While Phuket is famous for its beautiful beaches and party atmosphere, there are other islands nearby with even more impressive beaches. Ko Phi Phi boasts some of the most spectacular beaches in the world and consists of six islands located in the Andaman Sea near Krabi Province in southern Thailand. Known for her role in the movie “The Beach”, Phi Phi has grown in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the favorite excursions for tourists visiting Phuket. There are many companies offering tours from Phuket to Phi Phi, and despite the fact that these islands have developed a lot in recent decades, there are still quiet corners where you can relax and escape the bustling atmosphere of Phuket.
Travel options from Phuket to Phi Phi
The Phi Phi Islands are so small that they don’t have an airport, so they can only be reached by boat, although there are plenty to choose from. There are many agencies offering all-inclusive tours, but there are also public ferries that run the route if you’re looking for a cheaper option and want to go on your own. The last option is to take a fast boat to Phi Phi, a fast mode of transportation that offers more flexibility than other options. Continue reading to know all about the different possibilities.
Find out more:
• All inclusive tour from Phuket to Phi Phi
• Fast boat from Phuket to Phi Phi
• Ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi
All inclusive tour from Phuket to Phi Phi
Phi Phi Snorkeling Snorkelers Fast Boat © pittaya wongsarattanasil / Shutterstock.com
Without question, the most expensive way to travel from Phuket to Phi Phi is with an all-inclusive tour, although this means you get a lot of service for the price you pay. It’s a great option for tourists who want everything organized and prefer to relax while others take care of the details. Many agencies offer these boat tours, so if you search a bit you can find a good deal, and if you book directly with the agency you can negotiate the price a bit. You can also hire a tour from one of the agency’s many offices in Patong or other tourist areas of Phuket. Another option is to ask your hotel to arrange a tour for you, although if you choose this service they will charge you more.
The good thing about all inclusive tours is that they include a lot of services, so considering all the things they offer, they are not that expensive. Services may vary, but usually include hotel pickup in Phuket, lunch in Phi Phi, an interesting stop along the way, and even snorkeling equipment.
The duration of the tour may also vary. You can hire a half-day or full-day trip, and depending on how much you pay, you can share the speedboat with up to 45 passengers, or only 18 if you hire the most expensive option.
Fast boat from Phuket to Phi Phi
All-inclusive tours use speedboats to travel from Phuket to Phi Phi, but you can also choose to travel by speedboat without paying any extras. Fast boats can be caught on some of Phuket’s beaches, but buy your ticket at least a day in advance to have a seat. For more flexibility and more convenient group travel, you can hire a private fast boat service to take you from Phuket to Phi Phi. This is a more expensive option than the others, but it offers total flexibility as you can start anywhere and end at the beach of your choice. This way you will save time as you will not have to find your way from the port to the hotel.
Ferries from Phuket to Phi Phi
Sea Angel ferry departing from Phi Phi © PAUL WASCHTSCHENKO / Shutterstock.com
Tourists looking for the cheapest way to travel from Phuket to Phi Phi will find that ferries are very affordable and frequent, and if you plan ahead you can actually get lower prices than advertised. Ferries depart from two different terminals in Phuket: Rassada Port and Sea Angel Port.
The ferry trip takes 1.5 to 2 hours and as you can imagine, there are several companies that offer this service. Each ferry has different rules: some depart when the ferry is full, which means that the journey will not be as comfortable as you will be sharing the space with many other passengers; others, however, depart at their scheduled time, no matter how many passengers are on board.
While the ticket price is reasonable if you buy it at the port, you can save a few baht if you buy it online in advance, so we recommend planning ahead if you know exactly when you’re going. There is the option to buy a discounted ticket if you buy a round-trip ticket at the same time, but on the other hand, a one-way ticket gives you more flexibility if you haven’t yet decided how long you intend to stay on Phi Phi. If you decide to return to Phuket, we recommend that you purchase your ferry ticket through the hotel where you are staying, as they usually offer discounts on the advertised price.