How Long by Boat from Phuket to the Islands

How long is each crossing?

Near south first. Coral island: about thirty minutes from Rawai on our half-day trip. Racha Yai: about forty minutes by speedboat from Chalong. Phang Nga Bay: roughly an hour, but inside sheltered water, and an hour there feels easier than the same hour on open sea. The Coral island boat from Rawai takes about half an hour; how the two islands compare once you're in the water is on Racha or Coral for snorkelling.

Phi Phi: about an hour by speedboat to the first stop, roughly twice that by ferry — the boat matters more than the distance. The Similans are their own thing: an hour and a half by road to Tablamu pier, then open water. Krabi is counted differently again; you go along the coast and cross the bay in short hops, so the day is long and the sea part short. The Similan crossing runs only in season; the dates on our cards are on are the Similan Islands open. Booking a Similan day is covered on how to book a Similan islands tour.

Why does the whole day take so much longer?

Because the operator quotes time from the pier, and we collect you from the hotel. The road to the pier takes forty minutes to an hour and a half depending on where you stay; from the west-coast beaches you cross the whole island. The minibus also collects several hotels in a row, and whoever is picked up first waits the longest.

At the pier there is the briefing, boarding and waiting for latecomers — half an hour, almost always. The way home works the same, in reverse. So a one-hour crossing is rarely one hour out of your day.

Does the boat change the time?

More than the distance does. A speedboat is much faster than a ferry and bounces much harder; you pay for the saved time with your back. A catamaran sits in between: slower than a speedboat, smoother, with shade and room to walk. The ferry is slowest and calmest. The catamaran's crossings and stops, hour by hour, are on is the Phi Phi catamaran worth it. And if the reason for a slower boat is Maya Bay after four, Maya Bay at sunrise or after 4 pm compares it with the sunrise run.

Into a head sea, every timetable slips: the captain eases off and the crossing stretches. Our boat comparison shows which of our trips use which kind. In Phang Nga Bay the boat decides the whole day, not just the crossing: see speedboat or longtail to James Bond island. Surin's longer crossing from Kuraburi is described on Similan or Surin Islands.

What are the real crossing times on your trips?

Racha and Coral: off from Chalong at 09:00, on Racha Yai by 09:40; the return leaves Coral island at 16:00 and docks at 16:40. Coral island from Rawai: off at 09:00, on the beach at 09:30. Phi Phi with Khai: off at 09:15, Khai at 09:45, Phi Phi Don at 10:15. Phi Phi at sunrise: off at 05:50, in Maya Bay by seven. Phi Phi with Bamboo and fishing: off at 08:30, on Bamboo island at 09:30. Is that classic Khai day worth it? Our take on the Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai speedboat. The fishing boat leaves Chalong at seven and fishes on the way out; is the sunrise fishing trip worth it has the hour-by-hour.

Similans, classic: off from Tablamu at 07:30, first reef at island 9 at 09:00. Similans, early: off at 06:00, on Miang island at 08:00. James Bond island: boarding the longtail from 09:30, landing on the island around 11:30 after winding through the bay. Eleven islands: off at 09:00, Panak island at 09:30. Whether the early boat is worth paying more for is on is the early bird Similan tour worth the extra cost. For Racha Yai, the crossing and the rest of each timetable are compared on Racha and Coral islands: speedboat or catamaran. The Krabi four islands boat takes half an hour to its first island; the rest of that day is on Krabi islands by speedboat from Phuket. What you do on arrival at Racha Yai is on Racha Yai, Phuket.

Which trips have the least transport in them?

Coral island from Rawai: half an hour each way, back by 14:00. Racha and Coral by speedboat: forty minutes out, forty back. Krabi tropical paradise has a late start (pier at 09:00) and short hops between islands. At the other end, the eleven-islands day and the Similans are long days in which the travelling is part of the price you pay for the places. If you are choosing between that long run and a Phi Phi day, read eleven islands or Phi Phi. Krabi four islands tour from Phuket has every hop with its time. If an empty beach on Racha Yai sounds worth an early alarm, read whether the Racha and Coral sunrise tour is worth it. That half day is described on Coral Island, Phuket.

How much time is left for the islands?

On a full day, around five hours on the water and on beaches; the road both ways takes the rest. The more stops, the shorter each: five stops can mean twenty minutes at each. One island for a long stretch or several quick ones — that is the real choice behind most tours.

If you want more island and less transport, take the near south — Racha and Coral — or stay the night on Phi Phi with one of our two-day trips. On those trips Maya Bay comes in the morning: does the Phi Phi overnight tour visit Maya Bay in the morning. Prefer to stay off the sea for a day? See land tours from Phuket.

Quick rule of thumb from us: under an hour on the water feels like a trip; two hours feels like transport. Plan at least one short-crossing day early in the holiday.

Ask us in the chat which suits your dates.

Questions people ask