As a starting point to the spectacular Phi Phi Islands, the city of Krabi is a very popular travel destination in southern Thailand and is surrounded by fantastic scenery. Whether you’re visiting to admire the scenery, go scuba diving or explore the national parks, there’s something for everyone in the region around Krabi Town. If these are the things you like to do while on vacation, you definitely want to visit Koh Lipe as well. Although it’s a small island (you’ll also find it as Koh Lippy), it sits on the edge of the Tarutao National Marine Park and is a popular snorkeling spot as its waters are home to around 25% of the species of tropical fish that know each other. It also has great beaches and it is possible to find nightlife if you like going out. Getting from Krabi to Koh Lipe is easy and there are various ferry options available.
Travel options from Krabi to Koh Lipe
Since the small island of Koh Lipe does not have an airport, the only way to reach it is by water. There are several travel agencies offering different ferry routes to choose from, so you won’t be limited to just one option. As the crow flies, the distance from Krabi to Koh Lipe is 180 kilometers, but ferries and vans do not travel that directly, so the distance is slightly longer. It’s important to note that journey times can vary greatly depending on the route you follow. In total, the trip can take from 4 hours to 15 minutes and 7 hours. Of these options, you may want to make the ferry trip longer so you don’t spend as much time in the van, or you may want to go as far as possible by road to make the ferry trip shorter. Then we give details of all the options.
Fast ferry from Krabi to Koh Lipe
There are three departure points for ferries and fast boats to Koh Lipe. They depart from Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi Town, Hat Yao Pier in Trang or Pakbara Pier in Satun.
Klong Jilad Jetty from Krabi to Koh Lipe
Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi © Denis Costille / Shutterstock.com
From Krabi Town itself, you can take the high-speed ferry to Koh Lipe, which departs from Klong Jilad Pier at the southern end of the city. This is probably the most convenient way to get to Ko Lipe, especially if you live in Krabi Town, as the port is easy to access and you will be traveling by boat for the entire journey. Although the ferry does not go directly to Koh Lipe, but stops at several islands along the way, it is still one of the fastest options to get from Krabi to Koh Lipe, taking around 4.5 hours.
Tigerline Travel offers this route with modern, fast ferries that have air conditioning inside. Being one of the fastest travel options from Krabi to Koh Lipe, this ferry ticket is more expensive than other companies. But if you want to get there in the shortest possible time, it might be worth paying a little more. Another advantage of choosing this route is that the ferry has good timetables, leaving Krabi at 9:00 AM and arriving Koh Lipe around 1:30 PM.
Tigerline Travel also has other services, including pick-up from Krabi Airport to go directly to the pier, which is a very practical option if you want to go to the islands as soon as you land.
From Krabi to Koh Lipe via Pakbara Jetty
Jolly Travel fast boat on its way to Koh Lipe.
Although Tigerline Ferries departs from Hat Yao Jetty in Trang, almost all ferries and fast boats to Koh Lipe depart from Pakbara. The journey from here is shorter, taking about 90 minutes to Koh Lipe, but you need to add a transfer from Krabi town to Pakbara. This part of the trip is by van and is included in the combo ticket to Krabi. We recommend choosing a combination ticket for practicality and peace of mind. You can choose the company you want to travel with, such as Smart En Plus and Jolly Travel. Each of these two offers offers hotel pick-up in Krabi, transfer to Pakbara and ferry to Koh Lipe. Although the ferry crossing is shorter from Pakbara, the journey from Krabi to the port can take 3.5-4 hours, adding up to 7 hours to the journey.
The advantage of choosing this route is that it is cheaper than the ferry from Krabi to Koh Lipe, and it also includes hotel or airport pick-up. Of course, the journey is longer.
Important information about ferries to Ko Lipe
Whichever route you choose, you need to consider the following information. As Koh Lipe is a very small island, it does not have a port that serves ferries and fast boats. For this reason, all boats stop at the shore, at the pier on the water, where you have to change to a boat going out on the sand. The price of the boat is not included in the ferry ticket, so you will have to pay it when you get there. The cost is very low, but it is something to consider.
It’s also worth knowing that Koh Lipe is part of a national park, which means you’ll need to pay an entrance fee upon arrival. The card is valid for seven days if you want to leave Ko Lipe and return to the island.
Finally, if you are traveling by ferry from Pakbara, be aware that you will have to pay the harbor tax that everyone traveling from there pays. It is also a very small amount, but you must not forget that it is not included in the ticket.