This was a great tour. Paddle boarding was quite hard in the waves, maybe this should be stated as we had done paddle boarding before and did struggle with it. The tour guides were great and very helpful and made the tour fun. They made sure nobody was left behind and we felt very safe. The plankton and clear paddle boarding was very cool!
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Instructions
- Guide
- Paddleboard
- Life Jacket
Excludes
- Gratuities
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- We meet at our shop on the Railay Walking Street, halfway between Railay West Beach and Railay East Beach. We are a 2-5 minute walk up from either beach. Arrive 15 minutes before the activity start time to sign in and prepare yourself for the paddle. Railay is only accessible by longtail boat.
Return
- We meet at our shop on the Railay Walking Street, halfway between Railay West Beach and Railay East Beach. We are a 2-5 minute walk up from either beach. Arrive 15 minutes before the activity start time to sign in and prepare yourself for the paddle. Railay is only accessible by longtail boat.
Itinerary
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Experience the magic of bioluminescence on our Sunset Starlight Night Tour. Hi-tech LED lights and naturally occurring plankton illuminate the water below while the sunset and stars work their magic above. Our expertly guided tours are a truly unique, once in a lifetime, adventure. All ability levels are welcome on our Stand Up Paddleboard Bioluminescent Night Tour. We will spend 15 minutes instructing you on the beach in basic SUP techniques, followed by 15 minutes warming up and practicing in the water. After that, our tour departs along the coastline. We set off into the sunset and wait for darkness to fall. As the night arrives the Hi-tech LED lights under your board will illuminate the waters below. If we are lucky we'll have silverfish leaping from the water and friendly sea creatures making an appearance. The highlight is jumping in to swim with the bioluminescent plankton the thrive in these waters. The more you move the more the plankton will light up and shimmer all around you, it's truly incredible. Children: Little Freebirds 4-8 years old are happily welcomed to join our night tours, they must ride with a parent/guardian on the same SUP board or kayak. Please arrive 15 minutes early to our shop to sign in and prepare yourself for the paddle.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
We loved the guides but the bioluminescence was underwhelming. We expected something more spectacular than what we saw. Fortunately, we had a beautiful sunset though.
Great short trip at a beautiful spot near Krabi. The islands were beautiful, the lit up paddle boards were cool and the staff were great. Highly recommend the trip as it was a short boat ride from Aonang Beach and was only a couple hours out of the day. Well worth it
Such a unique and incredible experience!! The bioluminescent plankton were definitely the highlight, but we got to see other cool stuff too!! We got to swim through sea caves, explore the limestone cliffs and look at all the cool fish (& a jellyfish). The tour guides (I had Mina, Leem and Birk) were also amazing - super friendly and helpful during the whole tour!
A whole lot of fun! At first I was uneasy about paddling out on my own SUP with lightning in the distance and rocky waves - but joined with 3 experienced guides, they were very helpful. The kayaks struggled just as much, if not more with waves spilling into them - almost sinking one. The guides ensured the group stuck together, helped propel any struggling paddlers and scooped water out the back of the kayaks to prevent them from sinking. Overall, the bioluminescence was magical, fish were jumping all around our LED lit SUPs and kayaks. Made for a truly memorable experience. Thank you to the guides who kept our spirits up and looked after our safety despite a looming thunderstorm that night.
It was a 10/10 experience!!! Everyone needs to partake in this activity. The guide was wonderful and the gentleman who assisted him were so helpful. I ordered the paddle boards instead of the kayaks but the guides were so helpful while we were on the ocean to make sure that we were able to keep up since it was our first time on the paddle boards. This night was by far my best night in Thailand 😍
This experience exceded our expectations. We went on transparent stand-up paddleboards while almost everyone else was in transparent kayaks. The guides were helpful and swimming with the bioluminescent plankton was an amazing experience. Viewing the fish under our kayaks at night was amazing. This was one of the highlights of our vacation.
We had two hour night kayaking tour to see bioilluminisence. The guides are professional, cared all the parties specially the unexperienced one. One person accidently lost his cell phone near the cave. One of the guide dived and found it. We are happy he was able to retrieve his phone. The bioilluminsence is not as bright as the one I had seen at puerto Rico, but still amazing.
