What to Bring on a Phuket Island Tour

Do I need my passport on a tour?

On sea trips, take the passport or a copy — national parks sometimes check at the entrance. For trips around Phuket itself, a copy is enough. A photo of your insurance policy on the phone is worth having too; if it covers activities, knowing the hotline number beats hoping. The classic Similan card asks for a passport or a copy; that trip runs only in season, see are the Similan Islands open.

Keep documents near the top of the bag, not at the bottom. You may be asked at the park gate while everyone waits. On a border run to Satun the passport is the whole point of the trip.

How much cash should I bring?

Some baht in small notes. Part of the park fees and the small purchases on the islands cannot be paid by card, and there are no cash machines in the bays. On the classic Phi Phi days, for example, the national park fee is paid in cash on the day; other cards list extras such as the 50 ฿ viewpoint ticket on Phi Phi Don. What else to have ready on the Phi Phi speedboat days is on how to book a Phi Phi speedboat tour.

Small notes matter because sellers at the stops often have no change. Everything else — the tour itself — is paid in advance, so the cash is only for extras.

What should I wear?

The sun is the real danger, not the sea. On the water you burn faster: the reflection adds to it, and the wind hides the heat. Put sunscreen on before you leave and again every time you come out of the water. If you are snorkelling, your back burns first — so swim in a T-shirt. Masks and snorkels are included on our Racha and Coral trips; which of them gives the most time in the water is on Racha or Coral island for snorkelling.

Bring a dry one for the way home, too. Riding back wet in the boat's wind or the minivan's air conditioning is the classic way to catch a cold in thirty-degree heat. Water shoes save your feet on rocky entries and coral grit. And for temple stops on land days, cover shoulders and knees. On the Phang Nga viewpoint days that means the temple at Suwan Kuha; which of those days has a glass bridge is on Samet Nangshe or Beyond Skywalk. For the elephant beach day that ends in Mantra Spa's pools, see is the elephant beach and spa day worth it.

Are there extra things for particular trips?

Yes. For the Similans: a warm layer, because the morning boat is cold, and everything you need for twelve hours, because facilities on the islands are limited. For any sunrise trip: a warm layer too; it is cold at sea before the sun is up. For rafting, ATV and elephant days: a full change of clothes, since the river and the mud leave nobody dry, and a rain jacket, which several land cards list as not included. For the elephant beach and Mantra Spa day: swimwear, since you go into the sea with the elephants and finish in the spa pools. The early and classic boats differ in what they hand you, fins and towels included; see is the early bird Similan tour worth the extra cost. Is Cheow Lan worth five hours on the road? Is the Cheow Lan lake day trip worth it answers that honestly.

For temple stops: something that covers shoulders and knees (cover-ups can be hired for a small fee). You will need it on the Phang Nga skywalk day, which stops at the Suwan Kuha cave temple. For the jet ski tour: there is no hotel transfer, and only drivers aged 18 and over. For the diving day: a medical questionnaire is filled in before you go in. What else a first dive involves is on beginner scuba diving day trip. The jet ski briefing and the rest of that morning are on can beginners do the jet ski island tour. For rafting and 250cc quad bikes in a single day, see is the rafting and ATV day worth it. Reef shoes help at Khai island, where the islands have stones; Khai island or Racha Yai for snorkelling has the details.

What is already provided on the boat?

Masks, snorkels and life jackets on every snorkelling trip; fins on the early Similan boat. Towels and disposable mouthpieces come with the Comfort+ trips, and rain ponchos are handed out on the sunrise Racha and fishing boats if the weather turns. Fishing tackle is included on the fishing day and on the Phi Phi, Bamboo and Rang Yai trip. What else that fishing day covers is on is the sunrise fishing trip worth it. For the temple stops on the sightseeing day, cover shoulders and knees; what that means at the Big Buddha and Wat Chalong is on their own pages.

Drinking water and soft drinks are on board on most of our sea days, and lunch is included. So the bag stays light: documents, a little cash, sun protection, dry clothes and your phone in a dry bag. On the James Bond island day lunch, drinks and park fees are all included; how to book a James Bond island tour covers the rest. For the Similans add a passport or a clear copy; Similan Islands from Phuket or Khao Lak has the pickup times. On the James Bond longtail day you need no park cash at all: are canoeing and park fees included on a James Bond tour lists what is already paid.

What about the phone, gear and medicine?

Put the phone in a dry bag: spray reaches every seat on a speedboat. Speedboats have no sockets and the day is long, so a power bank helps. Leave valuables and spare cash at the hotel — cabins on speedboats do not lock, and bags sit together under a cover.

Seasickness tablets go down before the boat leaves, not when you already feel bad. For the Similans, see our Similan islands page: facilities on the islands are limited, so bring what you need for the day, and the morning boat is cold. Masks, snorkels and life jackets are included on every snorkelling trip — see snorkeling tours. For Racha Yai before the day boats arrive, see Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise: is it worth it. Divers: bring your certification card if you have one; beginner dive day or snorkelling tour has the rest.

Forgot something? The big piers have kiosks with water and small things, the small ones only a roof — so pack at the hotel, not at the pier. For children on a Similan boat, add a warm layer and a passport copy each: the Similan islands with children.

Leave the rest at the hotel. Your name in Latin letters, as in the passport, matters before the day too; why we ask for it is on how booking works. For the jet ski, add a full change of clothes and a waterproof phone case; the rest is on is the jet ski island tour worth it. Prone to seasickness? Which sunrise trip is easiest on a queasy stomach compares the early departures. Taking young children to Phi Phi? Phi Phi with children: sunrise speedboat or catamaran explains which boat is easier on them.

Questions people ask