Poda Islands

Mu Koh Poda, best known to tourists as Four Islands, is an archipelago located approximately 8 kilometers south of Noppharat Thara Beach in Ao Nang, Krabi. The small group of semi-uninhabited islands is composed by Koh Poda, the largest of the group, Koh Kai, also called Koh Hua Khawan or Koh Poda Nok, Koh Mor, or Koh Mawr, and Koh Tup, also transcribed as Koh Tap, Koh Tub or Koh Thap. The small archipelago is under the protection of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, which also includes Ao Nang, Railay Bay and the Phi Phi Islands, and it is one of Krabi's most popular attractions, a favorite destination for the boat day trips from the mainland. Despite is the largest of whole archipelago, Koh Poda is a very small limestone island, just one kilometer in diameter, covered with palm trees and almost entirely surrounded by a white sandy beach soft as talcum. The surrounding shallow waters are an amazing turquoise color. Twenty meters from the beach, a pristine coral reef teeming with marine life encircled the entire island. Koh Poda's highlight is its northern tip, where a huge limestone monolith sits just offshore facing beach. This is also the best spot for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking along the island's coast. Unfortunately that's also the area where the boats moor, consequently this side of island is often crowded by tourists sit here to eat their lunch buffet. However, it is sufficient to move a little further south to find a stretch of sand more pleasant and quieter. In the middle of island, there is a small path that from the beach leading to the back where the only resort on the island is. Apart the Poda Island Resort the facilities on Koh Poda are rather limited, there are a National Park Rangers’ camp, a few toilettes, a bar restaurant and some kiosks, selling snack, Thai street food and drinks, in the area where the speedboats a long-tail boats moor. Koh Khai, which in Thai means Chicken Island, owes its name to a strange chicken-shaped limestone formation located on its southern tip. One other special feature of this tiny island is that it is possible to walk along a sandbar from its northern shore to the nearby Koh Mor and Kon Tup during low tide. Called Thale Weak by locals, meaning "separated sea", the 300-meter long sandbank is truly amazing, but often is overcrowded with boats and tourists. Koh Khai is surrounded by a white sand beach as Koh Poda, but largely covered by several scattered rocks and not particularly inviting. Despite this, or perhaps even for this particularity, the surrounding crystal clear waters hosts a stunning coral reef, which offers great snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities. There is no accommodation on the island, as well as on the two neighboring islands, apart from a small kiosk selling snacks and drinks. Koh Tup and Koh Mor are two very tiny islands, both just over a hundred meters in diameter, and even less distant from each other. The twin islands have no particular attractions beyond the sandbar that unites the three islands at low tide, but offer great opportunities for snorkelers lovers.
Getting there - Poda Islands are located approximately 8 kilometers south of Ao Nang. To get to archipelago you can hire a long-tail boat individually, or split the cost with other tourists, from Ao Nang Beach, Noppharat Thara Beach or Railay Bay. The one-way trip will last about 25 minutes. The daily rent is 4,500 THB and boat can take up to six people. The usual round trip by speedboat will cost more than double or triple, but the one-way trip will last only about 10 minutes. Alternatively, to get the islands you can buy a tour package all-inclusive organized by the various agencies in Ao Nang or Krabi. The majority of these tours include the transfer by song-thaew from your hotel in Krabi area, the roundtrip by long-tail or speedboat from Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang, the visit to all Poda Islands, lunch buffet, tropical fruit, drinking water, snorkeling equipment, tour guide and insurance. Prices of tours range from 600-900 THB, for long-tail boat ride, to 900-1,300 THB for the speedboat tour, depending on the company and the service provided. National Park entry fee is not included in the tours; it costs 400 THB for adults and 200 THB for children, free for child less than three years. There is also, in some cases, to pay a supplement of THB 100 per person for who stay in Krabi Town. Pick up from your hotel in Ao Nang is at about 08:30, 08:00 from Krabi, the boats depart at 09:00-09:30, and the return back to Ao Nang is around 15:00-17:00, depending on tour.Read More