| Choice | Best for | Strength | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat day trip | One day, families | Maya Bay, snorkelling, lunch, back at your hotel | Crowded at midday | See |
| One-way ferry and a night there | 1 to 2 nights | Calmer mornings and evenings | Luggage, stairs, boat timetable | See |
| Hotel in Ton Sai | First time, outings | Everything on foot, near the pier | Loudest | |
| Hotel in Loh Dalum | Low budgets, party-goers | Nightlife, hostels | Low tide: shallow water, mud | |
| Hotel at Long Beach | Quiet | A few resorts on a wide beach | Access by longtail or on foot |
Day trip: the simplest
The Phi Phi day trip covers the essentials in one day, with hotel pickup. The day offer includes lunch and a snorkelling stop, with free cancellation 24 hours before according to the listing. See also the Phi Phi Islands page.
Staying there: what to know
- Luggage: no cars or motorbikes; hotel carts take bags from the pier, and hillside hotels mean stairs.
- Ton Sai: the most convenient and the loudest, with diving, cafés and restaurants. West Ton Sai is calmer.
- Loh Dalum: the party bay; the bay is shallow and at low tide the water recedes far.
- Long Beach: calmer, about 5 to 15 minutes by longtail or a 30-minute walk, depending on the source.
Timetable and boat
Crossings are detailed in Phuket – Phi Phi ferry: about 2 hours by ferry, 1 hour by speedboat, and a 20 THB cash arrival fee at Tonsai. The last return leaves early to mid-afternoon: do not chain it with a flight.
Alternatives
To continue to Krabi, see Krabi from Phuket. For a calmer beach in Phuket itself, see where to stay in the south or Kata and Karon.
Our advice
- One day: the day trip from Phuket.
- Two days: Ton Sai or Long Beach by ferry.
- Season: from May to October crossings are rougher; see the best time to visit.
FAQ
Do you need to sleep on Phi Phi?
No, a day is enough for Maya Bay; a night there avoids the midday crowds.
Can you get around by car on the island?
No: no cars or motorbikes, everything is on foot or by boat.
Which area to sleep in?
Ton Sai for convenience, Loh Dalum for partying, Long Beach for calm.
Is the ferry expensive?
One ferry listing starts around $13.50 (October 2026, to be checked).
The Phuket Authority editorial team, 19 October 2026.
