How to Choose a Phi Phi Island Tour from Phuket — Maya Bay, Boat Type and Start Time

There are a lot of Phi Phi day tours from Phuket, and at first they all look the same. But whether you actually set foot on Maya Bay, what kind of boat you take and what time you leave change your day a lot. This guide narrows down the Phi Phi tours TripRAON sells with four questions, and explains the Maya Bay rules to know before you go. Our team has taken every tour we sell.

At a glance

• First decide: a day trip (tour) or a night on the island (ferry). Staying on Phi Phi? → Phi Phi ferry timetable
• Want to walk on Maya Bay: a Sea Star or Sawanu full-day tour (speedboat or catamaran)
• Worried about seasickness, or travelling with parents or kids: the big boat tour (Phi Phi Cruiser) or a catamaran
• Not a morning person: Sea Star’s “Lazy” 11:00 departures
• Maya Bay is closed every year from 1 August to 30 September, and swimming is not allowed even when it’s open.

Question 1. Do you want to walk on Maya Bay?

Maya Bay, the setting of the film The Beach, is the name on almost every Phi Phi tour — but not every tour lands there.

Maya Bay: the rules to know

• Closed every year from 1 August to 30 September: the national park closes it for two months so nature can recover. During this time, Sea Star tours add one more snorkelling spot instead.
• No swimming: even when the beach is open, you can’t go into the water at Maya Bay. For a swim, tours that stop at nearby Pileh Lagoon let you jump in there.
• In from the back: boats don’t stop in front of the beach. They dock at the Loh Samah Bay pier behind the island, and you walk in along a boardwalk.

• Timed visits: the number of visitors and the time on the beach are limited, so think of it as a short stop for the view and photos rather than a beach day.
• National park rules can change. If they do, we update this guide and the tour pages.

Question 2. Worried about seasickness?

Getting to Phi Phi means a long stretch of open sea, and how much you feel it depends on the boat.

• Big boat (Phi Phi Cruiser): Phuket ↔ Phi Phi on a big boat means less rocking, plus an air-conditioned cabin and an upper deck. But you don’t land on Maya Bay, and your time on Phi Phi is short because the day follows the scheduled ferry (arrive 11:00 · depart 14:30).
• Catamaran: two hulls, so it rocks less than a speedboat, with a wide deck. Sea Star Maya Bay + Khai Island, 11:00 Lazy departure (optional) · Lazy Maiton Sunset (catamaran only).
• Semi-yacht: a bigger hull than a regular speedboat, so it rocks less. Sawanu Maya Bay + Khai Island (optional).
• Speedboat: the fastest way to see several islands, but it bounces a lot when there are waves.

Question 3. Early start or easy morning?

• Sea Star and Phi Phi Cruiser pickup times depend on your area — see the pickup area field when you book. Your exact time is on your voucher.
• Got evening plans (a show or dinner)? Sawanu gets you back around 4 pm. Want a slow morning? Go Lazy.

Question 4. After Maya Bay, where do you want to spend your time?

• Khai Island — snorkelling in clear water: Sea Star Maya Bay + Khai Island · Sawanu Maya Bay + Khai Island (Khai Nui · Khai Nok)
• Bamboo Island — relaxing on white sand: Sea Star Maya Bay + Bamboo Island · Sawanu Phi Phi + Bamboo Island
• Maiton Island — water slides, paddleboards and a sunset at sea: Sea Star Lazy Phi Phi + Maiton Sunset
• No second island — Phi Phi Cruiser big boat: on Phi Phi Don, A free time on the beach and in the village, or B switch to a speedboat for snorkelling at Coral Bay

Compare the tours side by side

To see each tour’s pier, times, boat, cancellation policy and price in one table → Phi Phi tour comparison

The piers are different, too. Sea Star leaves from the Sea Star pier (Laem Nga), Sawanu from Royal Phuket Marina, and Phi Phi Cruiser from Rassada Pier, Gate 2. With hotel pickup, the driver takes you there. Going on your own? → Phuket tour departure piers

Want more time? Sawanu’s 2 days 1 night (Phi Phi + Krabi + James Bond) visits Phang Nga Bay and Krabi on day one, stays on Phi Phi Don, then covers Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island on day two. To stay on the island on your own schedule, take the ferry → Phi Phi ferry timetable

TripRAON’s take

• First time on Phi Phi and want the main sights in one day? Maya Bay + Khai Island is the classic. Worried about seasickness? Choose Sea Star’s 11:00 Lazy catamaran or Sawanu’s semi-yacht.
• The big boat is easier with parents, but if walking on Maya Bay is the point, pick a Sea Star or Sawanu tour — the big boat tour sees it from the deck only.
• On a speedboat, seats towards the back bounce less than the front.
• Don’t book a Phi Phi tour on the day you fly home. If the boat is delayed by the sea, you could miss your flight.

Good to know before you go

• High season (November–April): many days sell out, so book ahead. On the other hand, Sea Star may cancel a tour if fewer than 10 people book (full refund).
• Free cancellation deadlines differ: Sea Star = until 16:30 (Thai time) the day before · Sawanu and Phi Phi Cruiser = up to 2 days before.
• Who can join: some speedboat tours can’t take pregnant women, babies under 1 or anyone who has had bone surgery in the last 6 months, and they’re not recommended for people with asthma, heart disease or high blood pressure, or over 70. Check “Good to know before booking” on each tour page.
• What to bring: swimsuit · hat · sunglasses · towel (Sea Star towels can be rented at the pier) · some cash. Use a sunscreen without reef-harming ingredients such as oxybenzone — they’re banned in Thailand’s marine national parks.
• Phi Phi Cruiser big boat: you need your original passport to board.

• What’s included: all six tours include round-trip hotel pickup (extra charge in some areas), lunch, an English-speaking guide, a life jacket and insurance. The national park fee is included on the Sea Star and Sawanu tours and Phi Phi Cruiser Program B. Sea Star’s longtail boat is an optional extra you choose on site.

FAQ

Can I swim at Maya Bay?
No. National park rules don’t allow swimming at Maya Bay. Tours that stop at nearby Pileh Lagoon let you swim there instead.

Can I visit Maya Bay in August or September?
No. Maya Bay is closed every year from 1 August to 30 September. During that time, Sea Star tours visit one more snorkelling spot instead.

Which Phi Phi tour is best if I get seasick?
The Phi Phi Cruiser tour by big boat is the easiest. If you still want to walk on Maya Bay, choose Sea Star’s Lazy catamaran (11:00) or Sawanu’s semi-yacht.

Questions? Message our Phuket team on WhatsApp · LINE · KakaoTalk. Messages 24 hours a day · replies daily 08:30–22:00 (Thai time).

Photos: Sea Star Andaman · Sawanu Travel · Phi Phi Cruiser