Andaman Coast Island Hopping: Complete Route Guide

Why the Andaman Coast

Thailand’s Andaman coast runs 740 km from the Burmese border south to Malaysia. It holds limestone karst islands, coral reefs with visibility above 20 metres in the dry season, and a logical ferry network that makes island hopping genuinely practical without backtracking.

The five main stops - Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, the Similan Islands (day trip or liveaboard), and Koh Lipe - connect in a clean north-to-south line. Add two or three nights on each and you have a 7–10 day route that covers the coast’s best without rushing.

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Best Season

November to April is the right window. The southwest monsoon reverses in November, seas calm, and ferries run on full schedules. Underwater visibility peaks in January and February - 25–30 metres on the Similan reef walls. March and April remain excellent but the Andaman gets busier and coral bleaching risk rises as water temperatures climb toward 30°C.

May to October: avoid for this route. The Similan Islands National Park closes entirely (mid-May to mid-October). Koh Lipe ferry routes suspend. Koh Phi Phi sees heavy surf and many longtail operators park up. Phuket and Koh Lanta are accessible year-round but with reduced activities and rougher crossings.

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The Route at a Glance

Phuket (2 nights) → Koh Phi Phi (2 nights) → Koh Lanta (2–3 nights)
  → Similan Islands day trip or liveaboard from Khao Lak
  → Koh Lipe (2 nights) → fly out from Hat Yai or Trang

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Phuket - Days 1–2

Phuket is the logical gateway: it has the region’s major international airport and a well-developed ferry terminal at Rassada Pier. Most travellers land, check in, and use Phuket as a base to recover from travel and sort onward tickets rather than treating it as a destination in itself.

Where to stay:

• Budget - Lub d Phuket Patong (THB 700–1,000/night, dormitory or private; rooftop pool, central Patong location)
• Mid-range - Kata Palm Resort (THB 2,500–3,800/night; quieter Kata Beach area, 5-minute walk to the sand)
• Luxury - Rosewood Phuket (THB 18,000–35,000/night; Emerald Bay, overwater bungalow option, private beach)

What to do: Phuket Town’s Old Town quarter has decent Peranakan shophouses and good coffee. Kata Beach is calmer than Patong and better for swimming. If you have a full day, the Phuket Phi Phi day tour covers Maya Bay and James Bond Island from Phuket - but you will see these more fully from Phi Phi itself.

What to skip: Bangla Road and Patong’s nightlife strip are exactly what they look like - skip them unless that is why you came.

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Ferry: Phuket → Koh Phi Phi

Operator: Rassada Pier (central Phuket) - served by Andaman Wave Master, Phi Phi Cruiser, and speedboat operators
Journey time: 1.5–2 hours (ferry); 45 minutes (speedboat)
Cost: THB 350–500 (regular ferry); THB 700–900 (speedboat)
Departures: 08:30, 13:30 daily (high season); check current schedules at the pier or via Tigerline Travel

Book at Rassada Pier directly or through your accommodation. Walk-up tickets are available in shoulder season; in December–February, book a day or two ahead.

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Koh Phi Phi - Days 3–4

Koh Phi Phi Don is the inhabited island; Koh Phi Phi Leh across the channel is the uninhabited one where Maya Bay sits. The village on Phi Phi Don is compact and car-free - you walk everywhere. The beaches at Long Beach and Loh Dalum Bay are within 15 minutes of the main pier.

The island has a reputation for being overly touristy and that is partly fair. The centre gets loud at night and the beaches fill up in peak season. But the snorkelling off Mosquito Island (Yung Kwao) - a 10-minute longtail from the main pier - is genuinely excellent: staghorn coral, reef sharks and visibility regularly above 20 metres.

Where to stay:

• Budget - Oasis Guesthouse (THB 800–1,200/night; back from the beach, clean en-suite rooms, good base)
• Mid-range - Zeavola Resort (THB 6,500–9,500/night; on Laem Tong, northern tip of the island, far from the crowds, Thai-style wooden bungalows)
• Luxury - SAii Phi Phi Island Village (THB 8,500–15,000/night; beach access, overwater suites, transfers from main pier included)

Snorkelling and diving:

• Princess Divers - PADI dive centre on the main pier strip; two-tank dives from THB 2,800; long-standing operator with good equipment maintenance
• Phi Phi Dive Centre - full SSI training programme; intro dives THB 2,600; whale shark sightings reported at Hin Daeng (possible add-on day trip for experienced divers)

Maya Bay reopened in 2022 after a four-year rehabilitation. Entry requires an advance booking via the DNP ticketing system (approximately THB 400 as of 2026); no overnight stays are permitted. Go on a morning longtail - by 10:00 the tour boats arrive in volume.

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Ferry: Koh Phi Phi → Koh Lanta

Operator: Tigerline Travel or PP Family Co
Journey time: 1.5 hours
Cost: THB 300–450
Departures: 09:00 and 13:30 (high season)

The ferry calls at Klong Jilad Pier on Koh Lanta’s north shore, then continues to the main Saladan Pier. Get off at Saladan - most accommodation is on the west coast accessed from here.

