Hong Island is a cluster of four limestone islands inside Mu Ko Lanta National Park, reached by a 20 to 30 minute speedboat ride from Ao Nang. The enclosed lagoon at its centre, ringed by sheer cliffs, is the main draw, along with the calm twin bay on the east side for kayaking. Because it's inside a national park, there's no accommodation on the island itself, so this is a day trip, not an overnight stop.
The island gets its name from the high cliffs or the eroded caves as they call it. These cliffs surround a large lagoon. One could even sit by the stunning bay and watch the beautiful tropical birds, the famous monitor lizards, and the northern white-cheeked gibbon.
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Best Time to Visit
The high season that lasts from November to March is the best time to visit Hong Island. During this time of the year, the weather is and the favourable average temperature is 2 degrees Celcius. You might, however, experience a few light showers in the month of November and March.
April and May can be the hottest months on the island with the temperatures ranging between 27 to 36 degrees Celcius. And, the short thundery showers during this period lead to higher temperatures and humidity. However, the Thai New Year in the month of April is a great time to interact with the locals and experience the culture.
The monsoons or as the tourists may call it the low season that starts in July lasts up to October. September and October happen to be the wettest months on the island. During this period most of the activities on the island are prohibited. But travelling to Hong island in June and July when the wet season has just commenced might not be such a bad idea. Also during these months, the tour rates are lower, you might even enjoy a few sunny days in between the showers.
Hong Island Tour
Generally, people prefer to visit Hong Island via a tour. There are a number of affordable tour packages available online to choose from. You get to choose your means of transport i.e via a speedboat or longtail boat. However, speed boat packages can a tad expensive than the long tail boat ones. Packages with snorkelling, canoeing or kayaking will provide you with all the gears and a guide too. Most of the packages include lunch, snacks and basic accident insurance. They, however, might not include the entry fees to the National Park where the island is located. Sightseeing and Jungle trek on the tour can be of great fun.
Snorkelling and Kayaking: Just like many other islands in Thailand Hong too is quite famous for snorkelling and kayaking. Most of the tours include these two activities while visiting the island. They will also provide you with the gear and safety instructor.
Tree Top Adventure Park: Visiting this place might be like a dream come true for those of you who love heights. This amazingly cool place is located in the middle of the forest where you could reach on bikes. At the Tree Top Adventure Park, you get to zipline from where you can see the scenic landscape of the island.
Discover the hidden Lagoon: This is the place from where that island gets its names. You can visit the lagoon in a boat but only during low tide. The lagoon is surrounded by high cliffs on all sides. You also get to kayak here if you wish to. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenic beauty of the island.
Source Play with the Elephants: You could visit the elephant sanctuary if the idea of being surrounded by elephants that left free to move around do not terrify you. You could watch the elephants play or even taking a bath with them if you wish so. This sanctuary is a great place to interact with elephants as they are at utmost ease here.
Luncheon in a Cove: Ko Lao La Ding might be just the place you are looking for to go on a romantic lunch date on an isolated island. The narrow sandy beach offers a magnificent view of the surrounding area. The two coves on the island have the most idyllic backdrop to send an entire afternoon.
Accommodation at Hong Islands
Hong Island is a part of the Krabi National Park, and hence, the island is uninhabited. Generally, most of the tourists visit this paradise of an island on a days tour via Krabi or Phuket. So, there aren’t any hotels or bungalows on the island and one might be compelled to stay in the nearby mainland of Krabi Province.
Places to Visit at Hong Islands
Pak Bai Island: Flooded with small but serene beaches, Pak Bai Island is a maze of caves that have eroded into cliffs by the sea. One part of the island has amazing coral reefs and shallow beach which is great for snorkelling and fishing. The part of the island where the boats drop you off has teal blue water with a white sandy beach where you could just relax and maybe swim around.
Lading Island: Earlier lading Island was a vital place from where the locals collected the ingredients for the bird’s nest soup, a famous delicacy all over Asia. However, now the island has become one of the most stunning and famous sights in the Province of Krabi. Not so for the lovely beach but tourists generally visit this place for its huge caves and rock formations.
Daeng Island: Daeng Island located nearly halfway from Ao Nang and Hong Island is popular amongst visitors for its beautiful coral reef. The depositions of the corals are such that during low tide you will be able to see it clearly from the surface of the water. This tiny scenic Island is a great location for snorkelling and spending a few hours away from any kind of chaos.
Tips
1. Since your visit to Hong island is going to be a one day trip you might want to carry all your essentials. Make sure to carry your swimwear, extra towels, a fresh pair of clothes and slippers. 2. You might want to carry snacks and fruits too in case your tour is only providing lunch since the island does not have any restaurants. 3. Apply a thick layer of sunscreen before leaving on your tour to Hong Island. You must also make sure to keep yourself well hydrated throughout your journey on the island to avoid getting dehydrated. 4. There are a lot many activities you have to do on the island so make sure you have rested well the night before.
How To Reach Hong Islands
You can get to Hong Island easily from most beaches surrounding Krabi and Phuket. It roughly takes 20 to 30 minutes in a speed boat and around 45 minutes in a long tail boat.
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