Racha or Phi Phi with Kids: Which Island Day from Phuket
By the PhuketGO tour desk on Phuket — we book and run these trips every week · Updated 28 September 2026
With young children, Racha and Coral is the easier day: a forty-minute crossing, a long morning on one beach, lunch on another, and under-fours free. Phi Phi is the bigger adventure — more boat, more stops, the famous bays — and works best with children who already like the sea.
Tours and prices in Thai baht
| Tour | Duration | Adult | Child 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racha and Coral islands by speedboat | Eight to nine hours | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island by speedboat | One day | 2,000 ฿ | 1,800 ฿ |
| Coral island from Rawai pier | Half a day, 08:30–14:00 | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise | One day, 04:30–15:30 | 1,600 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.
How long is each crossing?
Racha Yai is about forty minutes by speedboat from Chalong. Coral island is a short hop after that. Phi Phi is roughly an hour to the first stop, and then the day moves between islands: Khai, Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, Maya Bay. Racha Yai with a snorkel is the family version; for adults who want to go under, there's our beginner scuba diving day trip from Chalong. If the choice is Racha or Coral rather than Racha or Phi Phi, Racha Yai or Coral island for snorkelling compares our three trips there.
For a child who gets restless or queasy, that difference matters more than any beach. For the snorkelling itself, Khai island or Racha Yai compares the first stop of the Phi Phi day with Racha Yai.
What does the day look like with a child?
On Racha and Coral: pickup 08:00–08:30, the boat at nine, then Patok Bay on Racha Yai until noon — soft sand, clear water, time to dig and swim without moving on. Lunch on Coral island, where the reef starts right off the beach, and the boat heads back at 16:00.
On Phi Phi with Khai island: pickup at 07:30, and the first stop is the best part for kids — Khai island, where the water is shallow and the fish come right up to the sand. Then Monkey Beach, a buffet lunch on Phi Phi Don, the lagoon and caves of Phi Phi Leh, and Maya Bay at 15:15. Back around 16:15. The rest of that day, and where it falls short, is on is the Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai speedboat worth it. How a Phi Phi day differs from the slower Krabi four islands day is set out on Phi Phi or Krabi islands from Phuket.
What do children pay?
On both, ages 4 to 9 pay the child price. On the Racha and Coral speedboat, under-fours travel free. Current prices sit in the table below, straight from our booking system.
On Phi Phi with Khai island the national park fee is paid in cash on the day; on Racha and Coral the island fees are included.
So which one should we book?
Toddlers, a first boat day, or a child who hates sitting still on a boat: Racha and Coral. Children over six who swim and want to see 'the famous one': Phi Phi with Khai island. Very small children and a short morning: Coral island from Rawai, back by 14:00. For Racha Yai before the day boats arrive, see Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise: is it worth it.
Two sea days? Racha first, Phi Phi second. The first day teaches everyone how boats, jackets and piers work.
What is included on each day?
Racha and Coral by speedboat: hotel transfer both ways, the speedboat, lunch on Coral island, mask and snorkel, life jackets, drinking water and soft drinks, fruit, medical insurance, a guide and island entrance fees. Water sports on the beach are extra.
Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island: hotel transfer both ways, the speedboat, a buffet lunch on shore with vegetarian dishes, masks, snorkels, life jackets, a guide, insurance and drinking water. The national park fee is paid in cash on the day. At Maya Bay, park rules limit swimming at the shore; the swimming happens at Khai and the other stops.
What about the sunrise version of Racha?
Racha Yai and Coral at sunrise lands on an empty Racha Yai at 06:40 — lovely, but the pickup is between 04:30 and 05:00, which is hard with small children. It is also not recommended during pregnancy. For families, the standard speedboat day at a normal hour is the better fit. Which of the three Racha boats suits your family is set out on Racha and Coral islands: speedboat or catamaran.
What if we want both, gently?
Do Racha and Coral first, early in the holiday, and Phi Phi with Khai island a few days later. After the first day the children know the boat, the jackets and the routine at the pier, and the longer Phi Phi crossing feels less new.
If the sea closes on either date, the trip moves or the payment comes back — another reason to put the first sea day early. Pack a spare set of clothes for the ride home, too.
Anything else for parents?
Water sports on Coral island are run by beach operators and paid on the spot — the banana boat will be spotted instantly. Swim shirts beat sunscreen on a long day in the water. Tell us the ages when booking, so jackets of the right size are on board.
More ideas on our family tours page.
Kids aged 4 to 9 pay the child price on both. Send us the ages in the chat and we will tell you the total for your family before you pay anything, and which of the two days suits them.
The tours on this page
Questions people ask
Is Racha or Phi Phi better for kids?
Racha and Coral for young children: shorter crossing, long beach time, under-fours free. Phi Phi for older kids who like the sea.
How long is the boat to Racha island?
About forty minutes by speedboat from Chalong pier.
Can small children snorkel on Phi Phi?
Yes, at Khai island, the first stop, where the water is shallow and clear.
Do toddlers go free on Racha tours?
Under-fours travel free on the Racha and Coral speedboat.
Is the park fee included on Phi Phi?
On the Khai island day it is paid in cash on the day.
Which is shorter, Racha or Phi Phi?
Coral island from Rawai is shortest, back by 14:00. Racha and Coral returns about 16:40, Phi Phi about 16:15 at Chalong.
Is the Racha Yai sunrise tour suitable for young children?
Only for children who cope with a very early start. Pickup is at 04:30 with breakfast boxes, it is cold at sea before sunrise, and you are back at the pier at 15:30. Children aged 4 to 9 pay the child price. The standard Racha speedboat starts at 08:00.
Is the Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran suitable for young children?
Yes, if they handle a long day. The two-deck boat has a slide, a pool and canoes, but pickup is from 06:30 and the boat is back at 19:00. Children aged 4 to 9 pay the child price.
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.