About a third of the messages we get from prospective riders start with: "We were thinking of doing a longtail boat tour instead of jet ski. Is that better?"
The honest answer is — it depends. We run jet ski tours, but we also have longtail partners on Phang Nga Bay, and we send people to them when the jet ski isn't the right call. Here's the honest comparison.
Pick the longtail if…
- You're travelling with anyone over 65 or with mobility issues. Jet skis demand balance and upper-body engagement for 4 hours. Longtails are a chair.
- You're a group of 5+ who all want to be together the whole time. Jet skis seat 2. Longtails seat 8–12.
- You want to see James Bond Island, Phi Phi, or Hong Bay. These are 90+ minute rides from Phuket — too far for jet ski day trips. Longtails do them comfortably.
- You want to relax, not concentrate. Operating a jet ski for 4 hours is mildly tiring. A longtail is napping with a view.
- You're motion-sick prone. Counter-intuitive, but longtails feel more stable. Jet skis chop more, especially after 11 AM.
Pick the jet ski if…
- You're under 60, want a bit of adrenaline, and don't get seasick. Jet ski tours are physical. They reward physical engagement.
- You're a couple or a friend duo. 2-per-machine is the perfect pillion configuration. Swap driver halfway through.
- You want to actually beach at the small islands. Longtails moor 20m off the beach; you wade in. Jet skis ride straight onto sand.
- You want to be at Monkey Island, not across from it. Most longtail Phang Nga tours stop at the photo viewpoint across the channel from Monkey Island. Jet skis beach AT the colony.
- You have one day in Phuket. A jet ski tour is 8 hours hotel-to-hotel. A longtail Phang Nga tour is 11 hours.
Longtails are for arriving comfortably. Jet skis are for getting there yourself. Neither is universally better — they're for different days.
The price gap (not what you'd expect)
The reflex assumption is that longtails are cheaper. They're not — at least not when comparing like-for-like.
A guided 4-hour Phang Nga Bay longtail trip with lunch is around ฿4,500/person. A guided 4-hour jet ski tour with lunch is ฿6,500/jetski — for 2 riders. That works out to ฿3,250/person if you split it.
The jet ski is cheaper per head for couples and pairs. The longtail is cheaper per head for groups of 5+.
What we'd recommend
If you have a 5-day Phuket trip, do both. Longtail on day 2 to see James Bond Island, Phi Phi, or the more famous spots. Jet ski on day 4 for the 9-Point or Monkey Island. The two trips complement each other — same general region, completely different experiences.
If you have one day, take the jet ski. Sorry, longtail operators we love. The story you'll tell back home is the jet ski one.
Want a longtail recommendation? Message us at +66 95 483 3119. We work with three operators — one we'd recommend for groups, one for couples, and one for the day you specifically want James Bond Island.
