How to charter a private boat to Phi Phi: longtail or speedboat and what to agree

What kinds of private boat there are for Phi Phi

“Private boat” covers three different options. A group day on Phi Phi with a ready programme is described in the overview of the Phi Phi day, and the group catamaran has its own page.

Phuket Tour describes a longtail as a traditional Thai boat 14-18 m long with a long motor tail, a rental speedboat for 10-20 people, a private speedboat on a tour for 6-10 people and a one-day catamaran for up to 30.

What you will see

A private boat goes to the same set of places as a Phi Phi tour, and you set the order:

• Maya Bay. Landing at the Loh Samah jetty, no swimming, details on the Maya Bay page
• Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave. Swimming in Pileh, the cave is viewed from the water
• Monkey Beach. A short stop, rules about macaques on the Monkey Beach page
• Bamboo Island. A beach and swimming, the Bamboo Island page

Park rules for boats

The rules of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, as far as we could check, are the same for group and private boats.

• The Loh Samah jetty. Boats go to Maya Bay only to the jetty in Loh Samah Bay, as TAT reported in 2021
• No swimming at Maya Bay. The DNP director-general said so at the reopening, the reason being sharks by the beach
• Seasonal closure. Maya Bay and Loh Samah are closed to landings from 1 August to 30 September, in 2026 the bay reopened on 1 October
• The park fee. Passengers pay; under the DNP table a foreign adult pays THB 400 and a child THB 200
• Feeding macaques. The park confirmed the ban in May 2025 and cited the 2019 National Parks Act
• Sunscreen. Since 4 August 2021 national parks ban sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4MBC and butylparaben, with a fine of up to THB 100,000 (per the DNP announcement)

What to agree with the boat owner

• Route and timing. Which stops, when you leave and return, how long at each. Group operators give 1 hour at Maya Bay (Tisland Travel) and 30-40 minutes at Pileh
• The park fee. Whether it is in the price and who pays on the spot. Sunrise Divers lists it as an extra, group operators include it in the programme
• Fuel and crew. With Sunrise Divers the captain and deckhand are in the price, and the page says nothing about fuel. Ask whether there is a surcharge for distance
• Life jackets. Under the 2018 rules everyone on a Phuket tourist boat must wear one. Check there are enough for everyone, including children
• Licence and capacity. TAT required a captain’s licence and passenger numbers within the limit, with the licence revoked for overloading. Find out how many people the boat is registered for
• Weather. Who decides on cancelling, whether the deposit is returned, if you can move to another day
• Food and water. Sunrise Divers lists lunch as an extra, and Phuket Tour describes meals whose menu you choose in advance
• In writing. Put the terms in a message: it is easier if something goes wrong

How long it takes and when to go

You set the length. As a guide: Phuket Tour offers a boat rental for 3 hours, Sunrise Divers starts the day with a transfer at about 8:30 and takes about 45 minutes to Phi Phi, and group tours take 8-10 hours. The season is the same: November-April is the calmest, and Maya Bay is closed from 1 August to 30 September. Rainfall by month is in the Phi Phi overview.

Getting there and how long it takes

• From Phuket. Sunrise Divers sends its boat from Chalong, about 48 km in a straight line to Loh Samah (OSM). In its group tours Phuket Tour meets guests at Chalong or Rawai piers
• From Phi Phi Don. You hire a boat at Tonsai Pier. In a straight line it is about 1.2 km to Monkey Beach, about 7 km to Loh Samah and about 9 km to Bamboo Island (OSM calculation)
• From Krabi. From Ao Nang pier to Tonsai is about 33 km in a straight line; no timetable of private trips is published

What to do in rain and rough seas

The TMD forecast for the Andaman Sea on 18.10.2026 reads: waves about 1 m, above 2 m in thundershowers (TMD page). The forecast may include a line that small boats should keep ashore: according to Tisland Travel this is in effect a ban for longtails and light speedboats, and private trips are moved. The captain and the operator decide on the day. Agree in advance how a booking is moved. In the months when Maya Bay is closed the bay is viewed from the water and swimming moves to Pileh.

Safety

• Life jackets. The 2018 rules require them for everyone on board Phuket tourist boats, Phuket Tour mentions safety equipment on its speedboats, and Sunrise Divers does not list rescue equipment on its page, so ask before you leave
• Licence. Ask for the captain’s licence and the boat number: pier checks covered operator licences and passenger numbers
• Seasickness. A speedboat slams on the swell, so pregnant women and people with back problems should choose a larger boat
• Insurance. Phuket Tour includes participant insurance in private tours, others have their own terms, so ask

Who it suits and who should skip it

• Suits. A group or family who want their own route and timing and are ready to negotiate
• Skip it. Anyone who wants an all-inclusive programme without discussion, and anyone counting on bays without people: park rules and the crowd at Maya Bay stay the same. A group tour is simpler then: see the Phi Phi catamaran. On street tour sellers, see the scams section

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