This was a 10/10 experience with Lam and his team. I had the time of my life. This added so much to my trip to Thailand and I highly recommend it to all travelers solo, couples and families. This was the experience of a lifetime! Thank you xoxo
Very cool tour on clear SUP with LED lights to light up the water. Amazing coral and silver fish which jump out of the water onto your board. Bioluminescent plankton is stunning - such a fantastic experience.
Really really fun! It was my first time paddle boarding and I felt very secure throughout. Lam and the other two guides were extremely nice and helped me a lot because I was by myself. It's great because you go at night and water never gets too deep. We saw jumping fish and bioluminescent plankton!
This is a fun way to get out on the water and see things from a different perspective. Some of the lights on the kayaks and boards broke but the tail end charlie headed back to shore and brought replacements and saved the day. We did it on paddle boards but in a bigger group of 8 kayaks and us 3 paddlers we often found ourselves being smashed into by novice paddlers knocking us off our boards so ended up knee paddling for most of it. If I did it again Id just go in a kayak. Once the lights were on fish kept jumping onto our boards or checking us out from underneath quite surreal. Saw quite a variety which was great and some very nice coral. Paddling through a cave was fun. Swishing the water we did see bioluminescence. Room for safety improvement. The guides weren't aware when one of us paddle boarders got knocked off our board in the dark (broken lights so wasn't seen) and this person got left behind. A guide calling out is everyone ok follow me doesn't really cut it n the dark as a group or individual check in. Maybe like we do in caving where it is dark and you cant always see everyone, give people numbers to call out so if a number is missing you know a guest is missing, take it a step further make it fun, teach them their number in Thai. Also no throw rescue line that I could see with the guide. Small improvements to an otherwise enjoyable night out on the water.
This was my second time taking this tour and it was every bit as amazing as it was the first time. The staff is incredibly kind and helpful. They will assure that you will stay safe and have a great time. The views leading up to sunset are stunning. As long as you research the ideal times to view the plankton (light pollution degrades the experience, so closest to a new moon phase would be ideal) you have a great chance of experiencing something truly unique. I highly recommend this tour if visiting Krabi.
This tour was amazing. You go out just as the sun sets over the beach. Lam was really friendly and took us through some caves. The lights on the paddle boards are beautiful! Plakton is amazing! A must do!
It was amazing ... more than worth the money! We got Lam as a guide and he did a super job : ) We got to see heaps of corals and also quite a few animals ... RECOMMENDED
This is one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I did the clear kayak and the paddle board (both at night) and would DEFINITELY recommend to anyone staying in Railay! The guides are super knowledgeable and funny (thank you Mr. Bean and Mr. Sam!) and they make the trip even more amazing. Railay is breathtaking to see on the ocean at night. We paddled through a cave, saw jellyfish and other wildlife, and even swam with the bioluminescent plankton! Absolute 10/10
Had a great time stand up paddle boarding on Railay. Lum was our guide and he was fantastic; happy, friendly and safety-conscious. I would recommend this company. 5⭐️
Very friendly staff who ensured that everyone was comfortable and safe. They catered to all ability levels and even towed those who struggled a bit with their kayaks. We are a family with two young children and were encouraged to use the SUPs (vice kayaks) which was good advice. The SUPs were easier to steer and our kids could pop into the water for a swim. It was a lovely full moon, and it was magical to paddle at night. Saw squid, a ton of bats, green coral, and lots of fish. Even though the full moon made it more difficult to see the bioluminescent plankton, the staff brought us to a dark cave where we could see the plankton more easily. Altogether a really fun and unique experience!
It was an amazing experience and the staff were very friendly and supportive, I would definitely recommend doing the night trails if you ever visit Railey island
I had the most amazing experience that will be a treasured memory for a lifetime to come. Staff were informative, friendly and professional the entire time. Due to a rock climbing accident, I wasn't able to make my booking and staff went over and above to reschedule and answer all my questions before hand. The experience itself was out of this world and better than I could have dreamt. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, thank you so much Freebird Paddle Co. and all your team! If I could give 10 stars I would!!!!
