Similan Islands from Phuket or Khao Lak: Where to Start the Day
By the PhuketGO tour desk on Phuket — we book and run these trips every week · Updated 12 October 2026
The Similan boats leave from Tablamu pier near Khao Lak, so from Phuket the day starts with about an hour and a half on the road, and from Khao Lak the drive is short. Both of our Similan trips collect from hotels on Phuket and in Khao Lak, with the transfer in the price either way. The islands themselves, the stops and the boat are the same; what you change is how early you get up.
Tours and prices in Thai baht
| Tour | Duration | Adult | Child 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similan islands: the classic day trip Best for one long day from a Phuket or Khao Lak hotel, breakfast and lunch on board Programme & booking | About twelve hours | 2,600 ฿ | 2,400 ฿ |
| Similan islands, early departure Best for island 4 at 08:00 before the day boats, back at the pier by 16:30 Programme & booking | One day, 04:00–17:00 | 2,800 ฿ | 2,500 ฿ |
Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.
What is the same, wherever you sleep
Everything after the pier. The national park sits far offshore to the north, and every day boat crosses from Tablamu, on the mainland coast by Khao Lak. Our Similan boats don't leave from Phuket's piers. So a guest from Patong and a guest from a Khao Lak resort end up on the same boat, with the same breakfast, the same snorkel stops and the same ticket in the table below.
The season doesn't care where you stay either. The park is open from mid-October to mid-May and closed from 15 May to 15 October. The national park registers visitors at the pier, so bring your passport or a clear copy of it.
Starting from Phuket
On the classic Similan day the van collects Phuket hotels between 05:30 and 06:30 and drives about an hour and a half north. The boat leaves Tablamu at 07:30, breakfast and the safety briefing on board. Island 9 comes at 09:00 for the first snorkel, then the Sail Rock climb on island 8 at 10:00 and its beach at 11:00, lunch on the boat at 12:30, snorkelling at island 7 and a last swim at island 4. You are back at your hotel around 18:00.
That is a twelve-hour day, and roughly three of those hours are road. It is fine for most adults; for small children or anyone with a bad back it is a lot of sitting. The classic card says plainly that the trip doesn't suit pregnant guests or people with back or knee problems.
The early Similan boat starts even earlier from Phuket: pickup between 04:00 and 05:00, the pier at 05:30, departure at 06:00, and Miang (island 4) at 08:00 while it is still quiet. You are back at the pier by 16:00–16:30 and leave for the hotels at 17:00. The card asks you to be ready to get up at half past three.
Starting from Khao Lak
Same boats, same times at the pier, a much shorter drive. Tablamu is the Khao Lak pier, so the van has far less road to cover before the 07:30 or 06:00 departure. The exact pickup depends on where your hotel is; the manager gives it to you in the chat when the booking is confirmed, and the time comes again in the chat the evening before.
The price doesn't change: the transfer from Khao Lak is part of the ticket, just as it is from Phuket. If you are moving from Phuket to Khao Lak for a few nights anyway, booking the Similans for those days saves an early alarm and three hours in a van. We don't sell hotels, so where to stay in Khao Lak is your call; this page is only about the boat day.
- Staying on Phuket and doing one long day — the classic Similan day, pickup 05:30–06:30
- Want the islands before the day boats arrive — the early Similan boat
- Already in Khao Lak — either boat, with a short drive to Tablamu
- Travelling with a back problem or a toddler — consider Coral or Racha instead
Which boat, and which base, for whom
Honestly, if you have a week on Phuket and no plans to move, I would just do the classic day from your Phuket hotel. Three hours in a van is the price of not packing your bags. If you are already heading north, or if the Similans are the reason you came, start from Khao Lak: you sleep longer and arrive at the pier awake.
The early boat is for people who want island 4 and Sail Rock before the crowd. It costs more and starts at an hour that is hard on children; the card doesn't recommend it for under-fours. Toilets, a shop and a café exist only on islands 4 and 8, which matters more than people expect. Children 4–9 pay the child price on both boats, from ten it is the adult ticket, and under-fours go free without a separate seat or meal.
The Cheow Lan lake day also collects from Khao Lak, and the Khao Lak guide covers the land side of that coast. To book either Similan boat, send the tour, the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in the chat, and we confirm the pickup time. What happens at the pier itself, and when, is on Tab Lamu pier.
The tours on this page
Questions people ask
Is it better to visit the Similan islands from Phuket or Khao Lak?
The boat and the islands are the same. From Khao Lak the drive to Tablamu pier is short; from Phuket it is about an hour and a half each way. Both of our Similan trips collect from either, at the same price.
Which pier do Similan boats leave from?
Tablamu pier, on the mainland coast by Khao Lak. The classic boat leaves at 07:30, the early boat at 06:00.
What time is pickup from Phuket for the Similans?
Between 05:30 and 06:30 for the classic day, between 04:00 and 05:00 for the early boat. Hotels further from the pier are collected first.
Is the transfer from Khao Lak included?
Yes. Both Similan trips include transfer from hotels in Khao Lak as well as on Phuket. The exact pickup time depends on your hotel and comes in the chat.
Do I need my passport for the Similans?
Yes, or a clear copy. The national park registers visitors at the pier.
When are the Similan islands closed?
From 15 May to 15 October. Our Similan trips run from mid-October to mid-May.
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.