.
We visited the Lagoon as the last point in our trip to Koh Hong island, after exploring the main beach and the viewpoint. The lagoon is a good spot for swimming, snorkeling, and taking photos.
You can consider kayaking if it’s your thing. The distance from Koh Hong main beach to the lagoon is only around 1.5km.
3. Koh Hong Viewpoint
Koh Hong Viewpoint is a must see on Koh Hong island. It has breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea with striking limestone cliffs, Koh Hong main beach, and all the islands on Koh Hong Groups such as Koh Lao Lading, Koh Phak, Koh Ka Mit, and Koh Han Tu.
The train to Koh Hong Viewpoint is located at the northern end of Koh Hong Main Beach. There are signs everywhere along the beach showing you the direction to the viewpoint.
The trail to the viewpoint is around 240m long and 109 m above the sea. It takes 30-45 minutes depending on your fitness. It’s around 500 steps.
You need to climb the stairs, it has a steel/iron handrail, so it can support you along the way. There are 3 viewpoint platforms along the way before reaching the top of the hill.
I recommend wearing a good pair of closed-toe shoes and bringing the hat with you. The stairs are quite steep and the most challenging thing for me is the heat, so avoid barefoot, especially when the stairs are made from steel.
4. Koh Hong Natural Trail
The natural trail is located behind the main beach, and the cafe/ restaurant area. It’s linked the northern area of the beach and the trail head to the viewpoint with the southern part of the beach and the blue floating pier.
I recommend walking along the natural trail after exploring the viewpoint. The calm and quiet walk inside the thick forest helps to cool you down.
The trail is 700m long and flat, so you can leisurely walk for 10-15 minutes. There are some informational signs along the trail explaining about the caves, rocks and wildlife.
My order of exploring Hong island is to have lunch after arriving, get to the main beach, then walk up the viewpoint, get down to the beach to swim, and walk along the natural trail to head back to the pier.
5. Enjoy local Thai food, and drink at onsite restaurant and cafe
There is a small restaurant and a cafe located along Koh Hong main beach. You can order some simple Thai food, ice cream, as well as smoothies, and coffee.
The restaurant serves traditional Thai food such as fried rice, curry, rotti, or tommy soup. I took a guided tour that included lunch, so I didn’t have to order food from the restaurant. It was quite crowded and people were in the queue at the time of my visit.
The price is around 200 baht per dish. The fruit shake at the cafe is around 100 baht each.
6. Koh Lao Lading (Paradise Island)
Koh Lao Lading is one of the dozen of small islands around Hong island. It is one of the popular stops on the boat tours to Koh Hong island. This island is located around 3km north of Koh Hong island, around a 10 minutes boat ride.
Similar to all other islands in the Hong Islands, Koh Lao Lading has crystal clear water and beautiful surroundings, which are great for swimming, sunbathing, and taking photos.
The main beach on the island is around 60m long. To reach the beach, you walk though the 140m jungle path from the floating pier. There is a toilet and several benches along the way for resting.
7. Rai Island
Rai island is a small island located 5km north of Hong island. It’s a popular stop when taking guided boat tours from Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai to Hong island. When I took the boat from Koh Yao Yai, my boat stopped here for us to swim.
Rai island is located next to Ko Pakbia. Our boat driver gave us two options which included the big, more popular beach at Ko Pakbia and the smaller, quieter boats at Rai island. We chose to stop at Rai Island.
Rai island has beautiful beaches and stunning views of the limestone cliffs. I prefer exploring the small beach behind the main beach where the boats are docked. It has clean water, white sand, and a more secluded atmosphere.
8. Ko Pakbia
Ko Pakbia is a popular stop on the boat tour to Koh Hong island. It’s right next to Rai island, and is around 5km north of Hong island. It’s more popular than the nearby Rai island, so it can be very crowded.
The island has a 80m sand bank at low tide, connecting the island to nearby small island. Like all other beaches in the Hong island group, it’s a good stop for swimming and snorkeling.
9. Koh Han Tu
Koh Han Tu is a small island in the Hong island group. It’s very close to Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi, so if you take boat tours to Koh Hong island from these islands, these are usually the first stop along the way.
