Phi Phi island tour options range from a four-hour speedboat trip to a private longtail that follows your own schedule, and most of them cover the same core stops: Pileh Lagoon, Maya Bay, Monkey Beach and a snorkeling reef. Which one suits you depends on how much time you have, how much you want to spend and whether you mind sharing the boat. A Koh Phi Phi tour is also the simplest way to reach Phi Phi Leh, because the island is a national park area that you can only visit by boat.
This guide compares the main formats, shows what the stops are like, and sets out typical prices, park fees and the best time to go. It draws on recent guides such as Destinationless Travel and Phuket 101, on the national parks page, and on three live GetYourGuide listings that we checked on 26 October 2026. Prices and rules change often, so confirm them on the booking page for your date.
- Best months
- November to April
- Tour length
- 4 to 9.5 hours
- Maya Bay
- About 1 hour, no swimming
- Park fee
- ฿200 to ฿400
- Private boat
- From about ฿5,000
- Maya Bay closure
- August and September
What is the best Phi Phi island tour?
For most visitors, a half-day or full-day speedboat tour that includes Pileh Lagoon, Maya Bay and a snorkeling stop gives the best mix of sights and value. Choose a private longtail if you want your own pace and a small group.
Phi Phi Island Tour Options at a Glance
A Phi Phi island day tour usually follows one of five patterns. The table shows how they differ before we look at each in detail. Lengths are typical and vary by operator, weather and the departure point.
| Format | Typical length | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Half-day speedboat | 4 to 6 hours | One morning or afternoon, first-time visitors |
| Full-day speedboat | 7 to 9.5 hours | Seeing most stops, including Bamboo Island and lunch |
| Early-bird or sunrise tour | About 9 hours | Reaching Maya Bay before the crowds |
| Sunset and plankton tour | Afternoon into evening | Golden light and a night swim |
| Private longtail or speedboat | 3 to 8 hours | Families, small groups, a flexible route |
Most Phi Phi island tour itineraries stop at Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Maya Bay, Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island, with at least one snorkeling session. Our guide to Phi Phi island hopping explains how those stops link up, and our list of things to do in Phi Phi shows what else is worth your time on land.
How to Choose a Phi Phi Island Tour
Three questions narrow the choice quickly: how long you have, how much you want to spend and who is coming with you. The sections below turn each into a simple rule of thumb.
If you are short on time
Pick a half-day tour of four to six hours. It covers the headline stops without a full day on the water, and some listings offer a morning or an afternoon departure. If you stay on Phi Phi Don, a half-day trip fits around a viewpoint climb or a beach afternoon.
If you want to see everything
Choose a full-day tour. Seven to nine and a half hours leaves time for a long snorkeling session, lunch on Bamboo Island and sometimes a sunset. The trade-off is a longer day with more time spent traveling between stops, so bring something to do on the boat.
If you travel as a family or a group
A Phi Phi private tour lets you choose the pace, skip a stop that does not interest you and avoid sitting with strangers for hours. Destinationless Travel notes that the price of the private boat it reviewed stays the same for up to 15 people, so the cost per head falls as the group grows. Check the capacity on the listing you pick.
If you want the best photos
Pick your departure time with the light in mind. Phuket 101 advises against going too early to Pileh Lagoon for photos, because the cliffs cast long shadows in the morning and the water looks bluest around midday. An early start does the opposite for crowds, so decide which matters more to you.
Best Phi Phi Island Tour Options: Half-Day, Full-Day and Private
These are the three formats we would look at first. Each one is a live GetYourGuide listing, so you can check the price, the start time and the meeting point for your own date. The ratings and details below were correct on 26 October 2026.
Half-day Phi Phi island tour by speedboat
A half-day speedboat tour is the easy way to see Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon in a single morning or afternoon. It suits you if you have a ferry to catch later or you simply do not want to spend nine hours on a boat.
Phi Phi: Half-Day Speedboat Tour to Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon & Snorkeling
A guided speedboat trip to Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and a snorkeling stop, with a choice of morning or afternoon departure. The afternoon option adds a sunset and a night swim with glowing plankton.
Check on the listing before you book
- Price and start time for your date
- Meeting point
- What is included, including the park fee
Powered by GetYourGuide. Price, duration and availability depend on your date.
