🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
What stands out about the Trang sea is that the islands are still quieter than Phuket and Krabi, the water is clear enough to see coral from the surface, and you can do it all as an easy day trip without sleeping on an island. The most popular tour is the 4 island package: the boat leaves the mainland in the morning, loops the Emerald Cave, Koh Kradan, Koh Cheuk and Koh Ma, then gets you back before evening. It's ideal if you only have a single day in Trang but still want to tick off all the sea highlights.
Check before you book
The fourth island on the tour isn't fixed. Some operators include Koh Ma, others swap in Koh Waen, Koh Ngai or Koh Ya depending on the swell and season. Before booking, ask exactly which island so it matches what you want to see, and confirm whether hotel transfers are included — plenty of operators charge for those separately.
The 4 islands, and what you'll find
Each of the four islands offers something different: Koh Mook is the hidden cave, Koh Kradan is the pretty beach, and Koh Cheuk and Koh Ma are the snorkeling spots. Listed in the order most boats stop at them.
Koh Mook — Emerald Cave
The highlight of the whole trip. You swim through a dark tunnel about 80 metres long to reach a hidden beach ringed by tall cliffs, open to the sky above, where the water glows emerald green — hence the name. You wear a life jacket and a guide leads you through holding a rope; it's easier to enter at low tide. There's almost nothing else like it anywhere.
Koh Kradan
A fine white-sand beach many call the prettiest in Trang, with clear water shading from green to blue that you can wade into the whole length of the beach. Shallow coral around the island makes for easy surface snorkeling. Most tours stop here for lunch and give you time to laze on the sand — it's where people take the most photos.
Koh Cheuk
The best snorkeling spot on the tour. The island itself is tiny and you can't land, but the water around it is full of colourful soft coral and schools of fish. It's fairly deep with a current, so the guide strings up a rope for you to hold. A good mid-route snorkel stop — weaker swimmers can just hold the rope and look down in comfort.
Koh Ma
A rocky island shaped a bit like a horse's head, with no beach to land on, but underwater there's boulder coral, soft coral, clusters of sea anemones and Nemo clownfish to see. It's the bonus snorkel stop before heading back to the mainland. Some tours swap this for Koh Waen or Koh Ngai depending on the swell, so confirm the name before booking.
Want more out of Trang? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
What a one-day tour looks like
Big-boat and speedboat tours follow a similar program — the difference is that the big boat is slower but steadier and cheaper, while the speedboat is faster and buys you more time in the water at each stop. Here's the typical schedule for a big boat leaving from Pak Meng.
Emerald Cave + 3 islands, big boat
Big boat or speedboat?
The big boat is comfortable, steady and cheaper, but takes longer to move between islands — good if you get seasick easily or you're travelling as a family. The speedboat is faster and gives you more time in the water at each stop, but it bounces more in rough swell and costs roughly 400–600 THB more. If you're short on time and want to tick everything off quickly, go with the speedboat.
How much does the 4 island tour cost?
Prices shift with the season, the boat type and the group size. These are the price ranges we actually saw from Trang operators in 2026 — use them to compare before booking, but confirm the exact figure with whoever you book through.
- Big boat, Thai rate — around ฿800–1,000/person, including lunch, drinking water, fruit, snorkeling gear and a guide. The starting price many operators use is ฿850
- Speedboat, Thai rate — around ฿1,200–1,500/person for adults; kids aged 4–11 are cheaper at around ฿1,200. Faster, with more time in the water
- Foreigner rate — usually adds about ฿400/person on top of the Thai rate (national park fee)
- Hotel transfer — some operators include it, others add around ฿200–300/person if you leave from Trang town
- Private longtail charter — for a small group of 1–4, chartering the whole boat runs around ฿3,900–4,500/boat; more freedom to roam but no shared guide
Straight talk
The prices posted online are usually the group-tour boat rate. If you turn up at the pier on the day, some operators won't take you or will charge more. Booking 1–2 days ahead is more reliable and usually gets you a better price. In high season the crowds build up and Koh Kradan and the Emerald Cave get packed — if you want to dodge the crowds, pick the operator with the earliest departure.
Which pier do you leave from, and how to get there
Most 4 island tours leave from one of two main piers, depending on which operator uses which one. Check with your tour which pier they use before you plan your own way there.
Pak Meng Pier (Sikao district)
The main pier most island tours use, right next to Pak Meng Beach with its view of the hill shaped like a reclining figure. It's about 40 km from Trang town, roughly an hour's drive, with parking and storage for around ฿100 a day. Most tours meet here around 09:00.
Khuan Tung Ku Pier (Kantang district)
Another pier some operators use, over on the Kantang side, about 45 km from Trang town via Highway 403, then 4008 and 4162. Some tours leave from here because it's closer to the southern island group. Check with whoever you book which pier they use.
If you're not driving yourself
A tour that includes hotel transfers is by far the easiest option — you don't have to find your own way to the pier, since Trang has no convenient public transport out there. If you book a tour without transfers, you'll need to rent a car or charter a van yourself, which is more hassle. We'd suggest picking a package that includes transfers from the start.
When to go, and when the boats don't run
The Trang sea has a closed season during the monsoon. If you're coming specifically for the islands, you need to pick the right window — otherwise you'll arrive to find the boats aren't running and waste the trip.
- November–April — clear water, calm seas and the most reliable boat departures. This is Trang's high season and the best time for island tours
- May–July — the rain starts but it's still doable, with moderate swell and tours still running. Prices are usually lower and it's less crowded
- August–September — monsoon swell is strong, some islands close, and the Emerald Cave usually shuts around September. Boats may not run depending on the weather, so it's best avoided if you want the sea
Packing for the tour
Wear your swimsuit from the hotel, since changing rooms on the islands are limited. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, a UV shirt and a waterproof pouch for your phone. If you have your own snorkel mask it'll fit better than the shared ones, and bring some cash for drinks or souvenirs on the islands, where a few spots don't take transfers.
Want a full Trang trip already mapped out day by day — islands on day one, dry land the next?
See the 2-day 1-night Trang plan →