Snorkeling Phi Phi Leh, Maya Bay & Khai Island from Phuket

Maya Bay at midday, Pileh Lagoon's limestone walls, and three separate reef zones in one day

Snorkel three islands in the Andaman Sea from Phuket on a speedboat tour with a late-morning start, hotel pickup, and an English-speaking guide. After a mid-morning departure, you'll walk Maya Bay's eco-trail, float in Pileh Lagoon, pass Viking Cave by boat, spot macaques at Monkey Beach, and spend the afternoon snorkeling off Khai Island's white sand before returning to your hotel by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Monkey Beach2h
2. Maya Bay2h
3. Ao Phang Nga National Park1h · entry included

Relaxed speedboat tour of islands

• Mid-morning hotel pickup and transfer
• Check in and enjoy refreshments
• Board speedboat to Phi Phi archipelago
• Pass Monkey Beach and view macaques
• Buffet lunch and stroll at Phi Phi Don
• Explore Maya Bay and eco-walkway
• Swim in Pileh Lagoon and see Viking Cave
• Relax, swim, or snorkel at Khai Island
• Return cruise to pier and hotel transfer

The experience

Phi Phi Leh sits in the Andaman Sea about an hour's speedboat ride from Phuket. The tour leaves your hotel around 9 AM, picks you up from the lobby, and takes you to a private pier where you collect snorkeling gear and eat light breakfast (coffee, juice, and bakery items) before boarding. The boat crosses open turquoise water to the Phi Phi archipelago, passing Monkey Beach so you can spot wild macaques from the deck without stopping. You'll arrive at Phi Phi Don for a buffet lunch and a short walk, then head to Phi Phi Leh itself.

At Phi Phi Leh, you walk an eco-walkway to the Loh Sama Bay viewing deck above Maya Bay, the limestone cove featured in the film The Beach. The timing is deliberate: you're there during calmer midday hours when the water is gentler and the crowds thinner than they are at dawn. From there, the boat takes you into Pileh Lagoon, a towering limestone bowl where you jump in to swim and float, then cruise past Viking Cave before moving on to snorkeling on open-water reefs.

Khai Island is your final stop. The beach has shallow, clear water right off the shore, and you can snorkel directly from the sand among schools of tropical fish, swim in the shallows, or simply lie on the white sand. The afternoon pace is yours to set. At 5:30 PM, the boat departs for the return to Phuket, arriving back at your hotel by early evening. The tour runs eight hours total and includes bottled water, snacks, soft drinks, snorkeling equipment, travel insurance, and a live English-speaking guide.

What’s included

• Roundtrip hotel pickup and transfer in Phuket.
• snorkeling equipment.
• light breakfast at the pier (coffee, juice, bakery items).
• buffet lunch on Phi Phi Don.
• bottled water and soft drinks throughout the day.
• snacks.
• live English-speaking guide.
• travel accidental insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish and Thai

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 18.21

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Parallel Tour

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, so you'll follow the commentary and safety briefings without translation. The late-morning start means you arrive at Maya Bay during midday calm rather than in the crowded dawn hours, which suits anyone who prefers a gentler pace and better light for swimming and photos.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Thai.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Maya Bay actually like when you arrive there?

Maya Bay is a crescent of powder-soft sand ringed by limestone cliffs, the setting of the film The Beach. You reach it by walking an eco-trail to the Loh Sama Bay viewing deck, which sits above the bay and gives you a vantage point for photos and swimming below.

Can you snorkel at every stop, or only at certain islands?

Snorkeling happens at two main points: the open-water reefs after lunch on Phi Phi Don, and directly off Khai Island's beach in the shallow water. At Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon you swim and float, but the dedicated reef snorkeling is reserved for those two zones.

How much time do you actually spend in the water versus on the boat?

The itinerary spans eight hours from pickup to return, with the boat ride to Phi Phi taking about an hour each way. You spend the middle hours at the islands (walking, swimming, snorkeling, and eating lunch) with the longest unbroken water time in the late afternoon at Khai Island.

What happens if the sea is rough on the day you go?

The tour departs from a private pier and crosses open water, so conditions do affect the ride. The operator has chosen a late-morning departure partly because midday waters tend to be calmer than dawn departures, but the Andaman Sea can be unpredictable. The guide will advise on conditions when you arrive at the pier.

Is the snorkeling gear provided, or do you bring your own?

Snorkeling equipment is included in the tour price. You collect your mask and gear at the pier before boarding, so you don't need to bring or rent anything separately.