When is the best time for island trips from Phuket?

The Similan Islands national park is open only from about mid-October to mid-May, so plan any Similan trip in that window. Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay trips run outside it too, but Maya Bay is closed from 1 August to 30 September 2027.

Are national park fees included in the price?

It depends on the trip, and each tour page says so. The Similan trip includes the fee. On Phang Nga Bay you pay 300 baht per adult on the day, and around Phi Phi the fee is 400 baht per adult, plus a 20 baht island fee on Phi Phi Don.

Do the tours include hotel pickup?

Most do, from hotels in Phuket. Some trips offer it as an option, and a few outlying areas are not covered; the tour page and your booking confirmation give the details.

Who guides the tours?

Our own local guides run our tours, in English. On the private longtail day to Phi Phi a Helios guide comes along too, alongside your captain, and a guidebook is included.

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Our most recommended things to do in Phuket

Phuket is Thailand's largest island and the easiest base for the Andaman Sea. Most of what you come for lies offshore: the Phi Phi Islands with Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon, the limestone islands of Phang Nga Bay, where you paddle by canoe into lagoons hidden inside the rock and stand on James Bond Island, and further north the Similan Islands, with clear water for snorkelling. You can see Phi Phi on a shared speedboat or on a private longtail boat of your own.

On land, a half-day tour takes you to the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill, Wat Chalong and the Sino-Portuguese shophouses of Phuket's old town. You can also spend a morning at an elephant sanctuary, feeding the elephants and joining them at the mud bath and in the pool.

A few practical notes. The islands are national parks, and most trips charge a park fee on top of the price: 400 baht per adult for Phi Phi and 300 baht for Phang Nga Bay. Each tour page says whether it is included. The Similan Islands open only from about mid-October to mid-May, and Maya Bay closes for recovery from 1 August to 30 September 2027. Our own local guides run our tours, in English, and hotel pickup is included on most of them. Prices shown are estimates and are confirmed when you book.

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