Private Phi Phi & Bamboo Islands Snorkeling Tour, Full Day

Sawanu Travel runs this as a private tour out of Koh Phi Phi, a dedicated boat and crew for a group of up to 15, rather than the shared departures most Phi Phi day trips use. The day opens with a light breakfast at the pier (check-in point is the MC 3 Building) before heading out to Maya Bay, the cove where “The Beach” was filmed, followed by a swim stop at Pileh Lagoon between steep limestone walls.

The route also covers ground the shared combo tours skip: a snorkel stop at Khai Nui Island, described as one of the better reef spots in the area with good visibility and plenty of tropical fish, plus a proper sit-down lunch on land at Phi Phi Don Island rather than a boxed meal on board. That lunch isn’t included in the price, and neither are the Maya Bay and Bamboo Island national park tickets: $12 per adult and $6 per child, paid on the day. What is covered: private transport, onboard WiFi, snacks, breakfast, bottled water, restrooms and snorkeling gear.

Guides work in Thai, English and French, unusual for a Phi Phi operator and one of the few private options that suits French-speaking families directly rather than through translation. The track record is modest: smaller than the bigger shared-boat operators, worth factoring in given the price sits well above the shared alternatives.

Watch out: the rate covers a private boat and breakfast only. Budget separately for lunch at Phi Phi Don and the Maya Bay/Bamboo Island park fees, both billed on the day rather than folded into the tour price.