A long-tail boat is the narrow wooden boat with a car or truck engine mounted on a long pole at the stern, and it is how you reach many Thai beaches and small islands. You either buy a seat on a shared boat at a fixed price, or hire the whole boat with its driver for a trip you agree in advance.
Long-tails are cheap, they can land on a beach with no pier, and on calm water they are one of the pleasures of a trip to the south. They are also small, open and loud, and they do badly in rough seas. This page explains how the two ways of using them work, how to agree a price that both sides are happy with, and what the Marine Department expects of the boat and of you. Fares on specific routes belong to the destination guides, which we link where they fit.
Long-tail boats at a glance
- Used for
- Beach-to-beach hops, short island trips, transfers between a ferry and the shore, lake and river trips
- Two ways to ride
- A seat on a shared boat (fixed fare) or the whole boat on private hire (agreed price)
- Payment
- Cash in baht, in our experience nearly always
- Safety equipment
- Life jackets, lifebuoys and fire equipment must be on board (Marine Department)
- Capacity
- Set by each boat's license; the permitted number must be displayed
- Park fees
- Charged separately where a trip enters a national park
What makes a long-tail different from other boats
The name comes from the drive shaft. The driver stands or sits at the back holding a long pole with the propeller at its end, and steers by swinging the whole engine and shaft from side to side. The boat can run in very shallow water and come straight up to the sand, which is why it is still the standard transport at places like Railay, Phi Phi Don, where there are no cars, and the Trang islands. Inland, long-tails also carry visitors across the lake at Khao Sok.
The other side of this design is that the propeller spins openly behind the boat, often just below the surface, and the engine is loud. Most long-tails have a simple canvas roof and wooden benches or cushions laid across the hull. You will feel every wave. On a calm morning that is part of the fun; in a strong wind it is uncomfortable and wet. For longer crossings, the speedboats that run to the islands and the larger ferries are faster and more stable.
Shared boats: buying a seat at a fixed fare
On busy short routes, long-tails work like a shuttle. You buy a ticket from a booth or a counter run by the local boat cooperative or club, the price is the same for everyone, and the boat leaves when enough passengers have bought tickets. The Ao Nang to Railay route is the best-known example; our Railay Beach guide explains how its booth works and what it charged in October 2026.
The rules for shared boats are simple. Buy only at the official booth or counter, check the price on the posted board before you pay, and keep your ticket, especially if it is a return. On some routes the fare is higher after dark, and on a quiet day you can usually pay for the empty seats if you do not want to wait.
The board at the booth is the price. On a shared route there is nothing to bargain about. If someone on the beach offers a cheaper or faster seat, compare it with the posted fare first, and ask who will bring you back.
Private hire: chartering the whole boat
For your own trip, such as a day around nearby islands or a ride to a beach that has no shared boat, you hire the boat and the driver together. On the beaches of Krabi, Phi Phi and Koh Lipe there are often stands where drivers wait, and some places have a counter with prices for standard trips. Hotels and guesthouses can also book a boat for you, which means someone you know can vouch for the driver.
A private long-tail is often good value for a family or a group of friends, because the price is per boat, not per person. It also lets you choose the order of the stops and leave the busiest beaches before the tour boats arrive. For the classic Krabi day trips and how a long-tail compares with a speedboat tour there, see our guide to Krabi island tours.
Agreeing the price and the plan before you step in
Most disputes come from something that was not said at the start. Agree these points with the driver, or at the counter, before you leave the beach:
- The price, and whether it is per boat or per person. Say the figure back so you both hear it.
- The stops and the time. List the beaches or islands and how long you stay at each, and the time you will be back.
- Waiting and return. On a one-way drop at a remote beach, agree the pick-up time and place, and take the driver's phone number.
- Park fees. Ask whether national park fees are included or paid by you, and where (see below).
- When you pay. Paying at the end, or half at the start and half at the end, is reasonable for a day trip.
Bargaining is normal for private hire where there is no posted price, but keep it polite and modest. A useful way to judge a fair price is to ask two or three drivers, or the hotel reception, for the same trip; if one quote is far below the others, ask what is missing. Bring enough small notes, because drivers rarely have change for a 1,000-baht note. Our guide to dual pricing in Thailand explains why visitors are sometimes quoted more than locals, and when that is fair.
No price is cheap if the boat is overloaded. Every passenger boat must display how many people it may carry. If the driver tries to fit more people in than the sign allows, or the sea is rough and he wants to go anyway, wait for another boat.
