Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts

Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts

Best Phi Phi island tour

Thailand’s time has so much to offer and as stood as my very time destination. We always research our next trip, We come across Phi Phi island tour and on our further researches we need to evaluate all the comments and the local experts as they point out all the advantages of the best tours. We always need to stress out the importance of the Phi Phi islands, classified as part of National Park, which makes the tours always more interesting. We can now see all the amazing details and that has prompted us to write this post to highlight you about the best Phi Phi tour you can ever have.

The Phi Phi Island is located in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and Koh Lanta. As Phuket is one of the major tourist resorts in Thailand, it is easiest to make the trip from there to the Phi Phi Island.

The tours you choose involve some form of boat travel, but the range of possibilities and experiences depends on how much free time and spare change you have.

And not to forget!

Keep in mind that the tours have become increasingly popular over the past decade, and it is rather difficult to get this island on a decent tour with really good services, so follow these very valuable suggestions!

The Phi Phi Island is the incredibly beautiful tropical islands that seem to exist only in movies and imagination until you set foot there and see it’s not just an illusion.

The group of six islands is characterized by dramatic karst calcareous cliffs piercing the sea and pushing up to the sky, with a halo of turquoise water at its base.

After all, this is where The Beach was filmed. They may not be the undiscovered paradise the book and film characters are looking for, but they are impressive dots on the world.

Best Phi Phi island tour

Phi Phi island day tour

The archipelago of Phi Phi is a must-visit in Phuket.

Tourvado list and category of Phi Phi island tours

You can swim over the splendid coral reefs of Pileh Lagoon, and you can enjoy having lunch at Phi Phi beach restaurant, you can discover the snorkeling at the unique Bamboo Island and visit the famous Monkey Beach and Maya Bay. Boat transfers, snacks, lunch buffet, snorkeling facilities, and pick-up and drop-off at the Phuket Hotels are always included.

Day trip to the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket and imagined to make you visit the islands by speedboat for a time of relaxation, swimming, and snorkeling, sightsee Maya Bay, popularized by the famous movie, “The Beach” featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Snorkel in the open sea and the beach See Monkey Beach. Masks and life jackets for snorkeling issued.

Is really good to always check first the quick and easy guide to find the Best Phi Phi island tour from Phuket

What to expect with any Phi Phi tour

What actually matters in a Phi Phi island tour?

The most important points of the tours:

  1. Start picking up a hotel in Phuket and head to the marina.
  2. Meet your guide and board a speedboat on your trip to the Andaman Sea’s Phi Phi Islands, a six-island chain.
  3. Admire the incredible views, and you can enjoy taking pictures along the way, marvel at the view from the turquoise seas of the beautiful rearing islands like fortresses.
  4. Headfirst to Maya Bay, a location made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 movie, “The Beach.”
  5. Then proceed to Pileh Lagoon, a solely cliff-framed natural lagoon known for its pristine jade-green waters.
  6. Next, pass Viking Cave, home to the swallow bird nests of the islands and nearby, enjoy open sea snorkeling to discover the amazing diversity of exotic fish and coral reefs underwater.
  7. Go to Phi Phi Leh ashore to enjoy a lunch buffet just steps from the beach.
  8. Then set sail for the island of Bamboo.
  9. Enjoy free time snorkeling, surfing, and sunbathing on the warm white sand beaches before cruising along the sea to spend close-up views of the scampering monkeys along Monkey Beach’s cliffs and trees.
  10. Your tour always ends with an organized return trip to your hotel.

Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts

Speedboat approaching a very clear snorkeling point at Phi Phi islands

Phi Phi island tour package

Phuket is a perfect base for an island-hopping trip, and the Phi Phi Islands are no exception.
If you want to partake on a comprehensive tour of the Phi Phi Islands that will take you to all the crucial locations you need to visit at an affordable price, this tour is the perfect choice for you.

The Tour to Phi Phi islands by speedboat with the package and organization of OceanMania is always our first choice!

With this tour, you will visit without any hassle all the must-see spots in the Phi Phi Islands. Some of the highlights are here.

  • The trees of Bamboo: It’s part of the Phi Phi Islands in reality. You can easily get from Phi Phi Don by a long-tail plane.
Best Phi Phi island tours. Bamboo island.
Best Phi Phi island tours. Bamboo island.
  • Monkey Beach: where the monkeys can be seen or served. It is situated on Phi Phi Don’s eastern side.
Best-Phi-Phi-island-tours.-Maya-Bay
Best Phi Phi island tours. Maya Bay
  • Phi Phi Don: the main city with a lot of restaurants and shops. It is known as the Phi Phi Islands party center.
Best-Phi-Phi-island-tours.-Snorkeling-near-Phi-Phi-Don
Best-Phi-Phi-island-tours. Snorkeling near Phi Phi Don
  • Pileh Lagoon: where you can dive and swim for a while from a boat in the water. It’s also on Phi Phi Leh.
Best-Phi-Phi-island-tours.-Phi-Leh-Lagoon
Best Phi Phi island tours. Phi Leh Lagoon

You also don’t have to worry about something because this tour includes everything you need from a hotel pick-up & drop-off service, lunch buffet, and snorkeling equipment.

