Last updated: 11 October 2026
The beautiful Phi Phi Islands are stunning and often included on itineraries in Thailand. In fact, I’d say that visiting the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket or Krabi is one of the best things to do in the whole of South East Asia. For many people, it is one of the main reasons to go to Thailand.
Undoubtedly, the islands are stunning. They are home to some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches and impossibly clear waters. Days spent in the Phi Phi Islands are picture-perfect paradise. The beaches offer silky soft white sand and you can sail amongst huge karst limestone rocks that rise from the turquoise waters. If you’ve seen the film ‘The Beach’ with Leonardo DiCaprio, you’ll recognise this area. It’s certainly one of the reasons these islands have become so popular.
To visit the Phi Phi Islands, you have two main options. You can either visit as a day tour from one of the neighbouring larger towns (Phuket or Krabi). Or you can travel by ferry to the islands and spend a few days there. I’ve done both options over the past few years and it really comes down to personal preference, and time.
So in this guide, I’ll share some of the options on offer for visiting the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket or Krabi, whether as a day trip or for a couple of nights. I’ll cover how to get there, how to avoid crowds, potential day trip companies and places to stay, so you can make an informed decision for your trip.
Where are the Phi Phi Islands?
The Phi Phi Islands are located in the Andaman Sea on the western side of Southern Thailand. The main points of access are Phuket and Krabi, both of which are similar distances from the Phi Phi Islands (approx 46km). You can fly in on regular daily flights from Bangkok and other destinations in South East Asia into both these places. You can even fly to these places on airlines such as Emirates from Dubai, meaning you can miss out Bangkok entirely, if you want.
However, from Phuket or Krabi, there are no flights to the Phi Phi Islands, so the only way to arrive is by water.
Why go to the Phi Phi Islands?
This collection of islands offers the original Thailand island experience. Whilst the Phi Phi Islands are now really popular, they still offer stunning beaches and snorkelling.
When I first visited the Phi Phi Islands in 2010, they were fairly basic and most of the accommodation options were pretty poor and simple (although great as a backpacker). If I went now (in my mid 30s), there’s not a chance you’d find me sleeping some of those places today. However, dozens of beautiful hotels have opened covering all budgets.
In fact, the Phi Phi Islands have had a real tidy up. Back in 2010, I found the main island, Koh Phi Phi Don, to be covered in litter, particularly the beach nearest town. It was filthy. There was also a lot of construction work going on, due to a rebuild following the 2004 tsunami – you may remember the Phi Phi Islands was one of the worst hit areas.
Today, the islands have mostly recovered, thanks to eco-friendly initiatives that have been implemented across the islands. On my most recent visit to the Phi Phi Islands (2023), I still found the main island to have quite basic infrastructure in areas, and quite a bit of litter around.
Koh Phi Phi used to be an absolute must-visit on any backpacker’s itinerary in South East Asia. Before other places in Thailand were ‘discovered’, Koh Phi Phi received the majority of the tourists. The infrastructure was buckling under the weight, and bars and hotels were being built in very rushed conditions to meet the demand of tourists. Whilst it was a lot of fun, it attracted an irresponsible kind of tourist and all kinds of accidents were happening.
But things have improved. There are now so many other beautiful beach destinations to visit from Phuket and Krabi that it has really relieved the pressures on Koh Phi Phi.
When is the best time to visit the Phi Phi Islands?
The Phi Phi Islands sit on Thailand’s Andaman coast, which has a clear dry season and a rainy monsoon season.
November to April (dry season): the best time to visit, with calm seas, sunshine and the clearest water for snorkelling. It’s also peak season, so expect more boats and higher prices, especially from December to February.
March and April: the hottest months, but still dry, and a little quieter than the winter peak.
May to October (monsoon season): cheaper and quieter, but with heavy downpours and rougher seas. Boat trips are more likely to be cancelled, and the sea can be choppy on speedboats.
August and September: Maya Bay is closed every year during these months.