The listing is rated 4.7 out of 5 from 190 reviews and gives you about one hour at Maya Bay. It also offers reserve now, pay later, which helps if your plans are not fixed. Choose the afternoon departure if the sunset and plankton swim matter to you, since the morning one does not include them.
Full-day Phi Phi island tour with Bamboo Island and sunset
The full-day format is the one to book if you want the whole circuit in a single trip. This listing runs for about nine and a half hours and adds lunch on Bamboo Island, a sunset and a plankton swim to the usual stops.
Phi Phi Full-Day Tour: Maya Bay, Bamboo, Sunset & Plankton
A long speedboat day that links Maya Bay and Bamboo Island, with lunch on the island, snorkeling, a sunset and a plankton swim before you head back.
Check on the listing before you book
- Price and start time for your date
- Pickup or meeting point
- Which stops are included on the day
Powered by GetYourGuide. Price, duration and availability depend on your date.
It holds 4.7 out of 5 from 291 reviews, so it has more feedback to go on than most full-day options. If a full-day trip is your plan, our guide to Bamboo Island explains what to expect at the lunch stop.
Phi Phi private tour by longtail boat
A Phi Phi island private boat tour gives you the boat, the captain and the schedule to yourselves. This private longtail listing is the best reviewed of the three, with a 4.8 rating from 1,904 reviews and a top-rated badge.
Phi Phi Private Longtail: Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon & Snorkel
A private longtail trip with a local captain for your own group, with 3, 4, 6 and 7 hour options to Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and a snorkeling stop.
Check on the listing before you book
- Price per boat for your date
- Which length includes which stops
- Start time and meeting point
Powered by GetYourGuide. Price, duration and availability depend on your date.
The details differ by length, so read the options before you choose. Snorkeling is guaranteed on the 4, 6 and 7 hour tours, Maya Bay gets up to an hour, and the morning departure reaches Maya Bay at 7 AM. Plankton is offered only on the afternoon options, and Bamboo Island is included only on the 7 hour tour.
What a Phi Phi Island Tour Includes: The Stops in Order
The order of stops changes with the tide, the crowds and the captain's judgment on the day, according to a Krabi operator's guide to the route. The stops themselves are consistent. Here is what each one offers and what to watch for.
Pileh Lagoon
Pileh Lagoon is a sheltered emerald bay on Phi Phi Leh, enclosed by high limestone walls, and it is the swim stop that makes up for the swimming ban at Maya Bay. Phuket 101 warns that longtails and speedboats come in and out nonstop, so it is busy. Expect to share the water, and keep an eye on boat traffic while you swim.
Viking Cave
Viking Cave is a photo stop. Boats pause close enough for you to see the cave mouth and the scaffolding used by nest harvesters, but visitors do not go ashore. Plan on a few minutes, not a long visit, and keep your camera ready.
Maya Bay
Maya Bay is the beach from The Beach, and the rules are strict. Time Out Bangkok reported on 29 September 2026 that the bay would reopen on 1 October after its annual August and September closure, and that swimming remains prohibited. Boats do not enter the bay. They moor in Loh Samah Bay on the other side of the island, and you walk about five minutes along a boardwalk, according to Phuket 101. Our Maya Bay guide covers the rules in full.
Phuket 101 reports a limit of 375 visitors per hour and a stay of around one hour, which matches what the tour listings describe. That cap is one reason an early departure can feel less crowded.
Monkey Beach
Monkey Beach is a small cove where wild long-tailed macaques come down to the sand. Keep your bag closed, keep food out of sight and do not feed them, since feeding is against the park's rules. Our Monkey Beach guide explains how to visit safely.
Bamboo Island and the snorkeling stops
Bamboo Island is the classic last stop of a long Phi Phi island tour, with a wide white beach and clear shallow water. Phuket 101 notes that speedboats arrive all day, so do not expect it to yourself. The Krabi operator's guide describes coral in two to four metres of water just off the beach and says fins are not provided as standard, so bring your own if you want them. For reefs, spots and gear, see our Phi Phi snorkeling guide.
