Snorkel Tour to Phi Phi Islands by Speed Boat from Koh Lanta

The best part of this seven-hour Phi Phi Islands trip is how much scenery and snorkeling it packs into one day. From Koh Lanta, you speed across to Phi Phi Leh, pass Viking Cave, swim near coral reefs, see Pileh Lagoon, stop at Monkey Beach, and finish with another snorkeling session at Shark Point.

I like the hotel pickup and included gear, which remove two common hassles. I also like the Thai buffet lunch, drinking water, fruit, and English-speaking guide. The main caution is crowding: during low season, boats may be combined, and one reported departure carried about 50 people, with several people feeling seasick.

Key points to know before booking

• Phi Phi Leh comes first: The speedboat reaches the Phi Phi area in less than 50 minutes from Saladan Pier.
• Two snorkeling stops: Viking Bay and Shark Point offer reefs, fish, soft corals, and sea urchins.
• Maya Bay access can change: Maya Bay and Loh Samah Bay are listed as closed indefinitely, so you may view the area from the boat rather than go ashore.
• Lunch is included: Expect chicken Massaman curry, fried chicken, stir-fried vegetables, rice, fruit, and soft drinks.
• National park fees are extra: Adults pay THB400 and children pay THB200.
• Group size matters: The tour needs at least 13 people to operate and may carry up to 60.

Why this Koh Lanta boat trip works

Phi Phi is close enough to Koh Lanta for a full-day outing, but far enough that planning the route yourself can become a nuisance. This tour handles the transfer from your hotel, the pier departure, boat transport, snorkeling equipment, lunch, and the return trip.

That matters because the Phi Phi islands are scattered across open water. You are not simply going to one beach, taking a few pictures, and heading home. The route combines steep limestone cliffs, small coves, lagoons, forested shorelines, coral reefs, and a few hours on Phi Phi Don.

I see the speedboat as a practical choice here. The boat reaches Phi Phi Leh in less than 50 minutes after leaving Saladan Pier, leaving more of the day for stops. The tradeoff is comfort. Speedboats can feel rough in choppy weather, and the low-season account of seasickness is worth taking seriously if you are sensitive on boats.

The advertised price is $52.08 per person. For that amount, you receive round-trip hotel transport, the boat ride, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, lunch, fruit, drinking water, soft drinks, and an English-speaking guide. Add the national park charge of THB400 for an adult or THB200 for a child.

That makes the price reasonable for someone who wants an organized day without renting gear or arranging several transfers. It is less attractive if you prefer a quiet boat, a flexible schedule, or a small private group. The boat can hold up to 60 people, and the minimum needed to run the trip is 13.

Leaving Koh Lanta for Saladan Pier

Pickup begins at your Koh Lanta hotel, followed by a meeting with the Opal Travel crew at Saladan Pier. The stated start time is 9:00 a.m., and the pier transfer is included, so you do not need to arrange a separate taxi to the departure point.

There is a short briefing before the boat leaves. Use that moment to listen carefully to the guide’s instructions about life jackets, snorkeling, boarding, and meeting times. A tightly timed island route only works when everyone returns to the boat on schedule.

The boat ride to Phi Phi Leh takes less than 50 minutes. That is fairly efficient, but it also means you should prepare for spray and movement. Bring anything you need to stay comfortable on the water, though the tour provides drinking water and fruit.

The operator supplies snorkeling equipment and life jackets for use during the day. Since sizes and fit can vary, check your equipment early. A mask that leaks or fins that feel loose are small problems at the pier and annoying problems once you are in the water.

Viking Cave and the first look at Phi Phi Leh

The first sightseeing stop is Viking Cave. The boat passes slowly by the cave so you can see the swiftlet nests collected by local people.

This is mainly a boat-based viewing stop, not a long walk or cave visit. Keep your expectations in the right place. The value is the close look at the cliffside and the chance to hear about the local use of the nests, rather than an extended exploration on land.

The stop is scheduled for about 20 minutes. That gives the guide time to point out the cave and surrounding rock, while keeping the boat moving toward the first swim.

One hour of snorkeling at Viking Bay

Not far from Viking Cave, the boat reaches Viking Bay for the first snorkeling session. The area includes an artificial reef and a natural sloping reef, so this is one of the main active parts of the day.

