Phi Phi is the trip everyone has seen photographs of, and the reason most of those photographs disappoint is timing. The day boats arrive in convoy from about ten in the morning, and by eleven Maya Bay has several hundred people in it.
A private charter changes the arithmetic. Leaving at eight puts you into Pileh Lagoon while the water is still flat and empty, and lets you work backwards through the anchorages as the crowds move in.
The crossing takes roughly two hours each way depending on the yacht, which is why this needs a full eight hour day rather than a half. Anything shorter and you spend more time travelling than swimming.
A typical day
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08:00 Depart the marina
Coffee on deck as the yacht clears the headland and turns east.
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10:00 Pileh Lagoon
A flooded limestone bowl with water that turns pale green in the morning light. Best swum before the crowds.
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11:30 Maya Bay
The famous one. Access rules change seasonally and the captain will know the current position.
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13:00 Lunch at anchor
The yacht moves to a sheltered bay to eat away from the traffic.
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14:30 Bamboo Island
The best snorkelling of the day, with shallow reef and clear water.
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16:00 Head back
Two hours west with the afternoon light behind you.
Phi Phi Islands
Yachts for this route
Phi Phi Islands: common questions
Can we visit Maya Bay?
Access is controlled and the rules change through the year, including seasonal closures. The captain will know the current position on the morning of your charter.
Is there a national park fee?
Yes, the Phi Phi islands sit inside a national park and the entry fee is paid on the day, separately from the charter.
Can Phi Phi be done in five hours?
Not comfortably. The crossing alone is around four hours return, so five hours leaves almost no time in the water. Coral and Racha are the better half-day option.
Which yacht is best for this route?
The faster motor yachts. The Azimut 55 and Eye 65 make the crossing quickly, leaving more of the day for swimming.
Charter to Phi Phi Islands
Tell us your date and we will plan the route around your group.