Phi Phi Island Tour Prices and Park Fees in 2026
Phi Phi island tour prices vary widely because the boat, the group size and the inclusions all change the total. The table gathers figures quoted by recent guides. Treat them as a guide and not a price list, and check the booking page for your date.
| Item | Quoted price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Budget full-day speedboat from Phuket | From about US$54 | Destinationless Travel, June 2026; Bamboo Island costs extra |
| Early-bird full-day tour from Krabi | About US$80 | Includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and soft drinks |
| Ao Nang tour shops | ฿1,400 to ฿2,000 | A Krabi operator's guide, May 2026 |
| Rent a longtail on Phi Phi Don | ฿1,500 to ฿3,000 | Phuket 101; depends on where you go |
| Private longtail tour | From about ฿5,000 | Gecko Routes quotes a local operator |
| National park fee | ฿200 to ฿400 per adult | Sources differ; often included in the ticket |
The park fee is the usual source of confusion. Thai National Parks lists ฿200 for foreign adults and ฿100 for children aged 3 to 14, while Phuket 101 and the Krabi operator quote ฿400 for adults. Many tour prices already include it, so read the inclusions before you pay twice.
When you compare a Phi Phi island tour package, check the same few things on each listing: park fee, lunch, snorkel gear, hotel pickup and insurance. A cheaper ticket that charges the park fee in cash and leaves out lunch can cost more than a dearer all-in one. Rates tend to be higher in high season.
Speedboat or Longtail: Which Phi Phi Island Tour Boat Suits You?
A Phi Phi speed boat covers distance quickly, which means more stops in a day and less time in transit. A longtail is slower and smaller, which suits a private, relaxed trip close to Phi Phi Don. The table sets out the differences that matter on a Phi Phi island tour.
| Speedboat | Longtail | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast; about 50 minutes from Phuket | Slower; best for short hops |
| Group size | Shared with other travelers | Often private, your group only |
| Flexibility | Fixed route and times | You choose the stops and length |
| Cost | Lower per person on a shared tour | Higher per boat, cheaper per head with a full group |
| Best for | Seeing many stops in a day | Families, couples, a quiet start |
If you are coming from Phuket, a speedboat is the practical choice for a Phi Phi island tour, since the crossing takes about 50 minutes, according to Phuket 101. If you are already on Phi Phi Don, a private longtail is the simplest way to reach the same sights on your own schedule. Our guides to the crossing from Phuket to Phi Phi and Krabi to Phi Phi cover the boats, times and fares.
Best Time for a Phi Phi Island Tour
The best months for a Phi Phi island tour are November to April, when the sea is calmer and the skies clearer, according to Phuket 101. From May to October the sea is rougher and showers are more likely, so boats may change their route or cancel. Maya Bay itself is closed every August and September, although tours can still pass it and visit the other stops.
Morning, midday or afternoon
An early departure gets you to Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon before the day-trip crowds. The Krabi operator says the Maya Bay cap fills by about 10:30 AM in peak season, and Destinationless Travel found that a 6 AM start gave it Maya Bay almost to itself. The trade-off is light: Phuket 101 says the cliffs shade Pileh Lagoon in the morning, so the water looks bluest near midday.
An afternoon departure suits you if you want the sunset and the plankton swim. Our plankton guide explains when the glow is strongest, and our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Phi Phi covers the seasons in detail.
Booking flexibility in the rainy season
Weather is the main risk from May to October, so choose a listing with free cancellation. The half-day and full-day listings above both show it, and the private longtail listing has its own terms, so read them for your option before you commit.
Phi Phi Island Tour From Phuket, Krabi or Phi Phi Don
The three departure points give very different days. The same stops are on offer from each, but the time on the water and the time at the sights are not equal.
From Phuket
Phuket is the most common starting point, with hotel pickups, a speedboat crossing of about 50 minutes and tours of six to twelve hours. The Phuket tours reviewed by Destinationless Travel start between about 6 AM and 9:30 AM and last six to twelve hours. If you only want to cross to the island, see our Phuket to Phi Phi guide, and for a one-day plan see our Phi Phi day trip guide.
From Krabi
Tours from Krabi usually pick up in Ao Nang and run for about seven hours, with some early departures lasting nine. The Krabi operator says there is no pickup in Railay. For the crossing without a tour, our guide to Krabi to Phi Phi lists the piers and fares.
