Snorkeling Phuket: Phi Phi Islands speedboat with Maya Bay

You snorkel four separate reefs in one day without renting or transporting your own gear.

A full-day speedboat snorkeling tour from Phuket visits Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island with hotel pickup, lunch, snorkel equipment and an English-speaking guide included. The tour runs nine hours and departs from your hotel; Maya Bay closes annually from August 30 through September for marine recovery. Suitable for all fitness levels, though not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or cardiovascular concerns, or children under six months.

Step-by-step itinerary

Phi Phi and Bamboo Islands day trip

• Hotel pick-up and transfer to pier
• Safety briefing and board speedboat
• Travel across Andaman Sea
• Arrive at Maya Bay and relax
• Swim in Pileh Lagoon
• Cruise past Viking Cave
• Observe macaques at Monkey Beach
• Snorkel at Yongkasem (Monkey) Beach
• Enjoy lunch on Phi Phi Don
• Relax and snorkel on Bamboo Island
• Return to Phuket by speedboat
• Transfer back to hotel

The Experience

Your day starts with hotel pickup and a transfer to the Phuket pier, where you board a speedboat with a small crew and receive a safety briefing before departure. The boat crosses the Andaman Sea toward the Phi Phi Islands while your guide points out landmarks and explains what you'll see at each stop. The route is fixed—four islands, four snorkeling sites, one lunch break—so the day holds together without you building it.

Maya Bay comes first, the limestone-backed beach from the film The Beach. You have time to walk the shoreline or lie on the sand before the boat moves to Pileh Lagoon, an emerald pool ringed by cliff walls where the water is so clear you can see the bottom from the boat. After a swim there, you cruise past Viking Cave to learn about the bird's nest harvesting tradition, then arrive at Monkey Beach (Yongkasem), where you snorkel in calm, shallow water among colored coral and tropical fish. Lunch—a buffet served on Phi Phi Don, the main island—comes next, with fresh fruit and soft drinks included.

The afternoon takes you to Bamboo Island, where the sand is white and the water is turquoise. You can snorkel again, swim, or sunbathe depending on what you want. Snorkel equipment is provided for all four stops; you don't carry it between islands or worry about fit or condition. The return journey to Phuket is by speedboat, followed by a transfer back to your hotel. Travel insurance is included in the price.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transfer.
• speedboat passage to four islands.
• snorkel equipment at each stop.
• lunch buffet on Phi Phi Don.
• fresh fruit and soft drinks.
• bottled water.
• admission fees to all sites.
• English-speaking guide.
• travel insurance.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Discova Thailand

Is this one for you?Book this full-day shared speedboat if you want multiple island stops (Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island) in one trip; choose a half-day tour instead if you prefer fewer destinations or less time on the water.

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Top questions

What's the water like for snorkeling at Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island?

Both sites have calm, clear water shallow enough to see the reef from the surface. Monkey Beach is known for colored coral and tropical fish; Bamboo Island offers the same snorkeling conditions in a quieter setting.

Is snorkel gear provided, or do I need to bring my own?

Snorkel equipment is included for all four stops. You don't need to rent separately or bring your own.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup begins in the morning; the full day runs nine hours from pickup through return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Does the tour visit Maya Bay every day?

Maya Bay closes annually from August 30 through September 30 for environmental and marine-life recovery. During those dates, the tour visits alternative Phi Phi sites instead.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Lunch is a buffet served on Phi Phi Don with fresh fruit, soft drinks and bottled water included. Inform the operator of dietary needs when you book.

Who is the guide, and what language do they speak?

An English-speaking guide leads the tour and shares information about each island, the bird's nest tradition and marine life throughout the day.