By Kylian Dev
The 8 best trips from Phi Phi Don
Everything leaves from Tonsai or Loh Dalum: no transfers, and boats that go when you choose.
| Trip | Duration | Typical price | Season | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi Leh by longtail (Maya, Pileh, Viking) | 3–4 h | 600–1,200 THB shared + 400 THB park fee | Best Nov–Apr; Maya closed Aug–Sep | Everyone |
| Bamboo and Mosquito Islands | 4–5 h | 700–1,200 THB + 400 THB park fee | Nov–Apr | Beach, snorkelling |
| Private longtail for the day | 6–8 h | 3,000–4,500 THB per boat | Nov–Apr | Groups, families |
| Sunset and plankton | 4–5 h | 800–1,500 THB | Nov–Apr | Couples, evenings |
| Phi Phi viewpoint | 1.5 h on foot | Small entry fee, a few dozen baht | Year-round | Everyone |
| Diving (Bida, Shark Point) | Half day | 3,000–4,500 THB (2 dives) | Best visibility Nov–Apr | Certified divers, try-dives |
| Rock climbing at Tonsai Tower | Half day | 1,000–2,000 THB | Nov–Apr | Beginners, climbers |
| Kayak to Monkey Beach | 2–3 h | Hourly rental | Calm sea only | Active travellers, budget |
Just one trip
At dawnPhi Phi Leh by longtail at sunrise: Pileh Lagoon, then Maya Bay before 8 am while the first speedboats are still at sea.
Afternoon
When the tours leaveBamboo Island after 2 pm: white sand, shallow water and a beach that slowly empties.
Evening
Dry seasonThe viewpoint at sunset, or the plankton trip with dinner on board.
Underwater
Nov–AprBida Nok and Bida Nai: soft coral walls, turtles and sometimes leopard sharks.
Phi Phi Leh and Maya Bay: what time should you leave?
The uninhabited sister island is a longtail ride from Tonsai, and this is where staying overnight makes all the difference.
The standard tour stops at Pileh Lagoon, emerald water between two cliffs where you swim off the boat, passes Viking Cave (no landing, it is a swiftlet-nest cave) and lands at Maya Bay via the jetty at Loh Samah. On the beach swimming is banned and visits are time-limited. The full rules are in our Maya Bay guide.
The real decision is timing. Early-morning trips leave Tonsai around 6.30 to 7 am and reach Maya before the wave of speedboats from Phuket, which lands mid-morning. Late-afternoon trips also get lovely light, with a few more people.
Only coming for the day? A speedboat tour from Phuket or Krabi covers the same stops, but at the busiest hours and with little time ashore. The crossings are compared in Phuket to Koh Phi Phi: if you can spare a single night, the dawn longtail from Tonsai beats any day tour.
Bamboo and Mosquito Islands: the beach half day
Northeast of Phi Phi Don, 30 to 40 minutes by longtail, the finest beaches in the archipelago.
Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai) is a ring of white sand around low forest, circled by a shallow reef. Mosquito Island next door is mainly a snorkelling stop. Combined tours leave in the morning, but the best time is the afternoon, once the Phuket speedboats head home.
The trip is covered by the 400 THB park fee. Bring water and shade: Bamboo has very few beach trees and the glare is strong. If the sea is rough the longtail may skip the last stop, which is normal.
Viewpoint, sunset and plankton
Phi Phi's best moments happen at the end of the day.
The main viewpoint overlooks the isthmus and the twin bays of Tonsai and Loh Dalum: the photo everyone knows. Allow 20 to 30 minutes of steep steps from the village and a small entry fee. Go up around 5 pm for sunset, or at sunrise to have it to yourself, and bring a torch for the way down.
The plankton trip leaves in the late afternoon, stops to snorkel, serves dinner facing the sunset and ends with a night swim among glowing plankton. It is best on moonless nights and only runs in the dry season.
Diving and climbing from Phi Phi
Phi Phi is also an active base, at sensible prices.
Tonsai dive shops run two-dive trips to Bida Nok, Bida Nai, Hin Klang or Shark Point, plus try-dives for beginners. Visibility is best from November to April. For a dive-focused trip between mid-October and mid-May, the Similan Islands are in another league.
Climbing happens on Tonsai Tower, five minutes' walk from the village, with easy routes for first-timers. A guided half day with gear is enough to get a taste of the Andaman cliffs.
What to skip
The classic traps on Tonsai's main street.
- 11 am tours to Maya Bay: you arrive with everyone else.
- Feeding or approaching the monkeys at Monkey Beach: they bite, and feeding makes them worse.
- 'Complete' tours with Maya, Bamboo, Khai and plankton in one day: too long, too little time on each beach.
- Any longtail trip in heavy seas between June and September: wait for tomorrow.
- Paid photos with animals on the beach.
How many days, and in what order?
Phi Phi is better over two or three nights than one.
- 1One night: viewpoint at sunset, Phi Phi Leh at dawn, leave late morning.
- 2Two nights: add Bamboo in the afternoon and the plankton trip.
- 3Three nights: a day of diving or climbing, and a day at Long Beach.
- 4In the rainy season: go out early, when the sea is often calmer, and keep a spare day.
To choose your area (lively Tonsai or quiet Long Beach), see where to stay on Koh Phi Phi. For getting there and away, the boats are compared in Phuket to Koh Phi Phi.
Book on the island or online?
Tonsai agencies sell the same longtails at similar prices; the difference is the time and the number of passengers.
On the island, negotiate a private longtail at the pier the evening before, agreeing clearly on the time and the stops. Online, you book a shared trip with a guaranteed time and free cancellation, handy if you arrive on the island the same day.
Responsible trips on Phi Phi
Simple rules for a fragile archipelago.
- No contact with the monkeys, and never feed them.
- No standing on coral, no feeding fish, no taking shells.
- No Maya Bay during its annual closure.
- Mineral sunscreen or a rash guard, and take your bottles back with you.