Short answer
Poda Island is a small island about 8 km from Ao Nang, reached in roughly 25 minutes by longtail or speedboat, with a long, shallow white beach and a reef just offshore. It lies inside Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, and the landing fee is quoted at 200 baht per adult in a 2022 fee table and at 400 baht by two travel guides; on our tour it is 200 baht for an adult and 100 for a child, in cash. The beach is busiest from 10:00 to 14:00.
What Poda is and how far it is from Ao Nang
Poda is an island of 0.46 square kilometres, about 8 km from Ao Nang, according to Wikipedia. It belongs to the Poda group, the four islands that visitors call the 4 Islands: Poda, Kai (Chicken Island), Mo and Thap. Wikipedia says the group is administered by Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Thai Holiday Guide says boats take roughly 25 minutes each way from Ao Nang beach, by longtail or speedboat.
Nobody lives or stays on Poda. Phuket 101 says there is no accommodation on the island, though a beach vendor sells drinks and snacks. Wikivoyage describes the group as semi-uninhabited between Ao Nang or Railay and Phi Phi, but closer to Ao Nang, and says the only way to get there is by boat, with most departures from Ao Nang.
The beach: shallow, calm and good for a swim
Thai Holiday Guide describes a long crescent of fine white sand on the north side of the island, facing the mainland, with shallow water calm enough for casual swimming. A low limestone outcrop at one end is climbed for photographs, and a fringing reef sits just offshore in a few metres of water. Wikivoyage says the water is so clear that you can spot fish without snorkelling gear, and calls the beach excellent for swimming.
Wikivoyage also gives a useful tip: the northern tip is the most scenic part, but it is also where the boats stop and where tour groups eat their lunch boxes. A short walk south leads to a part of the island it calls far more pleasant and quieter. Thai Holiday Guide advises bringing your own mask if you have one, because rental gear from boat crews varies in quality.
The park fee: why you will see 200 and 400 baht
Poda is inside a national park, so a landing fee applies, and the amount depends on who you ask. A national park fee table that TrueID published in June 2022 places Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi in the group where foreign adults pay 200 baht and children 100. Thai Holiday Guide and Phuket 101, whose Poda page was updated in March 2025, both say 400 baht for foreign adults, and Thai Holiday Guide says 200 for children.
We could not find an official 2026 rate, so we do not state one. On our Krabi 4 Islands tour the operator collects 200 baht per adult and 100 per child, in cash at check-in; the Hong Islands day is 300 and 150. Thai Holiday Guide advises asking your operator whether the park fee is included, because some quote a boat-only price and collect the fee at the pier.
Crowds: the beach is busiest from 10:00 to 14:00
Thai Holiday Guide says most visitors arrive between 10:00 and 14:00 on four-island speedboat tours out of Ao Nang, so the beach fills with groups at midday and empties again by late afternoon. It adds that there is little natural shade beyond a handful of trees near the ranger post, so you may want your own shade if you stay more than an hour or two. Wikivoyage warns that in high season the islands are swarmed by visitors on longtails.
If crowds matter, the guide's tip is a private longtail leaving at about 07:30 to 08:00, which gives you the beach with only the boat crews and a few early groups. Our own Krabi 7 Islands sunset tour does the opposite: dinner on Poda is served on the beach at about 5:15 to 6:30 pm, after the day-trippers have mostly left, going by Thai Holiday Guide's note that the beach empties by late afternoon. We cannot promise an empty beach, but the timing helps.
Getting there: tours, longtails and what they cost
You can reach Poda in three ways. Thai Holiday Guide says a shared longtail seat costs roughly 300 baht return plus the park fee, a private longtail costs more but lets you set your own schedule, and speedboat four-island tours run 900 to 1,200 baht per person. Wikivoyage, whose notes are undated, says prices vary widely, from a few hundred baht on a crowded boat to as much as 5,000 baht for a private charter with a guide and a Thai meal.
Our Krabi 4 Islands speedboat tour is from $35 per person, with hotel pickup at about 7:30 to 8:40 am and the speedboat leaving the pier at about 9:00 am. It includes the guide, a light breakfast, a Thai picnic lunch on Poda, a mask, snorkel and life jacket, and accident insurance; fins are not provided. See our 4 Islands price guide for the full list.
The other three islands: Chicken Island, Tup and Mor
Poda is rarely the only stop. Wikivoyage says Ko Kai, Chicken Island, gets its name from a chicken-shaped limestone rock, and that at low tide you can walk from it to Ko Mo and Ko Thap. It calls the path picturesque but typically overcrowded, and says Ko Kai's beach is as long as Poda's but largely covered by rocks. Phuket 101 says Tup and Mor take about 30 minutes by boat from Ao Nang.
Tide decides what you see. On our tour the Tup sandbar appears at low tide, when you can walk across to Chicken Island; at high tide it is under water and you see it from the boat. Plan for either, and read our Krabi 4 Islands travel guide for the stops one by one.
Season, sea and what to bring
Thai Holiday Guide says November to April brings the calmest seas on this coast. On our tour, if the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it, and jellyfish appear in some seasons, when long swimwear and water shoes help. Our tour schedule covers the seasons in more detail, and Krabi in the rainy season explains what to expect from May to October.
Bring swimwear, a towel, water shoes, sunscreen, a hat, a dry bag and cash for the park fee. Fins are not provided on our tour. Our guide to reef-safe sunscreen in Thailand explains the rules for marine parks. The tour is not recommended for infants under 4, pregnant women or people with back or neck problems.
Practical checklist
- Ask whether the national park fee is included in any price you are quoted.
- Bring cash for the park fee: on our tour it is 200 baht per adult and 100 per child.
- Walk south along the beach for a quieter spot than the boat landing.
- Pack water shoes, a hat and your own mask if you have one, as shade is limited.
- Plan for either tide at the sandbar, as Tup is walkable only at low tide.
- Check the sea forecast and keep your dates flexible from May to October.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to get to Poda Island from Ao Nang?
About 25 minutes each way by longtail or speedboat, according to Thai Holiday Guide. Wikipedia puts the island about 8 km from Ao Nang.
Is there a fee to land on Poda Island?
Yes, because it is inside a national park. A 2022 fee table gives 200 baht for foreign adults, while two travel guides say 400. On our tour it is 200 baht per adult and 100 per child, in cash.
Can you stay overnight on Poda Island?
No. Phuket 101 says there is no accommodation on the island, though a beach vendor sells drinks and snacks during the day.
Is Poda good for swimming and snorkelling?
Yes. Thai Holiday Guide describes shallow, calm water on the main beach and a fringing reef just offshore, and Wikivoyage says the water is clear enough to see fish without gear.
When is Poda Island least crowded?
Thai Holiday Guide says the beach is busiest from 10:00 to 14:00 and empties by late afternoon. It suggests a private longtail leaving at about 07:30 to 08:00.
Which islands are in the 4 Islands group?
Wikipedia lists Ko Poda, Ko Kai (Chicken Island), Ko Mo and Ko Thap, all administered by Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.