Phuket Phi Phi Island Tour 2026: Longtail Boats & Snorkeling Guide

​

Thailand Phuket Trip: Phi Phi Island Tour Review, Itinerary, What to Pack, Booking|

Phi Phi Island, Koh Khai, Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon|

Snorkeling, Longtail Boat, What to Pack and Costs, A to Z Review

🐠 Get Your Life-Shot at Phi Phi Island Pileh Lagoon on a Longtail Boat

Embark on a Phuket Luxury Speed Catamaran Cruise to Krabi's Maya Bay & Koh Khai! - Klook3ha.in

We booked and went on this Phuket Phi Phi Island tour ⤴️.

From morning to evening, we explored Phi Phi Island,

the surrounding Koh Khai, Maya Bay, and Pileh Lagoon.

On this tour, we got to visit all of them,

snorkeled, swam, took photos,

and truly enjoyed everything.

The tour guides were incredibly friendly,

(Was it just for me..?) they even collected and brought me pretty seashells,

(Was this for everyone?) and when we were snorkeling,

they excitedly pointed out fish for us to see.

Even though there were quite a few people on our Phi Phi Island tour on the second day,

the staff took meticulous care of everyone, without missing a single person.

(They were super careful not to physically leave anyone behind, lol!)

It was so much fun and incredibly fulfilling...

Phi Phi Island Tour Itinerary

Phi Phi Island Tour Packing List / Recommendations

Phi Phi Island Tour Booking

Phi Phi Island Tour: Koh Khai / Snorkeling / Pileh Lagoon Longtail Boat / Phi Phi Don / Phi Phi Leh, Paddleboarding & Water Activities

So, here was our tour itinerary:

Phuket Pier (Pickup) >

Koh Khai > Explore the waters around Phi Phi Island >

> Longtail Boat at Pileh Lagoon (for those who paid extra) >

Snorkeling around Viking Cave>

Lunch Buffet at Phi Phi Don Island >

> Bays and beaches around Phi Phi Island >

Viking Cave, Phi Phi Leh Island - Snorkeling, Slides, Paddleboarding, Water fun >

Maya Bay >

Return to Accommodation (Drop-off)

That seemed to be the schedule.

Phuket Phi Phi Island Tour: What to Pack & Booking

Since the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour takes almost a full day, we scheduled it for the day after our arrival.

My friend booked it for us. The itinerary covered Phi Phi Island, Koh Khai, Maya Bay, and Pileh Lagoon, and the base price was around

~$67 (off-season, including pickup).

I checked later, and it turned out the Phi Phi Island tour we took was quite reasonably priced.

The Phuket Phi Phi Island tour we went on was this one -> Phuket Luxury Maya Bay, Koh Khai & Maiton Catamaran Cruise

​

We heard that you could personally add a longtail boat experience during the tour,

and since it was my dream to ride a longtail boat and take photos,

we booked a private longtail boat experience from the start when reserving our Phi Phi Island tour (1800 Baht extra for 2 people).

In conclusion,

the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour total came to

2,300 Baht per person for the basic tour, plus 900 Baht per person for the private longtail boat booking for two.

So, we did the Phi Phi Island tour for 3,200 Baht.

= approximately ~$96

Generally, unless a Phuket Phi Phi Island tour is super luxurious or offers something truly unique,

prices usually range from around ~$75 to ~$149.

Premium Catamaran Phi Phi Island Tour + Maiton Island Sunset <Love Andaman>3ha.in

It seems best to choose based on the Phuket island tour itinerary, the islands visited, the intensity of the schedule, and the activities offered.

If you're looking for more snorkeling opportunities?

You might want to consider a Phi Phi Island tour like the one below ->

Phuket Phi Phi & Khai Nai Island Full-Day Snorkeling Tour - Klook3ha.in

I've thoroughly explained how to choose an island tour for Phuket's Phi Phi Islands and what to prepare in the post below.

