The island of Koh Lipe is located in the Andaman Sea in the Satun province in southern Thailand, very close to the Malaysian island of Langkawi. In this article I talk in detail about how to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok, Phuket, other resorts in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as from Russia.

Ko Lipe how to get there

There is no airport on the island of Koh Lipe, there is no bridge leading to it (like, for example, in Malaysia 🙂), so you can only get to Koh Lipe by water:

1. By speedboat or ferry from Pakbara Pier
2. By boat (ferry) from Hat Yao Pier (Trang)
3. By speedboat from Koh Lanta, with stops on the islands of Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradarn, Koh Bulone
4. By speedboat from Phuket (via Lanta)
5. By fast ferry/boat from the Malaysian island of Langkawi

Boats that take tourists to Koh Lipe
Route map to Lipe Island Water transport scheme to Lipe Island

Previously, water communication with the island was only in the high season (from mid-October to April - May), Koh Lipe was “closed” from tourists in the summer 🙂 now, of all the above methods, in the low season (summer) speedboats/boats run from Pakbara, therefore, Koh Lipe can be reached all year round.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier

Speedboats/fast boats from various companies depart from Pakbara Pier several times a day.

Approximate boat schedule for Pakbara - Koh Lipe:

• 11:30
• 13:30
• 14:30
• 15:00
• 15:30.

Schedule may change! Even if you have purchased a ticket for a certain time, this does not mean that the boat will leave exactly on schedule. We had tickets for 11:30, and we sailed later than 12:00. IN low season(June – October) boats run 1-2 times a day, usually at 9:30 and 11:30.

The travel time from Pakbara to Lipe is one and a half hours; in rough seas it can increase to 2 hours or more. Along the way, all boats stop for 15 minutes at Tarutao Island. Those interested can stay for a few days on this island; there are bungalows and tents in the national park. Or just go to the island and walk along the shore while waiting for the boat to depart.

Entrance to the island of Tarutao is paid - 200 baht, more precisely, this is the fee for visiting the Tarutao National Park, the ticket is valid for 5 days, including for visiting the island of Koh Lipe and other national islands. parks that you can visit during one of the.

On the way to Lipe, all boats stop at Tarutao Island
Those who wish can go ashore (entrance to the national park is 200 baht) and even stay on the island for several days
Near Tarutao Island
Centralized queue to board the boat at Tarutao Pier

Price

• Ticket price for speedboat/speedboat Pakbara – Koh Lipe: 650 baht
• Ticket price Pakbara - Koh Lipe - Pakbara - 1200 baht (return ticket with open date)
• Pakbara – Koh Tarutao – 400 baht
• Pakbara - Koh Tarutao - Koh Lipe - 650 baht, i.e. you can go to Koh Tarutao, live there for a couple of days and sail further using the same ticket :)

Prices are usually identical for all carriers, although sometimes there are specials. suggestions :) But the boats may differ!

Schedule and prices for boats on the route Pakbara - Tarutao - Koh Lipe and in the opposite direction
Speedboat to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier at 11:30, from Koh Lipe at 9:30
Schedule of another company that carries to Koh Lipe and Koh Bulon from Pakbara
Boat schedule and cost Pakbara - Koh Lipe

Pakbara Pier

The Pakbara pier is well equipped, with air-conditioned waiting areas, restrooms, and a shop with overpriced sundries. Entrance to the pier is paid (!) 20 baht :)

In front of the entrance to Pakbara Pier
Entrance to the pier 20 baht :)
There are a lot of people inside in the waiting room. Here you need to get tickets for the boat (if you have a complex ticket or you bought tickets in advance online) or buy tickets
At Pakbara Pier
Tourists waiting to board the boats
Boarding boats at Pakbara pier

But on Koh Lipe there is no pier; in the low season or when the sea is very rough, boats arrive at the shore at , and in the high season - at . Some speedboats (including ours) are parked near the shore, and some boats are further from the shore, and are transported to the beach on longtails for 50 baht per person.

Landing on Koh Lipe

Loading and unloading luggage is a circus: things are thrown right over the water and it seems that the suitcase is about to fall into the sea, so do not give valuables to be loaded onto the boat, but keep them with you! Luggage is packed at the stern, and in some places even on the roof of the boat, so the suitcase can arrive wet and dirty...

How to get to Pakbara Pier

The nearest major cities to the village of Pakbara are:

• Trang (not to be confused with the city of Trat, which is near)
• Hat Yai

Both have an airport, bus stations, and even a train station in Hat Yai! You can get to Pakbara Pier by:

• Taxi. A car from these two cities to Pakbara Pier will cost 1800 - 2200 baht, the approximate travel time is one and a half hours
• Minibus. There is a mini bus from Hat Yai bus station, cost 150 baht, travel time is one and a half to two hours
• By purchasing a comprehensive ticket. For example, upon arrival at Hat Yai airport, we bought a comprehensive ticket for a minibus + boat: airport - Pakbara Pier - Koh Lipe for 900 baht per person. It’s better to buy such a ticket in advance on this website, firstly it will be cheaper (~ 700 baht), and secondly you won’t have to wait long at the airport until tourists from other flights arrive.

The same complex ticket (mini bus + boat) can be bought at the Hat Yai railway station, at the bus station, at any travel agency and hotel.

Taxi counter at Hat Yai airport
Travel agency at the airport where you can buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe and other islands
Boat Schedule

Important: to get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to get to Hai Yat until 13:00, or better before! I would not count 100% on a boat that is scheduled at 15:30... You can spend the night in the city of Hat Yai, there are many inexpensive hotels there.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Trang

If you fly to Trang, the closest pier to the city is Trang Hat Yao Pier, from which Tiger Line Ferry boats depart daily at 13:00 during high season. Travel time is 2 hours. You can buy tickets on the carrier's website.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok

To get to Koh Lipe from you must first get to one of the cities listed above: Trang or Hat Yai, then go to Pakbara Pier and buy a boat ticket to Koh Lipe. How to do this is described above in the article. And you can get to Trang or Hat Yai from Bangkok like this:

1. By plane from Bangkok: choose the best flight option that suits your time and cost to Hat Yai or Trang.

2. By bus. Buses Bangkok - Hat Yai depart from the southern bus terminal in Bangkok (Sai ​​Tai Mai or Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal). Buses run quite frequently from 6 am to 8 pm, travel time is 13-14 hours.

The cost depends on the carrier and bus class: from 700 to 1000 baht.

3. By train Bangkok – Hat Yai. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok. Travel time is 13-17 hours (+ trains in Thailand tend to be late!). To get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to take trains that depart from Bangkok at 15:10 or 15:30.

Cost from 300 baht (in third class carriages), we usually take tickets to second class with air conditioning, cost from 850 baht.

