Phi Phi & Maya Bay: Speed Catamaran Tour, 25-Person Groups

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.85 (108 reviews) 89% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/32

Duration9h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Smaller Groups, Later Start: Why Phi Phi Tours Work Better at 10:30

You board a 25-person catamaran at 10:30am from Chalong Pier and visit Bamboo Island, Maya Bay, Monkey Beach, and two lagoons over eight hours. Snorkeling gear, lunch with dietary options, fresh fruit, soft drinks, and hotel transfers are all included. The late start means fewer crowds at each stop, and the smaller group size means you're not competing for deck space or snorkel spots.

Step-by-step itinerary

Phi Phi and Bamboo Islands tour

Arrive at Chalong Pier
Enjoy snack and light breakfast
Receive tour information and rules
Visit Koh Khai Nok for swimming and snorkeling
Relax and snorkel at Bamboo Island
See and photograph Maya Bay
Pass by Lok Samah Bay for sightseeing
Swim and snorkel at Pileh Lagoon
Buffet lunch and explore Koh Phi Phi Don
Visit Monkey Beach and snorkel
Return to Chalong Pier and transfer to hotel

The Experience

The boat leaves Chalong Pier at 10:30am, which means you skip the 9am rush that fills every other catamaran heading to Phi Phi. You've had time for breakfast at your hotel, coffee without hurrying, and the pier itself is calmer when you arrive. The speed catamaran holds 25 people instead of the 45 to 50 packed onto standard tours, so there's actual space to move, sit and breathe. By the time you reach Koh Khai Nok — the first stop in Ao Phang Nga National Park — the island feels less like a photo line and more like a place you can actually swim and snorkel without elbowing past fifty other people.

The day moves through five islands and two lagoons, each one chosen because the late start means fewer crowds when you arrive. Bamboo Island has the clearest water and the best reef, with coral that spreads 500 meters from shore — you'll snorkel there with time to actually look around instead of just float past. Pileh Lagoon, the emerald-colored natural pool ringed by limestone, is a protected habitat and costs extra on most tours, but it's included here. Maya Bay itself is now closed to swimming by the Thai government, so you go for photos and sightseeing only, which honestly works better when there are fewer people trying to frame the same shot. Monkey Beach comes near the end of the day, and the monkeys are still there on the limestone cliff behind the white sand — you'll have a guide pointing out which ones to photograph and which to keep distance from.

Lunch is a buffet on Phi Phi Don island, with halal and vegetarian options, and the tour gives you time to walk the narrow streets or just sit on the beach before heading back. You get snorkeling gear, a life jacket, and a guide on the boat the whole time. The catamaran is newly built, which means the ride is smoother and the deck space doesn't feel cramped. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included across Phuket, so you don't arrange transport separately — the minivan collects you in the morning and brings you back around 5:30pm.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off across Phuket, soft breakfast and snacks at the pier, snorkeling mask and life jacket, lunch buffet with halal and vegetarian options on Phi Phi Don, soft drinks and fresh fruit throughout the day, an English-speaking guide on the boat, all park entry fees, and insurance. You visit Koh Khai Nok, Bamboo Island, Pileh Lagoon, Maya Bay, Lok Samah Bay, and Monkey Beach.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by The Orca Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Phi Phi islands and lagoons in one day without the crowds of a standard 9am tour — the 10:30 start and smaller group size are what make the difference between a rushed photo stop and actual time to swim and snorkel.