The big one
Private or shared boat in Krabi? The decision that changes the day
Of everything on this site, this is the choice that most often separates a day people describe as the best of their trip from one they describe as fine. It is not about luxury. It is about who decides when you leave each beach.
Quick answer
A private longtail in Krabi costs $105 for the boat; a shared seat starts at $53. On a shared trip you are one of fifteen to twenty people on a fixed circuit with a fixed time at each stop. On a private one, the driver works to your day and to the tide — which is the difference that shows up in the reviews.
The two ways to do it
- Private longtail
- $105the boat is yours, 1,446 reviews
- Luxury private longtail
- $213shade and cushions, rated 4.8
- Semi-private long tail
- $341a small group, rated 4.8
- Cheapest shared seat
- $53seven islands, sunset
- People on a shared boat
- Often 15–20and a fixed schedule
- Who sets the order
- You, on a private boatthe timetable, on a shared one
- The tide
- Only a private boat can follow itand the sandbar needs low water
- Cost split by two
- Close to two shared ticketson some trips
- Cost split by four
- Usually cheaperthan four shared tickets
- Free cancellation
- Bothup to 24 hours before
What a private boat actually gives you
Four things, none of which is luxury
These are the differences people describe afterwards, in roughly the order they mention them.
- The tide
The sandbar between Tup and Mor only appears at low water. A private driver builds the day around the tide table; a shared boat runs its circuit regardless.
- Time at each stop
Forty minutes at Poda is either generous or cruel depending on what you are doing. On your own boat you say when to go.
- Where you swim
Shared boats anchor where the fleet anchors. A private one will move a hundred metres to the quiet end of the same beach.
- Not being on a boat with strangers
Fifteen to twenty people is the normal load, and the single most common complaint in reviews of shared trips in this area.
When a shared boat is the right answer
It often is
Shared for solo travellers and tight budgets; private for any group of three or more.
If you are on a budget, take the shared trip and enjoy it. The seven-island sunset run at $53 is a genuinely good evening: seven stops, a barbecue and a plankton swim for less than a third of a private boat.
If you are travelling alone, the arithmetic is brutal. A private boat costs the same whether one person or six are on it.
If you want the middle ground, take the semi-private long tail at $341. A small group rather than a full boat, rated 4.8 across 99 reviews.
And if there are four or more of you, stop reading and book private. At $105 for the boat, four people pay less each than four shared tickets on most of the day trips here.
Common questions
Private or shared, answered
Is a private boat worth it in Krabi?
For groups of two or more, usually yes. A private longtail is $105 for the boat, and it carries 1,446 reviews — more than anything else on this page.
How many people are on a shared island hopping boat?
Commonly fifteen to twenty, on a fixed circuit with a set time at each stop.
What is a semi-private tour?
A small group rather than a full boat. The semi-private long tail here is $341 and rated 4.8 across 99 reviews.
Does a private boat cost more per person?
It depends on the group. Priced for the boat, it works out close to shared tickets for two people and cheaper for four or more.
Can a private boat change the itinerary?
Yes, and that is the main reason to book one — particularly so you reach the sandbar at Tup when the tide is actually low.
Is a shared trip bad?
No. The cheapest shared trip here carries 287 reviews at 4.4. It is a good evening; it is just someone else’s schedule.
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.