You can view the train schedule for Thailand on the website of the Thai Railways, and buy tickets at the railway station.

Train timetable Bangkok - Hat Yai

4. By purchasing a complex ticket plane + minibus + boat

One of the most convenient ways to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok is to buy a package ticket from Air Asia or Nok Air. The ticket includes flight Bangkok - Hat Yai, minibus travel to Pakbara Pier and boat/ferry to Koh Lipe. Flights are only in the morning.

Comprehensive ticket Bangkok - Koh Lipe from AirAsia

Important: do not forget that the planes of these low-cost companies fly from Don Mueang airport, and all flights are from Russia, Ukraine, etc. arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport. Read about how to get between airports and how much time to allow for transfers.

Phuket Koh Lipe how to get there

Option 1: by sea

IN high season You can get from Phuket to Koh Lipe by sea. Transportation is carried out by:

1. Tiger Line Ferry Company on quite large yellow boats (boats). Departure from Rassada Pier in Phuket (from the same place where ferries depart to) at 9:00, scheduled arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:00, i.e. 4 hours of travel (in fact, boats take much longer!). Along the way, change boats on Lanta Island. Cost Phuket - Koh Lipe ~ 2100 baht. Tickets can be purchased in advance on their website: tigerlinetravel.com

Yellow big boats from Tiger Line Ferry
Timetables and prices for Tiger Line Ferry tickets from Koh Lipe to other islands and to the mainland

2. Satun Pakbara Speed ​​Boat Company whose boats go along the route Phuket - Phi Phi - Lanta - Ngai - Muk - Kradan - Bulon - Lipe. Transportation by speedboat. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3400 baht (cheaper if purchased through the website!). You can find out the schedule and buy tickets on their website: spcthailand.com

Boat schedule Phuket - Lipe and Lipe - Phuket (via Koh Lanta)

3. Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat Company. From Phuket (Rassada Pier) via Lanta to Koh Lipe. Carries on small speedboats. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Lanta at 10:30, departure from Lanta at 10:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3900 baht. You can buy tickets on their website: bundhayaspeedboat.com

Routes and schedules of speedboats from the carrier Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat

You can also search for all the tickets listed above (maybe cheaper!).

We got to Koh Lipe just in time. I thought for a very long time about how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. I decided to choose the sea route 🙂 I rejected speedboats right away (I couldn’t stand 4-5 hours in such a high-speed boat, even an hour and a half was enough for me 🙂), I wanted to sail on the Tiger Line Ferry, for some reason I imagined such a big ferry , the same as or like us :)

But, after reading the reviews, I realized that it was better to choose another option on how to get to the island of Koh Lipe from Phuket :) In the reviews, people complained about the old boat and frequent long delays, they wrote that the boat takes not 4 hours, as stated, but almost twice as long longer! After reading the reviews, I decided to choose another way to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket, namely the more standard route through Hat Yai and Pakbara.

Option 2: via Hat Yai and Pakbara

By bus

You can travel from Phuket to Hat Yat by bus. Buses run from 6 am to 21:45, travel time is about 8 hours, cost from 300 to 600 baht depending on the class of the bus. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station in Phuket Town or on the website.

The best way to travel is by night bus VIP 24, which departs at 21:45 and arrives in Hat Yai around 6 am. Then transfer to the pier and on the first boat at 9:30 to Koh Lipe. Then you will be on the island around 11:00 – 11:30 and still have the whole day ahead!

By plane

There is a direct flight from Phuket to Hat Yai with Bangkok Air. Departure at 7:25, arrival at 8:30. Just recently there was an evening flight at 19:25, but at the moment I don’t see it on the schedule. The cost is about 1700 baht, luggage and even breakfast on board are included :) Check the cost and buy tickets Phuket - Hat Yai >>

We chose this option on how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. Everything went smoothly: at 5:30 in the morning we ordered a taxi to our condo, at 6:15 we were already at Phuket airport, checked in our luggage, drank coffee in a coffee shop, boarded a small plane, had breakfast :) We arrived in Hat Yai even before the time indicated in schedule.

A small Bangkok Air propeller plane on the route Phuket - Hat Yai
Breakfast on the plane

I wanted to buy tickets for the transfer airport - pier - Koh Lipe in advance online on the website (it was cheaper this way), but while I was wondering whether we would be in time for the minibus, which leaves at 9 am (we would have time, even with a large reserve), the sale of tickets stopped (tickets can be purchased online no later than three days in advance). Therefore, at the airport we found a travel agency, where we bought a combined mini-bass + speedboat ticket. But we had to wait for more than an hour for passengers from other flights.

We were at the Pakbara pier at 11:15, where the purchased tickets must be exchanged for numbers, which are used to board the boat (numbers are very convenient - there is no queue). We set sail at 12:00 instead of the promised 11:30, and arrived in Koh Lipe at 14:00 - due to the storm and rain that began along the way, the boat sailed more slowly and arrived at Sunrise Beach, and not at the opposite beach. It was even more convenient for us: our hotel was literally a few steps from the boat’s arrival point :)

Hurray, it’s our turn to load into the boat :)
In the boat waiting to depart for Koh Lipe

Lipe Island how to get from Krabi

From Krabi you can get to Koh Lipe via Hat Yai. There are no direct flights from Krabi to Hat Yai, and flying through Bangkok, in my opinion, is not advisable, so you can get there by bus, minibus or taxi. The distance to the pier is only about 300 km.

Tickets for a minibus to Hat Yai will cost 350 - 400 baht, a comprehensive ticket for Ao Nang (Krabi) - Koh Lipe - 1000 - 1200 baht. You can buy it at any travel agency or hotel.

Lipe Island how to get from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan

To get to Koh Lipe from / / you need to follow the path described above: first you need to get to Hat Yai, then to Pakbara, and then by boat to Lipe 🙂 The path is not short... Read about how to get to Hat Yai from Samui in

You can also buy a complex ticket Samui/Phangan/Tao - Koh Lipe:

Schedule and cost of transfer from the Gulf of Thailand islands to Koh Lipe
Transfer schedule from Koh Lipe to the Gulf of Thailand islands

Langkawi Koh Lipe how to get there

Despite the fact that Lipe is a Thai island, it is separated from the Malaysian island by only 30 km, and in clear weather it is clearly visible from the sky bridge observation deck in Langkawi :)

Direct route Langkawi - Lipe

During the high season, boats operate on the Langkawi-Lipe and Lipe-Langkawi routes. On the island of Koh Lipe there are even immigration offices where passport control takes place.

Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach

Boats from Langkawi arrive at Pattaya Beach on Lipe (read about all the beaches of Koh Lipe). They depart from two piers to Langkawi:

• from Kauh Jetty Pier (in the capital of Kuah island, near the city's eagle symbol)
• from Telaga Harbor Pier, which is located next to Oriental Village Park

We sailed in the opposite direction (i.e. from Lipe to Langkawi) and I specifically chose a carrier whose boats arrive at Telaga pier, because... First of all, in Langkawi I planned to check into the Geopark Hotel, visit the Oriental Village, Sky bridge and the neighboring waterfall, which are located a few minutes drive from this pier.

Carrier companies on the route Langkawi - Lipe - Langkawi

Additional Information

Schedule and cost of land transfer from Pakbara Pier and Hat Yai Boat schedule from Lipe Island
Boat and transfer schedule from Koh Lipe
Boat schedule from Lipe Island

The Adang archipelago on the border of Thailand and Malaysia is often called the “Thai Maldives” for its snow-white sand. Lipe is the only inhabited island in this archipelago. Lovers of serene bliss come here, as well as divers, since representatives of almost a quarter of the species of marine life that exist in nature are found in the coastal waters of Ko Lipe.

Lovers of serene bliss come here, as well as divers, since representatives of almost a quarter of the species of marine life that exist in nature are found in the coastal waters of Ko Lipe.

The island does not have its own pier; boats arriving at Koh Lipe moor at a special floating platform, on which tourists transfer to small boats of local residents, who in turn take them ashore. This pleasure costs only 50 THB per person. The return trip from the island to the platform with boats will also cost 50 THB.

The highlight of this archipelago is the Tarutau National Park, a must-see. Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

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How to get to Lipe Island

It is easier to get to the island in the high season: ferry services are organized from many popular resorts in the Andaman Sea: Lanta, Phuket, Phi Phi, etc. In the low season, boats operate only from the Pak Bara pier, which is most conveniently accessible from the town of Hat -Yay.

From Bangkok

1. The fastest way is air travel. Flights to Hat Yai depart from Don Mueang Airport, which is a 40-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi, where planes fly from Russia. Then you can take a taxi to the pier in Pakbara (about 1000 THB) or buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe at the airport for the same money. Or go to the bus terminal in Hat Yai (150 THB by tuk-tuk or 400 THB by taxi), where you can take a bus to the pier. From Hat Yai to Pakbar it takes about 2 hours.
2. In addition, at the capital's Don Muang Airport you can immediately buy a comprehensive ticket to Ko Lipe, which includes a flight, transfer to the pier and a ferry ticket. In terms of cost, such a route is comparable to an independent one, and there are no worries about changing transport: you will be met and escorted everywhere.
3. You can also get to Hat Yai from Bangkok by train. An evening train departs from Hua Lamphong Station and arrives in Hat Yai early in the morning.
4. Another budget option is a bus. They depart to Hat Yai from the capital's southern terminal and travel all night (10-12 hours). The cost of a bus trip is comparable to a train ticket, but the bus travels slightly faster than the train, and also arrives directly at the bus station.

From the pier in Pakbara you can sail to the island either by speedboat or on the so-called ferries. They take a full hour longer (2.5 hours), but sailing on them is much more comfortable than on a speedboat, which shakes from being hit by waves (and the seats are hard and uncomfortable), and the spray often hits passengers. Ticket prices for speedboats and ferries do not differ in price.

It's also worth considering that boats only operate between the mainland and the island during the day, so it's best to arrive in Pakbara as early as possible.

Search for flights to Phuket (the nearest airport to Koh Lipe)

From the southern resorts of Thailand

In the case of Lipe, islands such as Phuket and Lanta can be called “southern” only conditionally, since they are located north of the country’s southernmost archipelago. In high season, boats run from most of these southern resorts to Ko Lipe. The ticket costs about 1000-1200 THB, it will be much cheaper (but also longer) to take a bus to the pier in Pakbara and from there swim to the island.

From Malaysia

Since the island is located on the border with Malaysia, Ko Lipe can also be reached from this country. The closest to it - just 30 km - is the Malaysian island of Langkawi, from where boats start towards Thai Lipe. Guests from Malaysia go through border control upon arrival on the island, however, the checkpoint on Koh Lipe is only open in the high season; in the low season, you will have to cross the border on the mainland, in the Thai city of Satun, from there get to Pakbar and cross to Lipe.

Next to the Adang Archipelago is the Tarutao Island Nature Reserve. This is a fairly large island, most of which is occupied by tropical jungle. There is no tourist infrastructure or full-fledged hotels here - only small guesthouses and private bungalows that are rented out to tourists.

You can get to Tarutao in the same way as to Lipe, since boats going to it from the Pakbara pier make a stop off the coast of Tarutao. The cost of a ticket to it is about a hundred baht cheaper than to Ko Lipe.

This one can be called one of the most beautiful. This article will tell you about one amazing corner of the Earth. This place is the island of Koh Lipe (Thailand). Sights, recreational features and reviews will be presented below in this article.

The presented island is developing quite quickly, due to the desire to meet the demands of growing tourism in these amazingly beautiful and warm places. Therefore, certain global problems arise: an increase in the volume of garbage, the likelihood of a reduction in the diversity of animal populations. Today, serious projects are being developed, the main goal of which is to preserve the island of Koh Lipe in its pure, pristine form.

Koh Lipe (Thailand): general information

This is a small island of the Adang Ravi archipelago, located in the Adaman Sea. Koh Lipe is located in Setun Province, located in the southwestern part of Thailand. This fabulous piece of paradise borders on Malaysia.

The name of the island sounds in completely different versions, the most common of which are the following: Koh Lipe, Koh Lipeh, Koh Laip and Koh Lipei. The location of the island is the border with Tajutao (Marine National Park), next to the larger islands: Koh Ravi and Koh Adan. This place has long been inhabited by Malaysian sea gypsies, who are known as "Chao Lay" and "Urak Lawoi".

Thailand is a great place for tourists to relax. Lipe is one of the most beautiful places. It is located approximately 50 kilometers from Koh Tarutao (island).

Koh Lipe is 2.5 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide. The widest territory of the island in the shape of the letter “L” was inhabited by those same sea gypsies (there are about 500 of them). They live in small villages, mainly in the east, near Sunrise Beach. Therefore, their main occupation is the tourism business.

Tourism

Koh Lipe (Thailand) has three main beach areas: Pattaya, Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach. Compared to neighboring islands, this is the most popular holiday destination among tourists. A small island, shaped like a triangle, located 2 kilometers from the island. Ko Adang. The bulk of the local residents were resettled here between the wars from the island of Koh Lanta. The reason for the action was to preserve Thai territory from the invasion of the British who colonized Malaysia.

Koh Lipe, like its neighboring islands, also has excellent diving and snorkeling spots.

