Island-hopping from Ao Nang is a highlight of any Krabi trip. Long-tail and speedboat rides carry you out to the 4 Islands, Hong Islands, and Phi Phi. But the open Andaman Sea can be bumpy, and a rolling boat turns some stomachs fast. Seasickness can spoil a day you paid good money for. The good news is you can often prevent it.
Seasickness is not a sign of weakness. It happens when your eyes and inner ears send the brain mixed signals about movement. Anyone can get it. This guide shows you how to prevent seasickness before an island trip, what to do if it hits, and when a doctor in Ao Nang can help.
Why Boats Make You Sick
Seasickness comes from a mix-up between your senses. Your inner ear, deep inside your head, senses the boat rocking and swaying. But if you are looking down at your phone or the deck, your eyes tell the brain you are still. The brain gets two different stories and cannot match them. That confusion brings on the sick feeling, the cold sweat, and the need to be near the rail. It is the same reason some people feel ill in the back seat of a car.
A long-tail boat can be worse than a big ferry. It sits low, rocks with each wave, and the diesel smell adds to the queasiness. The morning trips out to the islands in choppy monsoon seas from May to October can be the roughest. Knowing this, you can plan ahead. The trick is to keep your eyes and inner ear telling the brain the same thing, and to prepare your body before you ever leave the pier.
How to Prevent Seasickness
Prevention starts the night before. Sleep well and go easy on alcohol and heavy, greasy food, since a tired body and a full stomach both make it worse. On the day, eat a light meal, so you are not empty or stuffed. If you know you get seasick, take a motion-sickness medicine before you board, not after you feel ill, because it works best early. A doctor can suggest a suitable option, since some can make you sleepy. Wristbands that press an acupressure point help some people too.
On the boat, where you sit matters. Choose a spot in the middle, where the rocking is least, and stay outside in the fresh air if you can. Keep your eyes on the horizon or a far island, not on your phone, a book, or the water rushing by. Face forward, breathe slowly, and sip water. Ginger, as a sweet, tea, or chew, settles many stomachs. Small steps like these keep the sick feeling away for most people.
What to Do If You Feel Sick, and When to See a Doctor
If the sick feeling starts, act early. Move to the middle of the boat and get into fresh air. Fix your eyes on the horizon or a steady point of land, and take slow, deep breaths. Loosen tight clothing and sip a little cool water. If you need to be sick, do it over the side, downwind, and then rest. Close your eyes and lie back if that helps. Most seasickness fades soon after you step onto dry land at the next island.
Seasickness itself is not dangerous, but being sick again and again can leave you dehydrated, especially in the Krabi heat. See a doctor if you cannot keep water down, feel very weak or dizzy after the trip, or have a bad headache. We can give fluids and anti-sickness medicine to get you back on your feet. Our Ao Nang clinic is open daily, and we can visit your hotel if you are too unwell to come in.
Beat Seasickness: Before and During Your Island Trip
- The night before, sleep well and go easy on alcohol and heavy food
- Eat a light meal before you board, so you are not empty or stuffed
- Take motion-sickness medicine before you sail, not after you feel ill
- Bring ginger sweets or chews and a bottle of water
- Sit in the middle of the boat and stay in the fresh air
- Keep your eyes on the horizon, not your phone or a book
- Face forward, breathe slowly, and sip water if you feel queasy
- After the trip, drink fluids and see a doctor if you cannot keep water down
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent seasickness on a long-tail boat?
Take motion-sickness medicine before you board, not after. Sit in the middle of the boat, stay in the fresh air, and keep your eyes on the horizon. Eat a light meal first and skip alcohol the night before. Ginger and acupressure wristbands help many people. These steps prevent seasickness for most travellers.
What is the best medicine for seasickness?
Several motion-sickness medicines work well, but some can make you sleepy, so it helps to ask a doctor which suits you. The key is timing: take it before you sail, since it works best early. We can advise you at our Ao Nang clinic before your island trip, without naming doses here.
Does ginger really help seasickness?
Yes, ginger settles the stomach for many people. You can take it as a sweet, a chew, a tea, or a capsule. It is gentle and easy to carry on a boat. Ginger works best alongside the other steps, like sitting mid-boat, watching the horizon, and getting fresh air on your island trip.
Where should I sit on the boat to feel less sick?
Sit in the middle of the boat, where the rocking is smallest, and stay outside in the fresh air if you can. Face forward and keep your eyes on the horizon or a far island. Avoid the diesel fumes at the back and do not look down at your phone, as that makes it worse.
When should I see a doctor after being seasick?
Seasickness usually fades on land, but see a doctor if you cannot keep water down, feel very weak or dizzy, or have a bad headache after the trip. Being sick many times can dehydrate you in the Krabi heat. We can give fluids and anti-sickness medicine at our Ao Nang clinic or your hotel.
Walk in near Ao Nang Beach, or message us and we reply in minutes. Doctor hotel visits across Ao Nang, Railay and Krabi.
WhatsApp UsGet Directions