6 best day trips from Phuket

Day trips compared

The day trips

45 km · About 1–2 hours by boat

1.Phi Phi Islands

Limestone cliffs, Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay — where swimming is not allowed and which closes for part of each year to let the reef recover — make Phi Phi the classic day trip. Tours stop to snorkel; staying overnight on Phi Phi Don avoids the crowds.

Getting there

Speedboat tour or ferry from Rassada Pier

Best for

First-timers, Beach, Couples

40 km · About 1 hour to the bay

2.Phang Nga Bay

Hundreds of limestone towers rise from emerald water, including Khao Phing Kan, known as James Bond Island. Canoes slip into hidden lagoons (hongs) inside the karsts, and many tours stop at the Muslim stilt village of Koh Panyee for lunch.

Getting there

Boat tour from Ao Po or Rassada, often with sea-canoeing

Best for

First-timers, Families, Couples

100 km · About 3 hours including road transfer and speedboat

3.Similan Islands

A protected national-park archipelago famous for granite boulders, white sand and some of Thailand's best diving and snorkelling. The park is open only in the dry season, roughly mid-October to mid-May, with daily visitor limits.

Getting there

Road transfer to Khao Lak, then speedboat

Best for

Beach, Couples

20 km · About 30–40 minutes by speedboat

4.Koh Racha

Koh Racha Yai has clear water and white-sand bays such as Patok Bay, good for snorkelling and diving, and is quieter than Phi Phi.

Getting there

Speedboat from Chalong Pier

Best for

Beach, Families, Quiet stays

25 km · About 30–60 minutes by boat

5.Koh Yao Noi

A quiet, mostly Muslim island in Phang Nga Bay with rubber plantations, rice fields, homestays and views of the limestone karsts — a glimpse of rural island life.

Getting there

Speedboat or longtail from Bang Rong Pier

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Culture

160 km · About 2–3 hours by ferry or road

6.Krabi and Railay

Krabi's Railay peninsula, reached only by boat, has cliff-backed beaches, rock climbing and Phra Nang Cave Beach. Most visitors stay a night or two rather than returning the same day.

Getting there

Ferry from Rassada to Ao Nang, or car via Phang Nga

Best for

Couples, Beach

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• The Phuket Smart Bus runs from the airport down the west coast to Rawai, and blue songthaew buses link Phuket Town's Ranong Road market with the main beaches during the day.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask