Phi Phi is roughly 42 km southeast of Chalong Pier. A speedboat gets you there in about 90 minutes depending on sea conditions; a catamaran or sailing yacht takes closer to 3–4 hours each way, which is why speedboats dominate this route. On a private trip you decide the pace — you're not waiting for 30 other people to finish their snorkel mask.
The archipelago has six islands. Most of a day trip is spent around Phi Phi Don (the inhabited one with bars and hotels) and Phi Phi Leh (the smaller, uninhabited island where Maya Bay is). Your private charter will typically circle Phi Phi Leh, stopping at Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, and Viking Beach before crossing to the Viking Cave snorkeling area.
Maya Bay was closed from 2018 to 2022 to allow the reef and beach to recover after being overrun by tour boats. It has since reopened with a new management system: boats must anchor at designated buoys offshore and visitors walk in via a boardwalk. Swimming and snorkeling inside the bay itself is still restricted — the reef recovery is ongoing. You can walk the beach and take photos, but it's no longer the free-swimming playground it once was.
Midday, Maya Bay sees dozens of longtail boats and tour vessels jostling for the mooring buoys. If you depart Chalong by 7:00–7:30am, you arrive before the crowd and get a genuinely peaceful 30–40 minutes. Depart after 9am and you'll be sharing the bay with 20+ boats.
Pileh is the highlight many people under-rate. It's a sheltered lagoon enclosed by limestone cliffs on Phi Phi Leh, a short run from Maya Bay. The water is clear emerald-green, the cliffs are sheer and dramatic, and because you anchor inside and swim rather than walk a boardwalk, it feels genuinely private. Snorkeling is moderate — there's coral along the cliff base — but most people just float and stare at the scenery. Longtail boats bring day-trippers here too, but a private speedboat gives you flexibility to time your arrival between the rush periods.
Viking Beach (Ao Viking, on the northeast of Phi Phi Leh) has a wall of prehistoric cave paintings — boats and figures — that give the cave its name. You can see the paintings from the water. The snorkeling along the bay walls here is some of the best around the Phi Phi group: coral in reasonable health, reef fish, occasional blacktip sharks in the shallows. This area gets less foot traffic than Maya Bay.
Monkey Beach (Hat Ling, on Phi Phi Don) is a small sandy cove with macaques that have become bold from being fed by tourists. Most private charters do a brief stop here — the monkeys are entertaining in small doses. Don't bring food out visibly or they'll be on your lap immediately. The snorkeling off the beach is mediocre; it's more of a novelty stop than a swimming destination.
Phi Phi by midday is genuinely unpleasant for anyone who values having space. The main beach (Tonsai) gets loud by 11am, Maya Bay has queues, and the longtail traffic around Phi Phi Leh is constant. An early private charter — departing Chalong at 7:00am, arriving by 8:30am — gives you 2–3 hours before the tour rush. Plan to leave the Phi Phi area by 1:00–1:30pm and you'll have a far better day than groups who dawdle until 3pm.
| Vessel type | Chalong to Phi Phi | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Speedboat (open) | 75–90 min | Rougher ride, fastest |
| Catamaran (power) | 2.5–3 hr | More stable, comfortable |
| Sailing catamaran | 3–4 hr each way | Only practical as overnight or liveaboard |
| Traditional longtail | Not recommended | Too slow, exposed on open water |
| Boat type | Full day to Phi Phi | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Speedboat (6–8 pax) | From ฿8,500–12,000 | Up to 8 guests |
| Speedboat (10–12 pax) | From ฿12,000–16,000 | Up to 12 guests |
| Power catamaran | From ฿22,000–35,000 | Up to 20 guests |
| Sailing catamaran | From ฿35,000–55,000 | Up to 12 guests |
Prices are for the whole boat, not per person. National park fees (~฿400–600 per adult) are additional and paid on arrival.
Swimming inside Maya Bay itself remains restricted as part of ongoing reef recovery. You enter via a boardwalk and can walk the beach and take photos, but you can't snorkel the central bay. Snorkeling is still permitted in adjacent areas — Pileh Lagoon and Viking Beach offer better water quality anyway.
In practice, yes — at least for a comfortable day. A sailing catamaran doing 6–8 knots needs 4+ hours each way, leaving very little time at the islands. Most private sailing charters to Phi Phi are liveaboard overnights. If you want to sail, Racha Island (45–60 min under power) is a better day-trip target.
In high season (November to April) the crossing is usually calm — 1–1.5m swells at most, often flat. In the shoulder months of May and October it becomes variable. June through September the Andaman monsoon creates regular 2–3m swells and most charter operators don't run this route at all. Never attempt the Phi Phi crossing in a small speedboat during active southwest monsoon.
Most private speedboat charters to Phi Phi include snorkeling equipment, water, and fruit but not a cooked lunch — the boat isn't equipped for it. The usual arrangement is a stop at Tonsai Bay (the main village on Phi Phi Don) where you eat at a restaurant. Some catamaran charters include a crew-prepared onboard lunch; confirm this before booking.
If there are 4 or more of you, a private charter typically costs a similar amount per head to a good group tour — and the difference in experience is significant. You choose your departure time (key for early arrival at Maya Bay), your stops, how long you stay at each one, and you're not sharing snorkel space with 40 strangers. For 2 people it's a genuine luxury premium; for 6+ people it often makes financial sense.
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