- How to get from Phuket to Phi Phi Island
- Getting around and what to do on Phi Phi Island
- Recommended restaurants on Phi Phi Island
- Hotels worth it if you’re staying overnight instead of doing a day trip
Where Is Phi Phi Island?
Phi Phi Island sits about 48km off the southeast coast of Phuket, and is actually made up of two islands: Phi Phi Don, which has a permanent population, and the uninhabited Phi Phi Leh.
Nearby you’ll also find a scattering of smaller islands — Bida Nai, Bida Nok, Mosquito Island, and Bamboo Island.
With its white-sand beaches, crystal-clear emerald water, and dramatic limestone cliffs rising straight out of the sea, Phi Phi is often called “the paradise of the Andaman Sea.”
Only around 2,500 people live on Phi Phi Don, and the only way in is by ferry or boat.
The hub for visitors is Tonsai Village, a small village packed with restaurants and shops.
The typical way to spend a day here is beach activities, diving, or snorkeling during the day, then shopping and dinner in Tonsai Village at night.
More on exactly how to spend your time later in this article.
Day Trip or Overnight Stay on Phi Phi Island?
A lot of people trying to plan a Phi Phi Island trip go back and forth on whether to do a day trip or stay overnight.
I’ll give you the conclusion up front: stay overnight. A longer trip always beats a shorter one, right? (Just kidding — sort of.)
Of course, if you’re on the fence, it’s probably about budget or how much time you want to spend in Phuket before and after. But if you do a day trip, you only get about 4 hours on the island, and it’s a rush.
The standard way to reach Phi Phi is a ferry from Rassada Pier, and the earliest ferry departs at 8:30 AM — the crossing alone takes 2 hours.
And the last ferry back leaves at 2:30 PM. Early, right?
That means you’re on the island from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM — 4 hours total — and once you factor in lunch, you’re really only left with about 3 hours of actual sightseeing.
There’s a lot to do on Phi Phi, as you’ll see below, so I’d really recommend staying the night.
More on hotel options later in this article too.
How to Get from Phuket to Phi Phi Island
To get from Phuket to Phi Phi, you first need to get yourself to Rassada Pier, the ferry terminal.
To make it easy to picture, here’s roughly how long it takes to reach Rassada Pier by taxi — the most comfortable option — from each of the main areas.
If you want to save a bit of money, there are cheaper options than a taxi too, like the songthaew.
① Phuket International Airport to Rassada Pier
| Option | Price | Time |
| Taxi | 800 baht | About 60–90 min |
| Shared taxi | 200 baht per person (shared ride) | About 60–90 min |
| Airport bus (to Old Town) + taxi | Airport bus 100 baht + taxi 200 baht | About 90 min |
② Patong Beach to Rassada Pier
| Option | Price | Time |
| Taxi | 600–800 baht | About 40 min |
| Songthaew (to Old Town) + taxi | Songthaew 30 baht + taxi 200 baht | About 60–70 min |
| Songthaew (to Old Town) + tuk-tuk | Songthaew 30 baht + tuk-tuk 100–200 baht | About 60–70 min |
If you want the cheapest option, period, the songthaew pictured above is the way to go! A songthaew is basically a shared ride — a pickup truck with benches built into the bed.
You’ll see blue songthaews running along the beach road that parallels Patong Beach. You don’t need a designated stop — just flag one down like a taxi and it’ll pull over. There’s an attendant on board, so pay them during the ride, and there’s a buzzer to signal when you want to get off.
The upside of the songthaew is the price — just 30 baht! The downside is that they only run about once every 30 minutes with no fixed schedule, so if your timing is off you could be waiting a while. Waiting in the blazing heat isn’t fun, so if time matters more to you, a taxi is the safer bet.
③ Old Town to Rassada Pier
| Option | Price | Time |
| Taxi | 200 baht | About 20 min |
| Tuk-tuk | 100–200 baht | About 25 min |
| Songthaew | 10 baht | About 25 min |
The songthaews here are pink. There are a few different routes, and the one headed to Rassada Pier runs between Saphan Hin and Koh Sireh, so make sure you get on the right one.
④ Rassada Pier to Phi Phi Island
From Rassada Pier to Phi Phi, you’ve got two options: the ferry or a speedboat.
| Option | Price | Time |
| Ferry | 600 baht | 2 hours |
| Speedboat | 1,000–1,500 baht | 50 min |
The speedboat gets you there in about 50 minutes — half the time of the ferry — but it can get pretty rough with the waves, so if you’re prone to seasickness and time isn’t the top priority, the bigger ferry is the better call. Getting seasick would really put a damper on the trip.
