Phuket Island Hopping 2026: Phi Phi, Racha Island and the Similans Explained
About 20 islands around Phuket work as day trips, spread across the Coral Island group 15 km south, Racha Island 25 km southeast, the Phi Phi group 45 km east and the Similan Islands 100 km north. Crossings run from 15 minutes to 3 hours, each with its own seasonal limits and park fees.
The routes fall into 3 types: half-day runs to Coral Island and the Khai Islands, 15 to 25 minutes one way; full-day runs to Phi Phi, Racha and Phang Nga Bay, 40 to 90 minutes one way; and seasonal runs to the Similans and Surin Islands, open only from mid-October to mid-May.
2026 park fees: 400 baht for Phi Phi, 500 baht for the Similans
The park covering Phi Phi and Bamboo Island charges about 400 baht, Phang Nga Bay about 300 baht and the Similans and Surin Islands about 500 baht, mostly half price for children. Most day-trip quotes exclude the fee, which is paid in cash at the pier or on landing. Fees and collection can change, so confirm with the operator whether they are included before booking.
Seasons: the Similans close from mid-May to mid-October
November to April is the Andaman high season, with swell mostly under 1 metre and every route running. In the May to October rainy season swell often passes 2 metres, speedboat cancellations rise, and Similan and Surin national parks close for the whole season, roughly 16 May to 14 October. The open period is adjusted each year, so confirm the national park notice.
Departure piers: three main piers for different routes
Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay mostly leave from Rassada pier in the east, 10 minutes by road from Phuket Town; Racha and Coral Island leave from Chalong pier in the south, 30 minutes from Patong; the Similans leave from Tap Lamu pier to the north, 1.5 hours from Patong. Pickups mostly reach hotels between 06:30 and 07:30. Take departure times from the operator's confirmation.
Arranging Phuket island transport: 4 options and what they cost
Trips come in 4 forms: day tours, independent travel by ferry, charters, and making your own way to the pier. Most operators include hotel pickup, with coverage weighted towards Patong, Kata and Phuket Town. Confirm quotes against the operator's notice.
Day tours: 1,200 to 2,500 baht per person with transfers
A speedboat day trip runs about 1,200 to 2,500 baht per person including hotel pickup, lunch, snorkel gear and insurance, mostly excluding the park fee. The Phi Phi route runs about 1,800 to 2,500 baht and Racha about 1,200 to 1,800 baht. Pickups reach hotels between 06:30 and 07:30 with a return around 17:00. Confirm prices and inclusions against the operator's notice.
Large ferries: 650 to 900 baht one way, 2 hours
Ferries from Rassada pier to Phi Phi run about 4 times a day, first at 08:30 and last at 14:30, taking about 2 hours for 650 to 900 baht. They suit trips staying a night or more on Phi Phi, with seating and shade on board and less motion than a speedboat. Confirm fares and departures against the pier notice.
Charters: long-tails 2,500 baht a half day, speedboats 15,000 baht a day
A long-tail charter from Chalong pier runs about 2,500 to 4,000 baht for a half day carrying 6 to 8 people; a speedboat charter runs about 15,000 to 25,000 baht a day carrying 10 to 20, with the route chosen freely. Charters exclude the park fee and meals. Prices move with season and numbers, so confirm before boarding.
Making your own way: taxis 600 to 900 baht
Patong to Rassada pier is about 20 km, 600 to 900 baht by taxi over 40 minutes; to Chalong pier about 15 km and about 500 to 700 baht. Ride-hailing is often unavailable for the return at the piers, so booking ahead helps. Pier car parks charge about 50 to 100 baht a day. Confirm fares against the app's live quote.
Phuket's island options in 2026: 8 routes explained
These are ordered by crossing time, each with its park fee and seasonal limits. Fees and access can change, so confirm the national park and operator notices.
Coral Island: a half-day route 15 minutes from Chalong
Coral Island sits about 15 minutes by boat from Chalong pier across about 4 square kilometres, with 2 main beaches of about 500 metres each and coral visible in under 3 metres of water. Half-day trips mostly run 09:00 to 13:00 or 13:00 to 17:00, with no park fee.
Beach chairs rent for about 100 baht and a banana boat ride about 500 baht. It runs year-round with low rainy-season cancellations. Shade behind the sand is limited, so sun protection is worth carrying. Confirm costs and operating status against the notices on site.