We paddle boarded/ kayaked on the board to see the plankton. It was definitely harder than it looks to paddle board in the ocean but I was perfectly content sitting and kayaking most of it. Watching the sunset on the water was amazing and then the trip to the karst was good. Our group was super small so we had a good experience swimming with the plankton. My waterproof camera case failed me so don’t make the same mistake as me. It was an expensive mistake! John was a great guide. Fish were jumping out of the water in the way back also. It was a nice touch going through the caves on the way there also.
Overall, the experience of going with a small group was really nice, and the experience in the cave felt amazing. However, for the price you pay, the tour could have been better communicated and better executed. Pros - smallish group of 10 - there isn’t the most space in the caves where the photoplankton are, so we’re glad we had a small group - after our turn in the caves we saw boats of 20-50 people go there, so we were very glad to be able to go in a small group. - great overall experience - saw photoplankton - saw small flying fish flop on our boards - light on the paddle board was a nice touch to help us both see and feel more secure Cons - expectations could have been better laid out to reduce anxiety such as exactly what is supposed to be expected before the trip, if there are secure lockers to hold your stuff (you drop off your stuff in a shared bench locker at the small shop), what to bring (just swimsuits and towels if you wish), etc. - very hands off tour - we were told where to go and to move around when needed. There isn’t a whole lot of information being passed around. - not the best sense of safety - we were basically told in 15 seconds on land how to paddle board and was basically let go and told to go to specific spots to meet up. - the guide went ahead of everyone. Although there was a helper following as well, the helper was close to the front so the people who were lagging behind didn’t get much support if they had any issues. - there was a person from the group who asked if there were sharp rocks you could nick their feet on since he bleeds a lot. The guide didn’t seem to quite understand and just tried to reassure that nothing will happen. It was not convincing since we brushed up against some sharper rocks with our feet in the caves.
Beautiful evening out on the water. Good times. The plankton wasn’t what I expected but nothing can describe paddling out at sunset on beautiful calm waters
I did paddleboarding for the first time,unique experience. We definitely had the best guides to see the bioluminescent plankton. Pretty cool thing to see. Also the guide made jokes, and a huge effort to make sure everyone had a good time, was satisfied with the experience, and Lam our guide did some crazy great yoga positions on the board as well. We saw lots of fish's ,even got to touch jelly fish,thanks to lam. Best time to visit planktons is to go around new moon phase. Thank you Lam and the crew!
Great experience even if I wasn’t much good at the paddle boarding! Lam and the other guides were very friendly and patient and it was a magical experience out on the water seeing both the colours of the sunset and the full moon rising above Railay bay. What a memorable way to spend a couple of hours in the warm sea, splashing around in the bioluminescence. Would definitely recommend the experience even for novice boarders.
We went during the full moon and had a great time. We spent two weeks in Thailand and this was one of our favorite things we did. Very relaxing, interesting, and just a great way to spend a couple hours on the water. You can paddle around as much as you like for exercise. Guides were great. We saw the bioluminescence and it was really cool. Don’t listen to the haters this is a must do. Also railey beach has a great vibe. Such an awesome way to spend our last day before flying home. If you are one of those pain in the ass people don’t come ruin this place for the rest of us. Karen I’m looking at you.
Did the bioluminescent paddle boarding which was a really good experience. You get to see the sunset, paddle board through caves and see the unique bioluminescent plankton, more than likely you’ll have a few fish jump on your board too. Lam was our guide and was excellent in explaining everything and is a great laugh. Highly recommended experience.
This was a pretty good tour and Jon, the guide, was high energy and ensured everyone had a good time. We were pushed out of the two locations by longtail boats and their weren't very high concentrations so it was a fleeting opportunity. The lowest point was the staff directing people to pair up or move from a SUP to kayak because they didn't bring enough of one or the other to the beach. In the end they didn't send as many guides as they planned. However, it was a really cool experience and I would recommend it again.
This is by far the best trip we did whilst in Thailand. We were met by John who is a ball of positive energy. We couldn’t decide between SUP or the kayaking tour, but went for SUP. We were both novices on the boards, but all the team went above and beyond to ensure we were happy and ok and after 10 minute lesson we were off paddling in the sunset. The bioluminescence was beautiful and we were lucky enough to see lots of fish and even bats. Thanks again to the Freebird team.