There are many diving centers and shops on the island that rent out the necessary equipment for snorkeling (swimming with a mask and fins). Interesting excursions by ship on the sea are also organized here.

The water on Koh Lipe is amazingly clear and calm, making it ideal for snorkeling. A total of 25% of the world's tropical fish species live in sea waters here. In coral reefs at great depths you can find fish of the largest species. Koh Lipe is beautiful and convenient for relaxation in all respects.

Reviews, advantages

There are a huge number of guest houses and hotels on the island for tourists, and almost all of them are located on the coast, especially in the eastern part of the island. These are four-star hotels and 3-star hotels. There are also more modest establishments. Below are the best, according to tourist reviews, hotels in Koh Lipe (Thailand). The reviews and impressions about holidays there are the most wonderful.

1. Sawan Resort 2* is considered one of the most convenient and pleasant options for relaxation. We offer accommodation here in one of 5 villas, comfortably located on the northern coast of the island. It is located away from the noisier Koh Lipe. Sunset Beach is just a 3-minute walk and Pattaya Beach is a 10-minute walk. Accommodation prices here depend on the house, but almost all of them are quite cozy and comfortable.

2. Ten Moons Lipe Resort 2* represents the most romantic holiday option. It represents 15 bungalows, built of wood, in the jungle, near a beach with snow-white clean sand. This place is also relatively calm and not heavily built up. The only small negative is the small beach, which gets crowded with a large number of vacationers.

Attractions

There are practically no such remarkable places on Koh Lipe. Only in the center of the island is the Hantalai Buddhist temple, which can be reached from the pedestrian street along the road leading to Sunset Beach (i.e. between Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach). This temple is located in the jungle on a hill. It is not like the usual other temples in Thailand - with luxurious roofs and impressive staircases with fairy-tale dragons. It looks like a shack with a couple of statues and multi-colored ribbons. In the center of the establishment there is a large statue of the Golden Buddha. Local residents of Koh Lipe (Thailand) come to her to pray every day.

There are several monks living in Khantalai who take care of the large number of dogs and cats that live here with them. Although this temple does not look aesthetically pleasing, like many other more luxurious temples in Thailand, it is still a worthy attraction of this place. He also has incredibly strong energy. Being here, people receive peace and tranquility. In addition, the age-old tradition here is that the monks from the temple go for alms in the morning. This exciting event can be seen every morning on the main promenade of the island at 7 o'clock.

How to get there?

There are always many people who want to go on holiday to Koh Lipe (Thailand). How to get there?

The closest airports are in Trang and Hat Yai districts. Both of them are located about 100 kilometers from Pakbara Pier. Hat Yai receives daily flights from Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The plane arrives in Trang only from Bangkok. It turns out that Russians have to get on vacation with transfers, possibly two. Some flights include transfer and ferry to Koh Lipe (but this is only from Hat Yai). Otherwise, you can book a minibus to the island at the tourist offices at any train station.

The nearest railway stations are also located in Hat Yai and Trang. Two trains arrive daily from Bangkok. A train from Malaysia also arrives in Hat Yai.

On your own

Many travelers travel to Koh Lipe (Thailand) themselves. How to get there on your own? Once you arrive in Thailand, the simplest and easiest way to get to the island is via Pakbar Pier (twice daily). There is a songthaew (public bus) running from Satun to Pak Bara every hour, which takes about 50 minutes to the final stop. It is also possible to get there by Ferryboat, the ticket for which costs 100 baht less, but the journey takes 1.5 hours longer.

Many travelers use combination tickets: minibus plus ferry from Trang, Krabi or Hat Yai to Koh Lipe. And you can get to these places from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand by bus.

A little about the western part of the island

Many of the trees growing in eastern Koh Lipe have been uprooted in recent years. Their place was taken by modern concrete structures. But there is also a western part of this island that remains practically untouched by people. Here you can take advantage of wild beaches and jungles for those who like to retire from the hustle and bustle and merge with magnificent nature.

Here you can wander among the trees and clusters of dark gray boulders scattered along the slope. Climbing them, you can admire the amazing pure natural nature.

Conclusion

Koh Lipe (Thailand) is a unique combination of beauty with a special atmosphere of almost untouched nature. This is one of the beautiful heavenly places in Thailand.

It is noteworthy that you can still find wild deserted beaches and places with amazing views and a great atmosphere.

However, how long will this last? A few more years and the last pristine areas of paradise will be built up with piers, hotels, bars and other buildings... So now we need to take advantage of the moment. After all, there are not many such places in the world.

The article contains all the useful information about the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand: how to get to the island, what to do, Koh Lipe beaches, hotels and other infrastructure. And, of course, our review with photos and advice.

On the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand

Koh Lipe: general information

Koh Lipe Island is a small island in the south of Thailand in the Andaman Sea in the province of Satun, located next to Malaysia (the nearest Malaysian island of Langkawi is only 30 km away). Koh Lipe island on the map

Ko Lipe is part of the Tarutao Marine National Park, for a visit to which you need to pay 200 baht per person (don’t throw away your tickets, they will come in handy if you go on an excursion to the neighboring islands, and even before leaving the island we were asked to show our tickets!).

The island of Koh Lipe became known among tourists relatively recently: some 40 years ago it was inhabited by sea gypsies from Malaysia, and the first European tourists appeared in the 90s of the last century.

Koh Lipe: Sunrise Beach

I was lucky enough to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand in 2006 and find a small piece of paradise :) At that time, the island was already equipped for tourists, but, of course, not on the same scale as now: on Koh Lipe there were only cheap wooden bungalows, almost deserted beaches, one store in the center of the island and Pooh Bar - the only place on Koh Lipe where there was internet :) And in general, all Europeans gathered in this bar every evening for dinner and beer :) There were no concrete roads on the island of Koh Lipe, everywhere there was sand, and before entering any room you had to take off your shoes, and in general you didn’t need shoes on the island - you walked around barefoot everywhere.

Ko Lipe in 2006

A couple of years later, the total development of the island began, the first large hotels appeared (some of them even with a swimming pool), old wooden bungalows were also reconstructed, and a little later Koh Lipe was connected by sea with Langkawi, an immigration office appeared on the beach for passing through passport control when arriving from Malaysia and departure from Thailand. A little later, the central street was concreted - this is how the walking street appeared.

Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach
Entrance to the promenade from Sunset Beach
Volkin Street: the central street was concreted and a walking street with shops, cafes, bars appeared
Roads almost all over the island have been repaired
Although there are still clay and sandy roads on the island, and there are deposits of garbage on the way to Sunrise Beach
Signs in the center of the island
Houses of local residents
But there are also shacks of local residents that have not changed at all in 10 years... The funny thing is that in such houses there are huge plasma TVs hanging on the walls :)
Island locals
There are many well-groomed cats and dogs on the island

Of course, the development of the island’s tourism infrastructure could not but entail an increase in the flow of tourists, and crowds, huge crowds of vacationers flocked to Koh Lipe. For some reason, the island of Lipe is especially loved by the Chinese (every self-respecting Chinese wants to have a selfie with Koh Lipe and 🙂). And there are plenty of other Asians there now; Thais and Malaysians especially like to come to Lipe Island on holidays and weekends. There were times when there were so many tourists on the island that they couldn’t fit in the hotels, and people spent the night in tents on the beach!

According to rumors, travel agencies even tried to send our compatriots “package travelers” to the island of Koh Lipe and people were very unhappy with what hole they were sent to (where are the entertainment and shopping centers, as in? :)

But now, fortunately, the unhealthy rush to the island has subsided, there are no package holidaymakers on Koh Lipe, but Chinese tourists come in large numbers, especially in winter for the Chinese New Year.

The bright colors of Koh Lipe

Sketch map of Koh Lipe island

Map of the island

Seasons and weather on Koh Lipe: when is the best time to go to the island

There are two main seasons on the island of Koh Lipe:

• Rainy and stormy season: April-May to October
• Dry season: November to April

Previously, the island was “closed” for the summer; due to strong storms at sea, sea communications with the mainland almost completely ceased, hotel workers went on vacation :) In recent years, communications with the island and the mainland of Thailand have not stopped all year round, only the number of flights has been reduced. And the weather and climate are now so changeable that even in the summer you can find good sunny weather, but during the peak season you can get caught in the rain.

But hotel prices usually differ according to the three seasons:

• Low season: summer
• High season: October – November and March – April
• Peak season: December - February

When is the best time to go to the island?

The best weather on Koh Lipe is in winter, in December - February, but during this period there are a lot of tourists on the island and prices for everything, especially accommodation, rise significantly. Summer is the rainy season, but there are deserted beaches and low hotel prices. In my opinion, the optimal time to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand is November and March-April.

The weather on the island depends on the seasons. The best season is in winter, but there are a lot of tourists at this time

How to get to Koh Lipe

The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand is located in the Andaman Sea, the island is small, there is no airport here :) The airports closest to Koh Lipe are:

• Hat Yai (Thailand)
• Trang (Thailand)
• Langkawi (Malaysia)

You can only get to Lipe by water - on fast boats or motorboats by sea, which go from the piers:

• Pakbara Pier, Thailand. You can say this is the main pier, the connection from Pakbara to Lipe is year-round
• Trang (Hat Yao Pier), Thailand
• Kuah Jetty, Malaysia, Langkawi
• Telaga Harbour, Malaysia, Langkawi

Direct boat connections between Langkawi and Koh Lipe are closed during the low season.

Also, in the high season, sea communication opens between the islands - Lanta - Lipe.

Many boats and boats take tourists to the island

Briefly, the algorithm for getting to Lipe Island is as follows:

• Flight to or Kula Lumpur. We are looking for air tickets
• Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, from Bangkok to Hat Yai or Trang, or you can get to Hat Yai by land - by bus or train
• Taxi/minibus/transfer to the pier
• Boat to Koh Lipe

A very detailed article with prices and tips on how to get to Koh Lipe from different places in Thailand, Malaysia and from Russia:

Transport on the island: what to use

There are no big roads on the island of Lipe, there are no cars and few bikes (some locals ride bikes, but they don’t rent them to tourists :)

Ko Lipe is a small island and you can move around it:

• on foot
• if necessary, take a motorbike taxi (this is a bike with a trolley) for 50 baht per person one way, or ride around the island for 400 baht / hour
• bicycles for rent - 200 baht per day.
• You can also move between beaches by boat. But taxi boats on the island are not as common as, for example, on or in, because... You can easily walk between almost all the beaches of Koh Lipe

Prices for motorcycle taxis around the island

Koh Lipe hotels: where to stay on the island

Every year more and more new hotels open on the island, but despite this, finding accommodation on site can be a problem during peak season. Therefore, I advise you to book Koh Lipe hotels in advance.

Most hotels in Koh Lipe are located directly on the coastline, many are bungalow hotels, although there are also hotels with rooms in buildings.

Air-conditioned bungalow right on the beach: Andaman Resort
A very popular hotel among Europeans
New villas on the green lawn of the Z-Touch Lipe Island Resort
Some of the hotels in the center of the island

Koh Lipe hotel prices are quite high:

• a double room in an average lousy hotel on the beach will cost +/- 3000 baht
• cheap bungalows on the beach – from 1000 baht

Prices are for high season; in summer, housing is half the price. Perhaps you can find huts for 500 baht, for example, the huts in the photo below are located right on the beach and belong to the Andaman Resort hotel. The cost was not known.

Very budget houses right on the beach

Example of prices for hotels in Koh Lipe

Detailed article about Koh Lipe hotels with their features, prices, recommendations:

Our review of the hotel where we stayed for several days:

All Koh Lipe hotels can be booked on the following booking sites:

Beaches of Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe island in Thailand is famous for its gorgeous beaches. The following main beaches are distinguished:

• Pattaya Beach
• Sunrise Beach
• Sunset Beach
• Karma Beach or northern beach
• Beaches in bays

Pattaya beach

The most popular beach in Koh Lipe is Pattaya Beach. It is located in a bay in the south of the island. Snow-white sand, clear sea, not far from the shore there is a living coral reef with fish. Good infrastructure, but can sometimes be noisy and crowded, especially when boats with tourists from the mainland and Langkawi arrive and in the evening before sunset. Details about Pattaya Beach:

Pattaya Beach in the south of Koh Lipe
View of a piece of Pattaya Beach from the sea
Long and quite wide Pattaya beach
The beach can get crowded before the boats leave
Before sunset, a crowd of vacationers also gathers here :)

Sunrise Beach

Sunrise Beach is the second most popular beach on Koh Lipe. I liked it for its silence and tranquility. The beach has snow-white coarse sand, a good sharp entry into the sea. More details about this beach here:

Sunrise Beach: southern part
Sunrise Beach: northern part
Central part of Sunrise Beach

Sunset Beach

Beach in the west of Koh Lipe. The sand is grayish, the entry into the sea is very smooth, there are many picturesque stones on the shore. To be honest, this beach did not impress me at all, perhaps we were there at the wrong time...

