Phuket Tours: Prices, Routes and How to Choose a Trip

Phuket tours vary in price with distance, boat type and what the programme includes. The catalog of tours and excursions in Phuket holds around 30 programmes, from a 1,200 THB island sightseeing tour to a VIP Similan trip or a premium Phi Phi catamaran cruise at 6,500 THB per person.

Benchmarks from the live catalog: the nearby islands of Racha Yai and Coral cost 1,300-1,500 THB, Phi Phi 2,100-3,000 THB, a full day around James Bond Island or the Hong islands 2,500-3,200 THB, and the Similans 2,900-6,500 THB. Shows and land trips fit into 1,200-1,900 THB, a two-day Phi Phi, James Bond and Krabi route costs 5,500 THB, and a jet ski tour is 6,490 THB for two.

On sea trips from Boat Lagoon a child pays 1,900 THB instead of 2,500, and a private speedboat for a group of up to 28 guests costs 45,000 THB. For a family of four that is far more than a group tour, but from about 18 people it comes out roughly the same, with no strangers on board.

On the open market the same Phi Phi route sells for 700 THB and for 3,000 THB or more, and both prices can be honest. The budget option is a big shared boat carrying 40 or more passengers on a slower crossing. A speedboat with a small group costs more, a new catamaran with forward-facing seats and an assigned place for every passenger costs more again, and a private charter is the most expensive.

Departure time matters too. Sunrise and early-departure Phuket tours cost 200-400 THB more than standard ones, but you reach the beaches before the main wave of visitors. Premium formats such as the Noah catamaran add a chef-made lunch, a jacuzzi on the upper deck and a resident DJ.

Compare offers on five points: boat type, group size, lunch, national park fee and hotel transfer. Without these details a price gap tells you nothing about who is honest.

A classic Phi Phi island tour covers Maya Bay from The Beach with DiCaprio, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach, snorkelling and lunch on Phi Phi Don. The day ends at Khai Nok or Bamboo Island with shallow water and white sand.

Maya Bay closes every year for recovery from 1 August to 30 September: boats pass by, but nobody lands on the beach. Swimming in the bay itself is banned even in the open months, and visitors reach the sand by a boardwalk from the back of the island. The national park fee for foreigners is 400 THB per adult and 200 THB per child, paid in cash on the day.

The crossing to Phi Phi is in open sea, so on a windy day a catamaran rolls less than a light speedboat. The catalog has the Phi Phi 5 Beaches group tour for 2,100 THB, Sunrise on Phi Phi for 2,500 THB that arrives ahead of the crowds, a premium catamaran for 3,000 THB and the Noah cruise for 6,500 THB.

The Similan Islands National Park is open from 15 October to 15 May and closed to visitors the rest of the year. The fee for foreigners is 500 THB per adult and 250 THB per child. Boats leave from a pier in neighbouring Phang Nga province, so the transfer picks you up early in the morning, and the exact time is confirmed at booking.

A standard Similan islands tour by speedboat costs 2,900 THB and the early departure 3,100 THB: the boat arrives before the main groups and you get more time on the beaches. A catamaran at 3,500 THB rides more smoothly for people prone to seasickness, and the VIP format at 6,500 THB adds premium service and food. The programme includes snorkelling, the climb to the viewpoint on Similan Island and lunch.

The water is clearer than around Phuket, but the journey each way is longer than to Phi Phi. With a small child or a weak stomach, start with Racha Yai, often called the mini Similans for its clear water, which offers similar snorkelling much closer.

A full-day Phang Nga bay tour leaves Boat Lagoon pier at 9:30. The boat passes Yao Yai and Naka, stops at the Panak caves, then heads for kayaking through the hidden lagoons of Hong Island, James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan and Khao Tapu) from The Man with the Golden Gun, lunch in a floating village and a beach break on Naka. You are back at 17:30-18:00, and the price is 2,500 THB per adult and 1,900 THB per child.

The Ao Phang Nga National Park fee for foreigners is 300 THB per adult and 150 THB per child. The bay is sheltered from the open sea by limestone islands, so these routes are cancelled less often in the rainy season. The glowing plankton tour at 2,900 THB runs in a calm, waveless bay and works even in low season.