Koh Han Tu has rocky shores and limestone formations. We just had a quick stop there to take photos with the cave on the boats.
10. Koh Pak Ka
Koh Pak Ka is located right next to Koh Lao Lading, around 3km north of Koh Hong island. The limestone island has a rocky shore and our boat drive lets us stop here for snorkeling. This is our last destination before heading to the main Hong island.
Some of us went snorkeling while the others chilled on the boats, enjoying the views, and eating the fruits that the tour agent had packed for us as a snack.
11. Koh Nok
Koh Nok is a popular stop if you are taking a boat trip from Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai to Hong island. This was our last trip before heading back to Chong Lard Pier on Koh Yao Yai.
The beach on Koh Nok is not as stunning as the ones on Hong islands, but it’s good to have a stop and rest. The highlight of Koh Nok is the steep hiking and climbing to the top of the island.
I like hiking, so it was a plus for me during the trip. Other people didn’t do it and just waited at the beach while some of us climbed. The viewpoint is not as spectacular as the one in Hong island, but again it’s the journey to the top that makes hiking enthusiastic.
The hike is around 15 minutes. And from the top, you can look down the KOh Nok beach, the nearby Koh Yao Yai, Koh Yao Noi, and many other limestone islands on the Andaman Sea.
How to get to Hong Island?
Hong island is a popular day trip in the Andaman Sea. You can easily take a boat trip (long tail boats or speed boats) from surrounding islands and areas such as Phuket, Koh Yao Yai/ Noi, Railay, Ao Nang/ Krabi, or other beaches on mainland Krabi such as Tubkaek Beach.
Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi to Hong island
I stayed on Koh Yao Yai, and took a boat trip from this island to Hong island. I booked the tour from my hotel’s owner. I found that it’s easy to just ask the hotel to organise that for you.
I paid 1700 baht for the trip. It started from 9am to around 3pm. My boat has five people including the boat drivers. It includes pick up and drop off between the pier and the hotel.
Our journey started from Chong Lard pier, taking photos with the cave at Koh Han Tu, swimming at Rai island, snorkeling at Koh Pak Ka, exploring the main Hong island, and ending the trip at Koh Nok.
From Ao Nang/ Krabi to Hong island
I stayed in Ao Nang, but didn’t take a day trip to Hong islands from here. But it’s a popular destination for people who want to take boat trips to Hong island. The boat trip from Ao Nang to Hong island is around 45 minutes.
The boat ticket booths are scattered around the main beach, and you can easily book private boats and shared boats to this island.
The shared boat to Hong island from Ao Nang is around 300 baht per person, but you need to wait to wait until it’s full to board. You can consider renting a private boat tour, which is around 3000 baht for 6 hours. This is a good option if you have a group of friends.
From Tubkaek Beach, Krabi to Hong island
Tubkaek Beach is a luxury area to stay in the Krabi region. It’s located north of Ao Nang and is right next to the Dragon’s Crest (Ngon Nak Nature Trail). It’s a good base for those who want luxury and quiet holidays.
Hong island is located right in front of Tubkaek Beach, around 7km away. You can take long tail bait from the beach to Hong island for 2500 baht for a private boat. You need to pay a separate 300 baht entrance ticket to the national park. The ride is around 40 minutes.
From Phuket to Hong islands
Popular day trips from Phuket are to Jame Bonds island and Phi Phi islands, but you can also consider taking the boat trips to Hong island. If you take a day trip from Phuket, it’s usually speed boats because it’s located further away compared to other areas in the region.
The best way to get from Phuket to Hong islands is to book guided tours, so they can handle pick up and drop off between the hotels and the pier. It’s a big island, so you can avoid the hustle of traveling from and to the pier. The tour is around 7-8 hours.
Best Month to visit Hong island
The best month to visit Hong island is in the dry season, which is from November to April. This season offers calm sea, and hot weather which is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling.
I visited Hong island in mid January, the weather was perfect for water activities. It was a bit hot when hiking up to the top of the viewpoint of Hong island, but it has stunning views with clear sky.
If you travel to Hong island in the rainy season, which is typically from may to october, you may find the cheap deal for boat tours and less tourist crowds, but there is a risk of canceling due to rough seas.
