Phi Phi Islands Day Trip With Seaview Lunch by V. Marine

Most Phi Phi day trips from Phuket serve lunch on the boat or on a crowded beach. V. Marine’s version breaks you off at a private 4.5-star resort dining area with sea views and a buffet that includes halal options, which is the detail that separates this from the cheaper speedboat cattle runs. It’s still a speedboat day and still nine hours long, but the logistics have been thought about.

Pickup from Phuket hotels lands you at V. Marine’s office in Royal Phuket Marina at 8:30am for check-in and light refreshments. The boat departs around 9 and runs the standard Phi Phi loop in reverse: a white-sand beach stop first, then that resort lunch, monkey beach (the macaques actually swim out to the boats), the Viking Cave with its bird’s nest operation, Pileh Lagoon for a swim between limestone walls, and Maya Bay for an hour of free time on the beach that inspired the Leonardo DiCaprio film. Two proper snorkel stops round out the day. Gear, life jackets, seasonal fruit, soft drinks and anti-seasick pills are on the boat; there are restrooms onboard.

Group size is capped at 28. The boat is back to Royal Phuket Marina by around 5:30pm. The 400 baht adult national park fee (200 for children) is paid separately and not included in the tour price, which catches some bookers out.

Dry season (November to April) delivers the clearest water and the calmest crossings. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard, and a waterproof bag for Pileh Lagoon, where you’ll want a camera. Pregnancy, heart conditions and back problems are flagged as reasons to skip; the speedboat can be bumpy in a swell.