It’s a well-known fact that many travelers are always busy with the Phi Phi Islands. Get one of the first speedboats on board if you want to beat the crowds heading to Phi Phi. You’ll take advantage of Phi Phi Islands ‘ quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

You can also catch on the way this beautiful sunrise! If you are looking for more of a quality-guaranteed luxury tour, this will be a better choice for you.

It is highly recommended to visit the beautiful island of Khai, where you can snorkel on the coral reefs surrounded by sharks. The good news is that only during this time can you get a huge discount on the Phi Phi Island + Khai Island tour!

Another tour that introduces a must-see in the itinerary, the Phi Phi viewpoints:

Phi Phi viewpoint tour from Phuket

Krabi to Phi Phi islands tour

Discover the Andaman Sea’s Phi Phi Islands ‘ barefoot lifestyle and tropical scenery on a full-day tour from Krabi. Swim at Lohsamah and Monkey Bay with colorful fish, snorkel through coral gardens, and laze at Maya Bay’s white-sand beaches.

Hotels in Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Ao Nam Mao, Klong Muang, and Tub Kaek Beach are available for free pick-up. If you’re staying at Railay Beach, in front of Sand Sea Resort, there’s a pick-up service from Railay West Beach. On reconfirmation by the supplier, the exact pick-up time will be advised.

Enjoy a full day of relaxation on this speedboat ride to the islands of Phi Phi, lapped by turquoise waters and shaded by beautiful calcareous cliffs. Scene of the “The Beach” blockbuster movie, Phi Phi is a paradise destination from mainland Thailand just 30 miles away.

Phi Phi Don is the smaller, made up of 2 islets, known for its fine beaches and coral formations.

The two beautiful curved bays of Ton Sai and Lodalam are available on top of the average tourist facilities.

You can visit Maya Bay during the day, where “The Beach” was filmed, swim in some of the clearest water in the world, snorkel in beautiful Hin Klang, and explore Viking Cave, where thousands of swallows are nesting.

Discover Phi Phi Lee’s hidden coves, like Phi Lee Bay, where the calcareous cliffs rise directly from the waters and can only be reached by boat.

Snorkel among Ao Maya and Ao Lo Sama’s coral gardens. Completely uninhibited and surrounded by beaches of pristine coral, expect abundant reef fish and even the occasional leopard shark to be seen.

You will also visit Monkey Beach, located on Ton Sai Bay’s southwest side. It’s just a stunning strip of white powdery sand, 150 meters long, fringed by smart water. You can see a group of monkeys breakfast on the beach at low tide.

On Phi Phi Don, which is the larger of the two sister islands, you’re going to end. A rich Thai lunch buffet is served at Phi Phi Cliff Beach Resort’s restaurant.

Then it’s time to explore Ton Sai’s island path that offers average tourist facilities along Ton Sai and Loh Dalum Bay’s beautiful curved bays.

Later you’ll have the chance to swim and snorkel on Bamboo Island, a small, flat island, always covered in lush green vegetation, but most important, surrounded by a strip of white sand and a reef stretching up to 500 meters from the shore.

The uninhabited paradise, 3 miles (5 km) inland from Koh Phi Phi Don’s northern tip, offers tourists the impression of floating in an aquarium.

Krabi to Phi Phi Islands Tour by Speedboat

Phi Phi island tour by big boat – Phi Phi island tour by ferry

Enjoy the picturesque sights of the famous and surrounding Phi Phi Island by boat. Jump for swimming or snorkeling in the turquoise waters of Coral Bay and relax on Phi Phi Don Island. Enjoy a luxury Thai lunch and VIP seat on your trip. Start the day at 7:00 AM with a hotel pick-up service and drive to Rassada Harbor to board the boat and enjoy the reserved VIP seat.

Enjoy Phi Phi Lay sightseeing and enjoy the beauty of Maya Bay where “The Beach” was filmed. Go to see turquoise water at Loh Samah and Pileh Lagoon and enjoy it.

See the Viking Cave housing thousands of swallows. Through boarding the snorkeling boat at Ton Sai Pier, get closer to nature and enjoy swimming or snorkeling in the breathtaking Coral Bay.

Afterward, take advantage of Phi Phi Don’s premium Thai lunch and free time to walk around exploring what Phi Phi Don has to offer near the beach.

It’s quite easy to get to Phi Phi Island. This six-island group is situated 46 km from Phuket and about the same distance from Krabi.

