The easiest Koh Phi Phi day trip is a speedboat tour from Phuket or Ao Nang, costing about 1,500-3,000 THB with hotel pick-up, lunch and snorkelling, plus the 400 THB national park fee. Tours leave around 07:00-08:00, visit Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island, and return by 16:00-17:00. Choose an early departure to beat the crowds.
Yes, if you go in with the right expectations. Koh Phi Phi is one of the most spectacular island groups in Thailand, with sheer limestone cliffs, turquoise lagoons and some of the best snorkelling within easy reach of Phuket and Krabi. A day trip is the most popular way to see it, which is also its weakness: between roughly 10:00 and 15:00 the famous spots fill with boats from both coasts.
The trick is timing and operator choice. An early departure, a smaller boat and a route that runs against the crowd make the difference between a highlight of your trip and a day of queuing on pontoons. If you have the time, one or two nights on the island is better still; our guide to the best things to do on Koh Phi Phi covers a longer stay.
A day trip suits travellers with limited time, families who prefer to keep one hotel base, and anyone who wants to see Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon without dealing with luggage on ferries. It suits less well those hoping for quiet beaches or a relaxed pace: a full-day tour means five or six stops, fixed schedules and several hours on a fast boat. Be honest about which kind of traveller you are before you book.
| Option | From | Travel time each way | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat group tour | Phuket | 45-75 min | 1,800-3,000 THB pp | Most visitors, fits the most in |
| Speedboat group tour | Ao Nang, Krabi | 40-60 min | 1,500-2,500 THB pp | Krabi stays, shortest crossing |
| Big boat or catamaran tour | Phuket | 1.5-2 hours | 1,200-2,500 THB pp | Comfort, seasickness-prone, families |
| Private speedboat charter | Phuket or Krabi | 40-75 min | roughly 12,000-25,000 THB per boat | Groups, own timing, early starts |
| Public ferry (DIY) | Phuket, Krabi, Ao Nang | 1.5-2 hours | 400-800 THB pp | Independent travellers, Tonsai only |
Group tour prices usually include hotel transfers, a guide, snorkelling gear, soft drinks, fruit and a buffet lunch. The national park fee (400 THB adults, 200 THB children) is often not included, so check before you book. Some operators also add a small pier or fuel charge.
Itineraries vary by operator, but a classic full-day speedboat tour from Phuket or Krabi looks like this:
Many tours also slow down at Monkey Beach. The monkeys there are wild; do not feed or approach them, and keep bags closed, as feeding makes them aggressive and harms their health.
Dozens of companies sell near-identical Phi Phi tours, and hotel desks and street agents often resell the same boats under different names. Prices differ less than quality, so spend a few minutes checking the details before you pay:
Booking the day before is usually fine outside peak season. From December to February, and during Chinese New Year and Songkran, book two or three days ahead, particularly for early-start or small-group tours, which sell out first.
Both work well, and the right answer is wherever you are already staying. There are a few differences, though.
From Phuket, boats leave from piers on the east coast such as Rassada, Chalong and Ao Po, and the crossing is longer and sometimes choppier. Phuket tours often combine Phi Phi with Khai Island or Maiton on the way back. Hotel pick-ups from Patong, Kata or Karon add travel time, so expect a long day. Our guide to the best things to do in Phuket puts the trip in context with other island tours such as Phang Nga Bay.
From Krabi, speedboats leave from Ao Nang beach or Nopparat Thara pier, and Phi Phi is closer, so you spend less time at sea and more on the islands. Krabi tours often add Bamboo Island and sometimes a stop at Mosquito Island. See the best things to do in Krabi for the Four Islands and Hong Islands alternatives.
If you are staying in Koh Lanta, speedboat tours to Phi Phi run from there too (around 1 hour each way), often combined with Bamboo Island.
Independent travellers can take a public ferry from Phuket's Rassada pier, Krabi's Klong Jilad pier or Ao Nang to Tonsai pier on Phi Phi Don. Ferries take about 1.5-2 hours and cost roughly 400-800 THB each way; compare times on our transport tickets page. Everyone arriving at Tonsai pays a 20 THB island fee.
The catch is time. A morning ferry typically lands around 10:00-11:00 and the last useful return leaves mid-afternoon, leaving you four to five hours on the island. In that window you can hike to the Phi Phi Viewpoint (20-30 minutes up, about 30-50 THB entry) or hire a longtail from Tonsai to Phi Phi Leh for roughly 1,500-2,500 THB per boat, but not both comfortably. The DIY route suits people who want to see the village and viewpoint, or who plan to stay a night after all.
The Andaman Sea is calmest from about November to April, with flat seas, clear water and reliable departures. December to March is the peak, so book a day or two ahead. From May to October the southwest monsoon brings swells and rain showers; many tours still run, but crossings are rougher, visibility drops and trips are cancelled on bad days. Keep a spare day in your plans so a cancellation does not mean missing out. See the best time to visit Thailand for the full picture.
If a day trip leaves you wanting more, you are not alone. Staying on the island lets you see Maya Bay at 07:00, the viewpoint at sunrise and Long Beach after the boats have left. Compare hotels on Koh Phi Phi and turn your day trip into a proper stay.
A group speedboat tour costs about 1,500-2,500 THB from Krabi and 1,800-3,000 THB from Phuket, usually including hotel transfers, lunch and snorkelling gear. Add the 400 THB national park fee if it is not included.
Krabi is closer, so you spend less time on the boat and more on the islands. Phuket has more tour options and often adds Khai Island. Both are good; start from wherever you are staying.
No. Swimming at Maya Bay is banned to protect the reef and the blacktip reef sharks. You can swim at Pileh Lagoon and at the snorkelling stops, and the bay closes each year in August and September.
A speedboat is faster and fits in more stops, but it is bumpy. A big boat or catamaran is slower and more comfortable, a better choice for small children or anyone prone to seasickness.
Most tours pick you up from your hotel between 07:00 and 08:00 and return by 16:00-17:00. Early-start tours leave around 06:00 to reach Maya Bay before the crowds.