(Because I'm an 'explanation enthusiast'.....)

The accommodation we stayed at on our second day of our Phuket trip was in the Bangtao area,

and we were told that Bangtao required an extra pick-up fee,

so we requested pick-up from a hotel in the Patong area (pretending it was my hotel, haha).

Bangtao is pretty close, so why no free pick-up?

Anyway, the place we were picked up for the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour seemed to be a bit larger than yesterday's,

like a local tour company?

There was even a cute cat!

They were selling all sorts of things like swimsuits, dresses, water shoes, sunglasses, and more.

As soon as we arrived, we helped ourselves to breakfast (some rather bland bread scraps and other bits and bobs) while

we were first told that water shoes were necessary due to dangerous, spiky sea squirts in the snorkeling area,

and that personal hygiene tips for the snorkel cost 50 baht.

Since we didn't want to "kiss" complete strangers, we bought the hygiene tips for the snorkels.

(I got a bit scared and bought water shoes then...

While it's good to have them, the chances of sea squirts actually stabbing your feet as they described aren't that high.

You don't really step deep onto the seafloor that often, you know?

Anyway, if you can, buy some ~$7 ones from Temu before you come!)

After a quick briefing on the Phi Phi Islands and surrounding island tour itinerary – a true pride of Phuket –

we boarded the speed catamaran and set off.

There were way more people on this tour than on the Phang Nga Bay speed boat tour the day before.

It felt like everyone from around the globe had gathered....

I'm not sure where these guys were from, but they seemed to know how to sing Arabic songs.

However, unlike the Arabic-speaking gentlemen who came with their wives sitting behind us,

they were incredibly unruly.

Oh, those unruly ones, please just stay in your seats................

1. Phuket Phi Phi Island Tour | Arrival at Khai Island

First stop on the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour: Khai Island.

The front of the catamaran boat was wide open like this, which was both a bit scary and dangerous,

so you couldn't be out on the bow when the boat was moving.

The day before, on the Phang Nga Bay speed boat tour, I'd been sitting on the bow the whole time!

Phuket's Khai Island felt something like this: lots of tourists,

and right upfront, plenty of beach chairs and food being sold.

Khai Island's sea is beautiful, but on the island itself (the land part), there doesn't seem to be much to do?

Still, Khai Island, too,

lived up to its proximity to the Phi Phi Islands with incredibly clear water.

We were told to swim freely for a short while here and then return.

Even just to check the time,

you'll need your phone + a waterproof case.

The sea here is quite pretty, but it's a bit tricky:

jet skis (or similar) kept passing by right next to people,

so you had to stay aware and keep to the inner swimming areas.

(It was a bit scary!)

Without a second thought, the sea was so clear and beautiful that

I just dove right in, getting my hair completely soaked!

Unlike the gloomy weather when we arrived in Phuket the day before,

the sun was shining brightly, and the weather was absolutely perfect! I was worried about my face getting sunburned,

so I wrapped myself in a scarf my friend bought for me.

And then, men of all nationalities and ages next to me said I looked pretty.

Seriously...? Do you want to take another look at me and say that again...?

Anyway, we got back on the Phi Phi Island tour boat,

and since I was feeling a bit drained,

I unwrapped some chocolate I bought at the convenience store yesterday and shared it with my friend.

(Highly recommend chocolates as snacks for Phuket Phi Phi island tours!)

\

We tend to get a bit carsick, so we took motion sickness medicine beforehand in the car,

and we were perfectly fine on the boat – no seasickness at all!

In Phuket, they sell motion sickness medicine at convenience stores, and most tours provide it at the start,

so let's make motion sickness medicine a habit!

(Just be careful: if you drink alcohol after taking motion sickness medicine, you'll get drunk much faster and more easily!****

Well... they don't usually serve alcohol on the boat during tours anyway.)

The folks in front of us, who seemed prone to seasickness, quieted down.

And now, it seemed like we were approaching Phi Phi Island.