You can expect to spend about an hour in the water. The provided equipment makes this easier for beginners and occasional snorkelers, since you do not need to find a rental shop before departure. The tour also supplies life jackets, useful if you want extra support in open water.

The appeal here is underwater variety rather than a sandy beach stop. You may see coral, small reef fish, and other marine life, though visibility and conditions can change. The strongest feedback about this trip centers on the snorkeling, so I would treat Viking Bay as a major reason to book.

Remember that a boat carrying many people can make a popular reef feel busy. Stay aware of fins and swimmers around you, and follow the guide’s directions about where to enter and when to return.

Pileh Lagoon and the limestone cliffs

After Viking Bay, the speedboat cruises to Pileh Lagoon. The scheduled sightseeing time is about 40 minutes, giving you a chance to take in the tall limestone cliffs around the emerald-green water.

Pileh is one of the visual highlights of the route. The cliffs rise sharply around the lagoon, creating a very different setting from the open sea at the snorkeling stop. Even if you stay on the boat, the enclosed water and rock walls provide some of the day’s strongest photographs.

This is also a good place to slow down mentally. The tour moves at a brisk pace, and Pileh Lagoon offers a short break from swimming and gear changes. Keep your phone protected from spray if you plan to photograph from the boat.

Loh Samah Bay and the Maya Bay change

The route then includes Loh Samah Bay, where the boat is scheduled to moor at a floating rubber pier. From there, the original plan allows you to walk to the other side of Phi Phi Leh toward the famous beach associated with The Beach.

There is an important current restriction in the supplied tour information: Maya Bay and Loh Samah Bay are announced as closed indefinitely by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The boat cannot take you ashore at The Beach, and the itinerary may change to include other places around Phi Phi Leh.

That changes the experience in a practical way. You should not book this trip expecting a guaranteed walk onto Maya Bay’s sand. You may still see the bay and cliffs from the boat, but access depends on the park rules in force for your departure.

The scheduled Maya Bay stop lasts about 50 minutes. Use it for sightseeing from the water if shore access remains closed. The bay is framed by cliffs around 100 meters high on three sides, and the setting is striking even without a beach landing.

Lunch and free time on Phi Phi Don

After the Phi Phi Leh portion, the boat continues to Phi Phi Don for a Thai buffet lunch. The meal includes chicken Massaman curry, fried chicken, stir-fried mixed vegetables, steamed rice, fresh seasonal fruit, and soft drinks.

This is a useful inclusion, not just a pleasant extra. A day with repeated swims and boat travel can leave you hungry, and having lunch arranged keeps the schedule moving. The menu is straightforward and familiar enough for many palates, while still giving you a taste of a Thai-style meal.

The planned stop lasts about 90 minutes. That leaves time to eat and explore part of Phi Phi Don. Its gentler beaches and low forest offer a softer contrast to the sheer cliffs around Phi Phi Leh.

Do not expect a long island walk during this stop. The overall schedule has several fixed departures, so your free time is limited. I would use it for lunch, a short look around, and a chance to dry off before the final snorkeling stop.

Monkey Beach and the macaques

The boat then visits Monkey Beach, also known as Ao Ling, near the entrance to Dalum Bay on Phi Phi Don. The cove is small and backed by rocky, forested slopes. The stop is scheduled for about 20 minutes.

The main attraction is the crab-eating macaques. They are wild animals, not a petting zoo, and the tour specifically warns you not to feed them. Feeding changes their natural behavior and can make them aggressive.

Keep food packed away and give the monkeys space. A short stop is enough to photograph them and take in the cove, but it is not a good place to chase an animal for a closer picture. The guide can help you understand where to look and how to behave safely.

Monkey Beach is another stop where conditions can affect the plan. The boat may pause offshore or near the cove depending on water and access. Think of it as a wildlife viewing stop, not a guaranteed long beach visit.

Shark Point finishes the snorkeling

Before returning to Koh Lanta, the boat stops at Shark Point for about an hour. The site is described as having colorful soft corals, plenty of fish, and sea urchins.

This final swim gives the day a strong finish. By now, you will know how the equipment fits and how the crew organizes entries and exits. You can focus less on getting settled and more on looking beneath the surface.

The name Shark Point may sound alarming, but the supplied details focus on soft corals, fish, and sea urchins. Do not touch marine life, and watch where you put your hands and feet around the reef. Life jackets remain available throughout the Phi Phi portion of the trip.