What to Do on Phi Phi Island
Tonsai Village spreads out right where the ferry drops you off. If you’re staying overnight, drop your bags at the hotel before you head out sightseeing. There will be a swarm of tour touts the moment you cross the pier — just walk on past.
It’s packed with day-trippers during the day, but once they head back in the evening, things calm down and you can enjoy the island at a more relaxed pace.
Here are a few of the best ways to spend your time on Phi Phi!
Shopping in Tonsai Village
Stepping off the ferry puts you right in Tonsai Village, the main hub of the island.
Both sides of the street are lined with shops selling souvenirs, restaurants, cafes, fast food, bars, and tour desks. Phi Phi T-shirts are only sold here, so if you want them as souvenirs, pick them up while you’re here.
It’s a small village — an hour is plenty of time to see the whole thing. You’ll be on foot the entire time, since there are no cars or motorbikes allowed.
Take In the View from the Viewpoint
From Tonsai Village you can hike up to a viewpoint overlooking the island. There are actually three viewpoints, and seeing all of them round-trip takes 2–3 hours. It’s a hillside trail, so swap your flip-flops for sneakers or something you can actually walk in. There’s a small shop near the lookout, but it’s smarter to grab water at a convenience store in Tonsai Village beforehand! You’ll see people hiking up in swimwear, so honestly, wear whatever you want.
The cluster of buildings you can see on the left in photos from here is Tonsai Village. The rainy season brings poor weather, so dry season is really the time to come.
Each viewpoint charges an entry fee, but it’s only 20–30 baht — not exactly a dealbreaker.
Relax at Laem Thong Beach
Laem Thong Beach sits on the northern tip of Phi Phi.
There are boats that run from Phuket to Laem Thong via Tonsai Bay, but from Tonsai Village itself, you’ll be taking a boat from Tonsai Bay.
A stay-and-boat package with Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island, covered later in this article, is a great way to do it.
Laem Thong Beach has hammocks strung up between the palm trees, so you can nap in the sea breeze for a genuinely out-of-this-world kind of relaxation. Tonsai Beach is lively and crowded with tourists, while Laem Thong is calm and quiet.
From Laem Thong, it’s also about a 20-minute boat ride to Bamboo Island, often called the most beautiful of the Phi Phi islands.
See the Mysterious Viking Cave
Viking Cave is said to have once been a pirate hideout. These days, it’s mainly home to swiftlets that nest inside.
Unfortunately you can’t go inside — it’s strictly a view-from-the-boat spot — but the combination of emerald water and the ancient cave makes for a striking picture. The water here is especially clear, and you can even spot small fish from the boat.
Rather than going it alone, the efficient way to see it is joining a speedboat tour that takes in several islands at once.
Go Snorkeling
Phi Phi basically means snorkeling in gorgeous water! Around Tonsai Bay and Tonsai Village, boat captains will approach you directly to pitch snorkeling trips. If you can negotiate in English, it’s worth a shot — 300–500 baht seems to be the going rate. Snorkeling tires you out after 20–30 minutes, so a plan of around 3 hours total tends to work best.
Once you’ve settled on a price, you charter the boat and get taken to snorkeling spots around Bamboo Island. “Let’s snorkel!” Even if you can’t swim, boats carry life jackets, so there’s no real risk of trouble as long as you’re wearing one.
You can rent snorkeling gear there, but if you’re staying overnight anyway, it’s not a bad idea to bring your own gear, water shoes included.
Try Island Hopping
Around Phi Phi you’ll find a scattering of smaller islands — Bida Nai, Bida Nok, Mosquito Island, Bamboo Island, and more. Splurging on a tour that covers four islands in a day is one of the best ways to experience the area.
Snorkeling, a beachside lunch, watching the monkeys at Monkey Beach, taking in Maya Bay — it’s not an exaggeration to call island hopping the single best thing to do around Phi Phi.
There are day trips from Phuket that leave in the morning and return at night, but given everything above, I’d really recommend staying overnight and doing a full day of island hopping instead!
Restaurants on Phi Phi Island
Between swimming, hiking to the viewpoint, and everything else, you’ll work up an appetite on Phi Phi.
Most restaurants are clustered around Tonsai Village in the center of the island. Here are a few visitor favorites worth checking out.
The Mango Garden
The menu runs from drinks to waffles, toast, cakes, and egg dishes — all with an Instagram-worthy mango theme.
Drinks are cheap, but food is priced for tourists, though still a bit less than you’d pay in Japan. Order a drink and a dish and you’re looking at roughly 700–1,000 yen, but the juicy mango makes it addictive!
Tonsai Seafood
A seafood-focused restaurant just a short walk from Tonsai Bay. Being right on the water, it’s a great spot for dinner while you watch the sunset.