But we had no idea

that this was where we would be boarding the longtail boat

(Pileh Lagoon, for photos) that we had splurged on...

2. Phuket Phi Phi Island, Pileh Lagoon Longtail Boat (Additional Payment)

We each paid 900 Baht and hopped on one of these longtail boats during our Phuket Phi Phi Island tour!

Booking in advance makes it a bit cheaper,

and even while on the boat, our tour was recruiting additional people to join.

There are options where multiple people share one boat,

but then you might not get to take photos in the perfect light and view, or you might be too shy to pose, so I recommend taking one just with your group.

Honestly, it's no exaggeration to say we came to Phuket just for these photos!

Thailand Phuket Travel Itinerary Recommendations | What to do in Phuket? | Phi Phi Island, Patong Beach | What to Wear | 4-Night 5-Day Trip | Yona Beach Club | Phuket Island Location & How to Get Thereblog.naver.com

The people in the post above probably only paid for the longtail boat itself,

and it looks like the more expensive longtail boats even have sofas to lie down on the floor...

However, even with the more affordable longtail boat, the photos turn out great, and it's absolutely sufficient!

My friend kept taking pictures, saying it looked a bit like Tiffany's and was just too beautiful!

Honestly, the sunshine, the weather, and the sea that day were all absolutely perfect!

Phuket Pileh Lagoon is the best!

Pileh Lagoon truly is such a beautiful place.

You can take photos there, jump in, and swim in the sea,

but we were so short on time that we barely managed to take pictures.

So we only got to appreciate the beauty of Pileh Lagoon with our eyes.

At first, the female photographer from the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour company rode along with us, helping us with various poses

and taking photos.

But then she disappeared somewhere halfway through.

Her pose coaching was truly an art!

I think it's better to have your travel companions take photos with your own camera.

Seriously, if you come to Phuket for a tour... no, even if you don't do a full tour, please, PLEASE take a longtail boat!

Are you going to Phuket for your honeymoon? Go on a Phi Phi Island tour and please take a longtail boat!

Going with friends? With your boyfriend? Please take a longtail boat in Phuket!

Are you single? If you're a woman, definitely go to Phuket and take a longtail boat, please, take it twice!

Even if you don't have time for a full tour, if there's a way to just ride a longtail boat, please, please, please do it!

Pattaya Private Luxury Longtail Boat Tour by NAVASOUL - Klook3ha.in

But me, if I go to Phuket again, I want to do the Phi Phi Island tour again (with lots of snorkeling!),

and I also want to stay on Phi Phi Island and specifically set aside time to take a longtail boat.

Seriously, on the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour, this place,

Pileh Lagoon? I think it's truly the most beautiful.

The sunlight, the emerald sea... it's heaven!

At this time, to make our photos look good, they kept driving towards the best sunlight and where there were no people,

so I gave them a tip out of gratitude.

(I thought it would be so beautiful to do a wedding photoshoot here..... Come to Phuket... for your wedding photoshoot......)

And then, when it was time, we returned to the original Phuket Phi Phi Island tour catamaran boat (group tour).

We took photos for about 40 minutes? Or maybe an hour, and then headed back,

and when we got back, I asked the New Zealand gentleman sitting behind us

what he'd been doing during that time, and it seemed like he hadn't done much.

Oh no... ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Ahh, this capitalist world... The lesson learned is: don't save money when others are enjoying something; I should experience it too!........

3. Snorkeling in the Sea Around Phuket Phi Phi Island, Viking Cave

And then again, the speed catamaran (aka the Phi Phi Island tour boat) sped off!

The sea was beautiful all day long.

Now, they announced it was time for the highlight of the Phi Phi Island tour... snorkeling!

To protect my delicate (aka filler-enhanced) forehead,

I secretly pulled out the bra pads I'd brought along.

My forehead, stay protected! ~Everyone, this is a secret tip to prevent your forehead from getting pressed down while snorkeling!

