Private Longtail Boat to Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon Phi Phi

Maya Bay and Loh Samah Bay

Your private longtail first heads around the cliffs to Koh Phi Phi Leh, the uninhabited island that holds Maya Bay. Boats now land at a floating pier at Loh Samah Bay on the island's far side, a tiny beach at the back of a narrow canyon with a small islet in the middle, and a wooden boardwalk leads through the forest to Maya Bay's famous curve of white sand framed by towering limestone walls.

With a private boat, you can spend up to an hour here, enough to walk the whole beach, take photos without rushing and look for young blacktip reef sharks in the shallows. Swimming is not allowed, to protect the recovering reef. On the morning departure, you arrive right at opening time, before the day boats. Maya Bay closes every year for a period, usually August and September; you then spend longer at the other stops.

Pileh Lagoon and the Viking Cave

On the eastern side of Phi Phi Leh, your captain steers through a gap in the cliffs into Pileh Lagoon, a narrow inlet of calm, emerald-green water surrounded on almost every side by sheer limestone walls. Because the boat is yours, you can choose when to swim, how long to stay and where to take photos, ideally when the larger tour boats have moved on.

Nearby, you pause outside the Viking Cave, a large sea cave at the base of the cliffs where swiftlets nest high on the walls; old paintings of boats on the rock gave it its name. Visitors cannot go inside, but the view from the water is impressive. This flexible pace is the main advantage of a private Phi Phi boat tour compared with a shared trip.

Monkey Bay and the snorkelling stops

Back towards Koh Phi Phi Don, Monkey Bay is a small beach where long-tailed macaques come down from the forest to the shore. You watch them from the boat at a safe distance; do not feed or touch them, as they can bite, and keep bags closed. Sightings are very likely but cannot be guaranteed.

The seven-hour tour includes two snorkelling stops, chosen by your captain for the day's tide and visibility. With the masks and life jackets on board, you can float above coral gardens with parrotfish, angelfish, sergeant majors and sometimes small reef sharks. Lunch is not included, so bring snacks or a packed lunch for the boat; the ice box keeps your drinks cold alongside the water and fruit we provide.

Bamboo Island

When the weather and sea allow, the seven-hour tour continues north-east of Phi Phi Don to Bamboo Island, a small, flat island protected within the national park. It is ringed by soft white sand and clear, shallow water, with casuarina trees for shade, and it is one of the most relaxing beaches in the area.

Here you have free time to swim, snorkel near the shore or rest on the sand. The crossing is in open water, so if conditions are rough, your captain takes you to other sheltered spots instead. Is a private longtail tour on Phi Phi worth it? For families, couples and small groups who want space, flexible timing and the best spots at quieter moments, it is the most comfortable way to see the islands.

Sunset and the glowing plankton

On the afternoon departure, the tour ends with two magical moments. First, your captain finds a quiet spot to watch the sun sink behind the limestone islands, painting the sky and the water gold and pink. Then, once it is dark, you slip into the sea for a swim among bioluminescent plankton, tiny organisms that glow blue-green with every movement of the water.

The glow is strongest on dark nights with little moonlight. Bring a towel and a light layer for the ride back to Tonsai. The best time to visit the Phi Phi Islands is from November to April, when the sea is calm and the water clearest; from May to October, the route may be adjusted, but private longtails often still find sheltered places to swim.