Where to stay near Hong islands?
There are no accommodations right on Hong islands. If you want to stay near Hong islands for an easy day trip, I recommend staying in nearby popular areas such as Ao Nang/ Krabi, Tubkaek Beach, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai.
1. Ao Nang
Ao Nang is the most popular area to stay near Hong islands. It’s a famous tourist town in Krabi province and is a great base to do island hopping. From Ao Nang, you can easily take boat trips to dozens of islands in the Andaman Sea such as Hong island, Koh Phi Phi, the Four islands, Railay, and Tonsai Beach.
Ao Nang also has a lively nightlife scene with plenty of bars and restaurants along the main road. There are also many shopping opportunities at the local markets and independent shops.
From Ao Nang, you can easily explore cultural attractions and mainland attractions such as the Tiger Cave temple, Hot Spring, and Krabi Town with its authentic markets and local atmosphere.
Ao Nang has dozens of tour agencies along the main road, so you can easily book guided tours to Hong island. If you don’t want shared tours, you can just walk to the main beach, and book directly with the long tail boat company to get private boats to Hong island.
Best Hotels in Ao Nang:
- Luxury: Anana Ecological Resort
- Mid-range: Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort
- Budget: Phu Pha Aonang Resort
2. Tubkaek Beach
Tubkaek Beach is the mainland beach of Krabi province, located north of Ao Nang and very close to Hong island. This beach is quieter than Ao Nang, making it an ideal base for those who want a peaceful atmosphere. Additionally, this area has many luxury resorts, ideal for luxury travelers.
Tubkaek Beach is right next to Dragon’s Crest (Ngon Nak Nature Trail), which is a great hiking destination in the area. It’s also a good base to explore viewpoints and beaches on Phang Nga Bay.
Best hotels in Tubkaek Beach:
3. Koh Yao Noi
Koh Yao Noi is a small remote island located between Phuket and Hong island. This island is still a lesser-known destination in Thailand, which is perfect for those who want to escape from tourist crowds.
Koh Yao Noi is littler more developed then its sister island, Koh Yao Yai. You can find more restaurants, luxury resorts, but still a secluded atmosphere.
From Koh Yao Noi. which is just 6km west of Hong island, you can easily rent a long tail boat or take a guided tour to get to Hong island. The tour often includes a visit to the near Nok island, which the tour from Ao Nang and Krabi does not offer.
Best Hotels in Koh Yao Noi:
- Luxury: Six Senses Yao Noi
- Mid-range: Laguna Villas Boutique Hotel
- Budget: Bang Mee Homestay Koh Yao Noi
4. Koh Yao Yai
Koh Yao Yai is the bigger sister of Koh Yao Noi, located south of Koh Yao Noi. This island has a bigger size and more remote atmosphere compared to Yao Noi island. I stayed here and took a day trip to Hong island by booking a tour with my hotel.
Similar to Koh Yao Noi, Yao Yai is a great destination for those who want to experience the authentic side of the island of Thailand, and have yet to be covered by mass tourism.
Best Hotels in Koh Yao Yai:
- Luxury: Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort
- Mid-range: Yao Yai Beach Resort
- Budget: Better View Koh Yao Yai
Facilities on Hong island
There is a 100m long blue floating pier at the southern part of Koh Hong Main Beach. Most boats arriving and departing to/ from Hong island use this pier. Each boat has its unique number, so remember your boat number to get back when fishing exploring the island.
When you get off the pier, you’ll see signs to a Natural trail, a restaurant/ cafe, visitor center, and the viewpoint. They are all located along the Main beach. There are public toilets on the island and it’s a good idea to bring your own small hand/toilet paper with you.
There are no other tourist facilities such as accommodations and camping sites for visitors on Koh Hong. Most tourists visit Hong island on a day trip.
Hong islands are well worth destinations in Thailand. It has picture-perfect beaches and scenery where you can swim, snorkel, hike, and enjoy the stunning views of the Andaman Sea. Don’t miss it out while you’re staying in nearby places such as Ao Nang/ Krabi, Phuket, or Koh Yao islands.