Just make sure to slip them on secretly, because it can be a bit embarrassing. Also, be careful not to use pads that are too thick, or seawater will rush right into your goggles.

Honestly, I'm a bit confused if this happened before or after lunch,

Anyway, it was finally time for the much-anticipated Phuket Phi Phi Island snorkeling,

and the sea was truly, incredibly beautiful!!!!!!!!

There were so many fish, so many tropical fish!

Isn't this just like an aquarium?!

There were so many fish, I couldn't take my eyes off them.

When I went snorkeling in a tropical fish tank at a Singapore water park, it felt deep and a bit scary,

But here, even though it's the open ocean, it was warm and, despite being deep, not scary at all.

The guide was right there, explaining everything,

Even if I zoned out, they'd call me over and take care of me.

Honestly, there were so many diverse fish, I was just blissfully overwhelmed.

Even people who couldn't swim could use a buoy, and the guide would pull them around (like a bus!).

My only regret was that the time was too short.

Lunch Buffet on Phi Phi Don Island

And about halfway through the Phuket Phi Phi Island tour... it was time for lunch.

We headed to Phi Phi Don Island to eat.

And, as consistently underwhelming as ever, the Phuket tour food...

They took us to a place that felt like a canteen for tour drivers, common for all tours.

It was a buffet, but was there anything... good to eat? Not really...

Because it was halal food, but an ambiguous Thai-style halal food.

It felt like the cheap cafeteria food you'd get at a youth training center.

Watermelon and tomato spaghetti were the only things somewhat edible.

From then on, I developed a 'halal food aversion' in Thailand.

(Though I usually love Indonesian halal food, just to be clear!)

Monkey Island? You don't even need to go.

There are already tons of monkeys on Phi Phi Don.

Be careful, monkeys can be scary!

After a quick lunch, I even managed to snag a cute flower hair clip as a souvenir on Phi Phi Island (Phi Phi Don).

Savvily bought it and headed back to the tour boat.

The sea around Phuket Phi Phi was still crystal clear and beautiful.

Then they showed us Monkey Island.

Honestly, it's called Monkey Island, but I wasn't really interested in the monkeys.

Every time we came across a sea enclosed by cliffs like this near Phuket's Phi Phi Islands,

The ocean...!

It was so, so beautiful it drove me crazy (in a good way)!

I even took a solemn selfie at the front of the boat with the Phuket Phi Phi sea as my backdrop.

I felt like I'd seen a photo with this composition somewhere before,

So, to get the composition right with my friend, I knelt down...

A kneeling woman... If you crop out the legs, it's actually a pretty cool resort photo.

Near Phuket's Phi Phi Islands... probably another cave, it seemed.

This is where we had our last ocean playtime.

You could freely enjoy snorkeling, paddleboarding, a slide, and more.

However, unlike the previous spot, there weren't as many beautiful tropical fish here.

I was planning to try paddleboarding,

But I ended up talking to a friend (??) from the UAE next to me, and time ran out, which was a little sad...

The Arab foreign visitors all came to Phuket with their husbands,

And they seemed to be swimming in black niqabs made of swimsuit-like material, or simply not entering the water.

Don't forget me, my friend........

​

I mentioned that they all looked so happy with their husbands, and my friend joked, "Well, they must have a good marriage to travel all the way to Phuket!" That cracked me up.

​

(Honestly, I can't remember if Maya Bay was before or after this.)

Phuket Phi Phi Island Tour, Maya Bay

Next, we were dropped off at Phuket's Maya Bay.

They mentioned that boats aren't allowed to dock here until September due to nature conservation efforts.

Talk about lucky!

Phuket's Maya Bay is a place with so much to see, yet you can't actually go into the ocean here...

No Swimming:

To protect the coral and the baby Blacktip Reef Sharks

Swimming is strictly prohibited on Maya Bay's main beach.

​

Time Limit:

To prevent overcrowding, visits via tour are typically limited to about 1 hour on the beach.

