Phi Phi sightseeing: plan your days around beaches and boat trips
Phi Phi sightseeing splits into two moods: the short walk from Tonsai to Loh Dalum Bay, where the water is a couple of minutes from your room, and the boat-only places that take real planning. Loh Moo Dee Beach has no road, Monkey Beach has no dock, and Pileh Lagoon sits inside cliffs on Phi Phi Leh, so a longtail day shapes most of your itinerary.
Loh Dalum is the simplest start. Walk there at high tide for calm swimming, since low tide drains the crescent into a long wade over sand, and stay after dark if you want bars and fire shows. It takes about an hour.
Then think about the north. Laem Tong Beach sits at Phi Phi Don's quiet northern tip, cut off by a forested ridge, with few resorts, a Urak Lawoi village and reef snorkeling offshore. It rewards a multi-night stay of four to five nights, at higher prices than Tonsai.
Pileh Lagoon rounds out a boat day, with a short timed window inside and reported entry of 400 THB for adults and 200 THB for children.
| Place | Time to allow | Cost | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loh Dalum Bay, Phi Phi | about an hour | Free | Loh Dalum, north side of Phi Phi Don isthmus |
| Monkey Beach, Phi Phi | roughly a quarter to half an hour ashore | – | East side of Phi Phi Don |
| Pileh Lagoon, Phi Phi | 45 minutes | reported 400 THB adults, 200 THB children | Phi Phi Leh, Krabi Province |
| Loh Moo Dee Beach, Phi Phi | 2-3 hours | free entry; no published fee | East coast, Koh Phi Phi Don |
| Laem Tong Beach, Phi Phi Don | 4-5 nights | – | Northern tip of Phi Phi Don, eastern shore |
Phi Phi attraction guides
Loh Dalum Bay, Phi Phi: Beach Guide for US Travelers
A shallow crescent on Phi Phi Don's north shore, a two-minute walk from Tonsai. Go at high tide for calm swimming; low tide drains the bay into a long wade over sand. Bars and fire shows take over after dark.
about an hour · Free · Best for walkable beach swims and nightlife
Monkey Beach, Phi Phi: How to Visit the Wild Macaque Cove
A white-sand cove on Phi Phi Don's east coast where wild macaques roam and boats drop you in shallow water. Bring no food and keep bags buckled; it works as a short stop on a longer longtail day.
roughly a quarter to half an hour ashore · Book ahead · Best for short wildlife stop on boat day
Pileh Lagoon, Phi Phi: How to Visit, Swim & Beat the Crowds
A landlocked emerald pool on Phi Phi Leh reachable only by boat through a gap in the cliffs. Boats get a short timed window inside, so an early departure from Phi Phi Don is the difference between swimming and waiting your turn.
45 minutes · reported 400 THB adults, 200 THB children · Book ahead · Best for swimmers and snorkelers
Loh Moo Dee Beach, Phi Phi: How to Get There and What to Expect
A 300-meter white-sand bay on Phi Phi Don's east coast with no road, no loungers, and just one shack. Walk the jungle trail or take a longtail, then leave before afternoon day boats fill the sand.
2-3 hours · free entry; no published fee · Book ahead · Best for early risers wanting quiet sand
Laem Tong Beach, Phi Phi Don: How to Get There and What to Expect
Laem Tong Beach is Phi Phi Don's quiet northern tip, reachable only by boat since a forested ridge blocks any walk from Tonsai. Few resorts, a Urak Lawoi village and reef snorkeling offshore reward a multi-night stay, but prices run higher than Tonsai.
4-5 nights · Book ahead · Best for couples and families wanting quiet
Sights in Phi Phi that cost nothing to enter
Loh Dalum Bay and Loh Moo Dee Beach both come free, which makes them easy additions to a day already spent near the water. Loh Dalum is a two-minute walk from Tonsai, so you can swim at high tide and wander back without arranging transport.
Loh Moo Dee is the quieter free option: a 300-meter white-sand bay on the east coast with no loungers and just one shack. Reach it on the jungle trail or by longtail, then leave before afternoon day boats fill the sand. Budget two to three hours there.
Boat trips and stays worth arranging early
Pileh Lagoon on Phi Phi Leh is reachable only by boat through a gap in the cliffs, and boats get a short timed window inside, so book ahead and leave Phi Phi Don early to swim rather than wait your turn. Entry is reported at 400 THB for adults and 200 THB for children.
Monkey Beach works as a short stop, about a quarter to half an hour ashore, on a longer longtail day; booking is recommended. Laem Tong Beach rewards advance planning too: resorts are few and prices run higher than Tonsai, and a four-to-five-night stay is the way to settle in.