The ferry has been by far the most popular way to get to the islands. Ferries are from Phuket for about two hours and from Krabi or Koh Lanta for 90 minutes.

Rassada Pier, located in Phuket Town, is the main departure/arrival port in Phuket. Klong Jirad Pier, located just south of Krabi City, is the largest ferry pier in Krabi.

A one-hour drive from Phuket Airport is the ferry terminal, and Krabi’s is 30 minutes from Krabi Airport.

During high season or half an hour before departure during the low season, you can arrive well in advance to get good seats.

You need to get to one of these two piers to catch a ferry to Phi Phi if you’re traveling from Bangkok.

You will probably need to take take a taxi or a local bus to the ferry terminal if you do not use rented or personal transportation when you arrive at the airport or the Phuket Bus terminal (intercity bus station).

Ferries are familiar with honesty — the ferry’s top deck doubles as a sundeck, great for those who want to bronze.

The lower decks are fitted with air-conditioned rooms and onboard drinks and snacks.

You can also get a VIP (green) ticket to enjoy the trip on the middle deck from a more convenient air-conditioned space.

The ferries may get a little crowded at times.

For the tours with cruise:

Phi Phi Islands Tour by Cruise Boat from Phuket

For the transfers with cruise:

www.phuketferry.com

Phi Phi island tour by speedboat

With a speedboat tour on Phi Phi Island, enjoy a lovely buffet lunch at a restaurant on a beautiful beach, enjoy Maya Bay and Viking Cave sight-seeing, visit Monkey Beach, and the Pileh Lagoon, snorkel in the lagoon, visit Phi Phi Don and Khai Island for relaxing and snorkeling.

Offers included in the cost of Phi Phi Island by speedboat: beach restaurant buffet breakfast, many kinds of soft drinks or coffee, tea, drinking water. The national park fees are also included! Life jacket, snorkeling gear (mask and snorkel), insurance guide! Bring bathing suits, a light t-shirt, sunblock, beach towel and sunglasses, phone!

Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts
Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts. A very modern speedboat at Phuket Boat Lagoon Pier.

What to expect

Take you from your hotel and begin your day trip to Koh Phi Phi.

Departure, sightseeing, and snorkeling: “Start exploring and relaxing at Maya Bay (Maya Bay is closed at the moment) and swimming with colorful tropical fish to enjoy sightseeing and snorkeling.

Visit Monkey Beach, Viking Cave, Pileh Lagoon snorkeling and swimming with colorful tropical fish, sightseeing the Bay’s stunning and impressive cliffs, swimming, snorkeling, relaxing.

There will be a fantastic buffet lunch at the Phi Phi Don beach bar, with delicious Veg. Fried mix, deep-fried chicken, Thai noodles, fried fish, Veg squid soup.

Seasonal fruit, vegetables, fried, and steamed rice. You will get the best tour of Phi Phi Island by speedboat; all itinerary adjustments are there for you to enjoy every moment and get the most out of every stop.

Sight-seeing and snorkeling, meals, the departure for snorkeling and relaxing on the beach from Khai Nok Island, enjoy the beach bars and sunbathing.

You will have for sure some free time to swim and snorkel on the beach.

Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts
Best Phi Phi island tours according to 11 local experts. The interior of a speedboat used for Phi Phi and Khai island tours or for Phi Phi and Bamboo island tours.

Phi Phi or Bond from James?

Both are wonderful places to visit at least once, but what if you don’t have time to see both?

You have only enough free time for a day trip, and you have never been to either before, to which of these world-famous places do you commit your limited time?

It’s a very common question, and the answer is always the same:

It depends on what kind of things you like

The two choices have been broken down into five important points to consider to help you reach to answer.

Ultimately, the decision is still a personal one, but if you know what to expect from either James Bond or Phi Phi will assist in knowing which is better James Bond Island or Phi Phi Island?

Phi Phi Islands

Whether you enjoy lazing on a sandy beach or floating in sparkling seas, Koh Phi Phi is the spot for you.

Mostly young backpackers tend to be the Phi Phi crowd, particularly around Tonsai Village and the main beaches on the island. With plenty of fun activities to do and a wider selection of restaurants and shops around the area, this is a great choice for families and larger groups.

A very nice location for the departure of both Phi Phi island tours and James Bond island tours. The Boat Lagoon Pier
A very nice location for the departure of both Phi Phi island tours and James Bond island tours. The Boat Lagoon Pier

James Bond Island

James Bond Island will cater to those who love wild nature in particular.

There’s always something to see around the beautiful calcareous islands, so there’s an enjoyable and relaxing time here on a day trip.it is the more romantic option with sunset cruises available–a good choice for couples.

The area’s tours include mostly a trip to Koh Panyee’s floating village, making it the best choice for those who want to see some local culture. It’s very hard to find this kind of landscape around the world, making it the best option if you want to see something different.

