Krabi Best Tour

Krabi Best Tour has run private boat trips from its office on the Ao Nang beachfront since 1999. Everything is a charter, so the boat, the start time and the order of the islands are yours. The speedboat days pair the sights two at a time, James Bond Island with the Hong Islands, Hong with Koh Yao Yai, Hong with the Four Islands, or the Four Islands with Phi Phi, and the custom-fitted wooden longtails do the Hong Islands or the Four Islands at a slower pace.

A private boat makes the most sense for a family or a group of four or more, where the cost per head comes close to a shared tour and you skip the shared speedboats that carry 25 to 30. It also lets you reach the Tup sandbar at low tide and Phra Nang before the tour boats.

Prices aren't published, so ask for a quote at the office or by email, and check whether the national park fees are included before you agree a price. Google lists the office open daily from 08:00 to 23:00.