Phuket Island Tour - Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island and Khai Island

Weather: cloudy with occasional thunderstorms

When: mid-July

Places: Maya Bay - Phi Phi Ley, Viking Island, Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Island, Khai Island

After the shuttle bus picked us up from our hotel, we arrived at the pier where the tour guide, a very cute and funny 'lady' named Mary, gave us an entertaining narrative of what to expect during today's tour.

There were a total of 3 speedboats for our group today. (This is merely the off peak season and the tour operator is just one among the many hundreds available in Phuket. So you could imagine the crowd during the peak season...)

Picture of the speedboats.

As we set out from the pier, there was a light drizzle (still ok), but the waves were... scary. I was told that some waves were as high as 3 meters. After enduring one hour of a bumpy ride, we reached the first destination - Maya Bay. Well I certainly wasn't expecting my first sight of the beach to be .. this. Hehe

I was amazed by how well maintained the beach was, given the sheer size of the crowd. Thousands of  visitors flock to the spot every day to catch a glimpse of the famous filming location which is Maya Bay. Some people might know it by the name of James Bond Island.

The turquoise waters and pristine white beach is gorgeous even on a rainy day. It wasn't easy, but I managed to capture some photos with unobstructed views.

Phuket Island Hopping Trip - How to select your preferred tour

Visiting Phuket in the middle of the monsoon season (mid-year) is always a risk - it could be sunny in the morning, and flash thunderstorms in the afternoon! This made planning extremely difficult.

But since I am already here, why not take a gamble, I thought to myself. To hell with rain or shine.

Island hopping trips in Phuket are divided into 3 main itineraries:
- Sightseeing: James Bond Island, Phang Nga Bay, Canoeing
- A bit of snorkeling: Phi Phi Islands, Maya Bay, Khai Island
- A LOT of snorkeling: Coral Island and Racha Island, OR Similan Island
I went for the Phi Phi Island option. I would have liked to see Phang Nga bay as well but there simply wasn't enough time.
You could either opt for speedboat (faster, more stops) or ferry (leisure)

Getting a tour from Patong beach area is really simple if you are willing to do the price and comparison.


There are so many options available and most of the itineraries are in fact the same. Based on my personal experience, here's what to do when selecting a tour:
- Price! Cheaper during monsoon seasons, you should be able to get Phi Phi around 1000-1100 baht after discount. For Phang Nga, it's probably around 1000 baht. I did not check for others. This is per 2013.
- Do not be greedy and go for the itineraries with the most stops during the monsoon season. It will be hugely dependent on weather conditions.
- Try to book a couple of days in advance and don't rush to book the first (cheap) package you see. There's always a better deal at the next tour operating just a few steps ahead.
- Some operators will offer more discounts if you book in a group of 4 or more.


Just walk around and ask. There are at least dozens, if not hundreds of options.