But then again, the ocean color here is such a stunning emerald...

At the entrance to Phuket's Maya Bay island, you'll spot this crab-shaped formation.

And if you look closely, surprisingly, there are different kinds of crabs in those muddy areas.

Look closely here, and you'll spot these crabs with their distinctive asymmetrical claws.

They seem to be fiddler crabs, native to Phuket.

And a major reason people flock to Phuket's Maya Bay is for this...

It's because of the SHARKS!!!

They're a species known as Blacktip reef sharks,

These young sharks inhabit the waters close to the beach,

And as they grow bigger, they reportedly move to deeper waters.

​

Since the sharks are small and blend in with the sandy seabed, you really have to search carefully to spot them.

That red flag means 'do not enter',

And there's always a guard stationed upfront, ensuring people don't go into the water.

Seriously, if they say don't go in, then DON'T GO IN..........

​

After that, it was time to head back to our Phuket Phi Phi Islands tour boat.

We were truly on our way back now, and as the sun began to set, the views were absolutely breathtaking.

Throughout the trip, our Phuket Phi Phi Islands tour guides on the boat

would play music representing various countries.

And we were the only Koreans on board...

When 'Gangnam Style' came on, we didn't really react,

But as soon as an Arabic song played, everyone from the Muslim community clapped and cheered enthusiastically, and from that moment on,

We ended up listening to what felt like the entire Arab Billboard charts for the rest of the trip...

But that first song I heard was actually quite catchy! (I even looked it up when I got home).

If you're feeling a little sad that your Phuket Phi Phi Islands tour is coming to an end like this,

there are options like this...

There are also tours that include an 11-hour DJ party!

Phi Phi Islands + Maiton Island Luxury Catamaran Tour (11 hours, DJ Party)3ha.in

It was a tiny bit disappointing that most Phuket tours seemed to end just as we were starting to really hit it off with the group, but honestly...

First off, the sea was incredibly beautiful,

And I managed to take all the photos I wanted in Phuket, which felt so rewarding and satisfying.

But also... I was utterly exhausted and just wanted to head back ASAP!

We returned to where our Phuket Phi Phi Island tour originally began,

Said our final goodbyes,

Gave our guide a thank-you tip (honestly, it felt like people were a bit tight-fisted today, so even 50-100 Baht felt quite generous!),

Picked out some photos,

And then hopped back into our pickup vehicle to head home.

On the way, we got off and indulged in some lobster in Patong!

!

And for our second night in Phuket, our hotel was here – it truly felt like a little slice of heaven!

Twinpalms Tented Camp Phuket Review & Special Offer Booking, Phuket 2026 | Trip.com3ha.in

*You might also enjoy reading:

#PhuketIslandTour #PhuketPhiPhiTour #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTour #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTourOperator #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTourReview #PhuketPhiPhiIslandDayTrip #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTourItinerary #PhuketPhiPhiIslandKhaiIsland #PhuketSnorkeling #PhuketPhiPhiIslandSnorkeling #ThingsToDoInPhuket #PhuketHoneymoon #PhuketPhotos #PhuketTourEssentials #PhuketTourReview #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTourPrice #PhuketPhiPhiIslandTourBooking #PhuketPhiPhiIslandCatamaranTour #PhuketPhiPhiTourMayaBay #PhuketMayaBay #PhuketPilehLagoon #PhuketMayaBaySharks #PhuketKhaiIsland #PhuketPhiPhiDon #PhuketPhiPhiLe #PhuketSpeedCatamaranTour #PhuketTTDTour #PhuketTourTimes

✨ [Phuket] Phi Phi Island Overnight Stay | Flexible Stay & Return Dates + Morning/Afternoon Tours3ha.in

If you have some extra time and can manage an overnight stay on Phuket's Phi Phi Island,

Then a package like this, where you can freely explore Phi Phi Island after your tour and return whenever you like, sounds like a fantastic option!