Racha Island: 40 minutes out, with 20 metres of visibility
Racha Island sits about 40 minutes by boat from Chalong pier across about 4.5 square kilometres, with the main bay at Patok about 800 metres long and dry-season visibility often reaching 20 metres, making it the best beginner snorkelling around Phuket. No park fee applies.
Day trips mostly leave at 08:00 and return at 16:30, and commonly add Coral Island. The island has about 10 places to eat, mostly trading 10:00 to 17:00. It runs year-round. Confirm trading hours against the notices on site.
Phi Phi and Maya Bay: the main route, 50 minutes by speedboat
The Phi Phi group lies about 45 km east of Phuket, 50 minutes by speedboat or 2 hours by ferry. Maya Bay has about 200 metres of sand enclosed on three sides by limestone walls about 100 metres high, and since reopening in 2022 swimming and mooring inside the bay have been prohibited. The park fee runs about 400 baht.
Day trips mostly cover Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave and Monkey Bay across 4 or 5 stops, leaving at 07:30 and returning at 17:00. A daily visitor cap applies in the bay, and arriving before 10:00 in high season means less waiting. Confirm the current rules against the national park notice.
Bamboo Island: white sand ringing an island north of Phi Phi
Bamboo Island sits about 5 km north of Phi Phi across about 0.4 square kilometres, with about 600 metres of white sand around the island and shallows on the north side under 1.5 metres deep. It mostly shares a day with Phi Phi, with a stop of about 45 minutes. The park fee is shared with Phi Phi at about 400 baht.
The island has no food facilities, only portable toilets, so carry water. Landings close in some rainy-season months on swell. Confirm access status against the national park notice.
Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island: 90 minutes by long-tail
Phang Nga Bay lies about 70 km north of Phuket, holding about 40 limestone islands, with the free-standing stack at James Bond Island about 20 metres high. Trips mostly include mangrove kayaking and a stilt village, at about 1 hour by road plus 30 minutes by boat each way. The park fee runs about 300 baht.
Day trips leave at 07:30 and return at 17:30, at about 1,500 to 2,200 baht per person. The kayak section is self-paddled for about 40 minutes, and some caves are impassable at low tide. Confirm tides and fees against the operator's notice.
The Similan Islands: open mid-October to mid-May
The Similan Islands lie about 100 km north of Phuket across 9 islands, where dry-season visibility often exceeds 25 metres, giving the highest density of dive sites in the Thai Andaman. They open only from mid-October to mid-May, closing roughly 16 May to 14 October. The park fee runs about 500 baht.
From Phuket the trip means 1.5 hours by road to Tap Lamu pier then 1.5 hours by speedboat, with pickups mostly at 06:00 and a return around 19:00. Day trips run about 2,500 to 3,500 baht per person. Confirm the open period and fees against the national park notice.
The Surin Islands: a 5-island snorkelling route
The Surin Islands lie about 60 km north of the Similans across 5 islands, where shallow-water coral cover is among the highest in Thailand and snorkelling works in 2 to 5 metres. The open period matches the Similans. The park fee runs about 500 baht.
From Phuket the journey runs about 4 hours one way including the road leg, with day trips at about 3,000 to 4,000 baht per person, pickups at 06:00 and a return at 19:30. The day is long, so it does not suit the first day after arriving in Phuket. Confirm the open period and fees against the national park notice.
The Khai Islands: a three-island set 25 minutes out
The Khai Islands sit about 10 km east of Phuket across 3 small islands, about 25 minutes by boat, with reef fish visible in under 2 metres of water, making this one of the shortest crossings among the half-day routes. No park fee applies.
Half-day trips run about 900 to 1,400 baht per person, leaving at 09:00 or 13:00. Shade is limited and there is only one food area, and beach chairs are commonly all taken at midday in high season. Confirm costs and operating status against the operator's notice.
What Phuket island hopping costs: the price structure
Spending splits into 3 categories: the trip fee, park fees and equipment rental. For a Phi Phi day trip, the fee plus the park charge comes to about 2,200 to 2,900 baht per person. The ranges below are typical and move with the season, so confirm against the operator's notice.
Trip fees: 900 baht a half day, 1,200 to 3,500 baht a full day
Half-day routes run about 900 to 1,400 baht per person, full-day routes 1,200 to 2,500 baht, and the Similans and Surin 2,500 to 4,000 baht. Quotes mostly include transfers, lunch, snorkel gear and insurance but not park fees or drinks. Discounts of about 20% are common in the May to October low season. Confirm quotes against the operator's notice.