Wow! Lamb and his team were wonderful guides, paddling at sunset was stunning, we even paddled with a beautiful sea turtle that our guides spotted. But jumping in and swimming in the midst of a sea of luminescent green diamonds in an sea of black velvet is something I’ll never forget! Thank you Freebird!!!
By far the best activity on Railay beach. The night tour is a very unique experience, heading out on the water in such a beautiful place at sunset. The guides are so friendly and really make you feel welcome and part of the group. It was a clear night and could see all the stars which was amazing, as we paddled around. The plankton are incredible, they light up like stars in the sea. Definitely don't miss the chance to do this when you come to Railay.
The SUP night tour was an amazing experience and I enjoyed it immensely!! Thank you Freebird Paddle Co!!
Absolutely loved my experience with Freebird. The bioluminescent night tour was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done and a highlight of my travels! The staff was very professional and the tour was awesome, I loved jumping in the water with the plankton! The guide, Lum, was so nice and funny too. Would definitely recommend to any water-loving tourist on Railay as a great night activity.
Had an amazing experience with Freebird on the night tour! Taking off into the beautiful sunset was unreal and so relaxing. Getting to see coral and sea critters through the clear water with the led lights was such a unique experience, as was swimming with glowing plankton!! Our guide, Lum, was so friendly and fun- loved his jokes. His lesson at the beginning of the tour was also super helpful and made me feel confident on my board. Hope to go again while in Krabi!
The Freebird Night Tour was by far the most unique paddle board experience I’ve ever had. Starting off at sunset was stunning and peaceful, and the tour kept getting better from there. The glow plankton were so cool to see, and as the guides like to say, as if you’re swimming in the stars!! Booking was so easy and the staff was awesome- friendly, funny, and professional. Would recommend this experience to anyone in the Krabi area!!
I cannot express how great this tour is ! Very very professional. The lead guide John is full of energy and positivity, he was very attentive and made sure everyone was safe and they had plenty of staff for everyone in the water. Great for beginners and those with some experience. Best part is the guide John be sure to go on his tours as he is focused on making Sure your experience is memorable and most of all that you leave Happy ! Thanks again from Kelsey and Mike !
This tour was excellent! Best guide we had in all of Thailand! John ensures all guests are at their happiest while on the tour. The plankton in the caves underwater were really visible if you jump off the board and swim! Thanks John for the best time! We won't forget you! Kelsey and Mike
Had a great time with our tour guid Lam. Experiencing the bioluminescent was magical! It’s like swimming in stars! The only downside is that if you opt to paddle board you can only stand up maybe a 1/4 of the time. The water is super shallow so if you fall off your board there is only a couple feet of water to cushion your fall before you hit coral. The guides make you sit down for most of the tour out of safety. Plus the boards are inflatable and not at their best PSI which makes them flex at every little ripple. This also makes standing a little bit of a challenge too. Long story short, just go for the kayak. You can see more coral and will be more comfortable.
The Bioluminescent Night Trip completed my trip in Thailand! There are two options of doing this tour which is paddle board and clear kayaking. I choose paddle board as I think is more adventurous and is cheaper but clear kayaking looks fun as well! I guess it’s a really famous tour in Railay as there are around 13-15 people in this tour. There are two guide, Lum and John, both can speak good English, funny and entertaining guide! I am one of the lucky birds as the weather is perfect! After meeting up at the shop on Railay Walking Street at 545pm to get the life jacket and drop our stuffs. We walked to the beach and catch the sunset just right in time, it’s stunning! The whole tour is full of adventure, we pass through a small cave, fishes are jumping on our board and we saw turtle! The best part is my dream of becoming tinkerbell came true. I’m not a good swimmer so its a little bit scary for me to swim in the middle of ocean at night but big thanks to other safety guide that follow along, Bow, Gof and Mus. They made me feel like it’s completely safe to swim and I did! It’s the best experience ever as I can see the plankton sparkling around me clearly! Not to mention with a sky full of stars, so magical! Fell down from the paddle board couple of times but it’s so fun. The safety guide always check on me if I can get back to board. The tour finish around 8pm and its not so tiring for me. The price is worth it as I had so much fun, the staffs are really helpful, attentive and always ensure if we are okay. If you are someone who get seasick easily recommend to take some medication before go on the tour. Just for your information, it’s not an informational guided tour. I love the fact that everyone involved are locals, the safety guides are all eager to learn English. I learnt some Thai from them as well! Ko pun ka! Don’t expect anything and you will get the best! Highly recommended this tour!