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Koh Lanta - Days 5–7

Koh Lanta is the least frenetic of the Andaman islands at this scale. The west coast road runs 30 km south from Saladan through a sequence of beaches - Klong Dao, Long Beach, Klong Khong, Klong Nin - each progressively quieter. Klong Nin and the area south of it is where you go if you want a beach with almost no one on it. The island rewards a motorbike rental (THB 250/day from Saladan) more than any other stop on this route.

Koh Lanta Yai has a mangrove interior, a national park at the southern tip, and a Friday walking market in the Old Town quarter that is worth the trip down.

Where to stay:

• Budget - Same Same But Different Bungalows, Klong Khong (THB 600–900/night; hammock-strung garden bungalows, slow-travel crowd, beachfront restaurant)
• Mid-range - Pimalai Resort (THB 4,500–8,000/night; Baan Kantiang Bay, widely considered Lanta’s best beach, pool villas in the hills above the bay)
• Luxury - Layana Resort & Spa (THB 9,000–16,000/night; Long Beach, 40 pool villas, adults-only, includes breakfast and non-motorised water sports)

Diving and snorkelling: Koh Lanta sits closest to some of the Andaman’s most serious dive sites - Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, two seamounts 45 km offshore that see oceanic manta rays (November–March) and occasional whale sharks.

• Blue Planet Divers (Saladan) - PADI and SSI; Hin Daeng and Hin Muang two-tank day trips from THB 4,200; reliable nitrox supply; daily departures in high season
• Scuba Fish (Long Beach) - smaller operation, more personalised; reef dives around local Koh Lanta Marine Park from THB 2,500/two tanks

The Koh Lanta vs Koh Phi Phi comparison covers which island suits which type of traveller in more detail.

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Similan Islands - Optional Add-On (1–4 nights)

The Similan Islands sit 70 km north of Koh Lanta, accessed from Khao Lak on the mainland coast. You cannot reach them as part of a continuous south-moving ferry route - you need to backtrack north, or build them in before Koh Lanta by routing Phuket → Similan liveaboard → Koh Lanta.

From Khao Lak:

• Road: 2 hours north of Phuket on Highway 4, or 1 hour from Khao Lak to Tap Lamu Pier
• Day trip boat from Tap Lamu Pier: 1.5 hours each way

National park: Open mid-October to mid-May. Entry fee approximately THB 500 (adults). The archipelago has 11 granite islands; dive sites are concentrated around islands 4, 7, 8 and 9 (now designated 44, 47, 48, 49 in the re-numbering system). Richelieu Rock - technically north of the Similans near Surin Islands - is one of the top dive sites in Southeast Asia.

Liveaboards (3–4 nights, most recommended):

• Similan Diving Safaris - 3-night liveaboard packages from THB 25,000/person; departs Khao Lak; 7–10 dives on Similan + Surin itineraries; nitrox included; boat holds 20 divers
• Fantasea Divers - 4-night Similan + Richelieu Rock itinerary from THB 32,000/person; newer vessel, maximum 16 divers; pre-booking essential in January and February

Day trips (budget option):

• Tour operators in Khao Lak offer day trips to the outer islands for THB 2,500–3,500 including longtail transfers, snorkelling equipment and lunch. Not as rewarding as a liveaboard (you arrive when tour boats arrive and leave with them) but viable for non-divers.
• MV Pawara runs day trip snorkelling packages with small groups; departures 08:00 from Tap Lamu, return 18:00; THB 2,800 per person

Snorkelling note: the best snorkelling (shallow reef, turtle sightings) is at Island 4 (Ko Miang) and the western edge of Island 8. These are accessible without scuba.

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Getting to Koh Lipe from Koh Lanta

Route: Koh Lanta → Koh Lipe
Operator: Tigerline Travel; Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club
Journey time: 2.5–3 hours (with stops at Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradan)
Cost: THB 750–1,000
Departures: 08:00 (high season only - November to May)
Alternative: If the direct service is not running, take a longtail to Koh Mook, ferry to Pak Bara pier on the mainland, then speedboat to Koh Lipe (add 1–1.5 hours and approximately THB 400)

This crossing is the most scenic leg on the route - the boat threads through Trang province’s smaller limestone islands before the open crossing south.

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Koh Lipe - Days 8–10

Koh Lipe is Thailand’s southernmost tourist island of any size, sitting inside the Tarutao Marine National Park 50 km from the Malaysian border. It is tiny - you can walk the main strip (Walking Street) end to end in 10 minutes - but the beaches are among the finest on the Andaman coast. Sunrise Beach on the east coast has the clearest water; Pattaya Beach on the south is wider and calmer for swimming; Sunset Beach on the west is where you go in the late afternoon.

The coral immediately offshore is accessible without a boat. South of Sunrise Beach, mask and fins are all you need to reach brain coral, anemonefish and hawksbill turtles in 3–5 metres of water. Immigration formalities: arriving by boat from Langkawi (Malaysia) clears customs at the Customs House on Pattaya Beach.