Park fees and gear: 400 baht plus about 200 baht of rental
Phi Phi and Bamboo Island run about 400 baht, Phang Nga Bay about 300 baht and the Similans and Surin about 500 baht, paid in cash on landing. Wetsuit rental runs about 100 to 200 baht, an underwater camera about 300 to 500 baht and a beach chair about 100 baht. Confirm costs against the notices on site.
Cancellations and rescheduling: short-notice groundings in the rainy season
When swell grounds the boats in the rainy season, most operators offer a new date or a full refund, subject to their own terms, and some platforms charge a handling fee. Putting island trips early in the itinerary and keeping 1 spare day leaves room to move them. Confirm the cancellation terms and refund method before booking.
Where to stay for Phuket island hopping: picking a zone by pier
The zone decides the pickup time: the Phi Phi and Phang Nga routes leave from the east, so Phuket Town is closest; Racha and Coral Island leave from Chalong, so Chalong or Kata is closest; the Similans run north, so north of Patong saves time. Take pickup times from the operator's confirmation.
Chalong and Kata: closest to the Racha and Coral Island routes
Chalong pier is the departure point for Racha and Coral Island, and staying around Chalong cuts the pickup to 10 minutes, turning a 06:30 collection into 07:15. Kata sits 15 minutes by road from Chalong with better beach conditions. The trade-off is fewer evening options than Patong, mostly closing by 23:00. Confirm hours with each venue.
Phuket Town: closest to Rassada pier and the ferries
Phuket Town sits 10 minutes by road from Rassada pier, the zone that saves most time on the Phi Phi ferry and speedboat routes, with dense dining in the old quarter and mostly the island's lowest rate band. The trade-offs are no beach frontage and 30 minutes by road to Patong. Confirm live rates on your booking platform.
Sequencing: early boats get the calmest water, keep a spare day in the rainy season
Booking the 07:30 to 08:30 departure gives the calmest water, as mornings are usually smoothest and swell commonly rises after 14:00. From May to October, keeping 1 spare day in the itinerary leaves room to reschedule, and the Similans belong in the dry season. Confirm the day's sailings with the operator.
Kit and sun protection: no shade on board, carry 2 litres
Speedboats are mostly half-open with no shade for the whole run, so a hat, a long-sleeved sun top and 2 litres of water or more are worth packing. Choose sunscreen without oxybenzone, as some chemical formulations are barred inside the national parks. Those prone to seasickness can take medication 30 minutes before departure. Confirm landing rules against the national park notices on site.
FAQ
Q. How do Phi Phi, Racha Island and the Similans compare?
It comes down to crossing time and season. Racha is 40 minutes one way and runs year-round, which suits a half day; Phi Phi is 50 minutes to 2 hours one way, runs year-round and has the most stops; the Similans open only from mid-October to mid-May and take about 3 hours one way including the transfer, which suits a snorkelling trip. Confirm the open period against the national park notice.
Q. Is the national park fee charged separately?
Most day-trip quotes exclude it and it is paid on the day. Phi Phi and Bamboo Island run about 400 baht, the Similans about 500 baht and Phang Nga Bay about 300 baht, mostly half price for children. Fees and collection can change, so confirm with the operator whether they are included before booking.
Q. Is island hopping possible in the rainy season?
From May to October swell in the Andaman often passes 2 metres and speedboat trips are cancelled at short notice, while Similan National Park closes for the whole season from mid-May to mid-October. The shorter Racha and Coral Island routes are cancelled less often. Confirm the day's sailings with the operator before setting out.
Q. Is swimming allowed at Maya Bay?
No. Since reopening in 2022, swimming and mooring inside Maya Bay have been prohibited, so boats berth at Loh Samah bay behind and visitors walk in over about 5 minutes, with a daily visitor cap in the bay. Rules can change, so confirm the national park notice.
Q. How do speedboats and large ferries differ?
A speedboat reaches Phi Phi in about 50 minutes and fits 4 or 5 stops in a day at a higher fare; a large ferry takes about 2 hours on a fixed schedule at about 650 to 900 baht, with less motion but only as far as the pier. Speedboats are noticeably rough once swell passes 2 metres. Confirm fares and departures against the pier notice.
Q. What should those prone to seasickness plan?
Pick the Racha or Coral Island routes at under 40 minutes one way and book the 08:00 to 09:00 morning departure, when the water is usually calmest. Large ferries ride more steadily than speedboats; take a seat amidships by the aisle. Confirm departure times against the pier notice.