The Destination
The most iconic islands of the Andaman
The Phi Phi Islands are a small archipelago of six limestone islands rising vertically from the emerald sea between Phuket and Krabi. Made world-famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s The Beach, they remain one of Thailand’s most photographed destinations — and the best reason to charter a private boat out of Phuket.
The big advantage of going private: you control the schedule. Public ferries dump thousands of people onto Maya Bay during peak hours. On a private charter your captain times the visit for sunrise or late afternoon — when the bay empties out and the water turns glass-still. You stop where the day-trippers can’t: Pileh Lagoon at dawn, Bamboo Island’s snorkel reef, the hidden beach at Loh Samah Bay.
A typical day departs Royal Phuket Marina at 8am and returns by 6pm. The speedboat covers the 25 nm crossing in about 60 minutes; a catamaran takes 90 minutes. Overnight charters anchor in a sheltered bay on Phi Phi Don for dinner under the stars.
Maya Bay — managed access since 2022
Maya Bay was closed 2018–2022 for coral reef restoration. It has since reopened with a new system: boats anchor at designated buoys and visitors enter via a boardwalk. Swimming inside the bay remains restricted — the reef recovery is ongoing. You can walk the beach and take photos, but it’s no longer the free-swimming zone it once was.
Midday, Maya Bay is packed. If you depart the marina by 8:00am, you arrive before the crowd and get a genuinely peaceful 30–40 minutes. Leave after 9am and you’ll be sharing the bay with 20+ boats. Early departure is not optional — it’s the difference between a memorable experience and a disappointing one.
Practical advice — what nobody tells you
Phi Phi by midday is genuinely unpleasant for anyone who values space. The main beach (Tonsai) is loud by 11am, Maya Bay has queues, and longtail traffic around Phi Phi Leh is constant. An early private charter — departing 8:00am, arriving by 9:30am — gives you 2–3 hours before the tour rush. Plan to leave the Phi Phi area by 1:30pm and you’ll have a far better day.
The crossing from Phuket to Phi Phi is 25 nautical miles of open Andaman Sea. In high season (November–April) it’s usually flat and comfortable. In green season (May–October) swells can reach 2–3m and most operators suspend this route. Children under 6 and anyone prone to seasickness should consider Coral Island or Racha as calmer alternatives.