The two snorkeling sessions also provide a useful balance. If visibility is poor at Viking Bay, Shark Point gives you another chance to see marine life. If the sea is rough, both stops may feel more tiring than their scheduled one-hour length suggests.

Guides, group size, and the real pace

The tour includes a professional English-speaking guide and the Opal Travel crew. No individual guide names are provided, so you should not expect to request a particular person. The guide’s role is especially useful for safety instructions, meeting times, local details, and helping organize the snorkeling stops.

The day is carefully timed. The route lists short sightseeing stops, a full hour at each snorkeling site, 90 minutes for lunch and Phi Phi Don, and a roughly 50-minute ride from Saladan Pier to Phi Phi Leh. That structure lets you see many places, but it leaves little room for lingering.

The maximum group size is 60. That is a significant consideration. A full boat can mean more noise, slower boarding, and crowded water around popular sites. On the other hand, the organized format keeps the price down and makes hotel transfers and lunch simple.

Low-season operations deserve special attention. The tour may be combined with another company’s boat when demand is low. One difficult departure involved an overcrowded boat of around 50 people and several people feeling seasick. If a smaller, calmer boat is essential to you, ask about the operating boat before committing.

Who should book this Phi Phi tour

I would recommend this trip to you if you want the main Phi Phi sights in one day from Koh Lanta. It suits people who value convenience, enjoy swimming and snorkeling, and prefer a fixed route over negotiating boats and transfers on their own.

It is also a good fit for first-time snorkelers. Equipment and life jackets are provided, and the guide organizes the stops. You should still be comfortable getting on and off a speedboat and spending time in open water.

Families may appreciate the included lunch and hotel pickup. Basic accident insurance applies only to people from 4 through 69 years of age, so check that point carefully if anyone in your party falls outside that range.

I would hesitate if you dislike fast boats, crowded group outings, or fixed schedules. I would also think twice if walking onto Maya Bay is the main purpose of your day, since the supplied notice says the bay and Loh Samah Bay are closed indefinitely.

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you are offered another date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum of 13 people is not reached. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time, but late cancellations and changes are not accepted.

Is $52.08 good value?

At $52.08, the tour offers solid value for a full day of transport and activities. Hotel pickup and drop-off alone simplify the day, while the boat covers a route that would be awkward to arrange independently. Add gear, a Thai buffet, fruit, drinking water, and a guide, and the package covers most basic costs.

The extra national park fee is the main price detail to remember. Adults pay THB400 and children pay THB200, so the advertised amount is not the complete cost.

Value depends on your priorities. For a compact Phi Phi sampler, the price is fair. For a quiet marine outing with lots of personal space, it is less convincing because the boat may carry up to 60 people and can be combined with another operator.

My recommendation

Book this tour if you want a busy but efficient day covering Phi Phi Leh, Phi Phi Don, two snorkeling sites, Monkey Beach, Pileh Lagoon, and the Maya Bay area. The included transfers, gear, lunch, and guide make it easy to use as a one-day introduction from Koh Lanta.

Before paying, accept two limits: Maya Bay shore access is not guaranteed, and the boat may feel crowded. If those points are acceptable, the route offers a good mix of scenery, swimming, wildlife, and Thai food for the price. If you want a slow, quiet, highly personal boat trip, choose a smaller departure instead.

FAQ

How long is the Phi Phi Islands tour from Koh Lanta?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours. Pickup begins at your Koh Lanta hotel, and the trip concludes with drop-off back at the hotel.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 9:00 a.m. You meet the Opal Travel crew at Saladan Pier after hotel pickup.

Are snorkeling equipment and life jackets included?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment and life jackets are provided for use during the Phi Phi Islands portion of the tour.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A Thai buffet lunch is included on Koh Phi Phi Don. It includes chicken Massaman curry, fried chicken, stir-fried mixed vegetables, steamed rice, fruit, and soft drinks.

Are Maya Bay and Loh Samah Bay open for visits?

The supplied information states that Maya Bay and Loh Samah Bay will remain closed indefinitely. You cannot go ashore at The Beach under that notice, and the boat may visit other places around Phi Phi Leh instead.

How much are the national park entrance fees?

The adult fee is THB400 per person. The child fee is THB200 per person. These charges are not included in the tour price.