# How a Phuket Tour Day Works, from Pickup to Drop-off A Phuket tour day runs the same way almost everywhere: an early minivan from your hotel, the pier and a short briefing, several stops with swimming, lunch, and the ride back in the afternoon. The order of stops can change on the day with the weather and the tide — that is the captain's call, and it is about safety. ## Tours and prices in Thai baht - [Coral island from Rawai pier](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/coral-islands-rawai) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/coral-islands-rawai.md) — Half a day, 08:30–14:00 · Adult 1,400 THB · Child 4–9 1,300 THB - [Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island by speedboat](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-maya-khai) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-maya-khai.md) — One day · Adult 2,000 THB · Child 4–9 1,800 THB - [Racha and Coral islands by speedboat](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-islands-speedboat) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-islands-speedboat.md) — Eight to nine hours · Adult 1,400 THB · Child 4–9 1,300 THB - [James Bond island and Phang Nga Bay](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/james-bond-island-phang-nga) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/james-bond-island-phang-nga.md) — Eight to nine hours · Adult 2,000 THB · Child 4–9 1,800 THB - [Similan islands: the classic day trip](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands.md) — About twelve hours · Adult 2,600 THB · Child 4–9 2,400 THB - [Eleven islands in one day: Phang Nga, Hong and Phi Phi](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/eleven-islands-mega) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/eleven-islands-mega.md) — One day, twelve hours or more · Adult 4,200 THB · Child 4–9 3,800 THB Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so. ## When will the minivan pick me up? Earlier the further you are from the pier. The pickup time is set by your hotel's location, and for the long routes you leave in the dark — that is the parks' and the tides' schedule, not the operator being difficult. Usually other guests are already in the van; the group is gathered from several hotels, and the road takes between half an hour and an hour and a half. The [Phang Nga skywalk day](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phang-nga-skywalk), for example, picks up at 06:30 and is on the glass bridge by 08:40. On the James Bond island day the pickup is 07:30 to 08:00; [how to book a James Bond island tour](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/how-to-book-james-bond-island-tour) walks through the booking. The jet ski tour has no minivan at all; you meet at AA Marina at 09:00, as [can beginners do the jet ski island tour](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/jet-ski-tour-for-beginners) explains. Hotel breakfast is rarely open that early. Ask reception the evening before for a packed breakfast — they usually help — or pick a trip that hands out breakfast boxes, as our sunrise boats do. ## What happens at the pier? The whole group meets, gear is handed out and there is a short briefing: where the life jackets are, where to sit, what time to be back at the boat after each stop. Listen to that part. Asking again on the water is awkward. Then boarding. Shoes usually come off, bags go under a cover, and the boat leaves when the group is complete. On the Racha trips the morning at the pier depends on the boat, as [Racha and Coral islands: speedboat or catamaran](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-speedboat-or-catamaran) shows. ## How long are the stops? Usually twenty minutes to an hour each. Some are for swimming and snorkelling, some for a walk on the beach or a photo. The guide names the meeting time at every stop — do not be late; boats run to the parks' schedule. On the dive day the two main stops are the dives themselves, 30 to 40 minutes each; [beginner scuba diving day trip](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/beginner-scuba-diving-day-trip) explains how it runs. On the Racha and Coral speedboat day the longest stop is Racha Yai, from 09:40 to 12:00; [Racha or Coral for snorkelling](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/racha-or-coral-for-snorkeling) has the timings of all three trips there. The rafting, elephant and ATV day is weighed up on [rafting, elephants and ATV in one day: is it worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/rafting-and-atv-day-worth-it). The crossing to the near islands is about an hour or less; to the far ones, longer. Inside a speedboat it is loud and it bounces. If you get seasick, a seat near the back and eyes on the horizon help more than any advice. ## Is lunch included? On our sea trips, yes — most often a buffet on shore or on board. On [Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai island](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-maya-khai) it is a buffet on Phi Phi Don with vegetarian dishes; on the [fishing boat](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/fishing-sunrise) it is cooked from the catch. Allergies or vegetarian? Say so when booking; on the spot there may be no alternative. Whether the fishing day as a whole is worth it is on [is the sunrise fishing trip from Phuket worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/fishing-sunrise-worth-it). Drinks