I’ve been in April, July, September and December. We were fortunate in our July visit to have fairly nice weather, but December and April were both perfect.
Visit the Phi Phi Islands as a day trip or stay for a few nights?
If you visit for the day from Phuket or Krabi, you can still spend time on some of the most beautiful islands. This includes visiting the main sites such as Maya Bay and some also visit Koh Phi Phi Don, the main island.
If you stay for several nights, you’d still need to join an organised boat tour in order to visit some of the scenic spots in the Phi Phi Islands. But you would have the luxury of spending several days relaxing at one of the well-priced hotels.
Visiting the Phi Phi Islands for the day from Phuket is probably the better option if you’re short on time. It’s one less extra transfer/movement, which means less risk of inclement weather and therefore cancellations. However, the cost of a day trip from Phuket or Krabi can be quite steep.
On the other hand, doing a day tour to some of the scenic spots around the Phi Phi Islands from a hotel already located there does mean you might get to some of the spots before the crowds arrive.
Anyway, please find my mini guides to either visiting as a day trip or staying in the Phi Phi Islands below.
Visiting Phi Phi Islands as a day trip from Phuket or Krabi
So if you think visiting the Phi Phi Islands as a day trip makes best sense, then this section is for you.
For this, I would recommend booking a day tour ahead of time. There are so many companies all over Phuket and Krabi offering tours, it’s hard to know which one to go with. If you book a day trip through your hotel, you’re likely to pay a premium, and if you book with a tour operator at a local agency, you can’t really be sure of the quality of the tour.
Therefore, I strongly advise pre-planning your tour in advance. Not only can you read reviews of other customers, but you can also see photos of the boat and other inclusions.
I’ve popped a few tour suggestions below, covering departures from both Krabi and Phuket.
Group tours – between £30-£120 per person. Prices vary based on boat type and inclusions.
Departures from Krabi
- Phi Phi Islands Full-Day Speedboat Trip from Krabi (from £32 per person)
- Krabi: Phi Phi Sunrise & 4 Islands by Speedboat with Lunch (from £57 per person)
Departures from Phuket
- Phi Phi Islands: Early Bird Tour From Phuket (from £91 per person)
- From Phuket: Phi Phi & Bamboo Island by Speedboat (from £53 per person)
- From Phuket: Phi Phi Sunrise Small Group Tour to Bamboo and Khai Island (from £91 per person)
- Phi Phi Islands Day Trip with Lunch (from £82 per person)
Private tours – far more expensive but a truly special experience. If you have the full group size, you might find it to be really good value.
- Phuket: Full-Day Private Speedboat Charter to Phi Phi Island (from £938 for up to 19 people)
- Phi Phi Islands Full-Day Private Speedboat Charter from Krabi (from £516 for up to 10 people)
Alternatively, another company I can recommend is Phuket Sail Tours who have some brilliant TripAdvisor reviews.
What to expect on a day trip from Phuket or Krabi
Most boat trips include pick-up at your hotel and transfer to the marina.
On arrival to the marina, you will likely have to fill in a couple of forms, and you may receive breakfast.
Following this, you’ll jump on board your speedboat (or similar). I recommend finding a company that either only takes small groups, or one that states it doesn’t over fill the boat. You’ll see many boats through the day that are huge and crammed with people. It definitely isn’t a nice experience!
The first stop is often Bamboo Island. If your tour arrives early, you might get the chance to enjoy unbelievable paradise before anyone else arrives. The beach is immaculate and the sea crystal clear – a really unbelievably gorgeous spot.
Throughout the day, you’ll enjoy a number of snorkelling stops, and a delicious lunch prepared by the team.
Most tours include a stop at Maya Bay. Made famous by ‘The Beach’ film, it is this very beach where mass tourism has taken over. Boats jostle for space up alongside the bay. A few years ago, Maya Beach closed to tourism completely whilst they let the beach and waters completely recover.
It has since reopened, but with much stricter rules to protect the bay. Boats no longer pull up onto the beach. Instead, you’re dropped at Loh Samah Bay on the back of Phi Phi Leh and walk across on a boardwalk. Visits are limited to around an hour, and swimming in Maya Bay is no longer allowed, so you can only paddle at the water’s edge. Don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of time in the water at the other stops, like Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island.
Entry to the national park costs 400 THB for foreign adults and 200 THB for children, and most tours include it in the price or collect it on the day.
Maya Bay also closes every year from 1 August to 30 September to let the reef and marine life recover, reopening on 1 October. If you’re travelling in those months, check your tour itinerary carefully, as many swap Maya Bay for another stop. Even outside the closure, access can be paused at short notice in rough seas.
How to visit the Phi Phi Islands without the crowds
The Phi Phi Islands can get incredibly busy, with dozens of boats arriving at the same beaches at the same time. But with a bit of planning, you can still have these places almost to yourself. Here’s what has worked for me.
- Book an early bird or sunrise tour. These leave Phuket or Krabi before the main wave of boats, so you reach Maya Bay and Bamboo Island while they’re still quiet. It’s the single biggest difference you can make and well worth any extra cost.
- Stay overnight on Phi Phi Don. Tours that leave from the island itself get to the famous spots long before the day-trippers arrive from the mainland, and you’ll have the beaches to yourself again once they leave in the late afternoon.
- Choose a small-group tour. Look for operators that cap numbers or say they don’t overfill the boat. Some of the big boats I saw were crammed, and it really isn’t a nice experience.
- Go private if you’re a group. A private speedboat charter lets you set the order of stops, so you can head the opposite way round to everyone else.
- Avoid the busiest dates. Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year are peak times. Shoulder months like November, March and April are quieter, with good weather.
- Plan around the Maya Bay closure. It closes every year in August and September, so if Maya Bay is a must for you, travel outside those months.
Staying in the Phi Phi Islands: A Travel Guide
So you’ve decided to base yourself in the Phi Phi Islands for a few nights? Great! Here’s a helpful travel guide.
Getting there
If you’re not joining as a day tour, you’ll most likely need to work out your own arrangements.
Fortunately, taking a public ferry or a speedboat from Phuket or Krabi to the Phi Phi Islands is very straightforward. You can even connect on boats from other towns or islands in the region now, making it more efficient than ever. For example, you can take a high speed ferry directly from Koh Lipe, Koh Lanta or Railay, which is very convenient!
The public ferry is the most popular way to travel to the Phi Phi Islands. It takes around 2 hours from Phuket or Krabi. In Phuket, the main port is Rassada Pier, located in Phuket Town. In Krabi, the port is Klong Jilad Pier. Neither are that close to Phuket/Krabi’s airports.
You can book tickets on the day, but I’d recommend getting to port early. Alternatively, you can book your ferry transfers here.
Ferry transfer Phuket to/from Phi Phi (£11 per person) or even all the way from Phuket airport to Phi Phi here (£30 per person)
The ferries are pretty good now. Some have open decks for sunbathing and the inside decks have aircon.
The other alternative is a private speedboat transfer. This can be really convenient to take you right to the drop-off point for your hotel. Particularly if it’s not near Tonsai Pier. This is a more expensive mode of transport, but can be really good value if it’s a group travelling.
Things to do on Koh Phi Phi Don
If you’re staying on the main island, there’s plenty to fill a few days between boat trips.
Hike to the Phi Phi Viewpoint. It’s a steep climb of around 20–30 minutes from Tonsai village, but the view over the twin bays of Tonsai and Loh Dalum is unforgettable. Go for sunrise or sunset, and bring water and a little cash for the small entrance fee.
Relax on Long Beach. A quieter, prettier beach a short longtail ride or walk from Tonsai, with good snorkelling just offshore.
Swim at Loh Dalum Bay. The calm, shallow bay behind the village is lovely by day, and it’s where the beach bars come alive at night.
Take a longtail boat to Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave. You can hire a longtail from Tonsai Pier to visit the lagoon, Monkey Beach and other spots at your own pace, ideally early in the morning before the tour boats arrive.