Sunset Beach in the west of the island

Karma beach

Karma Beach or the beach next to the Mountain Resort hotel is the northernmost beach of the island with a beautiful sand spit (the spit is washed closer to winter, it may not be there in summer). The sand is very coarse, white, the sea is bright turquoise, there is a beautiful view of the neighboring Adang Island. This beach often experiences strong winds in winter. More details here:

The picturesque sand spit in the north of the island is the symbol of Koh Lipe :)
Karma Beach in the north of the island
Beach in the north of the island

What is the best beach on Koh Lipe? – it’s difficult for me to answer this question, I like both Pattaya Beach and Sunrise Beach :) Detailed description of all the beaches of Koh Lipe:

Almost all Koh Lipe beaches are good :)

Infrastructure

The tourist infrastructure on the island is well developed. Of course, there are no large stores like Tesco and Big C on Lipe Island, but there are:

• two 7-eleven (which for some reason have eternal queues)
• small shops with water and food
• shops with souvenirs and beachwear
• a huge variety of cafes and restaurants, which offer not only Thai cuisine and seafood, but also Indian and European food
• bars and coffee shops
• tents with pancakes, fruit shakes, ice cream
• massage parlors
• and even a beach club on Pattaya beach :)
• several ATMs, currency exchange (the rate at exchange offices is not favorable, it is better to come to Koh Lipe with cash in baht)
• travel agencies where you can buy excursions, tickets, exchange money, etc. and so on.
• pharmacies
• hospital

There are two 7-elevans on the island
Several pharmacies
Shops with souvenirs and beachwear
Cozy bars
Cafe with delicious ice cream
Pancakes, baguettes, croissants, fruit shakes, smoothies
Walking along Volkin Street
Evening relaxation on the beach

Basically all the infrastructure is located in the center of the island on the walking street. More details here:

Prices for Koh Lipe

About the prices on Koh Lipe, we can say the following: there are expensive hotels here, prices are 7 elven higher than on the mainland, expensive fruit, but the prices in the cafe are quite adequate, I would say even low for this quality of food.

This is not the first time I have noticed a strange feature: on small islands in Thailand everything is usually more expensive, except for food in a cafe. This was the case, for example, on Phi Phi - the island is not cheap, but the food in the cafe is not only tasty, but also inexpensive!

For example, our average bill for a beer dinner in Koh Lipe never exceeded 500 baht (except for one evening when we went to the Progress restaurant for an unlimited buffet dinner).

Some prices for Koh Lipe:

• Water 1.5 liters at 7 elven – 26 baht
• Yogurt – 21 baht
• Coffee in seven – 60 – 65 baht
• Prepared food in boxes at 7 eleven (for example, rice + meat) – 70 – 80 baht
• Beer Chang 0.6 in seven - 90 baht, in a small shop - 65 baht
• Packaging of water 6 bottles of 1.5 liters in a store - 100 baht
• Pancakes with different fillings ~ 40 – 70 baht
• Fish in a cafe ~ 240 baht
• Squid, shrimp in a cafe ~ 150 baht
• Tom yum ~ 120 – 150 baht
• Rice with meat or seafood ~ 80 baht
• Beef steak at Steakhouse – 450 baht
• Coffee in a cafe ~ 70 – 90 baht
• Breakfast in a cafe – 200 – 300 baht

One of our dinners
Seafood buffet at Progress restaurant on Walking Street 490 baht per person
Around 6 pm, restaurants and cafes begin to put fish on display. Prices for photos
Cocktails in bars average 200 baht, beer 100 baht

Things to do in Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe is an island for a relaxing beach holiday, there are no noisy parties, nightclubs or attractions here :) The main attraction of Koh Lipe is its beaches, the neighboring islands of the national park and the underwater world. Therefore, the list of things to do on Koh Lipe is not that long:

• Visit and swim at all the beaches of the island
• Go snorkeling. The island of Koh Lipe is the only place in Thailand where we have been where there is good snorkeling close to the shore
• Go to
• Swim to the neighboring Adang Island
• Take a course at a diving school - there are excellent diving spots near Koh Lipe
• Eat – drink – sleep – go for a massage – relax :)

Cost of diving in Koh Lipe
Cost and description of excursion tours from Koh Lipe
Visit neighboring islands during one of the excursions
View of Adang Island, which can be visited by renting a boat
Adang: filmed with extreme zoom

Koh Lipe Island reviews

You know, there are such places on earth that at first sight sink into your soul. I had a similar situation with Koh Lipe :) I fell in love with the island not even at first sight, but even earlier, when I read about it on a forum (if I’m not mistaken, this was in 2003). Soon my dream came true: I flew to Thailand. But for the first time, the route was simpler and did not include the island of Koh Lipe, but included - -.

A little later, I finally ended up in Lipe and was completely delighted with this tropical paradise. Years passed, countries and the most beautiful islands alternated (just look at the beauty in the Philippines or the islands of Saraya and Kanawa in Indonesia), but the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand always remained in my memory and I knew that someday I would definitely return there :) And I returned after more than 10 years!

Yes, the island has changed (but I read about it and this fact did not come as a shock to me), but I still like it just as much as before. Most likely for those who are looking for parties, shopping, etc. and so on. It will be boring in Lipa (in this case it’s better to go to Phuket), but it’s just right for us :)

Ko Lipe has been my love for many years :)))

How many days to spend on Koh Lipe?

Many people advise not to spend more than 3-4 days on the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand, but we spent almost a week on Lipe and didn’t want to leave at all. If you are traveling around Asia, you can combine Koh Lipe with some larger island and city, for example the routes could be as follows:

• Bangkok – Phuket – Koh Lipe – – Bangkok
• Bangkok – Hat Yai – Koh Lipe – Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur
• Kuala Lumpur – – – Langkawi – Koh Lipe

And many other options :) Enjoy your holiday!

»»» () »»» Beaches and hotels of Lipe Island. How to get to Lipa. Neighboring islands.

Koh Lipe Island and neighboring islands of Satun Province

Koh Lipe Island, one of the most beautiful Thai islands, is located in the far south of Thailand, a few kilometers from the border with Malaysia.

The popularity of the island of Lipe came relatively recently, and 30 years ago no one knew about the existence of the island of Lipe, with the exception of sea gypsies and local residents.

The first European tourists appeared on the island of Lipe at the turn of the 80s and 90s of the last century, and were amazed by the unearthly beauty of the beach located in the southern part of the island, the beach that later received the name.

Despite the fabulous beauty of this place, the mass pilgrimage of tourists to the island of Lipe had to wait quite a long time. It was only in the early 2000s, with the development of cheap air travel and low-cost sea transport, that Lipe Island became a truly popular tourist destination.

With the beginning of mass tourism, massive development of the island of Lipe began, which, according to many vacationers, greatly affected the beauty of the island. This sad fact really does occur, but you need to understand that not only Lipe Island is being built up, but the whole of Thailand as a whole. And against the background of such places as Phuket and Pattaya, Lipe Island, as it was a fabulous island ten years ago, remains so now, despite the massive development.

