Phi Phi, Maya Bay & Khai Island Speedboat Tour with Park Fees Phuket

Maya Bay, Phi Phi Leh

Maya Bay is a short, perfect arc of white sand on Phi Phi Leh, the uninhabited southern island of the group, closed in on three sides by limestone cliffs over 100 metres high. Mass tourism damaged its coral so badly that the national park closed it from 2018 to 2022; today boats no longer enter the bay, guests land at a jetty on the back side and walk a short boardwalk to the beach, and visits are timed to protect the reef. Blacktip reef sharks have returned to the shallows.

Swimming at Maya Bay is not allowed, so this is a stop to walk on the sand, photograph the cliffs and watch the water, about 30 minutes. The park usually closes Maya Bay for a recovery period in the rainy season, often around August and September, when the tour spends more time at the other sights. A Maya Bay tour from Phuket with park fees included saves you the queue and the cash payment on arrival.

Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave

Pileh Lagoon is a narrow inlet on the east side of Phi Phi Leh, almost enclosed by vertical cliffs draped in jungle. The water is a vivid emerald green, sheltered and calm on most days, and the boat drifts in while you swim off the side or simply float and look up at the rock walls. It is often the moment guests call the most beautiful of the day.

Further along the coast, Viking Cave opens at the foot of the cliffs. Inside, local collectors climb bamboo scaffolds to harvest the nests of swiftlets, a prized and protected trade, and old drawings of sailing ships on the walls gave the cave its name. Visitors may not enter, but the boat slows for photos. The snorkelling stop nearby is chosen on the day by sea conditions, with masks, snorkels, life jackets and shared paddleboards provided.

Phi Phi Don and Monkey Beach

Phi Phi Don is the larger, inhabited island, shaped like two green hills joined by a low strip of sand with Ton Sai village and its piers in the middle. After the morning at sea you stop here for a Thai-style buffet lunch and about an hour and a half of free time to walk the lanes, find a cold fruit shake or relax on the beach. The island has no cars, only footpaths and bicycles, which keeps the village relaxed.

On the way out, the boat slows at Monkey Beach, a small cove on the north-west coast where long-tailed macaques come down to the sand. They are viewed from the boat for safety: the monkeys can bite and grab bags, and feeding or touching them is not allowed. Is Phi Phi worth visiting? With its cliffs, lagoons and clear water, it is the island day most visitors to Phuket remember longest.

Khai Islands

The Khai Islands are a cluster of tiny islets between Phuket and Phi Phi, about 30 minutes by speedboat from the Phuket coast, with powder-white sand and clear, shallow water. Shoals of sergeant major fish swim right up to the beach, so even guests who do not snorkel see plenty of marine life simply by standing knee-deep in the water.

This is the relaxed last stop of the day, about an hour to swim, sunbathe and take photos before the short ride back to the pier. Beach chairs and other island services here are optional and paid locally, so bring a little cash if you want them. Because the islands sit close to Phuket, the return crossing is short and calmer than the open sea, a pleasant way to finish a long day on the water.

The Crossing from Koh Siray and the Best Season

The day starts at a pier on Koh Siray, a small island joined to Phuket Town by a bridge on the east coast, with check-in, tea or coffee and a safety briefing before boarding. From there the speedboat crosses the Andaman Sea to Phi Phi in a little over an hour. How to get to Phi Phi from Phuket? Speedboat tours like this one are the fastest way, and the shared hotel transfer takes care of the road part.

The best time to visit Phi Phi is from November to April, when the sea is usually calm and visibility is good for snorkelling. From May to October, the south-west monsoon can bring swell and showers; tours still run on most days, but the order of stops may change for safety, and guests prone to seasickness should take a tablet before departure.