Go diving or snorkelling. Phi Phi is one of Thailand’s top dive spots, and there are plenty of dive shops in Tonsai village offering trips for all levels.
When you arrive by ferry at Tonsai Pier, you’ll usually pay a small island environmental fee, so keep some Thai baht handy.
Where to stay in the Phi Phi Islands
So in this blog post, I’ve been talking about the main island – Phi Phi Don.
The Phi Phi Islands are actually made up of six islands: Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, Bamboo Island (Koh Phai), Mosquito Island (Koh Yung), Bida Nok and Bida Nai. However, Phi Phi Don is the only one with hotels. The others are uninhabited and protected as part of the national park, so you’ll visit them by boat.
On Phi Phi Don, most people stay around Tonsai village, which is lively and close to the pier, restaurants and bars. For somewhere quieter, look at the beach resorts on Long Beach or further north around Laem Tong, which are reached by longtail or speedboat.
I’ve listed a few hotels in the Koh Phi Phi area that would all offer a wonderful stay. It’s important to note however that there aren’t any really ultra-luxurious hotels in the area. If you’re looking for something a bit more high-end, I’d recommend staying in Phuket and doing a day visit.
Luxury hotels:
- Phi Phi CoCo Beach Resort (from around £450 per night)
- Phi Phi Cliff Beach Resort (from around £355 per night)
- OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort (upwards of £300 per night)
Mid-range hotels:
- Phi Phi Andaman Beach Resort (from around £148 per night)
- SAii Phi Phi Island Village (from around £133 per night)
- The Cove Phi Phi (from around £131 per night)
- PP Princess Resort (from around £127 per night)
- Coco Bella Resort (from around £122 per night)
- Phi Phi Villa Resort (from around £93 per night)
Phi Phi Islands FAQs
A day trip from Phuket or Krabi is easier if you’re short on time, and it means one less transfer. Staying a night or two on Phi Phi Don lets you reach the famous spots before the day-trippers arrive, and enjoy the islands once they’ve gone.
No. Swimming at Maya Bay has been banned since it reopened in 2022, to protect the coral. You can paddle at the water’s edge, and most tours include swimming and snorkelling at other stops like Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island.
Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September, reopening on 1 October. It can also close at short notice in bad weather.
Both work well. They’re similar distances from the islands, and both have plenty of tours and ferries. Choose whichever suits the rest of your trip.
The public ferry takes around 2 hours from Phuket or Krabi. A speedboat is faster, at roughly 45 minutes to an hour, depending on where you leave from.
November to April, during the dry season, when the sea is calm and the water is clearest for snorkelling.
Visiting the islands in Southern Thailand
So there’s my guide on visiting the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket or Krabi in Thailand. Whether you stay for a couple of nights, or if you visit the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket or Krabi as a day trip, I hope this guide helps you decide and plan your trip. If you’re looking to spend longer exploring the area, then here’s a great guide to the best islands in Krabi. Alternatively, why not join a longer multi-day tour that takes in several destinations? This local company, Indochina Tour offers an excellent selection of Thailand tours.
If you’ve enjoyed this post, feel free to share using the below links. Do let me know if you have any questions too and I’ll be happy to help.
If you’re looking for other destination guides in South East Asia, please do check out some of my other posts:
- Bali Beach Hotel: The Best Resort in Sanur, Bali
- Intercontinental Bali Resort in Jimbaran: The Best Luxury Family-Friendly Hotel in Bali
- Sundays Beach Club: Spending a Day at One of the Best Beach Clubs in Bali
- Two Must-See Temples in Bali: Tirta Empul and Uluwatu Temples
- The Best Beach Clubs in Bali
- Best Things to Do in Luang Prabang, Laos
- Ethical elephant experience in Laos
- Mai Khao paradise beach in Phuket, Thailand
- Thailand Travel Guide: The Best Places to Visit in Thailand
- Singapore Travel Guide: The Best Things to See and Do in Singapore
- Cambodia Travel Guide: The Best Places to Visit in Cambodia
- Vietnam Travel Guide: The Best Places to Visit in Vietnam
Disclaimer: This visit to the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand was entirely paid for by myself. There was no involvement from the tourism board or a local company. This is an independent guide.
