The boat
The Krabi longtail boat: why it is called that, and what it can do
The wooden boat with the car engine on a pivot and the propeller at the end of a two-metre shaft is the reason island hopping here works the way it does. It is slow, it is loud, and it can put its bow on a beach that has no pier.
Quick answer
A longtail boat is a wooden Thai boat with an engine mounted on a pivot and a propeller on the end of a long shaft — which is what gives it the name. The design is shallow-draught and can land directly on sand, which is why almost every island trip from Ao Nang starts on the beach rather than at a pier. A private one on this page costs $105.
The longtail, at a glance
- The name
- From the shaftthe propeller sits on a long pole
- Engine
- Usually a car or truck enginemounted on a pivot at the stern
- Steering
- By swinging the whole engineno rudder
- Draught
- Very shallowwhich is why it lands on sand
- Speed
- Slowabout a third of a speedboat
- Noise
- Considerablethe engine is uncovered
- Private, four islands
- $1054–6 hours, 1,446 reviews
- Private luxury version
- $213cushions, shade, rated 4.8
- Shade
- Partial at bestthis is the thing to plan for
- Range
- The near islandsnot Phi Phi or the Similans
What the design means for your day
Three practical consequences
Lands anywhere, slow, almost no shade, and loud at the stern.
It can land anywhere. No pier needed, at either end. That is why you board off the beach at Ao Nang and step onto sand at Poda. It also means wet feet, every time.
It is slow. A longtail covers roughly a third of what a speedboat does in the same hour. Perfect for four islands sitting close together; useless for Phi Phi.
There is very little shade. Most longtails have a partial canopy over the middle and nothing over the bow. On a six-hour trip in the Andaman sun that is the single biggest comfort factor, and the reason the luxury versions at $213 charge what they do — what you are buying is shade and cushions.
And it is loud. The engine sits uncovered at the stern. Conversation at the front of the boat is fine; at the back, less so.
Longtail or speedboat — the comparison in full, and when each one is right.
Longtail or speedboat→Common questions
The longtail, answered
Why is it called a longtail boat?
Because the propeller sits at the end of a long shaft running back from an engine mounted on a pivot at the stern. The whole assembly swings to steer.
How much is a private longtail in Krabi?
$105 for a four-to-six-hour island hopping trip with the boat to yourself, or $213 for a version with proper shade and cushions.
Can a longtail go to Phi Phi?
Not from Krabi. The crossing is about an hour of open water and needs a speedboat.
Is there shade on a longtail?
Partial at best — usually a canopy over the middle and nothing over the bow. Bring a hat and a long-sleeved top.
Are longtails safe in rough water?
They are designed for sheltered coastal water and operators do not run them when the sea is up. In monsoon months, trips are cancelled rather than pushed.
Why are longtails so loud?
The engine is uncovered and sits at the stern. The front of the boat is noticeably quieter than the back.
Go deeper
More on island hopping in Krabi
What it costs
From $53 to $611, plus the park fees nobody mentions.
The verdictWhich trip is best
All fourteen ranked, by islands rather than by number.
The classicThe four islands
Poda, Chicken, Tup and Mor, and the sandbar between them.
The lagoonThe Hong Islands
A separate group, and an almost enclosed lagoon.
SunsetThe sunset run
Seven islands, a barbecue, and a swim after dark.
Further outPhi Phi
An hour out by speedboat, and what the day costs.