Where to stay:

• Budget - Bundhaya Resort (THB 1,200–2,000/night; Sunrise Beach, basic bungalows but excellent beach access and one of the more honest restaurants on the island)
• Mid-range - Castaway Resort (THB 3,500–6,000/night; Sunrise Beach, adults-focused, wooden bungalows set in gardens, highly regarded restaurant)
• Luxury - Idyllic Concept Resort (THB 7,500–14,000/night; pool villas, Sunrise Beach, quiet north end away from Walking Street, best for couples)

Diving:

• Forra Dive - the most established shop on the island; PADI Open Water from THB 10,500; two-tank fun dives from THB 2,200; reef sites around Rawi, Adang and the outer reef wall (Stonehenge site, excellent barracuda)
• Ananya Diving - competitive on price; two-tank dives from THB 1,900; half-day snorkelling trips around Adang island from THB 700

Koh Adang across the channel (15 minutes by longtail, THB 200 return) has a freshwater waterfall accessible from the national park office and near-deserted beaches on its south coast. Worth a half-day.

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Sample 9-Day Itinerary

Day	Location	Accommodation tier	Key activity
1	Phuket (arrive)	Budget–mid	Transfer, rest
2	Phuket	As above	Old Town, Kata Beach
3	Koh Phi Phi (ferry 08:30)	Mid-range	Long Beach, evening snorkel
4	Koh Phi Phi	As above	Maya Bay morning, Mosquito Island snorkel
5	Koh Lanta (ferry 09:00)	Budget	Motorbike hire, beach run
6	Koh Lanta	Mid-range	Hin Daeng/Hin Muang two-tank dive
7	Koh Lanta	As above	Old Town, mangrove kayak, national park
8	Koh Lipe (ferry 08:00)	Mid-range	Arrive, explore Walking Street and Sunrise Beach
9	Koh Lipe	As above	Snorkel off Sunrise Beach, Koh Adang half-day
10	Depart (Hat Yai or Trang)	-	Transfer to airport

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Ferry and Transport Cost Summary

Leg	Operator	Time	Cost (approx)
Phuket → Koh Phi Phi	Andaman Wave Master / speedboat	1.5–2 hrs	THB 350–900
Koh Phi Phi → Koh Lanta	Tigerline Travel	1.5 hrs	THB 300–450
Koh Lanta → Koh Lipe	Tigerline / Satun Pakbara	2.5–3 hrs	THB 750–1,000
Koh Lipe → Hat Yai	Speedboat + van	3.5 hrs	THB 700–900
Koh Lipe → Trang	Speedboat + van	2.5 hrs	THB 600–800

All costs are estimates as of 2026 and subject to seasonal variation. Book at pier ticket offices or through Tigerline’s website - third-party booking platforms frequently add 20–30% commission without adding value.

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What to Skip

Patong Beach, Phuket. Worth seeing for five minutes; not worth staying near. The beaches at Kata and Karon are quieter, the food is better and you are not paying a premium to sleep next to a strip of bars.

Koh Phi Phi day-trip crowds. If you are staying on Phi Phi, take the first longtail to Maya Bay (leave the pier by 07:30) and you will have it largely to yourself. The tour boats from Phuket arrive from 09:30 onwards in convoys. After 10:00, the bay is packed.

Unverified liveaboard operators. The Similan liveaboard market has a long tail of cut-price boats with old equipment. Stick to operators who are members of the Thai Liveaboard Association and carry current dive professional liability insurance. The price gap between a budget and a reputable operator is typically THB 5,000–8,000 per person - not worth saving.

The tourist boat restaurants on Koh Lipe’s Walking Street. The further from the pier you walk on Sunset Beach or north of Sunrise Beach, the better the food and the lower the prices. Ask your accommodation for a recommendation - the best local spots change season to season.

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Practical Notes

Entering the Tarutao Marine National Park (Koh Lipe): The national park fee of approximately THB 200 per person is collected on the boat from Koh Lanta or Pak Bara. Have cash ready - payment infrastructure is basic.

ATMs: Phuket and Koh Phi Phi have good coverage. Koh Lanta has several machines in Saladan. Koh Lipe has two ATMs on Walking Street that frequently run out of cash in peak season - withdraw before you arrive.

SIM and connectivity: Phuket and Koh Lanta have good 4G coverage. Koh Phi Phi is patchy away from the village. Koh Lipe has AIS coverage on Sunrise and Pattaya Beach but drops out at the northern end of the island. An eSIM avoids physical card swaps between providers.

Health: Coral cuts get infected quickly in tropical conditions. Carry antiseptic. Phuket has full hospital coverage; Koh Lanta has a small clinic adequate for minor issues; Koh Lipe has a basic medical centre - anything serious requires a speedboat transfer to the mainland.

The best time to visit Thailand guide covers Andaman coast weather in more detail if you are deciding between months.

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