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Thanks for great info ! When would you say is best time of year to go there ?
Author
December to April is like peak time because the weather is best but I’ve been all year round and except for a heavy downpour each afternoon, even the summer months were fine! Just a bit steamier too! x
I have been to Phi phi island years ago but not really going into a tour in the water. Thank you for showing how to tour without congestion. I need that as I love my pictures without many photo bombers in it. I also love some quiet time without too many other tourists. Your pictures look awesome, the water look so clear and weather was great!
I’d love to be able to see a place so incredibly beautiful without the stressful crowds impeding my view. Thank you for providing this amazing post on ways to avoid the hassle of other tourists! 🙂
Oh, my goodness!! Phi Phi Island is breathtaking and stunning. The peaceful and calming ambiance of this island is so fulfilling and relaxing. I would love to visit this place someday.
Oh wow, Phi Phi Islands look so serene. What I would give to go take some peaceful time out with those beautiful seas and stunning scenery. Looks so relaxing!
WOW that place looks absolutely gorgeous… and as I sit here looking out my window at the snow you are certainly inspiring me to work harder and make enough money to get my ass on a vacation somewhere warm!
This looks like an amazing place to visit. I love how remote this location is!
I’m completely in awe, this is exactly what I imagine when I think of my ideal paradise. I would love to visit Thailand one day. Also fabulous tip about walking to the end of the island for a more peaceful, less crowded time!
What lovely pictures! I have been dying to go here for like…forever! I am just living through you right now 🙂
Absolutely beautiful and so glad that you were able to find a way to enjoy it without the crowds. Not sure how you ever left that!
Author
It was tough! Can’t wait to return some day
I LOVE sailing this looks sooo amazing! I hope to get to Thailand this August and see the Phi Phi islands in person.
Author
I hope you do! It was so lovely 🙂
Phuket Sail Tours offers some incredible services. I loved the photo tour of your experience of visiting this beautiful place 🙂
Author
Oh yes, an excellent tour company! 🙂 and thanks!
I have not been to Phi Phi Island, it is breathtakingly beautiful. All the pictures look so amazing, would love to visit Phi Phi Islands. I am glad you had an amazing time there.
Author
Thank you! 🙂
I haven’t seen that film (not a fan of DiCaprio), but gosh, these islands look gorgeous! Such a pity that they’re so popular. It’s understandable of course, but I just hate the crowd of tourists.
Author
Same… defintely better to go in Spring than Summer 🙂
This is absolutely a stunning place to relax. I like the laid-back vibes, there’s no schedule, no hustle-and-bustle, no reason to be in a hurry.
Author
Exactly! True paradise 🙂
Thank you for showing how to tour without congestion!! i love the pictures ! I want to go there
Author
You’re welcome 🙂
I would love to visit Phi Phi Island and I am hoping it will next month. Such a beautiful and breathtaking view. I love seeing all your photos.
Author
I hope you do! It really is so beautiful 🙂
The Phi Phi islands are beautiful. I love your photos, You provided great tips for someone who may be visiting there for the first time.
Author
Thank you! 🙂
Oh such a cool trip! I went there with a scuba diving excursion which was lots of fun. But we didn’t get the chance to stop and swim on the beach. Your photos look so lovely 🙂
Author
Ah awesome, did you see lots of good fishies?! We had opposite trips, but I’m a bit scared of diving!
Thanks 🙂 x
I would love to go to Thailand and hopefully be able to visit Phi Phi as I love being in the beach. Great photos you have here!
Loved your blog. Thanks for sharing this content to help us travel better. One question- I am planning Phuket-krabi trip in November. Can I took ferry from phuket to phi phi and then 1 stay in phi phi. and after that return ferry to Krabi.
Thanks a lot for this post