Polypedates colletti is an elegant tree frog, easily recognized by its conspicuously acute snout. The species was originally described from Sumatra. It is primarily a lowland form, although recent observations (iNaturalist) have recorded it at elevations of around 1000 m a.s.l. Its distribution includes the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and southern Vietnam.

Adult males reach up to 50 mm and females up to 80 mm in snout–vent length. The head is broad, triangular, and flat, with large, prominent eyes. The snout is sharply pointed in both dorsal and lateral views. Limbs and digits are conspicuously long. The digits terminate in relatively large, somewhat triangular adhesive discs. The toes are webbed, with well-developed membranes.

The dorsal skin is smooth to finely granular. A thin supratympanic fold is present, and the eardrum is distinct. The pupil is horizontal.

Most specimens show an hourglass-shaped marking on the dorsum. Coloration usually ranges through various shades of brown, though greyish individuals also occur. The limbs often bear dark crossbars. While the overall pattern is variable, the species is rarely confused with others due to its characteristic body proportions and head shape. The ventral surface is mostly white. The iris has a golden background with a coppery reticulation.

This frog is most often encountered near suitable breeding sites with a thick layer of leaf litter. Adults perch on vegetation 1–2 m above ground, and males are often observed calling from vertical structures such as tree trunks. For reproduction, the species appears to prefer stagnant forest pools — for example, uprooted tree basins or flooded depressions — with clear water and a leaf-litter substrate.

Tadpoles exhibit a distinctive marbled pattern on the head, trunk, and tail. The iris rim is reddish, and the tail ends in a slender flagellum. Tadpoles grow to about 33 mm in total length. They can be observed resting motionless on the leaf litter or hovering in the water column of blackwater ponds. Movement is usually slow and undulating, driven by the flagellum, but can become rapid when disturbed. During the day, they typically hide beneath leaf litter.