Visiting The Phi Phi islands is a must while in the south of Thailand and the route from Phuket to Phi Phi is very known. The Phi Phi islands are not so far from Phuket, so it is easy to get there from the island.
From Phuket, you have 2 options to go to Phi Phi islands: by ferry or speedboat.
I took the cheapest one and that will be the ferry that connects both islands. Because I visited during Covid and when Thailand still didn’t have 1/10 of the tourists it had before the pandemic, the ferry schedule was limited. For that reason, I will not advise on ferry times here because probably it had changed meanwhile. Also, the price was different.
I went from Phuket to Phi Phi in December 2021 and a one-way ticket cost me 600bh. I bought it at the pier the same day I went. Bought it about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. The thing is that I met a girl that went from Phuket to Phi Phi 1 month later and the prices were already cheaper… She paid 500bh from Patong to Phi Phi with hotel pick-up included, while I paid more and I bought it directly on the pier. So, in 1-month things had already changed. Right now, it is possibly different too. I think that things changed in such a short period of time because Maya Bay opened to tourism again in 2022, and probably the number of people willing to go to Phi Phi was way higher than when I went there. I didn’t go to Maya Bay anyway because I was there in 2018. You can check what I have done on the main island HERE! The ferry takes about 2 hours to get from Phuket to Phi Phi. It departed from the pier in Phuket town named Rassada pier. That’s where the ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi departs. So, if you are in Patong like my friend was, your ticket will include a trip to this pier before boarding the ferry.
The ferry departed at 9 am and reached Phi Phi Don a bit after 11 am. It would have been faster, but we were what I consider “lucky” as the ferry driver took us to a scenic view of Maya Bay before heading to our destination. That is not is pre-defined route. There were not many people on board and the number of tourists on the islands is low, so I think the driver presented us with a kind gift of sailing as near as he could to Maya bay so we could have a glimpse of the area. It was very rewarding because we got close to the limestone cliffs and I just love them. The ferry boat trip from Phuket to Phi Phi was very scenic because of this, and all the passengers were delighted with the surprise. I don’t think people minded getting a bit later to Phi Phi Don. Again, I have no idea how are things right now. At that time, the ferry had only 1 scheduled departure per day, but I’m sure that now there are more options.
A video of the view on board the ferry:
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The other way to get from Phuket to Phi Phi island is by speedboat. Well, this is the fastest and most expensive way to get there. Prices may vary depending on the place where you buy it and some companies have like hourly departures, so you can do some research. Remember that the closer you are to the busiest area, the more you will pay for your ticket. The speedboat should take about 1h to get from Phuket to Phi Phi.
If you want to avoid the hassle of having to check prices and bargain, you can also buy your tickets online.
