The ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang runs 1h 30min on the direct Ao Nang Princess and Sea Tours scheduled ferries. Four operators cover the 42 km Andaman crossing with sailings between 09:00 and 15:30, the widest daily window of any Phi Phi outbound route.

This guide tests the direct ferry choice versus the Krabi Town transit option, the speedboat fare premium, and the Nopparat Thara Pier arrival math for travelers heading to Ao Nang Beach hotels or onward to Railay.

Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang at a glance

OperatorDeparturesDurationTypeFrom (one-way)Book
Ao Nang Princess Fastest 09:00 1h 30min Scheduled ferry (Nopparat Thara direct) $13-22 Check availability
Sea Tours 09:00, 13:30, 15:30 1h 30min Scheduled ferry $15-25 Check availability
Andaman Wave Master 09:00, 13:30 1h 45min Scheduled ferry (via Klong Jilad) $14-23 Check availability
Green Planet Speedboat 10:30, 14:00 45 min Speedboat (charter share) $35-55 Check availability
  • Green Planet Speedboat duration: 45 minutes (fastest, charter share)
  • Ao Nang Princess duration: 1h 30min direct
  • Sea Tours duration: 1h 30min direct
  • Andaman Wave Master duration: 1h 45min via Klong Jilad Pier
  • Ao Nang Princess fare: $13 to $22 one way foot-passenger
  • Andaman Wave Master fare: $14 to $23 one way
  • Sea Tours fare: $15 to $25 one way
  • Green Planet speedboat fare: $35 to $55 one way
  • Daily sailings combined: 4 to 7 across all operators
  • First sailing: 09:00 from Tonsai Pier (multi-operator)
  • Last sailing: 15:30 from Tonsai Pier (Sea Tours)
  • Daily window: 09:00 to 15:30 (6.5 hours)
  • Distance: 42 km across the Andaman Sea
  • Origin pier: Tonsai Pier on Koh Phi Phi Don, walking distance to Tonsai Village
  • Destination pier: Nopparat Thara Pier on the western edge of Ao Nang

Four operators on the route and the direct-versus-transit choice

Four companies run service on the Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang route. Two run direct scheduled ferries straight to Nopparat Thara Pier. One stops at Klong Jilad Pier for Krabi Town first. One runs a charter-share speedboat. Operator choice resolves on schedule fit and whether a Krabi Town stop adds value.

Ao Nang Princess, the direct scheduled ferry

Ao Nang Princess runs a single 09:00 daily sailing from Tonsai Pier direct to Nopparat Thara. Crossing time is 1h 30min. Foot-passenger fare runs $13 to $22 one way, the cheapest of the direct options. The 10:30 Nopparat Thara arrival pairs well with a tuk-tuk transfer to Ao Nang hotels for an 11:00 check-in.

Sea Tours, the schedule depth option

Sea Tours runs three daily sailings at 09:00, 13:30, and 15:30. Crossing time is 1h 30min direct. Foot-passenger fare runs $15 to $25 one way. The 13:30 and 15:30 sailings are the only afternoon options on the route, useful for travelers who want a final Phi Phi morning before moving on.

Andaman Wave Master, the Krabi Town transit option

AWM runs 09:00 and 13:30 sailings on a 1h 45min route that stops at Klong Jilad Pier for Krabi Town before continuing to Nopparat Thara. Foot-passenger fare runs $14 to $23 one way. The Klong Jilad stop is useful for travelers wanting to see Krabi Town first, with the option to disembark there and continue to Ao Nang by songthaew (THB 50, 30 minutes).

Green Planet Speedboat, the speedboat charter share option

Green Planet runs 10:30 and 14:00 charter-share speedboats. Crossing time is 45 minutes, half the scheduled ferry duration. Foot-passenger fare runs $35 to $55 one way.

The 45-min speed advantage rarely justifies the fare premium for foot passengers. Speedboat charters work for groups of 4+ where the per-person cost drops, or for travelers with same-day Krabi Airport connections needing the buffer time.

Nopparat Thara Beach in Krabi the long sandy bay next to the Ao Nang ferry pier
Nopparat Thara Beach next to the ferry pier west of Ao Nang. The pier sits 2 km from Ao Nang main beach hotels and 4 km from the Ao Nang Beach longtail boat point for Railay. Photo: kallerna (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).

The widest window in the Andaman ferry network

The Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang route has the most generous daily schedule of any Phi Phi outbound. The 09:00 to 15:30 window covers 6.5 hours, beating the Phi Phi to Lanta midday-only window (4 hours) and the Phi Phi to Phuket morning-loaded window (5 hours).

This matters for travelers building flexible Phi Phi itineraries. The 15:30 last sailing means a full final morning and lunch on Phi Phi Don is possible before leaving. The 13:30 mid-afternoon sailing covers travelers who want a morning Phi Phi Leh tour and afternoon mainland arrival.

