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View all Krabi toursPhi Phi Islands Full Day Boat Escape with Buffet Lunch in Krabi
Spend a full day among the Phi Phi islands by speedboat or catamaran, with reef snorkelling, the Pileh Lagoon swim and a buffet lunch ashore on Phi Phi Don.
Highlights
- Pick a fast speedboat or a steadier catamaran
- Swim in Pileh Lagoon, walled by cliffs on every side
- Maya Bay on its current post-2022 arrival route
- Reef fish here hold their ground instead of scattering
- Buffet lunch and free time on Phi Phi Don
Phi Phi Islands Full Day Boat Escape with Buffet Lunch: Key Facts
| Price | From $51 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
A full day around the Phi Phi group with the boat left up to you.
The choice between a speedboat and a catamaran is the one decision worth making before you book. A speedboat gets there fast and gives you longer at each stop. A catamaran is slower and far steadier, with a deck to sit on properly, and it is the better call if anyone in the group feels the sea. Both cover the same route.
Pileh Lagoon is the stop people book for. It is a deep channel of green water enclosed by cliffs on every side, so still that the surface holds the reflection of the walls around it, and swimming in it is the closest thing Thailand has to swimming inside a mountain.
Maya Bay is on Phi Phi Leh. It reopened in 2022 after four years closed for the reef to recover, and it runs on the current rules: boats moor at the back of the island and visitors walk in through it, which is a better arrival than pulling up on the beach ever was.
The snorkelling on this route is the kind where fish come to you. The reefs around Phi Phi are used to people, so the shoals hold their ground instead of scattering, and you see more in twenty minutes than an hour somewhere wilder.
Buffet lunch and free time on Phi Phi Don, the inhabited island, fill the middle of the day.
Your place is held with the operator before your booking is final. The price covers hotel pickup and drop-off in Ao Nang and Krabi Town, the boat transfer with certified crew, an English-speaking guide and the buffet lunch.
Eight hours. National park fees are collected at the pier unless confirmed otherwise, so carry cash. Minimum one day's notice.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Collection from your hotel and transfer to the departure point in Ao Nang.
Crossing to Phi Phi
Cross the open Andaman with the karsts of Phi Phi rising ahead.
Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave
Swim in the enclosed lagoon and cruise past the cliffside Viking Cave.
Reef snorkelling and Monkey Beach
Snorkel over coral gardens and stop where the resident macaques gather.
Lunch on Phi Phi Don
Buffet lunch ashore followed by free time on the beach and in the village.
Return crossing
Final swim stop before cruising back to Ao Nang and your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
Your driver collects you around 07:30 and the boat leaves Ao Nang at about 08:30. The crossing takes roughly an hour by speedboat and a little longer by catamaran, and the first sight of the Phi Phi karsts standing straight out of the water is worth staying on deck for.
Mid-morning the boat noses into Pileh Lagoon, where the cliffs block the wind and the water is a flat, unreal turquoise. From there it runs past the Viking Cave and out to a reef anchorage for snorkelling, with a short pause at Monkey Beach where the macaques come down to the shoreline.
Lunch is served on Phi Phi Don from about 12:15, and the two-hour stop gives you time to eat properly and still swim or wander. The boat departs mid-afternoon, usually with one last swim stop on the way, and lands at Ao Nang in the late afternoon.
Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Ao Nang and Krabi Town
- Boat transfer with certified crew
- English-speaking guide
- Buffet lunch
- Snorkel mask, fins and life jacket
- Drinking water, soft drinks and fruit
- National park fees
- Insurance
Excludes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Towels
- Camera and equipment hire
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Important information
Meeting point
Ao Nang Beach or Nopparat Thara Pier, depending on your boat type
Weather
This runs outdoors, so the operator can call it off for rain, wind or sea conditions, and that decision is usually made on the day. If they cancel, you choose: another date, or your money back in full. We do not keep a booking fee on a tour that did not run.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
The whole day was fantastic, the tour guides were very polite, helpful and very funny. The trip was such good value for money. I would definitely do it again
This was an absolutely fantastic day, the staff were super professional and helpful. Felt very safe the whole time. They were always there to answer questions, take pictures, advise on the best places to explore on the stops - highly highly recommend this tour! We were on the sea eagle number 3 on the 23rd August!! This is a must do if you are in Krabi
Great activity , speedboat was a bit bumpy and longer than expected . The staff were really fun, happy and friendly. It was well organised and enjoyed the whole day.
A full day around Phi Phi for this price is hard to argue with. Pileh Lagoon was the standout, the water is a green you do not believe until you are floating in it. Buffet lunch on Phi Phi Don was decent and there was time to wander the village afterwards.
Our boat did Bamboo Island first, which meant we snorkelled before it filled up. The fish around the reef there were the best of the day. Guide gave clear timings at every stop and nobody got left behind.
Great day but Maya Bay at eleven in the morning is very busy, and you cannot swim there, only walk the beach. If crowds bother you, book one of the early departures instead. Everything else was excellent, especially Monkey Beach.
Eight hours went quickly. Viking Cave from the water, snorkelling at Loh Samah, then the lagoon swim. The crew handed out fruit and cold water constantly, which matters in that heat.
We took the catamaran option rather than the speedboat and it was far more comfortable, though slower between islands. Lunch buffet had a vegetarian section which was better than expected. Good introduction to Phi Phi if it is your first time.
Beautiful islands, competent crew, fair price. The sea was rough on the return and the speedboat ride back to Ao Nang was uncomfortable for about forty minutes. Take a tablet before boarding if you are prone to it.
The Pileh Lagoon swim alone justified the day. Sheer limestone on all sides and warm still water in the middle. Our guide also explained the coral recovery work at Maya Bay and why the rules are strict now.
Well organised from the hotel pickup onwards and we were back in Ao Nang exactly when they said. Snorkel gear and life jackets were included and in good condition. Sunscreen, hat and a dry bag are the three things to bring.