I Get Seasick. Which Phuket Boat Tours Can I Do?
By the PhuketGO tour desk on Phuket — we book and run these trips every week · Updated 28 September 2026
If you get seasick, choose calm water and short crossings: James Bond island and Phang Nga Bay stays inside a sheltered bay, Coral island from Rawai is half an hour each way, and the classic Similan day uses a big, steady boat. Take the tablet before boarding — once you feel sick at sea, it barely helps.
Tours and prices in Thai baht
| Tour | Duration | Adult | Child 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Bond island and Phang Nga Bay | Eight to nine hours | 2,000 ฿ | 1,800 ฿ |
| Coral island from Rawai pier | Half a day, 08:30–14:00 | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Similan islands: the classic day trip | About twelve hours | 2,600 ฿ | 2,400 ฿ |
| Racha and Coral islands by speedboat | Eight to nine hours | 1,400 ฿ | 1,300 ฿ |
| Rafting and the elephant spa | One day, nine hours or more | 1,550 ฿ | 1,350 ฿ |
Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.
Which trips are the gentlest?
Phang Nga Bay first. The James Bond island day goes by road to the pier and then by longtail between limestone islands, in water that stays calm when the open sea does not. A guide paddles your kayak, so you are not rocking alone either.
Then the short hops: Coral island from Rawai (about thirty minutes), Racha Yai from Chalong (about forty). And the classic Similan day, which is long but runs on a big boat — steadier than a speedboat, with deck to walk on.
Sheltered water plus a short day is the combination to look for.
Which ones should I think twice about?
The long speedboat days on open sea. The Phi Phi sunrise card says it plainly: not recommended during pregnancy or with back problems, because the ride is bumpy. The eleven-islands day, around fourteen hours door to door, advises taking something for seasickness. On Racha and Coral, the card tells you to take a tablet beforehand if you are prone to it.
None of these is off-limits. They just need preparation.
What actually helps on the boat?
The tablet before you board, not after. A seat towards the back of a speedboat, where the bounce is softer — at the bow you feel every wave. Eyes on the horizon, not on your phone. Fresh air rather than a closed cabin.
A light breakfast beats an empty stomach or a heavy one. And tell the crew: they see it every day, and they will move you to the best seat.
How long are the crossings, really?
Coral island from Rawai: about thirty minutes. Racha Yai from Chalong: about forty. Phi Phi: about an hour by speedboat to the first stop. The Similans: an hour and a half by road, then open sea. The longer the open-water leg, the more preparation it deserves.
Remember the road too. The minivan ride to an east-coast pier, especially on a winding route, bothers some people as much as the boat. Take the tablet before the minivan, not just before the boat, if car sickness is also your thing.
Is the catamaran any better?
It is slower and smoother than a speedboat, with shade and room to move around, which many people find easier. Our Phi Phi catamaran goes to Racha Yai in the morning, Phi Phi Don at lunch and Maya Bay late in the afternoon, back at 19:00 — a long day on the water, so the same preparation applies.
On any boat, the worst place is a closed cabin with no view. Stay out in the air.
What if I feel sick during the trip?
Tell the crew straight away. They will move you to the steadiest seat, usually further back, and give you water. Looking at the horizon and breathing slowly helps more than lying down. Once the boat stops at an island, the feeling usually passes within minutes on land or in the water.
Which trip should I start with?
A short one. Coral island from Rawai is half an hour each way and back by 14:00 — a cheap way to find out how you handle a boat before committing to Phi Phi or the Similans. If that goes well, the forty-minute Racha crossing is the next step up.
If it goes badly, you have lost half a day, not twelve hours. Then Phang Nga Bay and the land days are where your holiday lives.
Are there days with no boat at all?
Plenty. Rafting, elephants, Cheow Lan lake, the Krabi lakes and the Tiger Cave temple, the Phuket sightseeing tour — our jungle tours cover them. On Cheow Lan there is a longtail, but on a lake, not the sea.
Not sure which boat suits you? Read speedboat or big boat, or ask in the chat.
And if a sea trip goes badly, tell us — we will steer the rest of your plan towards calm water and land.
The tours on this page
Questions people ask
Which Phuket boat tour is best for seasickness?
James Bond island and Phang Nga Bay. The day stays inside a sheltered bay by longtail and kayak.
Is the Phi Phi speedboat bumpy?
It can be on open sea. Our sunrise card advises against it during pregnancy or with back problems.
Where should I sit on a speedboat?
Towards the back, where the bounce is softer. At the bow you feel every wave.
When should I take seasickness medicine?
Before boarding. At sea, once you feel sick, it helps very little.
Is the Similan trip rough?
The classic day uses a big boat, which is steadier than a speedboat. The early departure is a speedboat.
Are there tours without a boat?
Yes: rafting, elephants, Cheow Lan lake, Krabi's lakes and the Phuket sightseeing tour.
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.