From Phi Phi Don
If you sleep on the island, you save the crossing altogether. Phuket 101 says you can easily rent a longtail there, and some tour listings start on the island too, so check the meeting point on each page. Starting from Phi Phi Don is also the simplest way to reach Maya Bay early, since you are already close to Phi Phi Leh. Our guides to Koh Phi Phi and the Phi Phi island ferry explain how to get there.
What to Bring on a Phi Phi Island Tour
On a Phi Phi island tour you will be in the sun and in the water for most of the day, so pack light but carefully. This list covers the things that make the biggest difference.
- Swimwear, a quick-dry towel and a change of clothes.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
- Cash for the park fee if your ticket does not include it, plus small notes for snacks.
- A dry bag or a waterproof phone case.
- Your own snorkel fins if you want them. The Krabi operator says masks are provided but fins are not as standard.
- Seasickness tablets if you are prone to it. Some tours supply them, but check first.
- Water shoes for rocky landings and a light layer for the ride back.
Keep valuables to a minimum and zip your bag at Monkey Beach, where macaques will take food and anything that looks interesting.
How to Book a Phi Phi Island Tour Online
Booking ahead is the safer route in high season, when the better tours fill up. The Krabi operator argues that advance bookings get the better-maintained boats, while walk-in buyers get whatever is left. Follow these steps to book without surprises.
Choose a format and a date
Decide between a half-day, a full-day or a private tour, then pick a date with calm weather in the forecast if you can.
Read the inclusions
Check whether the park fee, lunch, snorkel gear and hotel pickup are part of the ticket, and note the meeting point.
Check recent reviews
Sort by newest. Look for comments about the boat, the crowds at Maya Bay and how the operator handled weather.
Confirm the cancellation terms
Choose free cancellation where possible, and note the cut-off time before the tour.
If you book through GetYourGuide, you can compare the listings above and pay online. The links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Phi Phi Island Tour FAQ
How long is a Phi Phi island tour?
A half-day tour takes four to six hours. A full-day speedboat tour runs seven to nine and a half hours. Private longtail tours offer 3, 4, 6 and 7 hour options.
How much does a Phi Phi island tour cost?
Shared full-day speedboat tours are quoted from about US$54 to US$80, and tour shops in Ao Nang quote ฿1,400 to ฿2,000. A private longtail starts from about ฿5,000 per boat. Check the listing for your date.
Is the national park fee included?
Often, but not always. Sources quote ฿200 to ฿400 for adults, and some tours collect it in cash at the pier. Read the inclusions before you book.
Can you swim at Maya Bay on a tour?
No. Swimming at Maya Bay is prohibited, and you can only walk on the sand for about an hour. You can swim at Pileh Lagoon and at the snorkeling stops.
Is Maya Bay open now?
Yes. It reopened on 1 October 2026 after its annual closure, and it closes again each August and September.
What is the best time of day for a Phi Phi island tour?
Early departures reach Maya Bay before the crowds, and midday gives the bluest water at Pileh Lagoon. An afternoon departure adds sunset and plankton on tours that offer them.
Should I book a private Phi Phi tour?
A private tour suits families and groups who want their own pace. The longtail listing above is rated 4.8 from 1,904 reviews. A shared speedboat is cheaper per person and covers more ground.
Can I book a Phi Phi island tour on the day?
You can in the village, but the better boats fill up in high season. Booking online with free cancellation is safer, and it lets you compare reviews first.
Ready to book your Phi Phi island tour?
Check dates, start times and prices for the private longtail tour to Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and the snorkeling stops.
Photo credits: Longtail boat off Phi Phi Leh by Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); Pileh Lagoon by Christophe95 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Loh Samah Bay by Christophe95 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Tour boats at a Phi Phi beach by Michael Spencer (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons). Tour photos: GetYourGuide.
Disclosure: InsideSamui may earn a commission when you book through some of the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This guide is compiled from published park, operator and traveler information, checked on 26 October 2026. We have not run these trips ourselves for this page. Prices, schedules, fees and rules around Koh Phi Phi change often, so confirm with your operator before you travel. Tour bookings are handled by GetYourGuide.
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