The menu has some meat dishes like beef, but it’s mostly seafood — the garlic shrimp is a standout. They also run a morning buffet, so if your hotel plan doesn’t include breakfast, this is a cheap, solid option.
It seems to be affiliated with Phi Phi Hotel, so guests staying there can use a discount coupon.
Grand PP Arcade
A Thai restaurant a bit north of Tonsai Bay. Good atmosphere, good service, and the food is tasty and stylish! Prices run a little higher than other restaurants on Phi Phi, but factoring in the atmosphere, it’s not bad value at all.
Breakfast includes toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, a bean-and-tomato minestrone, and fruit juice. Lunch and dinner bring a wide menu — pasta, Thai curry, burgers, fried rice — so you won’t get bored even after multiple visits.
Recommended Hotels on Phi Phi Island
If you’re staying on Phi Phi, once you cross the pier after arriving, you’ll see hotel staff holding up signs with their hotel’s name. Have your voucher ready, find the staff for your hotel, and just give them your reservation name.
Hotels near the pier are a walk away, but ones further out, like those up north, require a boat transfer.
Phi Phi is an extremely popular destination, so there’s no shortage of hotels. Here are a few affordable favorites.
Phi Phi Hotel
A 3-star hotel right in the center of Phi Phi — the pier, the beach, and the night market are all within a 5-minute walk. It’s not luxurious and the building shows its age, but the price is reasonable.
The hotel has five floors and no elevator, so you’ll need to carry your suitcase up the stairs yourself — or just ask the staff to help. English works; Japanese doesn’t.
Rooms cover the basics but there’s no bathtub. There’s a PIN-code security box in the room. Free Wi-Fi only reaches as far as the lobby, so bring your own data if you need to stay connected.
Ask the front desk and they’ll lend you beach towels — take advantage of whatever’s included!
When you cross the pier after arriving, staff will be holding up a clearly marked Phi Phi Hotel sign, so you won’t have any trouble finding them — and they’ll carry your bags too.
Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island
A 4-star resort on the northern tip of Phi Phi. Holiday Inn is a brand under the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
Bungalows are spread across a large beachfront property. Hotels near Tonsai are more convenient but a bit noisy; the north end is much quieter and better suited to a relaxed stay. Ocean-view rooms open straight onto the beach from your balcony, and you can hear the waves at night — very relaxing.
The bathroom is shower-only, no tub, which is a bit of a letdown, but otherwise the amenities and facilities are what you’d expect from a Holiday Inn. There’s an on-site restaurant, but it’s priced like a hotel restaurant; if you want to save a bit, Mama Ping, a Thai restaurant right next door along the beach, is a good call.
It’s a fair distance to Tonsai Village, so pick up any daily essentials or souvenirs when your ferry first arrives — prices inside the hotel run high.
Phi Phi Banyan Villa
A great location about a 3-minute walk from the pier. You’ll be on foot once you arrive. The building looks a bit dated, but the rooms themselves are clean. With Tonsai Beach right out front, it’s a better fit for people who want to spend their time snorkeling and shopping outdoors rather than lounging in the room.
The hotel gym is spacious with relatively newer equipment, plus a sauna — exactly what you need after a sweaty workout!
Breakfast is a buffet at the hotel’s beachfront restaurant with a nice view, though the spread isn’t huge.
Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel
A mid-size hotel about a 5-minute walk from the pier at Tonsai Bay. The access is excellent, but a nearby nightclub means some rooms might pick up noise at night depending on location.
The pool is bigger than at most other hotels here, which gives it more of a resort feel. There are shallower sections too, making it a good option for families with kids.
Breakfast is a buffet with a good variety, including Thai dishes and Western options like an egg station.
Summary
That turned into a pretty long article — what did you think?
I covered everything from getting to Phi Phi from Phuket, to what to do once you’re there, to restaurants and hotels, all in one place. Honestly, this one article should cover you instead of a guidebook!
It’s a shame Maya Bay has had closures, but Phi Phi still has plenty going for it. Hopefully it’s clear by now why a day trip would be such a waste.
It’s a resort destination, so don’t watch the clock — stay overnight if you can, and spend your time however you like.
Thanks so much for reading all the way to the end! If you enjoyed it, a like and a share would mean a lot.
Thanks so much for reading all the way through! Phi Phi really does reward an overnight stay — the viewpoint hike, snorkeling, island hopping, and a quiet evening after the day-trippers leave all add up to something special. I hope this guide helps you plan the perfect trip!
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About the author
Joe
I love hotels, hot springs, and saunas across the whole country!!
I’ve made it to 40 prefectures so far.
Around 100 hotel stays and 50+ saunas visited, and the count keeps climbing.
My hobbies are travel, golf, snowboarding, saunas, and the gym.
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