The Hong islands on the Krabi side offer an emerald inner lagoon and a viewpoint up 419 steps, followed by Koh Lao Lading, known as Paradise Island, and snorkelling at Koh Daeng. Options with a land part include the Path to Avatar with the Samet Nangshe viewpoint for 2,500 THB, an Instagram tour with the glass bridge for 3,200 THB and Cheow Lan Lake for 2,600 THB.

Each programme lists the guide's language in its description. The 1,200 THB island sightseeing tour is run by Russian-speaking guides; on other routes the guide language depends on the date and format, so check with the manager before paying the deposit. Sightseeing programmes usually include the Big Buddha and the island's viewpoints.

There are two ways to see elephants. The 1,200 THB elephant tour includes feeding them fruit and watching them play on the beach. Phuket Elephant Sanctuary costs 1,900 THB, 950 THB for children aged 4-12, and since April 2026 it runs on an observation-only basis, with no bathing or hand-feeding: you follow a 90-minute skywalk. With transfer the same programme costs 2,400 THB, and it must be booked at least 24 hours ahead.

In the evening you can pick a show: Siam Niramit for 1,800 THB, or Fantasy and Carnival Magic for 1,900 THB each. For a day with children there is Andamanda water park at 1,600 THB. Concerts and parties for the coming dates are listed under events in Phuket.

Phuket tours are easiest to plan from November to April, when the sea is calm and every route runs, the Similans included. From May to October waves in open water reach 2-3 metres, island trips can be cancelled on a storm warning, and the decision is made by the marine authorities or the harbour master, not the seller. In that period Phang Nga routes, nearby islands and land trips are the more reliable choice.

With children, think about travel time first: Coral and Racha for 1,500 THB or the Khai islands with shallow water are easier than the long run to the Similans. If you get seasick, a catamaran beats a speedboat, and a seat towards the back bounces less. An early departure costs a little more but gives you empty beaches and soft morning light for photos.

If you would rather not follow a group schedule, compare a group tour with yacht rental for your own party: with 18 or more guests a private boat costs about the same. Phang Nga and Phi Phi can also be seen from above, with scenic flights in the helicopter rental section.

On full-day tours from Boat Lagoon the price includes a light breakfast, coffee and tea, fruit, water and soft drinks, a snorkel mask, swim noodles, a first-aid kit, accident insurance and lunch on an island. Paid separately: the national park fee, transfer to the pier, towels, alcohol and island activities such as parasailing from 700 THB, a banana boat from 600 and a clear kayak from 500.

Hotel transfer is included in most group tours, but some sea programmes and the elephant sanctuary have a rate without it, and the description says so. An official park fee collected on the day is not a scam if you were told about it in advance. It is a scam when the seller promises everything included and then the boat asks extra for a life jacket, a towel or a fuel surcharge that was never in the description.

Take a photo of the programme and price when you buy, or keep the chat. Every guest's name, surname and passport number are needed in advance because the marine department and the insurer require them, so send them to the manager right after booking.

Step 1: choose a programme and press Book & Go, or Leave a request if you want advice first. Step 2: pay the 1,000 THB deposit by Russian bank card via Robokassa or in cryptocurrency. Step 3: a manager messages you on Telegram or WhatsApp to confirm the date, group schedule and pickup time and to collect the guests' passport details.

Step 4: you pay the balance to the supplier on the day of the tour, at the same price as booking with them directly, with no markup. The deposit is deducted from the price, refunded in full if you decline on the spot, and returned within two weeks if the service is not delivered. Ask about weather cancellations before paying: full refund, a new date, a different route or a voucher.

Booking through the catalog locks in the itinerary, price and inclusions in writing before you pay the full amount. If something on the day does not match the description, you have proof of what was agreed. Support answers 7 days a week, on average within 15 minutes during the day.

The day before: passport details sent, pickup time confirmed, cash set aside for the park fee, 300-500 THB per person. Bring a towel, sunscreen, a hat, a waterproof phone pouch and a seasickness tablet if you are going by speedboat.

For underwater footage an action camera helps: a GoPro or Insta360 can be delivered to your hotel through gadget rental. Check the wind forecast the evening before and stay in touch with the manager, so a cancelled departure can quickly become another date or route. Good Phuket tours start with clear terms, so ask every question before you pay the deposit.