Phi Phi or Coral Island from Phuket: Which Day Trip?
By the PhuketGO tour desk on Phuket — we book and run these trips every week · Updated 13 October 2026
If you've got one sea day and you're fine on a speedboat, go to Phi Phi. Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, the lot. With toddlers, a short holiday or a wobbly stomach, Coral Island is kinder: thirty minutes from Rawai and you're back by two.
Tours and prices in Thai baht
| Tour | Duration | Adult | Child 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island by speedboat | One day | 2,000 ฿ | 1,800 ฿ |
| Phi Phi at sunrise: Maya Bay before the crowds | One day, 04:00–15:30 | 2,300 ฿ | 2,000 ฿ |
| Coral island from Rawai pier | Half a day, 08:30–14:00 | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Phi Phi and Racha Yai by catamaran, with a sunset stop at Maiton | One day, 06:30–19:00 | 2,700 ฿ | 2,500 ฿ |
Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.
What do you actually see on each?
Phi Phi packs a lot in. Our Phi Phi and Khai speedboat leaves Chalong at 09:15 and stops first at Khai (shallow, clear, fish right by the sand; it's where first-timers try a mask). Then Phi Phi Don for Monkey Beach and a buffet lunch, the Viking Cave and Pileh Lagoon after lunch, and Maya Bay as the last stop. You're back at the pier around quarter past four.
Coral island is one island, done slowly. A long morning on Coral Beach, lunch, a snorkel in Hin Dam bay, and the boat's back in Rawai by two. Nothing famous. Nothing rushed either.
How tiring is each day?
Phi Phi is a long speedboat day with several crossings, and the speedboat can be bumpy. The sunrise version adds a pickup between four and half past four in the morning (worth it for an almost empty Maya Bay at seven, but it's a real early start). It isn't recommended during pregnancy or with back problems.
Coral is the gentlest sea day we sell: one short crossing out, one short crossing back, and you can spend the whole morning in the shallows. That's why it suits the first day after a flight, toddlers, and anyone unsure about boats.
- One sea day, first time in Thailand: Phi Phi
- Toddlers or seasick travellers: Coral island
- Photographs of Maya Bay without crowds: Phi Phi at sunrise
What about cost and park fees?
Coral costs less because it's half the day, and the national park fee is already in its price. On the Phi Phi and Khai speedboat the park fee isn't in the tour price: it's paid in cash on the day, so bring baht in small notes. On the sunrise Phi Phi trip the park fees are included. The table on this page shows the current prices; we don't quote them from memory.
Water sports on Coral Beach (parasailing, banana boat and the like) are run by local operators on the sand and paid separately, in cash.
Can I do both?
Yes, and with a week on Phuket that's what we usually suggest: Coral early in the trip to get used to the sea, Phi Phi a few days later. If you want a taste of both on one boat, the Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran starts at Racha Yai in the morning (a near island like Coral, with clearer water) and reaches Maya Bay late in the afternoon after the day boats have left.
Our Phi Phi tours page compares every Phi Phi option side by side if you want to go deeper.
What should I pack for each?
Phi Phi with Khai: baht in small notes for the park fee (it's paid in cash on the day), sunscreen, a towel and something dry for the ride home. Pickup is between 07:30 and 08:30; the guide confirms your exact time the evening before, and hotels near Chalong go last. The buffet lunch has vegetarian dishes.
Coral: swimwear under your clothes, a towel, a hat, motion sickness tablets if anyone needs them, and cash for the beach water sports if you want them. Lunch and the park fee are already paid.
One more thing on Phi Phi: entering Pileh Lagoon depends on the tide and on the captain, so the order of stops can shift. If the authorities close the sea, the trip moves to another date or the payment comes back.
Kids aged 4 to 9 pay the child price on both trips, from ten it's the adult price, and under-fours go free without a seat or meals.
How do I book?
Send the trip, the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in the chat. The manager confirms the pickup time and the total, then payment by card online is agreed once the booking is confirmed. The guide on both trips speaks English.
Not sure yet? Ask in the chat which of the two fits your dates and your hotel; we'd rather say so than sell the wrong day. Weighing Coral Island against Phang Nga instead? See James Bond island or Coral Island. Before you pick Phi Phi for Maya Bay, check whether Maya Bay is open on your dates: it usually closes from August to the end of September.
The tours on this page
Questions people ask
Is Phi Phi worth it over Coral Island?
If you've one sea day and can handle a full day on a speedboat, yes. Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Monkey Beach are the reason most people come.
Which is better with toddlers?
Coral Island. The crossing is thirty minutes, the beach is shallow and you're back by early afternoon.
Is the national park fee included?
On the Coral Island trip, yes. On the Phi Phi and Khai speedboat it's paid in cash on the day. On the Phi Phi sunrise trip it's included.
What time do the trips finish?
Coral Island is back at Rawai pier around 14:00. Phi Phi and Khai is back at Chalong around 16:15, and the sunrise Phi Phi trip around 15:30.
Can I swim at Maya Bay?
Access follows park rules and changes through the year. On the Khai trip, swimming and snorkelling happen from the water beside the bay.
Does the guide speak English?
Yes, both trips have an English-speaking guide.
Tell us your dates
Send the trip you like, your dates and your hotel. We confirm the pickup time and how the sea looks for that day. Payment is agreed in the chat after the booking is confirmed: by card, bank transfer or USDT.