What the Marine Department requires on board
Thailand's Marine Department sets the safety rules for passenger boats, and in its November 2025 high-season measures it repeated the main ones. Boat owners and operators must keep life jackets, buoyant seat cushions, lifebuoys and fire equipment on board and ready for immediate use. Every passenger boat must show the number of passengers it is permitted to carry in a place where it can be clearly seen, and carrying more than the license allows is strictly prohibited.
Operators must not sail in strong wind and high waves, and the person driving the boat must not drink alcohol. Piers must have at least four lifebuoys and a 25-meter line. The department also campaigns for passengers to wear their life jackets. We could not find a published rule that fines a passenger for not wearing one on a small boat, but that is not the point: put it on and do it up, and ask for children's sizes before you leave.
Thai law also bans smoking on all public transport, boats included, and since May 2026 alcohol sales have been banned on scheduled passenger boats and at piers. If a tour operator offers beer on a long-tail, that is the operator's problem, not a reason to drink on a moving open boat.
Staying safe on the water
Advice from Thai disaster and marine officials for small boats is practical. Sit still and keep your weight low and in the middle. Do not sit or stand on the bow, the side rails or the roof, however good the photo would be. If someone falls overboard, shout which side they fell from so the driver can turn the propeller away from them.
- Keep clear of the stern. Never swim near the back of a long-tail whose engine is running, and wait until the driver has lifted the propeller before you get in or out there.
- Protect your things. Everything gets wet. Use a dry bag for phones and passports, and expect to wade when you board on a beach.
- Protect your ears and skin. The engines are very loud on longer rides, and there is little shade; earplugs, a hat and reef-safe sunscreen help. Several sunscreen ingredients are banned inside marine national parks; see our page on the sunscreen ban in Thai marine parks.
- Plan for the tide. At low tide some beaches can only be reached by wading a long way, and the driver may drop you farther out.
The UK Foreign Office warns that boats between the mainland and the islands have sunk or collided, and names overloading, poor maintenance and rough monsoon seas as the causes. A long-tail is the most exposed boat of all in those conditions.
Weather, the monsoon and when to say no
Long-tails are built for sheltered water. The UK Foreign Office says Thailand's rainy season generally runs from May to October, when the southwest monsoon makes the Andaman coast (Krabi, Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Lipe) rougher; on Koh Samui and in the south-east it usually runs from November to March. Our guide to the best time for the Thai islands compares both coasts.
Even in the dry season, an afternoon wind can make the return leg much rougher than the morning trip. If the waves are breaking over the bow, if the driver looks unsure, or if the boats from the main cooperative have stopped running, do not let anyone talk you into a private boat that will go anyway. A lost afternoon costs less than a capsized boat.
National park fees on long-tail trips
Many of the islands and bays that long-tails visit are inside national parks, and entering them costs a separate fee. The fee depends on the park's category, not on the boat or the island name; for example, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le are in the 400-baht band for foreign adults, while the Hong Islands, which belong to Than Bok Khorani National Park, cost 300 baht. How and where the fee is collected differs between parks, and some use electronic tickets, so ask the driver or the counter before you set off. Our page on Maya Bay explains how its e-ticket works with a private boat.
Keep the park receipt for the whole day; rangers may check it at the next stop. Some parks, or parts of them, close for months each year, and a long-tail driver cannot take you into a closed area legally, whatever he says.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a long-tail boat in Thailand?
It depends on the place, the length of the trip and the number of stops, and many routes have a posted board. We do not print one national price; check the destination guide or the counter on the beach, and compare two or three quotes for a private boat.
Do long-tail boats have life jackets?
They must. The Marine Department requires life jackets, buoyant cushions, lifebuoys and fire equipment on passenger boats, ready for use. If you cannot see any, ask before you leave, and choose another boat if there are none or none in children's sizes.
Can you bargain for a long-tail boat?
On shared routes with a ticket booth, no: the posted fare applies to everyone. For private hire without a posted price, polite bargaining is normal. Agree the price per boat, the stops, the return time and the park fees before you get in.
Are long-tail boats safe in the rainy season?
They are the most exposed boats in rough water. Operators must not sail in strong wind and high waves. If the regular boats have stopped running or the sea looks rough, wait. During the southwest monsoon, the Andaman coast is often too rough for long-tail trips.
Is a long-tail or a speedboat better for island trips?
A long-tail is better for short hops between nearby beaches and islands and for small groups who want their own plan. A speedboat suits longer distances, such as a day trip to islands far offshore, but is a harder ride in waves.
Sources
- Thansettakij – Marine Department water-safety measures for the high season (23 November 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Thai PBS – Boat passenger safety advice (2016) (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand: safety and security (checked October 2026)
- Nation Thailand – Alcohol ban at piers, on boats and in transport terminals (checked October 2026)