My husband and I partook in the SUP Bioluminescent Night Tour, and we had such a great time. The guides are local Thai experts, who really know their way around the island. They gave us so much confidence on the board. They were able to point out some amazing things in the water we would otherwise have not noticed, like pufferfish, coral mushrooms, and especially the bioluminescent plankton. The plankton was the highlight of the tour. We were able to get off our boards and swim in it! I have never experienced anything like this before, the water was electric! I would recommend this tour to anyone staying in Krabi/Railay area, this company is professional, it is suitable for all ages/fitness levels, and it's a great way to experience nature and the ocean at night, something we would not have been able to otherwise do on our own. THANK YOU FREEBIRD!!! <3
This was a truly magical experience! And a must- do in Railay. The staff were great and made it so fun. We watched the sunset as we paddleboarded out to sea, we went around the islands and saw the bioluminescent plankton under the full moon and stars. It was my favourite experience! It was very safe- we all wore life jackets, there was 3 instructors on paddle boards and 2 instructors in canoes with our group and we had a group size of about 16 people. The paddle boards light up underneath also and you can see all the fish! Thank you to John and his team for the most incredible experience.
The experience was excellent :) From the first moment it was just laughter and good energy. The sunset above the SUP was something magical. Along the way the staff is very careful and attentive. I went along with my girlfriend, and it is a moment that we both will keep in our hearts. Thank you so much for everything! It was a huge pleasure. I highly recommend it !!!
The scenery was unbelievable, equipment was top notch and our knowledgeable guide Lam was very funny and helpful. Bio bay was the real deal. Highly recommend.
The tour was so beautiful, staff was really sweet and helpfull.. I would go back, it was that good :)
Lam and the team at Firebird are great. We took five kids on four paddleboards - into a brewing storm in East Railay (as the west side was too rough). Everyone had a ball. Saw the plankton. And just loved Lam’s positivity and humor. Thanks. Dan (Big Fish)
we had a great time on this tour - was the highlight of Krabi- staff was awesome and Lam gave a good intro to 1st timers but experts will also enjoy it the bio lum was something u just have to experience cannot describe
My husband and I went on a night paddleboard tour yesterday and had the most amazing time! Sunset and DOUBLE RAINBOW we saw at the beginning of the tour was unexpected bonus on top of the incredible bioluminescent plankton we saw after sunset. Tour itself was fun and awesome(it was our first time paddleboarding) to but I would like to especially comment on how nice our instructor/guide Lum and all the staff were. Lum seemed very experienced and knowledgeable on top of being friendly and funny. In fact, all the staff were very friendly and accommodating. We had some trouble with transportation to and from railey beach area but thanks to help of Lum and other staff, we were able to get back to our hotel safely and comfortably after the tour. I would highly recommend this tour and we hope to be able to come back someday for the clear kayak tour too!
Beautiful sunset, scenery and glowing plankton! Lum and the rest of the staff were great and very friendly. Definitely would do it again next time I'm in Thailand
Wow, where to start! We’ve just got back from what I can only describe as one of the most mind-boggingly beautiful nights of our lives! As always, I’m a little sceptical when booking tours that promise you the moon but tonight, any expectation was completely blown out of the water! From start to finish Lam was professional and informative yet friendly and definitely made everyone feel at ease! We saw a beautiful sunset, hundreds of fish, the stars and the best bit - we swam with the plankton! Thank you to Lam for sharing his knowledge and his amazing jokes ;) You created a night we will never forget! Thank you so much! Hannah & Matthew x
This was so much fun! First we were instructed in how to stand and navigate on the paddleboard. Then we paddled for a good while before it was time to see the plankton. Unfortunately the water was a bit cloudy since it had been raining for several days, but we still got to see the little lights in the water. We also saw a lot of small fish that jumped up on the board, so cool! Loved the opportunity to swim amongst the plankton, that let you see a lot more of them.
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