Location of Lipe Island. How to get to Lipe Island.

Below are two maps: a map of the Adang Archipelago (which includes Lipe Island), and a map of the islands of the southern Andaman Sea, indicating ship routes.

Click on the preview to get a high-resolution image of the map you need.

Lipe Island is located 70 kilometers from the coastline of the Thai province of Satun and 20 km. from the border with Malaysia.

The closest airport to Koh Lipe Island, which receives flights from Bangkok, is located near the city of Hat Yai. Several airlines fly on the Bangkok - Hat Yai route, including low-cost carriers AirAsia and Nok Air. Ticket prices for this route vary widely, starting from 1,200 baht. This price can be obtained if you pay for the ticket several months before departure. If you buy a ticket a few days before departure, the price can significantly exceed 2000 baht.

At Hat Yai Airport you can buy a combined transfer to Lipe Island, which includes a minibus ride to Pakbara Pier and then by speedboat to Lipe Island. The cost of such a transfer is 900 baht (at the beginning of 2019). Travel time is ~2 hours from the airport to Pakbara pier, and ~2 hours from the pier to Lipe Island.

If airfare seems prohibitive, you can travel from Bangkok to Hat Yai by train. The cost of train tickets, as of January 2019, started from 149 baht for a seat in an unair-conditioned 3rd class carriage. Tickets for more comfortable 2nd and 1st class carriages cost 345 baht and 734 baht, respectively.

Trips to Lipe Island from neighboring islands in the Andaman Sea

A visit to Lipe Island can easily be combined with a tour of the other islands of the southern Andaman Sea.

All the islands listed here are worth not only looking at from a ship, but also spending some time on them. All the islands, except , have hotels, high-quality beaches are everywhere, and, importantly, all these islands are very different from each other. So, if you have time, it would be a good idea to spend a day or two on each of the islands and see their unique beauty with your own eyes.

The best beaches on Lipe Island

On Lipe Island there are two long beaches, more than one kilometer long, Sunrise Beach and Pattaya Beach, as well as many small beaches with a characteristic length of 100 - 200 meters, most of which are located in the north of the island.

Of the two largest and most famous beaches, the beach is in the best condition, and, despite the fact that it is quite densely built up along its entire length, it does not give the impression of an overly overloaded place with buildings.

Unlike Sunrise Beach, the beach, once considered the most beautiful beach on the island of Lipe, has suffered greatly from developers and local boatmen, who privatized a good half of the beach for boat parking, and as a result, is no longer perceived by anyone as the best beach on the island of Lipe.

Koh Lipe's shallow beaches are not yet as heavily developed as Sunrise Beach and Pattaya Beach, nor are they as popular as those two beaches. Many of the small beaches do not even have established names, and this leads to some rather curious situations. In particular, on the island of Lipe there are two beaches with the same name, which, however, surprises few people, since most tourists simply do not reach Sunset beaches. And it doesn’t come not out of laziness, but because the small beaches of the northern part of the island (and that’s where both Sunset beaches are located) have never been considered a particularly beautiful place, and attracted tourists with exceptionally low housing prices, one and a half to two times lower, than on the two main beaches of Lipe Island.

Read more about the beaches of Lipe Island. Sunrise Beach, Pattaya Beach and Sunset Beaches

Sunrise Beach is the most beautiful beach on Lipe Island, the main advantages of which are a surprisingly calm and relaxing atmosphere, perfect white coral sand and very high-quality snorkeling in the coastal waters. Sunrise Beach is located in the eastern part of Lipe Island; The length of the beach is almost 2 km; The distance from Sunrise Beach to Pattaya Beach, another popular beach on Lipe Island, is just under one kilometer. The main attraction of Sunrise Beach is the amazingly beautiful sand spit.....	Pattaya Beach - 10 years ago it was considered the most beautiful beach on Lipe Island, but at the moment it would be more correct to call it simply the center of the evening life of the island. Sadly, the same thing happened to Pattaya Beach that happened not so long ago to other beautiful places in Thailand, for example, what happened at the end of the first decade of this century to the beaches of Tonsai and Lo Dalam on the Phi Phi Islands. If you try to characterize in one word the misfortune that happened to Pattaya Beach, then it is best to use the English term overdeveloped. And if you try to describe the situation in more detail, you will have to say that on the beach.....	In the north of the island of Lipe there are several small beaches, 100–200 meters long, which have not yet been fully developed by the tourism business. These beaches do not have a definitive name, and they are usually called Sunset Beaches. We can say for sure that there are at least two beaches with the name Sunset on Lipe Island, the one located immediately behind Sunrise Beach, and separated from it by a small rocky ridge, and the one where the hotel with the name Porn Resort, strange to European ears, is located . Of all the northern beaches, these two beaches are the most densely built up with guesthouses and resorts, while the rest of the northern beaches are still in.....

Lipe Island hotels. Choosing a hotel on Lipe Island.

Almost all residential buildings on Lipe Island are detached bungalows and cottages.

There are no multi-storey hotels on Lipe Island, and this is a big advantage of the island, because unlike large buildings, small bungalows and cottages can be placed right at the water's edge.

It is in such beach-front bungalows and cottages, located literally a few meters from the surf line, that it is worth living on Lipe Island.

The prices for such housing are high, but in this case it is worth forking out, especially since, despite all its high cost, this housing will not make a noticeable hole in your budget.

This thesis seems paradoxical, however, there is no paradox here, and everything is explained by the fact that Lipe Island is not one of those places where people live for weeks at a time. And if you, like most tourists, come to Lipe Island for 3 to 4 days, then the total surcharge for a good location of housing will be from a thousand to several thousand baht. Moreover, these several thousand can arise only in one case, if you live in housing of the highest price category.

Cost of living on Lipe Island

Just 15 years ago, Lipe Island was one of the cheapest places in Thailand, a place where you could easily live for 100 - 200 baht a day, however, those days have long since sunk into eternity.

At the moment, Lipe Island is not cheap, the cost of accommodation in most hotels on the island exceeds 1000 baht per day, but at the same time, remnants of the former cheapness are still present.

Firstly, if you are not too attached to comfort, on Lipe Island you can still find accommodation in the price category of ~500 baht per day. For this money, on Lipe Island you can rent a traditional Thai bungalow made of bamboo and palm branches. There will be practically nothing inside such a bungalow, but electricity and a bathroom will be present.

Secondly, the cost of food and drinks in bars and restaurants, as well as prices in shops, on the island of Lipe is not beyond reasonable limits. In particular, it is not the slightest difficulty to find restaurants where the cost of meals will be noticeably less than 100 baht. Prices in shops and stores on Lipe Island are also moderate and do not differ much from the prices of the well-known 7/11 chain, whose stores are also present on the island.