beyond those included and souvenirs are paid on the spot. Each tour card lists what is and is not in the price. ## What does Comfort+ add to the day? Small things that add up. Depending on the trip: coffee and a light breakfast at the pier, beer at the pier in the morning, Wi-Fi and music on board, towels and disposable mouthpieces, and wine and ice cream when you are back. The Phi Phi catamaran, the sunrise Racha trip, the early Similan boat, the fishing boat and Five pearls all run in this format. The route is the same kind of day; the difference is comfort on the boat and at the pier. ## How is a land day different? No boat, but the same rhythm: an early minivan, a guide, several stops, lunch, the ride back. Temples need covered shoulders and knees. On elephant days you get muddy and wet; on rafting days there is a safety briefing, and every raft has an instructor. The minimum age for rafting is six. For what the Cheow Lan lake day gives you and what it costs in driving time, see [is the Cheow Lan lake day trip from Phuket worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/cheow-lan-lake-day-trip-worth-it). In Phang Nga the land day and the boat day see the same bay; [Samet Nangshe or James Bond island](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/phang-nga-samet-or-james-bond-island) explains what each one gives you. Land days run whatever the sea is doing, which makes them the natural backup when a boat trip is cancelled. For a full example, look at the [Avatar world day](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/avatar-plus-hangdong): a 07:00 pickup, a lily café and a white temple, elephants, bamboo rafting, ATV trails and a sunset in hot springs by the sea. How that same day goes with children is on [is the Avatar world tour suitable for children](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/avatar-world-tour-with-children). Swimming with elephants in the sea, with no riding, is the heart of the day reviewed on [elephant beach and Mantra Spa: is it worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/elephant-beach-and-mantra-spa-worth-it). ## When do I get back, and what can change? In the afternoon, then the minivan drops everyone at their hotels. Those who live furthest away get home last. Our Coral island half day is back at Rawai at 14:00; the classic Phi Phi day at Chalong about 16:15; the eleven-islands day at the hotel around 20:00. That late finish is one reason to read [eleven islands or Phi Phi](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/eleven-islands-or-phi-phi) before you choose. To book one of the Phi Phi days, see [how to book a Phi Phi speedboat tour](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/how-to-book-phi-phi-speedboat-tour). Whether the 04:30 pickup for Racha Yai and Coral island is worth it is answered on [is the Racha and Coral sunrise tour worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-sunrise-worth-it). The order of stops changes with weather and tide, and sometimes a stop itself is swapped. The captain decides in the morning or at sea. If the authorities close the sea, the trip moves to another date or the payment comes back. See [what to bring](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/what-to-bring) before your first trip. First tour on Phuket? Choose a short one. It teaches you the rhythm of pickup, pier and boat without a twelve-hour day attached. Then build up. ## Worth knowing The meeting time the guide gives at each stop is the one rule nobody bends. The boat leaves on time, because the next stop has its own park schedule. ## FAQ ### What time do Phuket tours pick up? Between about 04:00 and 08:45, depending on the trip and how far your hotel is from the pier. The exact time is confirmed the evening before. ### Is lunch included on Phuket island tours? Yes, on our sea trips — usually a buffet on shore or on board. Tell us about allergies or vegetarian food when booking. ### How long do you stay at each stop? Usually twenty minutes to an hour. The guide gives a meeting time at every stop. ### Can the route change on the day? Yes. The captain can change the order or swap a stop for weather or tide. It is a safety decision. ### What happens if the tour is cancelled? If the authorities close the sea, the trip moves to another date or the payment comes back. ### What time do tours get back? Most full days return in the afternoon. The Coral island half day is back at 14:00; the longest day trip returns around 20:00. ## Compare with - [What to Bring on a Phuket Island Tour](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/what-to-bring) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/what-to-bring.md) - [How Long by Boat from Phuket to the Islands](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/boat-time-to-islands) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/boat-time-to-islands.md) - [Phuket Island Tours: How to Choose the Right Island Day](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/island-tours) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/island-tours.md) - [All tours](https://phukeo.com/en/tours) ## How to book [Ask about dates on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/66619490349?text=Hello!%20I%20found%20you%20on%20phukeo.com%20and%20I'd%20like%20to%20book%20%22How%20a%20tour%20day%20works%22.%20My%20dates%3A%20) --- Canonical: https://phukeo.com/en/guide/how-a-tour-day-works