A trip to Koh Panyee's floating village
A trip to Koh Panyee’s floating village

How to get there to Phi Phi Islands

The Phi Phi Islands are about halfway between Krabi and Phuket–about 40 km from Phuket Town’s piers. A fast ferry service is available that can make the journey in approximately 90 minutes. A speedboat can do that in half the time, but the travel costs are higher.

Many of Phuket’s organized tours use speedboats, which will then travel around the islands to show you the star attractions as well.

You will be taken directly to the pier if you take the ferry, although from there you can arrange sightseeing tours.

How to get there to James Bond Island

James Bond is on the Thai mainland just north of Phuket but is still about the same distance from Phuket Town’s main piers–about 40 km away. As such, it will take about 90 minutes for a slow boat and less for a speedboat to sail there.

An alternative is to reach by driving one of the local piers near James Bond Island and arrange a long-tail boat tour, though if you don’t have a Thai speaker in your party, this can be difficult to negotiate.

There’s no public ferry service to, unlike Phi Phi, so you’ll have to arrange a tour to get there.

Phang-Nga-Bay
Phang Nga Bay

What to see at Phi Phi Islands

The beaches are undoubtedly the Phi Phi Islands ‘ main attraction. When it comes to making a final choice between Phi Phi or James Bond, if you really need to choose one, as there are no beaches in Phang Nga or James Bond Island, this is one of the main determining factors (although some tour might bring you to some smaller island with a nice beach, but the waters will never be that clear, Phang Nga Bay is a relatively shallow bay with few meters of water level).

Maya Bay is the location where the 2000 Leonardo Di Caprio film The Beach was shot, is the most popular of the beaches. Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island, and Viking Cave are other popular spots.

One disadvantage of this beach focus is that your experience will be significantly affected by bad weather.

Khai-Nai-island.-Visit-Khai-islands-with-Phi-Phi-island-tours-by-speedboat!
Khai Nai island. Visit Khai islands with Phi Phi island tours by speedboat!

James Bond Island

James Bond Island Compared to Phi Phi, the things to see in James Bond Island are more diverse. Another Hollywood movie set is one of the main attractions, this time Koh Tapu–nicknamed James Bond Island for his appearance in the 1974 James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.

There is also Koh Panyee’s floating village and Koh Hong’s enigmatic lagoon. The many striking islands, though with slightly less haze, create a beautiful sight, close to Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay.

Phang Nga Bay caves
Phang Nga Bay caves

What to do at Phi Phi Islands

The Phi Phi Islands are as beautiful under the sea as they are above. There are both fantastic snorkeling and scuba diving, with opportunities to see turtles, sharks, and other beautiful marine animals in the crystal clear seas.

On land, Tonsai Village offers shopping for souvenirs, a wide range of restaurants and a selection of hotels and guesthouses, if you want to make your day trip a short stay. If you have planned a good length of time, you can even make some light trekking up to the Phi Phi Viewpoint.

James Bond Island

James Bond Island in a sea kayak is one of the easiest ways to explore James Bond Island. Many of the tours available provide professional paddling guides for you, but some self-paddling trips are available. Using these smaller ships helps you to get through dark and mysterious caves into the smaller nooks around the harbor. Koh Panyee has some souvenir shopping to do, but restaurant selection is severely limited, and there are no guesthouses, so the reality is that you can’t extend your stay.

The costs

The tours to Phi Phi or James Bond Island prices are very similar, with an estimated 45 to 50 US$ per person for the regular itineraries.

You could also be choosing to add more interesting elements to the trip, including, for example, faster and more luxurious boats, a catamaran trip, expert guides, various activities, and different start/finish times to incorporate sunrise or sunset, this makes the cost to increases.

Please note that both the Phi Phi Islands and James Bond Island are in national parks, so in both cases, it will be necessary to pay a small entry fee. Normally this is included in the tour’s cost.

Is Koh Phi Phi expensive?

Thailand is a relatively cheap country to travel to and within. Still, the Thai islands, in particular, hold the reputation of costing a lot more than other parts of the country while Koh Phi Phi seems ridiculously overpriced in comparison to the other places.

How much does it cost to get from Phuket to Phi Phi?

102 ($70) is Koh Phi Phi’s average daily travel price.

The average one-day meal price in Koh Phi Phi is about $333 ($11).

A Koh Phi Phi hotel’s average price for a couple is $2,365 ($78).

The cheapest way to reach Phi Phi is by ferry, with regular daily departures from Phuket and Krabi throughout the year.

Ticket prices vary from 250 to 400 baht depending on your point of departure, which usually includes your hotel pick-up.

You can also book tickets directly at the pier, but the high taxi fare to enter the pier in Phuket in particular far outweighs any cost savings on the card.

Other informative guides about Phi Phi islands:

The best tips to visit Phi Phi Don in low season