Snorkelling at the Phi Phi Islands from Krabi: Which Tour Is Worth It?
6 min read
For most people, take the Phi Phi and 4 Islands speedboat with snorkelling: €66.26, 7 hours, 4.6/5 stars from 37 reviews. If you have never snorkelled and want someone to explain the mask first, the Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Bamboo trip with Snorkel Care costs €59.37 and runs 9 hours. If you are already on Phi Phi Don, the private longtail from Tonsai Pier is €113.43 per group of up to two, but it does not start in Krabi. These recommendations apply only if you meet the participation limits below.
Be clear about what you are buying. On the two shared Krabi departures below, snorkelling is part of a sightseeing circuit. Compare the planned snorkel time and the support offered.
The three at a glance
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi and 4 Islands with snorkelling by speedboat | 7 hours | €66.26 per person | 4.6/5 (37 reviews) | A one-hour snorkel block and a shorter day |
| Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Bamboo with Snorkel Care | 9 hours | €59.37 per person | 4.0/5 (1 reviews) | First-time snorkellers who want a briefing |
| Private longtail to Maya Bay and snorkelling from Phi Phi | 4 hours 30 minutes | €113.43 per group of up to 2 | — | Travellers already staying on Phi Phi Don |
The speedboat with a one-hour snorkel stop
The itinerary on the €66.26 trip gives snorkelling a block of its own: one hour at a stop it calls a viewpoint, after the 45-minute boat ride out and before the Monkey Beach photo stop. Lunch is a buffet on Ko Phi Phi Don (one hour), then Maya Bay for 50 minutes, Pileh Lagoon for 30, a photo stop at Chicken Island and an hour on Ko Poda before the ride back. Hotel pick-up is included, and so are mask, snorkel and life jacket. The page lists a national park fee of 400 THB per person; confirm how it is charged and whether fins are included before booking.
The current rating is 4.6/5 from 37 reviews. One reviewer put about 20 people on their boat; that is an account of one departure, not a group-size guarantee.
Skip it if you are pregnant or have back, heart, mobility or breathing problems; the booking page lists all of them as not suitable, and wheelchair users too. At Monkey Beach, this operator requires guests to stay on the boat.
Check availability and prices for the Phi Phi and 4 Islands speedboat
The one that teaches you first
The €59.37 trip leaves from Nopparat Thara Pier after a welcome drink and a safety briefing. Before anyone gets in, the guide covers how the mask works, how the life jacket should sit and the basic safety points; the listing says it is meant to help first-time snorkellers and less confident guests. The scheduled snorkel block is shorter than on the speedboat above: 40 minutes at Ko Phi Phi Le, with Maya Bay for an hour, Pileh Lagoon for 45 minutes, lunch and free time on Phi Phi Don for an hour and 75 minutes at Bamboo Island. The itinerary marks these stops as optional, and the operator says the route and snorkelling location depend on conditions.
The route is 9 hours; compare €59.37 with €66.26 per person for the 7-hour speedboat. Choose Snorkel Care for its advertised briefing and support, not an assumed price premium. Its current rating is 4.0/5 from 1 reviews. Snorkelling is optional on this trip, which suits someone who may bail out. The park fee is again extra: 400 baht per adult and 200 per child, in cash. The group is capped at 35 guests. The booking page excludes pregnant travellers, wheelchair users and people with back, heart or mobility problems or a tendency to seasickness.
See dates and prices for the Snorkel Care trip
The private longtail, and why it is in the table
This one is listed under Krabi but meets you at Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don. That makes it useful only if you are sleeping on the island, or if you have taken a ferry over from Krabi and want a private boat outing. The boat is yours alone for 4 hours 30 minutes and covers Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Bay and a snorkel stop; snorkelling equipment is included. The listing names the national park ticket at 400 baht per adult and 200 per child, so check on the booking page whether it is in the price or paid on the day. It also mentions that you might see blacktip reef sharks.
The booking page excludes non-swimmers and people prone to seasickness. The meeting point is McDonald’s near Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don; guiding is in English.
View prices for the private longtail from Tonsai Pier
If snorkelling is the real goal
For snorkelling alone, weigh the scheduled water time against the full day away; Maya Bay is a beach visit, not a snorkel stop. The guide to snorkelling spots around Krabi covers closer options, and the snorkelling page lists them. For the bigger Phi Phi days, see our Phi Phi day trip guide.
Our pick
Book the 7-hour speedboat for its scheduled one-hour snorkel stop and Four Islands extension, provided you meet its health restrictions. Choose Snorkel Care when the briefing and support matter more than a shorter day. Compare their per-person prices separately from the longtail’s price per group of up to two.
Book the Phi Phi and 4 Islands speedboat with snorkelling
The 7-hour speedboat offers English guiding and shared hotel pickup in Krabi; confirm your hotel in the selected option. The operator advises against joining within 12 months of back, leg or arm surgery or with a flight on the same day. A lost snorkelling set costs 1,500 THB. Snorkel Care offers English and Thai guiding and pickup from selected Krabi hotels; transfers outside its complimentary area cost extra. Confirm your accommodation before paying.
The 7-hour speedboat page specifies a Maya Bay closure from 1 August–30 September 2027, with sightseeing around the bay but no beach landing. Swimming in Maya Bay is prohibited even when open. TAT confirms reopening on 1 October 2026. Confirm access for your date; weather and sea conditions can change the route.