Arrival at Nopparat Thara and the Ao Nang transfer math

Nopparat Thara Pier sits on the western edge of Ao Nang Beach, 2 km west of the Ao Nang main hotel strip. The transfer to Ao Nang town center runs by tuk-tuk or songthaew.

  • Nopparat Thara to Ao Nang Beach: 2 km, 10 min tuk-tuk$0 50 to 100 per person
  • Nopparat Thara to Railay (via Ao Nang Beach longtail): Walk to Ao Nang Beach 15 min + longtail boat THB 100, 15 minutes
  • Nopparat Thara to Krabi Town: 30 km, 40 min taxi$0 600 to 800
  • Nopparat Thara to Krabi Airport (KBV): 30 km, 35 min taxi$0 700 to 900

For travelers booking Krabi area hotels, the Nopparat Thara arrival is closer to Ao Nang beach hotels than Klong Jilad Pier is. The Krabi Town airport bus departs Klong Jilad, so airport-bound travelers should take the AWM via-Klong-Jilad sailing and disembark there.

Best booking window and the Andaman island-hop sequencing

The route prices on lead time and season. Ao Nang Princess and Sea Tours sell out 1 to 3 days ahead in high season. Walk-up booking works at Tonsai Pier most days outside Christmas and Chinese New Year.

For travelers building a multi-island Andaman trip, the Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry is the natural mainland exit before continuing north to Bangkok or east to Khao Sok. Combine with Phi Phi to Lanta for the island-hop, then loop back via this route.

For travelers wanting both Krabi Town and Ao Nang, the Phi Phi to Krabi ferry reverse-engineering works. Arrive Klong Jilad and spend a day in Krabi Town. Then take the Krabi Town to Ao Nang songthaew (THB 50, 30 min).

For the most current 2026 schedules, check current Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry schedules across all four operators.

Frequently asked questions about Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang

How long does the Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry take?
1h 30min on Ao Nang Princess and Sea Tours direct scheduled ferries. 1h 45min on Andaman Wave Master via Klong Jilad Pier. 45 minutes on Green Planet speedboat charter. The crossing covers 42 km of the Andaman Sea between Tonsai Pier and Nopparat Thara Pier.
How much does the Koh Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry cost?
Ao Nang Princess runs $13 to $22 one way, the cheapest. AWM via Krabi Town runs $14 to $23. Sea Tours runs $15 to $25. Green Planet speedboat runs $35 to $55.
When is the first Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry?
09:00 from Tonsai Pier on Ao Nang Princess, Sea Tours, and AWM. The 09:00 arrival at Nopparat Thara lands by 10:30 to 10:45, the right window for hotel check-in by 11:00.
When is the last Phi Phi to Ao Nang ferry?
15:30 from Tonsai Pier on Sea Tours. This is the widest schedule window of any Phi Phi outbound route. Travelers missing the 15:30 must sleep on Phi Phi and catch the 09:00 next day.
Which is better, the direct ferry or AWM via Krabi Town?
Direct ferry if Ao Nang hotels are the destination. AWM via Klong Jilad if you want to see Krabi Town first or need the airport bus from Klong Jilad. The fare gap is $1 to $2 per ticket. Direct saves 15 minutes.
Is the speedboat worth the extra cost?
Rarely for solo or couple travelers. The $20+ fare premium for 45 min versus 1h 30min works out at $0.44 per minute saved. Speedboat charters make sense for groups of 4+ where the per-person fare drops, or for tight same-day flight connections from Krabi Airport.
How do I get from Nopparat Thara Pier to Ao Nang hotels?
Tuk-tuk or songthaew. The pier sits 2 km west of Ao Nang main beach hotels. Transfer runs THB 50 to 100 per person, 10 minutes. Walking is possible but adds 30 minutes with luggage.
Can I take the ferry to Railay Beach directly?
No direct ferry runs to Railay from Phi Phi. The route is Phi Phi to Ao Nang at Nopparat Thara, then walk 15 min to Ao Nang Beach and catch a longtail boat to Railay West (THB 100, 15 min).

Where to stay in Ao Nang after the ferry

Three SHA-certified picks across Ao Nang Beach, Nopparat Thara, and Klong Muang to anchor the first night on the Krabi mainland.

Rayavadee Krabi SHA Certified ★ 9.4

Rayavadee Krabi

From $507 Check rates
The Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort SHA Extra Plus ★ 9.1
Klong Muang

The Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort

From $176 Check rates
Sea Seeker Krabi Resort SHA Certified ★ 9.0
Ao Nang

Sea Seeker Krabi Resort

From $36 Check rates

For all 27 Thailand ferry routes plus operator reliability, seasonal cancellation patterns, and booking strategy, see our complete Thailand ferry guide.

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