The Phi Phi Islands lie about 45 km south-east of Phuket, inside a marine national park administered from Krabi. The two main islands could not be more different: Phi Phi Don has a car-free village squeezed onto a sand isthmus between two bays, while Phi Phi Leh is uninhabited, a ring of cliffs enclosing Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon.
It is the most popular day trip from Phuket by a distance, which is both the reason to go and the thing to plan around. Choosing the right boat and departure time makes more difference here than anywhere else.
Top things to do: Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay
Maya Bay
The beach from the film The Beach was closed from 2018 to the start of 2022 so its coral and blacktip reef sharks could recover. It has reopened with strict rules: boats land at a pier on the far side of the island, visitor numbers and time on the beach are limited, and swimming in the bay is not allowed. In recent years it has also closed for about two months in the green season, usually August and September — check before you book.
Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave
Pileh is a fjord-like inlet of emerald water where boats stop for a swim. Viking Cave, nearby, is seen from the boat: it is used for harvesting swiftlet nests and is not open to visitors.
Phi Phi Don
Most day trips stop here for lunch. If you stay overnight, climb to the viewpoint above the village for the famous twin-bay panorama, and take a longtail to the quieter beaches of the east coast.
Bamboo Island and snorkelling
Many itineraries add Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai), a flat islet ringed with white sand to the north, and a snorkelling stop off Phi Phi Don or at Monkey Beach.
How to get to Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay
- By tour: speedboats take around an hour from Phuket’s east-coast marinas, with hotel pickup included. See our compared Phi Phi tours.
- By ferry: scheduled ferries run from Rassada Pier near Phuket Town to Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don in about two hours, several times a day.
- Fees: a national park fee for foreign visitors (around 400 baht for adults at the time of writing) is often collected in cash on top of the tour price.
Insider tips
- Early-departure and “sunrise” tours reach Maya Bay before the main wave of boats. They cost more and are worth it.
- The crossing can be rough from May to October. If you are prone to seasickness, choose a ferry, a catamaran or a big boat over a speedboat, and take medication beforehand.
- Do not feed the monkeys at Monkey Beach; bites and scratches are common.
Best tours & tickets for Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay
These well-reviewed experiences are the easiest way to see Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay:
Speedboat day trip from €38 Phuket: Maya Bay, Phi Phi and Bamboo Island with Buffet Lunch
The most-booked Phuket tour on GetYourGuide by a wide margin, with more than twenty thousand reviews. A speedboat covers Maya Bay, the cliffs of Phi Phi Leh, a snorkelling stop and beach time on Bamboo Island, with a buffet lunch in between.
- Maya Bay and a view of Viking Cave
- Snorkelling stop and Bamboo Island
- Buffet lunch and hotel transfers
Speedboat day trip from €32 Phuket: Phi Phi Islands and Maya Bay Day Trip with Lunch
A packed itinerary at one of the lowest prices on the island: Phi Phi Leh’s famous bays, a snorkel stop and a final beach break on Khai Island. Its rating is a little lower than our top pick’s.
- Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Monkey Bay
- Viking Cave from the boat
- Snorkelling and a Khai Island beach stop
Premium early speedboat tour from €142 Phuket: Phi Phi Island Sunrise Small-Group Speedboat Tour
The premium way to do Phi Phi: an early departure that puts you at Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon ahead of the mass of day boats, in a smaller group. It costs several times the budget trips and is rated 4.9.
- Maya Bay before the main crowds
- Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave
- Small group on a roomy speedboat
Catamaran day trip from €111 Phuket: Phi Phi Islands Day Trip by Speed Catamaran
A middle path between the crowded speedboats and the premium sunrise tours. The twin-hulled catamaran has more deck space and a smoother ride, with stops at Phi Phi’s best-known sights and time to snorkel.
- A more stable ride than a speedboat
- Phi Phi’s main sights
- Snorkelling on coral reefs