Thirdly, the prices for boat excursions and transfers on Lipe Island are low, and in some cases, downright cheap. For example, a trip from Lipe Island to the neighboring one will cost you only 100 baht per person.

It is especially worth noting that the high cost of Lipe Island concerns mainly the cost of hotel accommodation, and if you are not ready to live in a shed made of palm branches, then it is safe to say that the cost of accommodation will be the main item of your expenses.

Snorkeling on Lipe Island. The underwater world of Lipe Island.

Snorkeling in the vicinity of Lipe Island can be rated a solid 4 points.

Langkawi Island is the largest Malaysian resort, and this status is confirmed by more than 200 hotels located on the island, an airport and a developed network of high-quality roads.

Langkawi's main attractions are a few good (but not great) beaches, an impressive cable car that takes you up to 700-meter-high cliffs, and mangroves with an abundance of diverse wildlife that you can and should take a tour boat through.

Traveling from Lipe Island to Langkawi Island and back is not fraught with the slightest difficulty. During the high season, boats regularly run between the islands, the trip takes about an hour, Russians do not need to apply for visas in advance, and border formalities are not tedious and do not take much time.

The island (or less often -) is located in the extreme south of Thailand, 20 km. from the coastline of Satun province and 50 km. from Lipe Island.

There are four Bulon Islands in total. In addition to the island of Bulon Lae, these are the islands of Bulon Rang, Bulon Don and Bulon Maipai. The Bulon Islands are located quite compactly, and the distance between them does not exceed 10 km. from each other.

Of all four islands, only one island has been developed by the tourism industry, the island of Bulon Lae, and when they simply talk about the island of Bulon, without specifying which one, they mean this particular island.

Despite its relatively small size, 1.5 km. x 1 km., the island of Bulon Lae is quite densely populated. There are about 10 hotels and guesthouses on the island, as well as a village of local residents, with a mosque, school, and other rural infrastructure.

The island of Bulon Lae has become popular only recently, and its popularity was a direct consequence of the changes that took place on the island of Lipe. The massive and uncontrolled development of the island of Lipe has led to the fact that those tourists who visited the island of Lipe for the amazingly beautiful and untouched nature of civilization began to avoid this island and look for new places where there are no crowds of people and nature is still in its pristine state. And located near the island of Lipe, the island of Bulon Lae, with its wooden huts and patriarchal lifestyle, turned out to be just the thing and fully suited their tastes.

Tarutao Island and the islands of Tarutao National Park

(Koh) is the largest and highest island of the national park of the same name, with dimensions exceeding 25 x 10 km and a mountain height of about 700 meters.

Tarutao Island is a common stopover for ships traveling from Pakbara Pier to Lipe Island, and all those many tourists who reach Lipe Island through Hat Yai town have the opportunity to see Tarutao Island with their own eyes.

At the same time, there are not so many people who want to not only look at Tarutao Island from board a ship, but also get to know it better and spend several days on the island, and the reasons for this state of affairs are quite clear.

On the island of Tarutao, unlike the island of Lipe, there is no commercial housing (hotels, resorts and guesthouses), but only a tent camp and several spartan-looking cottages belonging to the administration of the national park. There are also no bars, restaurants or nightlife on Tarutao Island, and those tourists who go to Lipe Island for entertainment avoid Tarutao Island.

However, if you are not afraid of everyday inconveniences and the lack of evening life, a couple of days spent on the island of Tarutao may well give you pleasure. The nature on the island of Tarutao is gorgeous, the beaches are deserted, there are no cities or villages on the island, but at the same time, there are several high-quality roads, and you can move around the island either on foot or along the shore by boat. In addition, the island has waterfalls, caves and viewpoints, which offer impressive views of beaches, hills, mountains, and islands located in the distance. So, none of the tourists who come there will have a question about what to do on Tarutao Island.

Brief description of the most notable islands of Tarutao National Park

Below are brief descriptions of the most interesting islands of Tarutao National Park, with the exception of the islands of Lipe, Adang and Tarutao, which are written about in much more detail.

Kai Island (Koh Khai) is a small island located halfway between the islands of Lipe and Tarutao. Known primarily for its unusual stone arch, which has become a symbol of Tarutao National Park. The white sand beaches of Kai Island are also good, as are the coral reefs located near the island in shallow waters. There are at least two islands called "Koh Khai" in Thailand. The second of them is located near the island of Phuket, and is a standard stop on excursions from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands. Obviously, these two islands should not be confused.

Ravi Island (Koh Rawi) is the twin brother of Adang Island, just as vast and just as high, but at the same time located at some distance from Lipe Island (the distance between the islands is about 7 kilometers). Like Adang Island, Ravi Island is practically devoid of flat areas, however, despite this, Ravi Island has several very decent beaches. It may also be noted that the coral reefs in the area of ​​Ravi Island are located literally a few meters from the beaches, and Ravi Island is popular among snorkelers.

Dong Island (Koh Dong, sometimes Koh Tong) is the third largest island of the Adang archipelago, the farthest island of the archipelago from Lipe Island, located at a distance of 10 km. from Lipe Island. Unlike the two largest islands of the archipelago, Adang Island and Ravi Island, Dong Island is flatter and quite densely populated by local residents. Dong Island is a standard stop on island hopping tours near Lipe Island, and its main attraction is the countless number of monkeys (long-tailed macaques) that live on the island.

Hin Son Island Hin Son Island is a small island located at a distance of approximately 8 km. from Lipe Island. It is a pile of stone blocks of a rather unusual shape. If you have ever seen with your own eyes, then looking at the island of Hin Son, you will probably remember the Sail Rock, the calling card of Similan. Hin Son Island is almost never an independent travel destination, and is usually visited together with 5-6 other islands, including the nearby large islands of Ravi and Dong.

Lugoi Island Lugoi Island is another small island among the many small islands located south of Dong Island. Notable for its clear light blue water, tiny pretty beach and excellent snorkeling in the coastal waters. It should be noted that snorkeling in the area of ​​Lugoi Island, as well as in the area of ​​other small islands of the Adang archipelago, is noticeably better than near Lipe Island. The water here is clearer, the corals are more diverse, including such hits of the underwater world as gorgonians (sea fans) and soft corals.

Hin Ngam Island Hin Ngam Island is a small island located 3 kilometers north of Lipe Island. Hin Ngam Island is quite different from the other islands in the Adang Archipelago, and this difference is that the beaches on Hin Ngam Island are pebbly and not sandy, like on all the other islands. These pebbles, large, perfectly polished and pitch black, are the main attraction of this island. Like other small islands, Hin Ngam Island is rarely a travel destination in its own right and is usually visited in conjunction with several neighboring islands.