What makes Hong Islands different
The main draw is Hong Island's inner lagoon — a body of calm, shallow turquoise water almost entirely enclosed by limestone cliffs, reached by wading or a short walk through a break in the rock at low tide. It's a genuinely striking spot and, because it's a slightly longer boat ride than the standard 4 Island route, tends to be less crowded.
What's included on a typical tour
- Hong Island's lagoon and main beach
- Lading Island (Koh Pak Bia) — a sandbar beach good for swimming
- Sometimes Ko Roi or nearby smaller islets, depending on the operator
Getting there
Tours leave from Ao Nang or Nopparat Thara pier, around 45 minutes to an hour by speedboat or longer by longtail. Half-day and full-day options are both common; the national park entry fee (400 THB) applies here too, same as the 4 Island Tour.
Snorkelling and swimming
The lagoon itself is better suited to wading and photos than serious snorkelling — it's calm and shallow but doesn't have much reef. Better snorkelling is usually found around the outer edges of Hong Island and near Lading Island's sandbar, where operators typically build in a stop specifically for it.
Best time to go
Like the 4 Island Tour, most boats leave in a morning wave, so an early or afternoon departure — or a private longtail charter — gives a better chance of having the lagoon relatively quiet.